NAME: MANGANDINGAN, MAJEDAH M.

13 BANGSAMORO ETHNIC GROUPS

1. BADJAO
Traditions
Most of the various oral traditions and tarsila (royal genealogies) among the Sama-Bajau have a
common theme which claims that they were originally a land-dwelling people who were the
subjects of a king who had a daughter. After she is lost by either being swept away to the sea (by
a storm or a flood) or being taken captive by a neighbouring kingdom, they were then
supposedly ordered to find her. After failing to do so they decided to remain nomadic for fear of
facing the wrath of the king.[5][19][21][22]
One such version widely told among the Sama-Bajau of Borneo claims that they descended
from Johorean royal guards who were escorting a princess named Dayang Ayesha for marriage
to a ruler in Sulu. However, the Sultan of Brunei (allegedly Muhammad Shah of Brunei) also fell
in love with the princess. On the way to Sulu, they were attacked by Bruneians in the high seas.
The princess was taken captive and married to the Sultan of Brunei instead. The escorts, having
lost the princess, elected to settle in Borneo and Sulu rather than return to Johor.[23][24]
Among the Indonesian Sama-Bajau, on the other hand, their oral histories place more importance
on the relationship of the Sama-Bajau with the Sultanate of Gowa rather than Johor. The various
versions of their origin myth tell about a royal princess who was washed away by a flood. She
was found and eventually married a king or a prince of Gowa. Their offspring then allegedly
became the ancestors of the Indonesian Sama-Bajau.[21][25]
However, there are other versions which are also more mythological and do not mention a
princess. Among the Philippine Sama-Bajau, for example, there is a myth that claims that the
Sama-Bajau were accidentally towed into what is now Zamboanga by a giant
stingray.[5] Incidentally, the native pre-Hispanic name of Zamboanga City is "Samboangan"
(literally "mooring place"), which was derived from the Sinama word for a mooring
pole, sambuang or samboang.[24]

Culture
Religion
Religions of Sama-Bajau (Malaysian
population only)[71]
Religion Percent
Islam   95.26%
Christianity   0.52%
Folk
religion /   0.08%
Other
religions
No religion
  4.14%
/ Unknown
Religion can vary among the Sama-Bajau subgroups; from a strict adherence to Sunni Islam,
forms of folk Islam (itself influenced by Sufi traditions of early Muslim missionaries), to
animistic beliefs in spirits and ancestor worship. There is a small minority
of Catholics and Protestants, particularly from Davao del Sur in the Philippines.[22][36]
Among the modern coastal Sama-Bajau of Malaysia, claims to religious piety and learning are an
important source of individual prestige. Some of the Sama-Bajau lack mosques and must rely on
the shore-based communities such as those of the more Islamised or Malay peoples. Some of the
more nomadic Sama-Bajau, like the Ubian Bajau, are much less adherent to orthodox Islam.
They practice a syncretic form of folk Islam, revering local sea spirits, known in Islamic
terminology as Jinn.[29]

