RAIDERS OF THE SULU SEA

BACKGROUND OF THE AUTHORS

The film focuses on the slave raiding as retaliation on colonizers- the sophisticated

ancient maritime vessels such as the Lanong, Garay and the Salisipan and tools of war such as

the Barong, Kris, and the Kampilan and the well-organized forces that is launched for slave

raiding the coasts of Mindanao Visayas, and Luzon, between July to October called as the

Pirate wind “Pirate monsoon”.

It also focused on the fate of the Captured Balangingi Leader called Panglima Taupan

and his family who eventually was exiled to the north of Luzon in Cagayan, and was made to

work in the Tobacco Plantation- and his descendants who went back to Zamboanga and settled

in the outskirts of Taluksangay with the surname Dela Cruz Nuno- Maas Nuno, the ancestor of

the present Nuno clan of Zamboanga.

Raider of the Sulu Sea was directed by Idzwan Othman, a Singaporean based director

and also known as a prominent director. He won the Best Documentary Award at the 1 st

Singapore at the 1st Singapore Short Film Award held at Singapore from January 2010. It was

also produced by Lim Suat Yen, Zuzanita Zokaria, and Yeon-Hwa Kim and it was published by

Looking Glass International at Victoria, Australia.

Remesh Panicker is a professional narrator and voice over talent since 1977. He is an

award-winning stage actor and active with numerous stage productions. He is also well-known

as a writer/copywriter, Script and Story Consultant, and a creative consultant.

Icelle Gloria B. Estrada is an art historian in Zamboanga, a direct descendant of Vicente

Avarez, and does an an extensive research in the arts and culture of Zamboanga. She is the

one of Zamboanga City’s premiere artist – painter and sculptor. Estrada currently working as an
executive assistant in the Office of the City Mayor, and is overlooking the City Hall restoration.

She earned her first degree at the WMSU, BS HE and pursued her second degree at the U.P

College of Fine Arts, major in Art History.

Dr. Samuel kong Tan is a Sama-Tausug-Filipino born in Siasi, Sulu. He is historian at

the National Historical Institutre (NHI). Tan is an authority on the issue of Moro History, and

armed struggle and quest for self-determination. He is also a published author, and a Chair of

the UPD Department of History. He took his Masters of Arts History degree in UP Diliman and

his PhD degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in Syrcuse University, New York, USA.

Halman Abubakar is a Tausug descendant and a city councillor in Jolo, Sulu. He is an

exponent of the martial art of Silat- historic and significant on Tausug bladed weapons. He

shared the sentiments of his people by residing the characterization of Western Colony and

Filipino historiography as "pirates".

Barbara Andaya Watson is a historian in National University at Singapore. She is a

professor of Asia and studies in Hawai’i with specialization in Southeast Asian History. She is

also a Director of the Center for South East Asian Studies. She subsequently went to study for

her PhD in Cornwell University, specialization in South East Asian History.

Margarita Cohuangco is born on April 24, 1944. She is a author of Kris Valor. She

is a well-known Filipino politician, philanthropist and socialite. She was the former Chairman of

the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino party and a candidate in the 2013 senatorial election. She

researched the history of Sama in Sulu Archipelago.

Julius Bautista is a historian in Asia Research Institute and in National University in

Singapore. He is renowned Filipino author based in Singapore. He is a Senior Lecturer at the

Department of Southeast Asian Studies, National University of Singapore.

 SHORT DESCRIPTION ABOUT THE RAIDERS

Raiders of the Sulu Sea is a historiography documentary film focusing on Zamboanga

City depicting how the Spaniards defended the city with the Fort Pilar as Spain’s last stronghold

and bastion of defense and economic expansion in the South of the Philippines . It depicts the

Southeast Asian flourishing free trading in the area and the adverse effects and repercussions

when Europeans such as the English, Dutch and Spanish who wanted to control the economy

as well to colonize and Christianize. The duration of the film is approximately 49 minutes and its

original release date is in 2008.

