aken ▁together , ▁H iga on on , ▁means ▁the ▁people ▁of ▁the ▁coast al ▁pla ins ▁that ▁asc ended ▁to ▁the ▁mountains . ▁H iga on ons ▁were ▁formerly ▁coast al ▁people ▁of ▁the ▁provinces ▁as ▁mentioned ▁who ▁resist ed ▁the ▁Spanish ▁occupation . ▁D ri ven ▁to ▁the ▁hills ▁and ▁mountains ▁these ▁people ▁continued ▁to ▁exist ▁and ▁fought ▁for ▁the ▁pres ervation ▁of ▁the ▁people , ▁her itage ▁and ▁culture . ▁ ▁Kal agan ▁Also ▁sp elled ▁" K ' lag an " ▁or ▁( by ▁the ▁Spanish ) ▁" Car agan ", ▁is ▁a ▁sub r oup ▁of ▁the ▁Mand aya - M ans aka ▁people ▁who ▁speak ▁the ▁Kal agan ▁language . ▁They ▁compr ise ▁three ▁sub groups ▁which ▁are ▁usually ▁treated ▁as ▁different ▁tribes : ▁the ▁Tag aka ulo , ▁the ▁K agan , ▁and ▁the ▁La o ▁people . ▁They ▁are ▁native ▁to ▁areas ▁within ▁D ava o ▁del ▁Sur , ▁Com post ela ▁Valley , ▁D ava o ▁del ▁Norte ▁( including ▁Sam al ▁Island ), ▁D ava o ▁Oriental , ▁and ▁North ▁Cot ab ato ; ▁between ▁the ▁territ ories ▁of ▁the ▁Bla an ▁people ▁and ▁the ▁coast line . ▁The ▁Car aga ▁region ▁is ▁named ▁after ▁them . ▁Their ▁name ▁means ▁" sp ir ited ▁people " ▁or ▁" bra ve ▁people ", ▁from ▁kal ag , ▁(" sp irit " ▁or ▁" s oul "). ▁They ▁were ▁histor ically ▁composed ▁of ▁small ▁war ring ▁groups . ▁Their ▁population , ▁as ▁of ▁ 1