The ancient Sama-Bajau were animistic, and this is retained wholly or partially in some Sama-
Bajau groups. The supreme deities in Sama-Bajau mythology are Umboh Tuhan (also known
as Umboh Dilaut, the "Lord of the Sea") and his consort, Dayang Dayang Mangilai ("Lady of
the Forest").[73] Umboh Tuhan is regarded as the creator deity who made humans equal with
animals and plants. Like other animistic religions, they fundamentally divide the world into the
physical and spiritual realms which coexist.[11][74] In modern Muslim Sama-Bajau, Umboh
Tuhan (or simply Tuhan or Tuan) is usually equated with Allah.[24][74][note 2]
Other objects of reverence are spirits known as umboh ("ancestor", also variously
spelled omboh, m'boh, mbo', etc.).[24] Traditionally, the umboh referred more specifically
to ancestral spirits, different from the saitan (nature spirits) and the jinn (familiar spirits); some
literature refers to all of them as umboh.[75] These include Umboh Baliyu (the spirits of wind and
storms), and Umboh Payi or Umboh Gandum (the spirits of the first rice harvest). They
include totemic spirits of animals and plants, including Umboh Summut (totem of ants)
and Umboh Kamun (totem of mantis shrimp).[74]
The construction and launch of sailing vessels are ritualised, and the vessels are believed to have
a spirit known as Sumangâ ("guardian", literally "one who deflects attacks").[45] The umboh are
believed to influence fishing activities, rewarding the Sama-Bajau by granting good luck favours
known as padalleang and occasionally punishing by causing serious incidents
called busong.[48][73]
Traditional Sama-Bajau communities may have shamans (dukun) traditionally known as
the kalamat. The kalamat are known in Muslim Sama-Bajau as the wali jinn (literally "custodian
of jinn") and may adhere to taboos concerning the treatment of the sea and other cultural aspects.
The kalamat preside over Sama-Bajau community events along with mediums known as igal
jinn.[26][73] The kalamat and the igal jinn are said to be "spirit-bearers" and are believed to be
hosts of familiar spirits. It is not, however, regarded as a spirit possession, since the igal
jinn never lose control of their bodies. Instead, the igal jinn are believed to have acquired their
familiar spirit (jinn) after surviving a serious or near-fatal illness. For the rest of their lives,
the igal jinn are believed to share their bodies with the particular jinn who saved them.[73]
One important religious event among the Sama-Bajau is the annual feast known as pag-
umboh or magpaay-bahaw, an offering of thanks to Umboh Tuhan.[24][26][29] In this ceremony,
newly harvested rice (paay-bahaw) are dehusked (magtaparahu) while Islamic prayers (duaa)
are recited. They are dried (magpatanak) and are then laid out in small conical piles symbolic of
mountains (bud) on the living room floor (a process known as the "sleeping of rice"). After two
or three nights, two-thirds are set aside for making sweet rice meals (panyalam), while one-third
is set aside for making sweet rice cakes (durul).[26][29] Additional prayers (zikir), which includes
calling the names of ancestors out loud, are offered to the Umboh after the rice meals have been
prepared. Pag-umboh is a solemn and formal affair.[26]
Another annual religious ceremony among the boat-dwelling Sama Dilaut is
the pagkanduli (literally "festive gathering").[75] It involves ritual dancing to Umboh
Tuhan, Dayang Dayang Mangilai, and ancestral ghosts called bansa. The ritual is first celebrated
under a sacred dangkan tree (strangler figs, known elsewhere in the Philippines as balete)
symbolising the male spirit Umboh Tuhan and afterwards in the centre of a grove
of kama'toolang trees (pandan trees) symbolising the female spirit Dayang Dayang Mangilai.[73]
The trance dancing is called mag-igal and involves female and male and igal jinn, called the jinn
denda and jinn lella respectively. The jinn denda perform the first dance known as igal
limbayan under the dangkan tree, with the eldest leading. They are performed with intricate
movements of the hands, usually with metal fingernail extensions called sulingkengkeng. If the
dance and music are pleasing, the bansa are believed to take possession of the dancers,
whereupon the wali jinn will assist in releasing them at the end of the dance.
The bansa are not feared as they are regarded as spirits of ancestors. Temporarily serving as
hosts for the bansa while dancing to music is regarded as a "gift" by the living Sama Dilaut to
their ancestors. After the igal limbayan, the wali jinn will invite the audience to participate, to
celebrate, and to give their thanks. The last dance is the igal lellang, with four jinn
lella performing a warrior dance, whereupon the participants will proceed to
the kama'toolang grove. There they will perform rituals and dance (this time with male and
female dancers together), symbolically "inviting" Dayang Dayang Mangilai to come with them
back to the dangkan tree. Further games and celebrations are held under the original dangkantree
before the celebrants say their farewells to the spirits. Unlike pag-umboh, pagkanduli is a joyous
celebration, involving singing, dancing, and joking among all participants. It is the largest festive
event among the Sama Dilaut communities.[26]
Aside from pagkanduli and magpaay-bahaw, public dances called magigal jinn may occur.
During these celebrations, the igal jinn may be consulted for a public séance and for
nightly trance dancing.[75] In times of epidemics, the igal jinn are called upon to remove illness
causing spirits from the community. They do this by setting a "spirit boat" adrift in the open sea
beyond the village or anchorage.

Languages
Main article: Sama-Bajaw languages
The Sama–Bajau peoples speak some ten languages of the Sama–Bajau subgroup of the
Western Malayo-Polynesian language family.[67]Sinama is the most common name for these
languages, but they are also called Bajau, especially in Malaysia. Most Sama-Bajau can speak
multiple languages.[10]
The Sama-Bajau languages were once classified under the Central Philippine languages of
the Malayo-Polynesian geographic group of the Austronesian language family. But due to
marked differences with neighbouring languages, they were moved to a separate branch
altogether from all other Philippine languages.[68] For example, Sinama pronunciation is quite
distinct from other nearby Central Philippine languages like Tausūg and Tagalog. Instead of
the primary stress being usually on the final syllable; the primary stress occurs on the second-to-
the-last syllable of the word in Sinama.[27] This placement of the primary stress is similar
to Manobo and other languages of the predominantly animistic ethnic groups of Mindanao,
the Lumad peoples.[69]
In 2006, the linguist Robert Blust, proposed that the Sama-Bajaw languages derived from
the Barito lexical region, though not from any established group. It is thus a sister group to other
Barito languages like Dayak and Malagasy. It is classified under the Bornean geographic
group.[70]
Sama-Bajau languages are usually written in the Jawi alphabet.[15]

