History 003- History of the Filipino Muslims and Indigenous Peoples of Minsupala

LESSON 2-The Setting: Minsupala and Its People at Present

MODULE 2

Lesson Objectives:

At the end of the module, the students should be able to:

1. Describe the geographical features of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan.
2. Locate the traditional places of the native inhabitants in Minsupala.
3. Identify the inhabitants of Minsupala.

Introduction

Mindanao, which means “land of many lakes”, is one of the major administrative divisions of the Philippine
archipelago aside from Luzon and Visayas. Because of its geological development, the region has a long and
irregular coastline with many bays and large peninsulas, high, rugged, faulted mountain ranges, a numbers of
volcanoes, broad, level and swampy plains, high rolling plateaus, and thousands of islands and islets which
home of today’s tri-people of Moros, Lumads and Christian migrants.
This module would discuss about the geographic location of Minsupala, its geological periods and land
formation that could have influenced the lifestyle of the Moros and Lumads people in the region. It would also
highlight the inhabitants of the region, their traditional territories and classification.

Activity 2

The students will create a vlog about introducing themselves using their own native tongue (if possible with
English subtitle). The output must be uploaded in the GC of the class.

Analysis
The student’s introduction may be guided by the following questions:
1. What is your name and what is the history behind it?
2. Where is your place of origin (specific hometown/province)?
3. What language do you use at home/your community?
4. What are the major ethnic groups in your hometown/province?
History 003- History of the Filipino Muslims and Indigenous Peoples of Minsupala

5. How do you feel about cultural differences in your community/Mindanao?

6. What do you think is the relationship between your self-introduction and the History 003 subject?

Abstraction

Mindanao can be described in two (2) ways. First, Mindanao as an island, is the second largest island in the
Philippine archipelago, next to Luzon island, with an area of 94,630 square kilometers. Second, Mindanao as a
group of islands which include the mainland Mindanao island, and other islands in the southern part of the
country with a total area of 101,000 square kilometers.
The mainland of Mindanao is one of the richest islands in the archipelago in terms of natural resources
which provides a large amount of agricultural, industrial, commercial and tourism potentials. In the national
economy, the Mindanao islands group contributes 99.99% of the country’s rubber production; 90.82% of the
country’s palm oil production; 89.42% of the country’s production; 88.85% of the country’s pineapple production;
82% of the country’s banana production; 73.59% of the country’s coffee production; 57.35% of the country’s
seaweeds production; 49.32% of the country’s coconut production; 67% of cattle and tuna; more than 50% of
corn, fish and chicken; 90% of plywood and lumber; 63% (1 Billion metric tons) of nickel reserves; 48% (50.3
Million metric tons) of gold reserves; 38.5% (2.6 Million hectares) of forest and 38% (3.73 Million hectares) of
farmlands.
The Mindanao islands group, with the southern portion of Palawan, is home to the tri-people of Lumads (at
least 18 ethnolinguistic groups), Moros (13 groups), and Christians (at least 9 migrant ethnic groups) from Luzon
and Visayas. Administratively, the islands group is divided into 6 Regions which are Western
Mindanao/Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, SOCCSKSARGEN, Caraga and the
newly organized BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao), and further subdivided into
27 Provinces which are the provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur,
Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Camiguin, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, Surigao del Norte,
Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao
del Sur, Davao de Oro, Davao Occidental, Sultan Kudarat, Cotabato (North Cotabato), South Cotabato,
Sarangani, Maguindanao, Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi. It is bounded on the north by Bohol Sea, on the east by
the Philippine Sea, on the west by the Sulu Sea, and on the south by the Celebes Sea. Mindanao island is
mountainous and is home to the highest peak of the country which is the Mount Apo.
Palawan is not in Mindanao but administratively part of Region 4 (Tagalog Region/MIMAROPA). The
province is named after its largest island, Palawan Island, measuring 450 kilometers (280 miles) long and 50
kilometers (31 miles) wide. It is included in the setting of History 003 because it has important significance in the
history of Mindanao. At the time of the great sultanates in the southern Philippines, some part of Palawan
especially the southern portion, were under the jurisdiction of the Sulu Sultanate. And, the place is home to 3
Islamized tribes of Jama Mapun, Panimusan and Molbog culturally linking the island to Mindanao.
The peoples of Minsupala may be categorized into 2 groups namely the Migrants and their descendants
and the Indigenous groups. The migrant populations of Mindanao refer to the people who were not originally
inhabitants of the island. Most of them were natives of Luzon or Visayas who came to Mindanao and stayed
beginning from the early 20th century. They usually migrated as a response to the American invitation for
permanent settlers on Mindanao, either through resettlement programs sponsored by the government or through
private efforts. Among these groups are the Cebuano (from Cebu), Ilonggo (Panay and Negros), Bol-anon
(Bohol), Waray (Samar and Leyte), Siquijodnon (Siquijor), Tagalog (Central Luzon), Bicolano (Bicol),
Kapampangan (Pampanga) and Ilocano (Ilocos). The Chinese and other non-Filipino may well be included in the
migrant category of “other settlers” from Luzon and Visayas.
History 003- History of the Filipino Muslims and Indigenous Peoples of Minsupala