RAIDERS OF THE SULU: PIRATES OR FREEDOM FIGHTERS

They were known in history as brutal savages, fearless slave raiders and above all -

pirates. Hailing from the Sulu Sea region in the Southern regions of the Philippines, the Ilanun,

Balangingi Samal & Taosug tribes raided and plundered settlements in the Philippines, Borneo,

Java, the Straits of Malacca and all over South East Asia in the search for human cargo to feed

the growing demands of the slave trade in the 16th to 19th century. They wielded deadly

weapons, were well organized and built formidable fast warships that ran circles around the

bigger and heavier Western ships. These men, either sanctioned by their respective Sultanates

or their own tribal leaders, defied colonial occupation and rule, instigating a wave of terror

throughout the archipelago for more than 300 years. But there is evidence that they were not

merely the savages they were made out to be. Some historians have argued that these were

indigenous people merely defending their way of life from the conquering colonial forces. Others

have said that we need to put this violence and slave raids into the proper perspective. This is a

story of men who clung fiercely to their faith, eluding a technologically superior foe. It is also a

story of how these men who lived by the sword, eventually died by it.
 The Raiders of Sulu sea are indigenous people from the south which have very good at

waters and idealistic on how they lived and preserve their culture from the colonized country as

we saw the film it shows the battle between the raiders and the Spaniards on Zamboanga which

Spanish built a Fort Pilar which serves as their territory defenses for their military presence at

the south.

As the raiders they want to conquer the ort to establish their presence that their

oppression from the colonizers. There are 3 great tribes at the Mindanao called Balangingi,

Tausug and Illanun these three Tribes known as warriors and talented on waters which has

advantage against colonizer at the sea. The tribes mentioned are not really pirates during the

times they were plying their trade of capturing people and selling them as slaves. Slave trading

was a business then and they were not raiding ships in high seas. What they did was go and

land in different shores posing as fishermen. Once captured, the slaves’ palms are punctured

and tied to each other. The slaves are loaded in their 25 to 27 meter by 6 meter boats that has

30 to 34 oarsmen and sails. It was said that their boats were the fastest that Spanish Galleons

could not even give chase. The documentary was actually focusing on how the tribes were able

to organize a flotilla of a hundred ships or more with more than 3,000 men. This happened when

the three tribes connived to raid Fort Pilar.

The three tribes had some sort of a pact on how to go about their business and

employing Tausugs as their warriors. One tribe could set out to sea with a few boats then drop-

by each of the several bases of the tribes along the shores. They would call upon all available

seafarers to join the expedition. The slavery trade of the three tribes ended only when the

Spaniards ordered three steamboats from England. The steamboats were faster, easier to

navigate and had various armaments to take on the tribes. It was said that the conflict between

the tribes and the Spaniards did not stem from business or trade but was more on belief,

religious belief.
 CONTRIBUTION OF RAIDERS OF THE SULU SEA TO THE PHILIPPINE HISTORY

It contributes to the Philippine History by the Filipino’s struggle for freedom, opposition

towards Western Imperialism, insistent resistance may have inspired Filipino revolutionaries,

and of course, to the political dynasty.

Relevance in the Contemporary Times:

 Consciousness of the aftermath of the Moro Wars

 Overlooks the plight of the captives and slaves

 Antedates the separatist movements in contemporary times Unceasing resistance by the

Muslim minority against the state and the Christian majority

 Many Coastal inhabitants who could not bear the piratical raids moved inland for safety

 Muslim and Christian conflict

It clearly debunks the claim of the Spaniards that they have brought civilization to the
archipelago. Maybe they have, according to their standards at the time. But the archipelago
has a blooming trade industry along the neighboring islands of Borneo and Malaysia. Our
archipelago played an important role in the trade industry in Asia. Our seas were used as
pathways for merchants to travel to distant lands, bartering goods and selling products in
exchange for gold and protection.
Reference:

Worldcat https://www.worldcat.org/title/raiders-of-the-sulu/oclc/942267735?
referer=di&ht=edition

University of Missouri Libraries http://link.umsl.edu/portal/Raiders-of-the-Sulu-directed-by-

Idzwan-Othman-/vT-hGmEpHZQ/

Dong Beluan | January 28, 2018 https://prezi.com/p/dqlv-5p-39oh/raiders-of-the-sulu-sea/

Icelle G. Borja | Arts and Culture of Zamboanga City

https://www.zamboanga.com/arts_and_culture/Icelle_raiders_of_sulu.htm#:~:text=Raiders
%20of%20sulu%20sea&text=%E2%80%9CRaiders%20of%20the%20Sulu%20Sea,the
%20South%20of%20the%20Philippines%20.

Lands Ebalin | November 5, 2019 https://www.scribd.com/presentation/433486370/Raiders-of-

the-Sulu-Sea

Luii Mendoza | December 17, 2019 https://www.scribd.com/document/440139018/The-Raiders-

of-the-Cebu-Sity

Unknown | July 13, 2019 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Short_Film_Awards

Unknown. (n.d.). Raiders of Sulu Sea. Retrieved from Quizlet:

https://quizlet.com/372435637/raiders-of-the-sulu-sea-flash-cards/

Course Hero Inc. https://www.coursehero.com/file/65085852/SUMMARY-OF-RAIDERS-OF-

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