MARANAO PEOPLE

-Maranao means "People of the Lake," after their traditional

territory in the area surrounding Lake Lanao in the Bukidnon-
Lanao Plateau, which is some 2,200 feet above sea level. They
are one of the largest Islamic groups in the Philippines. ore
areas as Marawi City, LUMBA-A-BAYAO, and BAYANG

The Maranao people (Maranao: (MARANAW); Filipino: MARANAW

also spelled MERANAO, MARANAW, and MERANAW, is the term
used by the Philippine government to refer to the
southern indigenous people who are the "people of the lake", a
predominantly-Muslim Lanao province region of
the Philippine island of Mindanao. They are known for their
artwork, weaving, wood, plastic and metal crafts and epic literature,
the DARANGEN. They are ethnically and culturally closely related
to the IRANUN, and Maguindanao, all three groups being denoted
as speaking DANAO LANGUAGES and giving name to the island
of MINDANAO .
 WAY OF LIVING
The Maranao people have lived on the Southern Philippine island of
Mindanao since at least the 13th century. "Maranao" means "people
of the lake" referring to Lake Lanao in the province of Lanao del
Sur. While the majority of Maranao live in the area surrounding
Lake Lanao, many have relocated to Manila as well as to other
regions. Maranao refers not just to a people group but also to their
language, spoken by people living in the provinces of Lanao del Sur
and Lanao del Norte.

Maranao, largest of the Muslim cultural-linguistic groups of

the Philippines. Numbering more than 840,000 in the late 20th
century, they live around Lake Lanao on the southern island
of Mindanao. Rice farming is their main livelihood, along with
metalworking and woodworking handicrafts.

Lake Lanao is the single most important source of livelihood for the
Maranao. It provides the major source of protein diet for the
Maranao and supplies their water and energy needs. Economically
important species of fish in Lake Lanao include the ARUAN
(mudfish), KATIPA (catfish), POPOYO (climbing perch), KASILI (eel),
BONGKAONG (carp), MAMPAWI (tilapia), GORAMI (PLASALIT),
TAMBAN (black bass), KADURONG (goby), ARID BANGUS
(milkfish). From 1963 to 1964, fish production in Lake Lanao was
only 1,986,330 kilograms for the entire lake, while fish
consumption of the entire population of Lanao del Sur was
8,132,156.22 kilograms.

The MARANAOS are superstitious. They believe in the hidden powers of the
ANTING-ANTING amulets. These Items which they wear on their necks, arms
or legs believed to bring them good luck.
Courting a Maranao lady could be difficult. A suitor should be the most
hardworking and patient bachelor in town. A go-between who will mediate for
the contracting parties of the groom needed. The parents of the groom contact
the parents of the bride regarding the desire of their son marry.
 THE CULTURE AND TRADITION OF MARANAO
-

-MARANAO social structure can be characterized not so much in

terms of exclusive ranks associated with exclusive obligations and
privileges, but in terms of the rights and duties accorded to “lines of
descent.” Each agama, and hence each descent line, is ranked as
either PEGAWIDEN literally “the carried” or PEGAWID, literally “the
carrier.” Therefore, a person’s inherited rights, such as claims on
land, title, and ceremonial payments, depend on descent lines;
these privileges only apply in the agama where these rights
originate. It is possible for a prestigious person of one agama to
have only the privileges and obligations of a slave in another. His
personal prestige may be affected in such a case, but his claims and
his capacity to give these to his children cannot be touched
(Warriner 1975, 40-41)

The Maranao associate certain signs with conception and

pregnancy. Among these are the wife’s desire for rare kinds of food,
the incessant crying of a younger sibling at night, and the wife’s
irritability. A PANDAY (midwife) is called to check on these
observations.

The pregnant wife is accorded a special status: she is allowed to do

what women are otherwise forbidden from doing, while the husband
becomes more attentive. It is believed that if the wife’s wishes are
not granted or if she is given cause for worry, a miscarriage or a
serious illness may follow.

Before childbirth, the mother lies on the LANTAY (delivery bed), her
legs covered with MALONG (a tubular skirt), which is worn by both
sexes. The PANDAY checks the abdomen to determine if the child is
in the correct position and is moving normally.

During delivery, the PANDAY’s hands work through and within the
MALONG. If the delivery is delayed, the wife is made to drink a
ginger mixture. After delivery, the umbilical cord is tied to the
nearest base and cut with AN IRAB (a bamboo slit). Ashes are
applied to the cut portion to stop the bleeding. Baptismal rites
consist of an imam holding the baby while doing the azan (Muslim
call to prayer). This act symbolizes the child’s purpose in life, which
is to worship God.

In crossing Lake Lanao for the first time with the child, the parents
must drop a coin or any metal object into the lake. This gesture is
considered an act of respect for the lake’s ancestral spirits, who are
believed to protect the child.

Physical manifestations of puberty—the development of breasts for

women and the growth of beards for men—signal the onset of
certain customs. The boys are required to undergo KAPAGI-ISLAM
circumcision), literally “becoming Muslim,” in the mosque. The
imam cuts the foreskin with the use of a sharp knife and applies
lime, betel nut, and betel leaf to the wound to stop the bleeding.

KANDAONGA (courtship) is undertaken through the matchmakers,

often in verses exchanged continually until there is an assurance
on both sides about the details of the marriage. It even continues
until the KALAWI-AN (rites of marriage), a ritual done when the
bride visits the place of the groom for the first time. Matrimonial
negotiations often take a long time because of these exchanges.

POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE

The traditional MARANAW governance system (TMGS) is regarded

as an intricate yet sophisticated system. The ADAT and Qur'an are
the foundation of the functions and processes of central and local
governance structures. This article thoroughly discusses its identity
and continuity. Furthermore, TMGS places importance on family,
relatives, and society and community. The central government
bears the concept of a nation or the BANGSA MORO. The author
points out that since TMGS is not a closed system, the colonization
of the Philippines brought about the integration of formal
institutions of power and authority (FIPA) to the once traditional
structures of the power and authority of the MARANAWS.
 BELIEFS AND PRACTICES
The Maranao, in contrast to the majority of Filipinos, are a
conservative Muslim group who preserve the beliefs and practices
of Islam that were introduced by Muslim missionaries in the 14th
and 15th centuries.

Polygamy is one of the traditions of MARANAOS that is still

practiced upon to this day, especially for Maranao males.
Polygamy is when a person marries more than one wife or husband.
During the ancestral times, Maranao leaders, those who have royal
blood, are usually the people who used to adapt polygamy