2. IRANUN

The Iranun are a Moro ethnic group native to Mindanao, Philippines, and the west coast
of Sabah (in which they are found in 25 villages around the Kota Belud and Lahad Datu districts;
also in Kudat and Likas, Kota Kinabalu).
For centuries, the Iranun were involved in pirate-related occupations in the Malay
world. Lanunmeans pirate in Malay language. Originally from the Sultanate of Maguindanao, in
southern Mindanao, Iranun colonies spread throughout Mindanao, the Sulu Archipelago and the
north and east coast of Borneo. Most Iranuns are Muslim. Their language is part of
the Austronesianfamily, and is most closely related to the Maranao people of Lanao. Historically,
the Iranun were given the exonym Illanun during the British colonial era. The Malay
term Lanun or pirate originated from the exonym.
Iranun was one of the oldest existing nations in the world during the ancient times with definite
integral territory wherein the sovereign power and authority was exercised over it by the
legitimate ruler. Iranun as a nation inhabited mainly the Crab Gulf (Moro Gulf). Its villages were
established and concentrated in the Iranun Bay (Illana Bay). The origin was attributed to the
people of the Uranen Kingdom of the primitive past who inhabited in Tbok (Malabang). Iranuns
were the first people who entered into a marriage affinity with Shariff Aulia and Sharif
Kabungsuwan. Bai sa Pandan (Princess Pagunguwan, daughter of Rajah Urangguwan) and Bai
Angintabu respectively. Their wedlocks where Sultan Kudarat who directly got his line of
descent from them. Iranun was a breed nation between the Karibang-Karingke Line of descent
and last wave of Malay migrants. From this marriage affinity sprang the Iranun nation whose
first leader was Rajah Urangguwan. The name of their place (state) was Uranen. During the
advent of the Shariffs, union took its place in the kingdom through uninterrupted inter-marriages
among the royals. In the case of inter-marriages of an Iranun woman and an outsider man, the
cultural influences of the woman's family will be more dominant that the outsider man would be
considered as an Iranun man; although in a lot cases this does not happen.[1]
The language of the Maranao and Maguindanao is strongly rooted in the Iranun tongue. The
Iranun may perhaps be the mother language and the rest are just a mere dialects. For several
centuries, the Iranuns in the Philippines formed part of the Sultanate of Maguindanao. In the
past, the seat of the Maguindanao Sultanate was situated at Lamitan and Malabang. Both of
which were the strongholds of the Iranun society. Iranuns fought the Western invaders under the
flag of the Maguindanao Sultanate. They formed part of the Moro resistance against the USA
occupation of the Philippines from 1899 to 1913.[2] The Iranun were excellent in maritime
activity as they are traditionally sailors and pirates.[2] They used to ply the route connecting
the Sulu Sea, Moro Gulf to Celebes Sea, and raided the Spanish held territories along the way.

3. JAMA MAPUN
4. KALAGAN

Kalagan language
Kalagan

Native to Philippines

Region Mindanao (Davao Region and a few parts

in Caraga)

Ethnicity Kalagans (or "Caragans" or "Caragas")

Native speakers 160,000 (2000–2002)[1]

Language Austronesian
family
 Malayo-Polynesian
 Philippine
 Central Philippine
 Mansakan
 Kalagan

Language codes

ISO 639-3 Variously:

kqe – Kalagan
kll – Kagan Kalagan
klg – Tagakaulu Kalagan
 Glottolog west2552 [2]

Kalagan is an Austronesian dialect cluster of the Davao Region of Mindanao in the Philippines.
It is also spoken in a few parts of Caraga, still in Mindanao.
Distribution
Ethnologue lists the following locations for Kalagan.
 Davao del Sur Province: southwest of Davao City, inland along coast
 Compostela Valley and Davao del Norte provinces: including Samal and associated islands,
and inland on eastern shores of Davao Gulf
 Davao Oriental Province highlands
 some in North Cotabato Province
Kalagan dialects are:
 Isamal dialect: spoken in Samal Island
 Western Kalagan: spoken in Davao Oriental Province
 Lupon: spoken in Davao del Sur Province, along the gulf down to Hagonoy and Guihing
near Digos City
 Eastern Kalagan: spoken mainly in Davao Oriental Province
Other dialects include the Kagan Kalagan which is spoken near Digos City in Davao del
Sur Province where there are 6,000 speakers, and the Tagakaulo which is spoken mainly
in Davao del Sur Province (western shore of Davao Gulf, from Digos south to Bugis and inland)
and also in Sultan Kudarat (Columbio municipality) and South Cotabato (Tampakan) provinces.

5. KALIBUGAN

Subanon language

Subanen

Subanon, Subanun, Subano

Kalibugan, Kolibugan

Region Western Mindanao

Native speakers (400,000 cited 1978–2011)[1]

Language family Austronesian

  Malayo-Polynesian
 Philippine
 Greater Central Philippine
 Subanen

Language codes

ISO 639-3 Variously:

syb – Central
stb – Northern
suc – Western
skn – Kolibugan
laa – Lapuyan (Southern)
sfe – Eastern

Glottolog suba1253 [2]

The Subanon language (also Subanen and Subanun) is an Austronesian language belonging to
the Greater Central Philippine languages. It is typically considered by linguists as a dialect
cluster more than a monolithic language. Subanon is spoken in various areas of Zamboanga
Peninsula namely the provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga
del Sur, and in Misamis Occidental of Northern Mindanao. There is also a sizeable Subanon
community in Misamis Oriental. Most go by the name of Subanen, Subanon or Subanun, while
those who adhere to Islam refer to themselves as Kalibugan.

