Sangil descended from Sangihe, an archipelago in Eastern Indonesia, from where they hailed. The tribe was already Muslim long before they came to the Philippines and, ahead of the introduction of Islam to Mindanao. Sangil, an Austronesian language, appears to have an affinity to Sama, with regards to the pronunciation of words, manner of speaking and vocabulary.

Concentrations of Sangil inhabit the islands of Balut and Sarangani, as well as parts of the coastal region of South Cotabato and Davao del Sur Provinces.

Primary subsistence of the Sangil revolve around fishing and lowland, intensive agriculture and horticulture. Boat-building is also a prime activity, such as vintas and pump boats. Traditionally, local village groups were comprised of exogamous matrilineages; (normal) Filipino bilateral relationships developed later.

Scripture Prayers for the Sangil in Philippines.