Ethnic Groups and Cultures in the Philippines

Mindanao Island: Brief History

• Mindanao is the second largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon.
• Its name originates from the Maguindanaos.
• The island is known for its rugged, faulted mountains, including Mount Apo, an active volcano and the highest peak in the Philippines.
• Mindanao boasts diverse flora and fauna, including the rare Philippine eagle.

Mindanao's Economy and Resources

• Historically, Mindanao was considered the "pioneer frontier" due to its vast undeveloped fertile land.
• Agriculture plays a vital role in Mindanao's economy, with crops including corn, rice, abaca, bananas, pineapples, mangoes, coconuts, cotton, ramie, coffee, and cacao.
• The island is rich in natural resources, including timber, gold, nickel, iron, and coal.

Cultural and Religious Identity

• Islam is a prominent religion in Mindanao.
• Numerous mosques are present across the island.
• The arrival of Austronesian peoples around 1500 BC contributed to the spread of Islam.
• Islamic culture is evident in local traditions and brassware craftsmanship, including the kris dagger.

Lumad Indigenous Communities

• The Lumad are indigenous cultural communities (ICC) in Mindanao.
• Their population accounts for approximately 10%.
• "Lumad" is a Bisaya word meaning "native" or "indigenous".
• They distinguish themselves from Christians and Muslims.
• Lumad are non-Muslim or non-Christian.
• Historically, they were pushed into the mountains and forests by lowlanders as towns and cities were established.
• Many face widespread discrimination and lack of property rights.
• Republic Act 6734 aimed to differentiate them from the Bangsamoro people.

Cotabato Manobo

• Reside in the southwest highlands of Mindanao.
• Known as the Dulagan and Tudag.
• Traditionally, boys and girls go through a ceremony involving filing and blackening their teeth, followed by tasting new rice, marking their transition into adulthood.
• They mostly embraced Christianity, leading to the assimilation of their traditional culture.

Bagobos

• Reside in the mountain region of Mindanao between the upper Pilangi and Davao rivers.
• Known as the Manobo, Manuvu, Obbo, and Obo.
• Bagobos are divided into Coastal and Upland groups.
• Coastal Bagobos are strongly influenced by Christianity and plantation culture.
• Upland Bagobos primarily practice slash-and-burn agriculture and rely on hunting, gathering, and fishing.
• Strict incest taboos, vengeance groups, and the production of long epic poems called tuwaang characterize Bagobo culture.

Bilaan or B'laan

• Inhabit south-central Mindanao.
• They are also known by various other names (Baluad, Baraan, Bilanes, Biran, Blann, Buluan, Buluanes, Tagalagad, Takogan, Tumanao, Vilanes).
• Live in scattered houses among gardens and are ruled by datus.
• Traditionally, Bilaan people wrap their dead in tree barks and suspend them from treetops.

Bukidnon People

• Reside in the highlands of north-central Mindanao.
• Also known as the Binokid, Binukid, Higaonan, and Higaunen.
• Historically renowned farmers, their crops include corn, rice, sweet potatoes, bananas, and coconuts.
• Traditionally, water buffalo were used to plow fields.
• Many Bukidnons have assimilated and/or are Catholic.
• Traditionally, they lived in communal houses, but now mainly reside in single-family houses.

Mandaya

• An animist ethnic group residing along the Mayo River.
• In the past, Mandaya youth filed and blackened their teeth upon reaching puberty.

T'boli People

• Live in the southern part of Cotabato province, especially around Lake Sebu, west of General Santos City.
• Practiced slash-and-burn agriculture.

The Muslims

• The largest minority in the Philippines.
• Follow Islamic faith and possess a unique culture influenced by Islam.
• Islamic principles dictate complete submission to Allah's will, encompassing all aspects of life.
• The Muslim creed is straightforward: "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger."
• The holy scripture is the Al-Qur'an (Koran).
• Philippine Muslims encompass various subgroups.

Maguindanao

• Reside in the Pulangi area of Mindanao.
• Originating from "people of the flooded plain," they are the largest Muslim group in the Philippines.
• Converted to Islam in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Maranao

• Dwell around Lake Lanao.
• Known as "People of the lake."
• Maranao culture combines Islamic principles with traditional beliefs (often referred to as "folk Islam").
• Maranao families are typically large and closely knit. Some individuals from ancestral "royalty" maintain political prominence.

Tausug

• Known as "people of the current" or "brave people."
• Spread across the Sulu Islands and have influenced other areas, including Tawi-Tawi, Palawan, Basilan, Zamboanga, and Sabah.

Sama

• Including the sub-group Badjao, Sama people are scattered throughout the Sulu Archipelago.
• Often referred to as "sea gypsies" due to their close connection with maritime activities.
• Traditional lifestyle involves constant movement among islands and living on water.
• Sama communities depend on fishing and trade with northern Borneo cities.

Yakan

• Primarily reside in Basilan, south of Mindanao.
• Integrate Islamic principles with traditional beliefs, often referred to as "folk Islam."
• Remain separate from other ruling authorities, except their own sultanates and datus.

Iranun

• Considered the origin of ethnic groups in Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao areas.
• Historically, they fought under the Maguindanao sultanate, with many Maguindanao sultans of Iranun descent.

Kolibugan

• Known as "half-breeds," their culture is influenced by intermarriage with Muslim communities.
• Originally from the Subanon tribes, they have adopted Islam through intermarriage.

Sangil

• Inhabit Balut, Sarangani, parts of South Cotabato, and Davao Del Sur provinces.
• Originated from the Sanghe Islands in Indonesia.
• Already Muslims before arriving in the Philippines, they are renowned for boat-making skills and were associated with buccaneering.

Kalagan

• Primarily found in Davao provinces.
• Embraced Islam through the influence of the Maguindanao and Tausug communities.
• Faced marginalization and limited social development after the departure of the Maguindanao and Tausug communities.

Muslim Inhabitants of Palawan

• Muslim populations in Palawan, including Batarasa, Quezon, Brooke's Point, Espanola, Narra, Roxas, Taytay, and Aborlan, were Islamized through the influence of the Sulu sultanate.
• Tausug individuals played a key role in introducing Islam to the local populations.

Jama Mapun

• Concentrated on Cagayan de Sulu Island.
• Engage in a land-based existence and maritime trade, primarily focused on copra and forest products.
• Maintain a political structure that revolves around the Sultanate.
• Southeast Asian influences are seen in their music and dance

Badjao

• Known as "sea gypsies," they inhabit areas of Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Basilan, and some Zamboanga del Sur municipalities.
• Skilled fishermen, divers, and navigators who live on houseboats.
• Engage in barter trade with shore communities for agricultural goods and supplies.
• Cultural rituals center on their relationship with the sea.

Subanun

• Animist slash-and-burn agriculturists residing in forested areas of southern Mindanao.
• Significantly different from the surrounding Muslim and Christian lowlanders.
• Historically faced exploitation and enslavement by coastal Muslim communities.
• Subanun settlements are widely dispersed, practicing manual farming with no plows or hoes.
• Rely on forest products, hunting, fishing, and gathering.
• Gender roles are equally divided between men and women.

Explore the diverse ethnic groups of the Philippines in this quiz. From the 'people of the lake' to the 'sea-gypsies', discover their unique cultures, livelihoods, and influences. Test your knowledge on their histories and traditions.