6. MAGUINDANAO

Maguindanao people

Maguindanaons
Taw na Magindanaw

Salipada Pendatun
Tucao Mastura Murad Ebrahim Datu Ali

Total population
 1.1 million

Regions with significant populations

Philippines

(Maguindanao, SOCCSKSARGEN, Zamboanga Peninsula,Manila, Cebu)

Languages

Maguindanaon, Chavacano, Cebuano, Filipino, English

Religion

Predominantly Islam

Related ethnic groups

Lumad, Visayans,

other Moro peoples (such as Maranao, Iranun)

other Filipinos,
other Austronesian peoples

The Maguindanao people are part of the wider Moro ethnic group, who constitute the sixth
largest Filipino ethnic group. Their name means “people of the plains”.
Pre-colonial
Main article: Sultanate of Maguindanao
In the early 15th century, Sharif Muhammad Kabungsuan, an Arab-Malay preacher from
the Royal House of Malacca, arrived in what is now Malabang, introduced Islamic faith and
customs, settled down with a local princess, and founded a Sultanate whose capital was
Cotabato. The other center of power in the area, Sultanate of Buayan, which is now
modern General Santos City, has an even longer history dating back to early Arab missionaries,
who, although not able to implant the Islamic faith, introduced a more sophisticated political
system. In Buayan, the transition to Islam took a longer time. Spanish chronicles was told that
Buayan, and not Cotabato, was the most important settlement in Mindanao at that time.
Spanish era[
In 1579, an expedition sent by Governor Francisco de Sande failed to conquer the Maguindanao.
In 1596, the Spanish government gave Captain Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa the sole right to
colonize Mindanao. He met defeat in Buayan, and later, was killed in an ambush by a Buhahayen
named Ubal. His forces retreated to an anchorage near Zamboanga. The rise of the
Maguindanao-Cotabato power came after the defeat of Datu Sirongan of Buayan in 1606. From
1607 to 1635, new military alliances were formed, this time with Cotabato. By the 1630s,
Cotabato had become a coastal power. In the early 17th century, the largest alliance composed of
the Maguindanao, Maranao, Tausug, and other Muslim groups was formed by Sultan Kudarat or
Cachel Corralat of Maguindanao, whose domain extended from the Davao Gulf to Dapitan on
the Zamboanga Peninsula. Several expeditions sent by the Spanish authorities suffered defeat. In
1635, Captain Juan de Chaves occupied Zamboanga and erected a fort. This led to the defeat of
Kudarat's feared admiral, Datu Tagal, who had raided pueblos in the Visayas. In 1637, Governor
General Hurtado de Corcuera personally led an expedition against Kudarat, and triumphed over
his forces at Lamitan and Ilian. Spanish presence was withdrawn in 1663, providing an
opportunity for Kudarat to re consolidate his forces.
From 1663 to 1718, Maguindanao influence extended as far as Zamboanga in the west, Cagayan
de Oro in the north, Sarangani in the south, and Davao in the east. In 1719, the Spaniards
reestablished control with the building of the strategic Fort Pilar in Zamboanga (Miravite
1976:40; Angeles 1974:28; Darangen 1980:42-45). The 1730s saw the weakening of the
Maguindanao sultanate, as it struggled with civil war and internal disunity. Spanish help was
sought by the besieged rajah mudah (crown prince), further destroying the prestige of the
sultanate. Thus, Cotabato power became increasingly dependent on Spanish support. This
deepening compromise with Spain led Cotabato to its downfall. Fearing Buayan's reemerging
power, Sultan Kudarat II finally ceded Cotabato to Spain in return for an annual pension of 1,000
pesos for him, and 800 pesos for his son. Buayan, under Datu Uto, had, by the 1860s, become the
power of Maguindanao. In 1887, General Emilio Terrero led an expedition against Uto;
although, he was able to destroy the kota (forts) in Cotabato, he was unable to enforce Spanish
sovereignty (Miravite 1976:42; Ileto 1971:16-29). In 1891, Governor General Valeriano Weyler
personally led a campaign against the Maguindanao and Maranao. In the next few months,
Weyler erected a fort in Parang-Parang, between Pulangi and the Ilanun coast. This effectively
stopped the shipment of arms to Uto, who died a defeated man in 1902.
American era
During the Philippine-American War, the Americans adopted a policy of noninterference in the
Muslim areas, as spelled out in the Bates Agreement of 1899 signed by Brig. General John C.
Bates and Sultan Jamalul Kiram II of Jolo. The agreement was a mutual non-aggression pact
which obligated the Americans to recognize the authority of the Sultan and other chiefs who, in
turn, agreed to fight piracy and crimes against Christians. However, the Muslims did not know
that the Treaty of Paris, which had ceded the Philippine archipelago to the Americans, included
their land as well. After the Philippine-American War, the Americans established direct rule over
the newly formed "Moro Province", which then consisted of five district—Zamboanga, Lanao,
Cotabato, Davao, and Sulu. Political, social, and economic changes were introduced. These
included the creation of provincial and district institutions; the introduction of the public school
system and American-inspired judicial system; the imposition of the cedula; the migration of
Christians to Muslim lands encouraged by the colonial government; and the abolition of
