The Higaonon tribe is among the least-known ethnolinguistic groups residing in the north-central area of Mindanao. Their name originates from the combined words “higa,” which means to reside, “gaon,” which means mountain, and “onon,” which means people, literally meaning people living in mountains, or they are also recognized as “people in the wilderness.” The main economic activity of the tribe involves slash-and-burn cultivation, concentrating on upland rice and corn. They engaged in food gathering as part of their livelihood. They supplement their income by logging timbers such as narra, kamagong, apitong, lauan, and yakal. Hunting is still practiced within the community; they hunt hawk snakes, monkeys, field rats, bats, and different birds.
