▁political ▁system ▁of ▁the ▁M aman wa ▁is ▁inform ally ▁dem ocr atic ▁and ▁age - struct ured . ▁E ld ers ▁are ▁respect ed ▁and ▁are ▁expected ▁to ▁maintain ▁peace ▁and ▁order ▁within ▁the ▁tribe . ▁The ▁ch ie ft ain , ▁called ▁a ▁Tamb ay on , ▁usually ▁takes ▁over ▁the ▁duties ▁of ▁coun sel ing ▁trib al ▁members , ▁speaking ▁at ▁gather ings , ▁and ▁arbitr ating ▁disag re ements . ▁The ▁ch ie ft ain ▁may ▁be ▁a ▁man ▁or ▁a ▁woman , ▁which ▁is ▁characteristic ▁of ▁other ▁gender - eg al itar ian ▁h unter - g ather er ▁soci eties . ▁They ▁believe ▁in ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁spirits , ▁which ▁are ▁govern ed ▁by ▁the ▁supre me ▁de ity ▁Mag b ab aya , ▁although ▁it ▁appears ▁that ▁their ▁contact ▁with ▁mon othe ist ▁communities / pop ulations ▁has ▁made ▁a ▁considerable ▁impact ▁on ▁the ▁M aman wa ' s ▁religious ▁practices . ▁The ▁tribe ▁produce ▁excellent ▁w inn ow ing ▁b ask ets , ▁r attan ▁h amm ock s , ▁and ▁other ▁household ▁containers . ▁ ▁M aman wa ▁( also ▁sp elled ▁Mam ano a ) ▁means ▁' first ▁forest ▁dwell ers ', ▁from ▁the ▁words ▁man ▁( first ) ▁and ▁ban wa ▁( for est ). ▁They ▁speak ▁the ▁M aman wa ▁language ▁( or ▁Min aman wa ). ▁They ▁are ▁gen et ically ▁related ▁to ▁the ▁Den is ov ans . ▁ ▁Mand aya ▁ ▁" M and aya " ▁der ives