slavery. Datu Ali of Kudarangan, Cotabato refused to comply with the antislavery legislation,
and revolted against the Americans. In October 1905, he and his men were killed. The
Department of Mindanao and Sulu replaced the Moro province on 15 December 1913. A "policy
of attraction" was introduced, ushering in reforms to encourage Muslim integration into
Philippine society.
In 1916, after the passage of the Jones Law, which transferred legislative power to a Philippine
Senate and House of Representatives, polygamy was made illegal. However, the Muslims were
granted time to comply with the new restrictions. "Proxy colonialism" was legalized by the
Public Land Act of 1919, invalidating Muslim Pusaka (inherited property) laws. The act also
granted the state the right to confer land ownership. It was thought that the Muslims would
"learn" from the "more advanced" Christian Filipinos, and would integrate more easily into
mainstream Philippine society.
In February 1920, the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives passed Act No. 2878,
which abolished the Department of Mindanao and Sulu and transferred its responsibilities to the
Bureau of Non-Christian Tribes under the Department of the Interior. Muslim dissatisfaction
grew as power shifted to the Christianized Filipinos; it was one thing to be administered by the
militarily superior Americans, another by their traditional enemies, the Christian Filipinos.
Petitions were sent by Muslim leaders in 1921 and 1924 requesting that Mindanao and Sulu be
administered directly by the United States. These petitions were not granted. Isolated cases of
armed resistance were quickly crushed. In Cotabato, Datu Ambang of Kidapawan attempted to
incite a jihad (holy war) against the Americans and the Christian Filipinos. This, however, did
not take place when the governor of the province mobilized government forces.
Realizing the futility of armed resistance, some Muslims sought to make the best of the situation.
In 1934, Arolas Tulawi of Sulu, Datu Menandang Pang and Datu Blah Sinsuat of Cotabato, and
Sultan Alaoya Alonto of Lanao were elected to the 1935 Constitutional Convention. In 1935,
only two Muslims were elected into the National Assembly.
The Commonwealth years sought to end the privileges the Muslims had been enjoying under the
earlier American administration. Muslim exemptions from some national laws, as expressed in
the Administrative Code for Mindanao, and the Muslim right to use their traditional Islamic
courts, as expressed in the Moro board, were ended. The Bureau of Non-Christian Tribes was
replaced by the Office of the Commissioner for Mindanao and Sulu, whose main objective was
to tap the full economic potentials of Mindanao not for the Muslims but for the Commonwealth.
These "development" efforts resulted in discontent which found expression in the various armed
uprisings, mostly in Lanao, from 1936 to 1941. The Muslims are generally adverse to anything
that threatens Islam and their way of life. Che Man (1990:56) believes that they were neither
anti-American nor anti-Filipino, but simply against any form of foreign encroachment into their
traditional way of life. During World War II, the Muslims in general supported the fight against
the Japanese, who were less tolerant and harsher to them than the American Commonwealth
government.
Independent Philippines[edit]
After independence, efforts to integrate the Muslims into the new political order met with stiff
resistance. It was unlikely that the Muslims, who have had longer cultural history as Muslims
than the Christian Filipinos as Christian, would surrender their identity. The conflict was
exacerberated in 1965 with the "Jabidah Massacre", in which Muslim soldiers were allegedly
eliminated because they refused to invade Sabah. This incident contributed to the rise of various
separatist movements—the Muslim Independence Movement (MIM), Ansar el-Islam, and Union
of Islamic Forces and Organizations. In 1969, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) was
founded on the concept of a Bangsa Moro Republic by a group of educated young Muslims. The
leader of this group, Nur Misuari, regarded the earlier movements as feudal and oppressive, and
employed a Marxist framework to analyze the Muslim condition and the general Philippine
situation. In 1976, negotiations between the Philippine government and the MNLF in Tripoli
resulted in the Tripoli Agreement, which provided for an autonomous region in Mindanao.
Negotiations resumed in 1977, and the following points were agreed upon: the proclamation of a
Presidential Decree creating autonomy in 13 provinces; the creation of a provisional government;
and the holding of a referendum in the autonomous areas to determine the administration of the
government. Nur Misuari was invited to chair the provisional government, but he refused. The
referendum was boycotted by the Muslims themselves. The talks collapsed, and fighting
continued (Che Man 1988:146-147).
When Corazon C. Aquino became president, a new constitution, which provided for the creation
of autonomous regions in Mindanao and the Cordilleras, was ratified. On 1 August 1989,
Republic Act 673 or the Organic Act for Mindanao created the Autonomous Region of Muslim
Mindanao (ARMM), which encompasses Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.[1]

