Talakag, officially the Municipality of Talakag (Bukid and Higaonon: Banuwa ta Talakag; ; ), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bukidnon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 77,027 people.
It is located on the border to major cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, and between Marawi and Malaybalay, the provincial capital.
Etymology
Once in the not so distant past, a nomadic tribe wandered down south. Finally, they settled upon a place attuned to their needs and liking. The place, was traversed by a zigzagging creek swollen with clear sparkling water where on its banks grew in abundance wild Malayan trees called “Balangas” (now popularly known as Rambutan – Nephelium lappaceum of the Family: Sapindaceae). The trees were full of attractive bloody red but juicy and delicious fruits, clustered in their very green foliages. Because of fanatical attachment of this tribe to these balangas trees, they decided to name their settlement “Kabalangasan” - a very typical way of simply affixing prefixes. This is the original name of the municipality of Talakag.
However, names of places are, often, influenced and affected by events that revolve around it. History goes that aside from this Kabalangasan settlement, there was another settlement further down south called “Dagundalahon”. At first, tribes of both settlements were very friendly and cordial to each other. They would hold social gatherings, "Kaamulan" and 'Kaliga" and other forms of intimate social merry-makings to satisfy their whims and caprices often with paganic undertones.
This relationship did not last long. A serious breakdown developed and as a consequence, they became bitter enemies. The root cause was the intense rivalry of men/warriors over beautiful and alluring women from either side. This resulted and accounted for ambush, kidnappings and to some extent even killings.
It was on the Kabalangasan side that men are more daring and aggressive. They adopted and ventured into the “go-chase-kidnap” tactics preying on the women of Dagundalahon who caught their fancy. Because of these, hill tribes in Dagundalahon side renamed “Kabalangasan” to Talakag, the etymology of which came from the Visayan dialect- LAKAG meaning "to go after” or “follow in pursuit” and the prefix “TA” denoting “fondness in doing such”. In other words, Talakag means “fondness in giving pursuit”.
Thus, the settlement that was known as Kabalangasan was named Talakag while the creek traversing the place retained the name Kabalangasan.
History
In the late 16th century, the seat of the highland government was established in Kinolosanglay at Tikalaan headed by Datu Man-utob, a wise and brave ruler. The Datu was described as an imposing giant of a man who has a big mole at the center of his nose bridge. His court was composed of Datu Aliga, Datu Lumbac and Datu Limbubongan (descent from Sharif Alawi). His ambassador was Datu Malinkayao, who was also called Sumagayon.
The jurisdiction of the kingdom of Datu Man-utob embraced the areas of Cosina, which was ruled by Mansalingay; Dagundalahon which was ruled by Datu Manlugwas; Langawon under the rule of Datu Mantingal; Landang, ruled by Datu Mancabo; Alanib ( now of Lantapan, Bukidnon) under the rules of Datu Malongmong and Datu Manbailana; Mandugao and Salagapon, which was ruled by Datu Tomopa; Tapagkal, ( now of Pangantukan, Bukidnon) ruled by Datu Magayao, Datu Maka-andig, Datu Dupao and Datu Miaday; Damulog which was ruled by Datu Labawan, who was also called Maganuna; Macahambus which was ruled by Datu Manpaklawan; and Tumalaung, which was ruled by Datu Mambalintas and Datu Manbalagon.
Datu Man-utob was such a respected ruler that all the datus under him were all in awe of him. Even the Datus of Cagayhaan (now Cagayan de Oro) ruled by Datus Abaga, Binandina and Ganza, Datus Tombalan, Mansingkatol, Manimohod, Mansihabo, Tingkayogan, Yagoma and Magoliok, all of Tagoloan and of Maguindanao and Ditsaan (now Lanao del Sur) respected and feared him.
He was so well known that even Sultan Kabungsuan (also known as Sharif Kabunsuan, the youngest brother of Sharif Alawi) and other Muslim leaders visited him at Tikalaan several times to establish good relationship during the propagation of Islam.