The indigenous groups, therefore, refer to the people who inhabited Mindanao since time immemorial.
These group can be categorized into three (3) groups: The Indigenous Christian, the Moros and the Lumads.
The indigenous Christians were original Mindanao IPs who became Christianized. When the Spaniards arrival
on Mindanao in the second decade of the 17th century, they already recorded a significant number of
Visayan-speaking people in the northern and eastern parts of the island. These people would eventually become
the Christian communities in the Spanish controlled territories of Mindanao. They are known locally by their
place names like Davaweno (in Davao provinces), Butuanon (Butuan), Iliganon (Iligan), Dapitanon (Dapitan),
Chavacano (Zamboanga) and several others.
The Moro (from Spanish term Mauru/s or Moor in English) is the second group of indigenous people in the
Mindanao islands group. It refers to the 13 Islamized tribes of Mindanao, Sulu Archipelago and Palawan. These
group are the Panimusan of mainland southern Palawan), Molbog of Balabac Island (east of southern Palawan),
Jama Mapun of Cagayan de Sulu (south of Palawan), Sama’a of Tawi-Tawi cluster of islands, Tausug of Jolo
cluster of islands, Yakan of Basilan, Badjao/Sama Dilaut of Sulu archipelago, Kalibugan/Kolibugan of
Zamboanga Peninsula, Iranun of Illana bay area, Meranaw/Maranao of Lanao provinces, Maguindanaon of
Cotabato provinces, Sangir of Sarangani and Samal islands, and Kalagan of Davao provinces.
The Lumads, a Cebuano term means indigenous, refer to the tribes who were neither Islamized nor
Christianized upon the arrival of the Spaniards. These groups are the Manobo of Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon,
Davao Provinces, Cotabato Provinces, Sarangani Province and Sultan Kudarat, Subanen/non of Zamboanga
Peninsula and Misamis Occidental, Blaan of Davao del Sur, South Cotabato and Sarangani Province, T’boli of
South Cotabato particularly in Lake Sebu, Siluton and Lahit, Mandaya of Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte and
Surigao del Sur, Tiruray/Teduray of Maguindanao and North Cotabato, Higaonon of Bukidnon, Iligan, Agusan
del Norte and Misamis Oriental, Bagobo of south and east of Mount Apo, eastern part of Cotabato and Davao
del Sur, Bukidnon of Bukidnon province, Ata Manobo of west and northwest of Mount Apo, Davao del Norte and
Davao City, Tagakaolo of Davao del Sur, south of Mount Apo and Sarangani Province, Dibabawon of Davao de
Oro, Davao del Norte and Agusan del Sur, Mangguwangan of Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte and Davao
Oriental, Mansaka of Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro, Banwaon of Agusan del Sur, Matigsalug of
Bukidnon/Tigwa-Salug Valley and others.

Mandatory Reading: Read the following articles and publications- “A Brief Historical Geology of
Mindanao” by Linda Burton, “Land Forms of Mindanao” by Robert E. Huke, “Mindanao: The Land of
Promise”, “Muslim Filipinos and Their Homeland” by Peter Gowing, “A Story of Mindanao and Sulu in
Question and Answer” by B.R. Rodil, and “Lumad Mindanao” by the National Museum of the Philippines.

Application and Assessment

Create three (3) sets of Map of Minsupala showing the location (provincial distribution) of its inhabitants.
You can manually draw your map or use computer aided apps and highlight the inhabitant’s location using
colors/symbols/pictures/other forms of legend.
1. Set A- The Moros and their locations in Minsupala
2. Set B- The Lumads and their locations in Minsupala
3. Set C- The Indigenous Christians and their locations in Minsupala

References

Gowing, Peter P. (1979). Muslim Filipinos: Heritage and Horizon. Quezon City: New Day Publishers.
History 003- History of the Filipino Muslims and Indigenous Peoples of Minsupala

History of Filipino Muslims and Other Indigenous Peoples of Minsupala: A Teaching and Learning Guide (2015).
MSU System resource material for History 003 classes.

Kadil, J. Ben. (2002). History of the Moro and Indigenous Peoples in Minsupala. Marawi City: OVCRE.

Majul, Caesar Adib (1999). Muslims in the Philippines. Quezon City: UP Press.

Rodil, Rudy B. (2003). A Story of Mindanao and Sulu in Question and Answer. Davao City: MINCODE.