Languages
They speak Maguindanaon[2] and second
languages Cebuano, Tagalog and Arabic and/or English. Because of the mass influx
of Cebuanomigrants to Mindanao, many of the Maguindanao people tend to be exposed to the
Cebuano language from Visayas easily enough to be able to speak it.
Arabic, a Central Semitic language, is also spoken by a minority of the Moro people, being
the liturgical language of Islam. Most Maranaos however, do not know Arabic beyond its
religious uses.
Chavacano (sometimes spelled as Chabacano or Chabakano) is a Philippine Spanish creole, that
gained popularity as a Philippine major language during the short-lived Republic of Zamboanga.
Most of the Maguindanao people with part-Tausug or Yakan from Zamboanga and Basilan have
also attained the ability to speak this language, specifically the Zamboanga dialect known as
Zamboangueño.

7. PALAWANON

History
The early history of Palawan was determined by a team of researchers led by Dr. Robert B. Fox.
They found evidence in the Tabon Caves that humans have lived in Palawan for more than
50,000 years. They also found human bone fragments, from an individual known as Tabon Man,
in the municipality of Quezon, as well as tools and other artifacts. Although the origin of the
cave dwellers is not yet established, anthropologists believe they came from Borneo. The Tabon
Caves are now known as the Cradle of Philippine Civilization[9]
Ancient times
The Palawano and Tagbanwa, are believed to be direct descendants of Palawan's earliest settlers.
They developed an informal form of government, an alphabet, and a system of trading with
seafaring merchants.[11]
Surviving ancient tribal artwork include reliefs of elephants, sharks, and fish found at Tabon
Caves. Approximately 5,000 years ago, a culturally distinct period characterised by jar burials is
evident. This era lasted till AD 500. Over 1500 jars and a mural depicting a burial procession
were found.[citation needed]
A more recent wave of migrants arrived between AD 220 and 263. This was during a period
known as the Three Kingdoms. "Little, dark people" living in Anwei province in South China
were driven South by Han People. Some settled in Thailand, others went farther south to
Indonesia, Sumatra, Borneo. They were known as Aetas and Negritos from whom
Palawan's Batak tribe descended.[12]
In AD 982, ancient Chinese traders regularly visited the islands.[12] A Chinese author referred to
these islands as Kla-ma-yan(Calamian), Palau-ye (Palawan), and Paki-nung (Busuanga). Pottery,
china and other artifacts recovered from caves and waters of Palawan attest to trade relations that
existed between Chinese and Malay merchants.[11]
Region
In 2001, the residents of Palawan voted in a plebiscite to reject inclusion into an
expanded Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.[21]
On 17 May 2002, Executive Order No. 103 divided Region IV into Region IV-A (Calabarzon)
and Region IV-B (Mimaropa), placing the province of Palawan into Mimaropa.[22]
On 23 May 2005, Executive Order No. 429 directed that Palawan be transferred from Region IV-
B to Region VI.[1] However, Palaweños criticized the move, citing a lack of consultation, with
most residents in Puerto Princesa City and all municipalities but one preferring to stay with
Region IV-B. Consequently, Administrative Order No. 129 was issued on 19 August 2005 that
the implementation of EO 429 be held in abeyance pending approval by the President of its
implementation Plan.[2] The Philippine Commission on Electionsreported the 2010 Philippine
general election results for Palawan as a part of the Region IV-B results.[23] As of 30 June 2011,
the abeyance was still in effect and Palawan remained a part of Mimaropa.[7]
Spoken languages in Palawan
Languages percentage
Tagalog   50%
Cuyonon   27%
Hiligaynon (Ilonggo)   19%
Palawano   4%

Language[edit]
There are 52 languages and dialects in the province, with Tagalog being spoken by more than 50
percent of the people. Languages native to the islands are Cuyonon (26.27 percent),
and Palawano (4.0 percent). Hiligaynon is also present at 19 percent. Before mass immigration to
Palawan by various groups of people from Southern Tagalog, Illocandia, and Central Luzon, and
Panay Cuyonon was an established lingua franca amongst many of its native peoples, i.e. the
Agutaynen, Cagayanen, Tagbanua, Palawan, and others. The usage of Cuyonon significantly
dropped during the approach of the new millennium being replaced by the now majority
Tagalog. In the south of Palawan during the occupation of the Sulu Sultanate, Tausug was a
lingua franca amongst the minority Islamfied ethnic groups i.e. Molbog, Tausug (non native),
Muslim Palaw’an, and the migratory Sama. By the 19th Century, Cuyonon had replaced Tausug
as lingua franca, coinciding with Spain’s efforts to stake control of the island.

8. MARANAW

The Maranao people (Maranao: ['mәranaw]; Filipino: Mëlanaw (based on Papanoka Mera)[2]),
also spelled Meranao, Maranawo (based onMarapatik) and Mëraonaw, is the term used by the
Philippine government to refer to the southern tribe who are the "people of the lake" (Ranao in
the Iranaon language),[citation needed] a predominantly-Muslim region of the Philippine island
of Mindanao. They are known for their artwork, weaving, wood, plastic and metal crafts and epic
literature, the Darengen.

Culture

Maranao culture can be characterized by:

 Lake Lanao
 Sarimanok (Papanoka Mra and Mara-patik)
 Torogan, the highest form of a Maranao royal house, where the architecture used is the most
aesthetic in the Philippines
 Darangen, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
 Kirim, pre-Hispanic handwriting based from Arabic letters with 19 consonants and 7 vowels.
 Singkil, a Philippine dance[5]
 Okir on wooden artifacts and brasswares
 Capmorod and Cackhalilang with Sambolayang and Pasandalan a Morog and Marigay for
Kazipasa Manggis.
 Caplagood (Racing horse)
The culture of the Maranaos is centered on Lake Lanao, the largest in Mindanao, and the second-
largest and deepest lake in the Philippines. This lake is the subject of various myths and legends.
It supports a major fishery, and powers the hydroelectric plant installed on it; the Agus River
system generates 70% of the electricity used by the people of Mindanao. A commanding view of
the lake is offered by Marawi City, the provincial capital.
Language
Main article: Maranao language

Maranao is an Austronesian language spoken by the Maranao people in the provinces of Lanao
del Norte and Lanao del Sur.[6]Because of the mass influx of Cebuano migrants to Mindanao,
many Maranaos are also fluent in Cebuano.
Arabic, a Central Semitic language, is spoken by a minority of the Moro people, as it is
the liturgical language of Islam. Most Maranaos, however, do not know Arabic beyond its
religious use.
Chavacano (sometimes spelled as Chabacano or Chabakano) is a Philippine Spanish Creole that
gained popularity as a major language during the short-lived Republic of Zamboanga. Most
Maranaos with part-Tausug or Yakan from Zamboanga and Basilan are conversant, specifically
the Zamboanga dialect known as Zamboangueño.

