Muslim Populations in Palawan Quiz

Mindanao Island History

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

Mindanao's Economy and Resources

• Agriculture is a crucial part of Mindanao's economy, producing crops like corn, rice, abaca, bananas, pineapples, mangoes, coconuts, cotton, ramie, coffee, and cacao.
• Mindanao is rich in natural resources, including timber, gold, nickel, iron, and coal.

Cultural and Religious Identity

• Islam is a prominent religion in Mindanao.
• The island is home to numerous mosques.
• The arrival of Austronesian peoples around 1500 BCE significantly influenced Islam's spread.
• Islamic culture greatly influences local traditions, craftsmanship (especially brassware), and items like the kris dagger.

Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICC)

• The Lumad (Indigenous Cultural Communities) comprise approximately 10% of the population.
• "Lumad" is a Bisaya word meaning "native".
• They are distinct from Islamic and Christian communities in the region.
• Historically, the Lumad have been pushed into the mountains.
• Many Lumad lack money and private property and experience discrimination.
• Republic Act 6734 differentiated the Lumad from the Bangsamoro people.

Cotabato Manobo

• The Cotabato Manobo resides in the southwest highlands of Mindanao.
• They are known as the Dulagan and Tudag.
• Many Cotabato Manobo have predominantly adopted Christianity and assimilated into mainstream society, which has led to the loss of their traditional culture.
• Historically, Manobo boys and girls undergo ceremonies involving filing and blackening their teeth, followed by a ritual tasting of new rice, marking their transition into adulthood.

Bagobos

• The Bagobos reside in the mountainous region of Mindanao between the upper Pilangi and Davao rivers.
• They are also known as the Manobo, Manuvu, Obbo, and Obo.
• Bagobos are divided into coastal and upland groups.
• Coastal Bagobos have largely assimilated into Christian and plantation cultures.
• Upland Bagobos rely significantly on hunting, gathering, and fishing.
• Bagobo culture is characterized by strict incest taboos, the formation of vengeance groups, and the production of long epic poems called tuwaang.

Bilaan or B'laan

• Bilaan people inhabit south-central Mindanao.
• They are also known by names like Baluad, Baraan, Bilanes, Biran, Blann, Buluan, Buluanes, Tagalagad, Takogan, Tumanao, and Vilanes.
• Bilaan communities are scattered, have houses within gardens, and are ruled by datus.
• A traditional Bilaan burial practice involves wrapping the deceased in tree barks and suspending them from treetops.

Bukidnon People

• Bukidnon people live in the highlands of north-central Mindanao.
• They are also known as Binokid, Binukid, Higaonan, and Higaunen.
• Historically, Bukidnon people have been farmers, cultivating crops such as corn, rice, sweet potatoes, bananas, and coconuts.
• Water buffalo were traditionally used for plowing fields.
• Many Bukidnon have assimilated into Christianity.
• Previously, they predominantly lived in communal houses; now, they mostly live in single-family houses.

Mandaya

• The Mandaya are 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

• The T'boli people live in the southern part of the Cotabato province, especially around Lake Sebu to the west of General Santos City.
• The T'boli practice slash-and-burn agriculture.

The Muslims

• Muslims constitute the largest minority group in the Philippines.
• They follow the Islamic faith and possess a unique culture influenced by Islam.
• Islamic principles govern all aspects of Muslim life, including business, governance, education, social life, arts, and culture.
• The Muslim creed involves believing there is no god but Allah and declaring Muhammad as his messenger.
• The Quran is their holy scripture.
• Philippine Muslims represent diverse subgroups.

Maguindanao

• Maguindanao people reside in the Pulangi area.
• They originated from "people of the flooded plain".
• This group is the largest Muslim group in the Philippines.
• Conversion to Islam occurred between the 15th and 16th centuries.

Maranao

• Maranao people reside around Lake Lanao.
• They are known as the "people of the lake".
• Maranao culture blends Islamic principles with traditional beliefs, often referred to as "folk Islam".
• Maranao families are typically large and closely knit.
• Some Maranao individuals from ancestral royalty continue to be politically prominent.

Tausug

• Tausug people are known as "people of the current" or "brave people".
• They are spread across the Sulu Islands and have influenced other areas, including Tawi-Tawi, Palawan, Basilan, Zamboanga, and Sabah.

Sama

• The Sama people, along with the Badjao subgroup, are scattered throughout the Sulu Archipelago.
• They are often called sea gypsies due to maritime activities.
• Their traditional way of life involves continuous travel among islands and living on water.
• Sama communities rely on fishing and engage in trade with northern Borneo cities.

Yakan

• Yakan people primarily live in Basilan province, south of Mindanao.
• They integrate Islamic principles with traditional beliefs, referred to as "folk Islam".
• Yakan communities have remained independent from other ruling authorities, except their own sultanates and datus.

Iranun

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

Kolibugan

• Kolibugan people are also known as "half-breeds" and their culture is impacted by intermarriage with Muslim communities.
• They are originally from Subanon tribes but have embraced Islam through intermarriage.
• The term "kolibugan" is now used to identify individuals who converted to Islam through intermarriage.

Sangil

• Sangil people inhabit Balut Sarangani, parts of South Cotabato and Davao Del Sur provinces.
• They originate from the Sanghe Islands in Indonesia.
• Sangil people were Muslims before arriving in the Philippines.
• Sangil people are known for boat-making skills and were associated with buccaneering activities against Spanish territories.

Kalagan

• Kalagan people are primarily found in Davao provinces.
• They embraced Islam through the influence of Maguindanao and Tausug communities.
• After the departure of Maguindanao and Tausug, Kalagan faced social marginalization and limited development.

Muslim Inhabitants of Palawan

• Muslim populations in Palawan, including communities in Batarasa, Quezon, Brooke's Point, Espanola, Narra, Roxas, Taytay, and Aborlan, were Islamized through influence from the Sulu Sultanate.
• Tausug individuals played a pivotal role in spreading Islam among the Palawan populace.

Jama Mapun

• Jama Mapun people are concentrated on Cagayan de Sulu Island.
• They are primarily land-based, engaging in maritime trade focusing on copra and forest products.
• Jama Mapun have maintained a political structure revolving around the Sultanate, and their music and dance are influenced by Southeast Asia.

Badjao

• The Badjao, known as "Sea Gypsies", occupy coastal areas of Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Basilan, and some Zamboanga del Sur municipalities.
• Badjao are skilled fishermen, divers, and navigators, living on houseboats and relying on sea-based activities for their livelihood.
• They engage in barter trades with communities on land for agricultural produce and necessities.
• The rituals for the Badjao are mostly focused and centered around their connection with the sea.

Subanun

• The Subanun people are animist slash-and-burn agriculturists residing in the forested areas of southern Mindanao.
• Subanuns differ significantly from the Muslim and Christian communities around them.
• Historically, the Subanun people faced exploitation and enslavement by coastal Muslim communities.
• Subanun settlements are scattered and they focus on farming through manual labor without plows or hoes.
• Their sustenance relies heavily on forest products, hunting, fishing, and gathering.
• Gender roles within the Subanun society is equally divided between men and women.