9. MOLBOG

Molbog language

Molbog

Native to Philippines, Sabah

Native speakers (6,700 in the Philippines cited 1990)[1]

Language family Austronesian

 Malayo-Polynesian
 North Bornean
 Northeast Sabahan
 Banggi
 Molbog

Language codes

ISO 639-3 pwm

Glottolog molb1237 [2]

Molbog is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines and Sabah, Malaysia. Majority of
speakers are concentrated at the southernmost tip of the Philippine province of Palawan,
specifically the municipalities of Bataraza and Balabac. Both municipalities are considered as
bastions for environmental conservation in the province. Majority of Molbog speakers adhere
to Islam.

10. SAMA
 11. SANGIL

Sangirese language

Sangirese

Native to Indonesia
Philippines

Region North Sulawesi

Davao del Sur
Davao Occidental
Davao Oriental

Native speakers (200,000 in Indonesia (1993)

70,000 in Philippines cited 1981–1996)[1]

Language family Austronesian

 Malayo-Polynesian
 Philippine
 Sangiric
 North
 Sangirese

Writing system Latin

Language codes

ISO 639-3 Either:

sxn – Sangir
snl – Sangil

Glottolog nort2871 [2]

Sangirese, also known as Sangihé, Sangi, and Sangih, is an Austronesian language spoken on
the islands linking northern Sulawesi, Indonesia, with Mindanao, Philippines by the Sangirese
people
 12. TAUSUG

The Tausūg or Suluk people are an ethnic group of the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. The
Tausūg are part of the wider political identity of Muslims of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan. Most
of the Tausugs have converted into the religion of Islam whose members are now more known as
the Moro group, who constitute the third largest ethnic group
of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan.[citation needed] The Muslim Tausugs originally had an independent
state known as the Sulu Sultanate, which once exercised sovereignty over the present day
provinces of Basilan, Palawan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, the eastern part of the Malaysian
state of Sabah (formerly North Borneo) and North Kalimantan in Indonesia.

Traditional Political Structure

The political structure of the Tausug is affected by the two economic divisions in the ethnic
group, mainly parianon (people of the landing) and guimbahanon (hill people). Before the
establishment of the Sultanate of Sulu, the indigenous pre-Islamic Tausug were organized into
various independent communities or community-states called banwa. When Islam arrived and
the sultanate was established, the banwa was divided into districts administered by
a panglima (mayor). The panglima are under the sultan (king). The people who held the stability
of the community along with the sultan and the panglimas are the ruma bichura (state council
advisers), datu raja muda (crown price), datu maharaja adensuk (palace commander), datu
ladladja laut (admiral), datu maharaja layla (commissioner of customes), datu amir
bahar (speaker of the ruma bichara), datu tumagong (executive secretary), datu juhan (secretary
of information), datu muluk bandarasa (secretary of commerce), datu sawajaan (secretary of
interior), datu bandahala (secretary of finance), mamaneho (inspector general), datu
sakandal (sultan's personal envoy), datu nay (ordinance or weapon commander), wazil (prime
minister). A mangungubat (curer) also has special status in the community as they are believed
to have direct contact with the spiritual realm.
The community's people is divided into three classes, which are the nobility (the sultan's family
and court), commoners (the free people), and the slaves (war captives, sold into slavery, or
children of slaves).[12]

Languages
Main articles: Surigaonon language and Tausug language

The Tausug language is called "Sinug" with "Bahasa" to mean Language. The Tausug language is
related to Bicolano, Tagalog and Visayan languages, being especially closely related to
the Surigaonon language of the provinces Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Agusan del
Sur and the Butuanon language of northeastern Mindanao specially the root Tausug words without
the influence of the Arabic language, sharing many common words. The Tausūg, however, do not
consider themselves as Visayan, using the term only to refer to Christian Bisaya-language speakers,
given that the vast majority of Tausūgs are Muslims in contrast to its very closely
related Surigaonon brothers which are predominantly Roman Catholics. Tausug is also related to
the Waray-Waray language.[citation needed] Tausug also speak Zamboangueño Chavacano, other Visayan
languages (especially Cebuano language because of the mass influx of Cebuano migrants to
Mindanao), and Tagalog in the Philippines; Malay in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia;
and English in both Malaysia and Philippines as second languages.[citation needed]
Malaysian Tausūg, descendants of residents when the Sulu Sultanate ruled the eastern part
of Sabah, speak or understand the Sabahan dialect of Suluk, Malaysian language, and some
English or Simunul. Those who come in regular contact with the Bajau also speak Bajau dialects. By
the year 2000, most of the Tausūg children in Sabah, especially in towns of the west side of Sabah,
were no longer speaking Tausūg; instead they speak the Sabahan dialect of Malay and English.[citation
needed]

English Tausug Surigaonon Cebuano

What is your Unsa'y ngalan

Unu in ngān mu? Unu an ngayan mu?
name? nimo?

My name is In ngān ku Ang ngalan nako

An ngayan ku ay Muhammad
Muhammad Muhammad ay Muhammad

Maunu-unu
How are you? Ya-unu nakaw? Kumusta ka?
nakaw?

Madayaw da [isab] aku

Maayo da/ra
I am fine, [too] Marayaw da [isab] (Tandaganon)/Marajaw da [isab] aku
[usab] 'ko
(Surigaonon)

Where is
Hawnu hi Ahmad? Hain si Ahmad? Asa si Ahmad?
Ahmad?

He is in the
Ha bāy siya Sa bay siya/sija Sa balay siya
house

Thank you Magsukul Salamat Salamat

‘I am staying at’ Naghuhula’ aku

Yaghuya aku sa Nagpuyo ako sa
or ‘I live at’ ha

I am here at the Dia ra ko sa

Yari aku ha bay. Yadi aku sa bay.
house. balay.
I am Hungry. Hiyapdi' aku. In-gutom aku. Gi-gutom ku.

He is there, at Yadtu siya ha Atoa siya sa

Yadtu siya/sija sa iskul.
school. iskul. tunghaan

Fish ista' isda isda/ita

Leg Siki Siki tiil

hand Lima Alima kamut

Person Tau Tau Taw/tawo

(Sea/River)
Sūg/Sulug/Suluk Sūg Sūg/Sulog
current

Cultures
Tausūgs are superb warriors and craftsmen. They are known for the Pangalay dance (also known
as Daling-Daling in Sabah), in which female dancers wear artificial elongated fingernails made
from brass or silver known as janggay, and perform motions based on the Vidhyadhari (Bahasa
Sūg: Bidadali) of pre-Islamic Buddhist legend. The Tausug are also well known for their pis
syabit, a multi-colored woven cloth traditionally worn as a headress or acessory by men.
Nowadays, the pis syabit is also worn by women and students. In 2011, the pis syabit was cited
by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts as one of the intangible cultural heritage of
the Philippines under the traditional craftsmanship category that the government may nominate
in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.[13]

13. YAKAN

The Yakan people are among the major indigenous Filipino ethnolinguistic groups in the Sulu
Archipelago. Also known as dream weaver having a significant number of followers of Islam, it
is considered as one of the 13 Moro groups in the Philippines. The Yakans mainly reside
in Basilan but are also in Zamboanga City. They speak a language known as Bissa Yakan, which
has characteristics of both Sama-Bajau Sinama and Tausug (Jundam 1983: 7-8). It is written in
the Malayan Arabic script, with adaptations to sounds not present in Arabic (Sherfan 1976).
 Yakan people

Students from the Datu Bantilan Dance Troupe in traditional

Yakan costume with US Ambassador Kristie Kenney.

Total population

unknown

Regions with significant populations

Basilan, Zamboanga Peninsula

Languages

Yakan, Zamboangueño Chavacano, Cebuano, Filipino, English

Religion

Predominantly Islam, Catholicism (minority)

Related ethnic groups

Sama-Bajau, other Moros, Lumad, Visayans,

other Filipinos,

other Austronesian peoples

History
The Yakans reside in the Sulu Archipelago, situated to the west of Zamboanga in Mindanao.
Traditionally they wear colorful, handwoven clothes. The women wear tight fitting short blouses
and both sexes wear narrowcut pants resembling breeches. The women covers it partly with a
wrap-around material while the man wraps a sash-like cloth around the waist where he places his
weapon – usually a long knife. Nowadays most Yakans wear western clothes and use their
traditional clothes only for cultural festivals.
The Spaniards called the Yakan, "Sameacas" and considered them an aloof and sometimes
hostile hill people (Wulff 1978:149; Haylaya 1980:13).
In the early 1970s, some of the Yakan settled in Zamboanga City due to political unrest which
led the armed conflicts between the militant Moro and government soldiers. The Yakan Village
in Upper Calarian is famous among local and foreign tourists because of their art of weaving.
Traditionally, they have used plants like pineapple and abaca converted into fibers as basic
material for weaving. Using herbal extracts from leaves, roots and barks, the Yakans dyed the
fibers and produced colorful combinations and intricate designs.
The Seputangan is the most intricate design worn by the women around their waist or as a head
cloth. The Palipattang is patterned after the color of the rainbow while the bunga-sama, after the
python. Almost every Yakan fabric can be described as unique since the finished materials are
not exactly identical. Differences may be seen in the pattern or in the design or in the distribution
of colors.
Contacts with settlers from Luzon, Visayas and the American Peace Corps brought about
changes in the art and style of weaving. Many resorted to the convenience of chemical dyes and
they started weaving table runners, placemats, wall decor, purses and other items which are not
present in a traditional Yakan house. In other words, the natives catered because of economic
reason to the needs of their customers which manifest their trading acumen. New designs were
introduced like kenna-kenna, patterned after a fish; dawen-dawen, after the leaf of a vine; pene
mata-mata, after the shape of an eye or the kabang buddi, a diamond-shaped design.