M A G U I N D A N A O N ’s

Francis Chinie Anne P. Ligaya

 We are able to find out the following:

o Local government 
o Dances
o Festivals
o Folklore
o Weddings
o Burial Ceremonies
o Biggest Problems
MAGUINDANAON
PEOPLE

 
 Maguindanaon, ethnolinguistic group living
primarily in south-central Mindanao, the largest
island in the southern Philippines. With a name
meaning “people of the flood plain,” the
Maguindanao are most heavily concentrated along
the shores and in the flood lands of the Pulangi-
Mindanao River basin, although many now live in
the surrounding areas.
The

Maguindanaon are divided into two
principal groups, each with its own dialect
and traditional location:  The Tau-sa Ilud
(people of the lower valley) and the Tau-sa
Laya (people of the upper valley). 
 
The Tau-sa Ilud are concentrated in the areas around
Cotabato City and extend to South Dinaig. 
Traditionally, they constituted the Sultanate of
Maguindanao based near present day Cotabato City. 
Their dialect is characterized by more rapid, “harder”
consonant intonations, with preference for using “d”
rather than “r” and variations on the use of “l” and
“r”.  They're renowned as sedentary wet-rice
agriculturalists.
 
 The Tau-sa Laya, on the other hand, are concentrated in the
areas of Datu Piang and extend south to areas which
include Buluan.  As a group, they constituted the Rajahship
of Buayan based near present-day town of Datu Piang. 
Their dialect is distinguished by a slower cadence, a drawl,
with frequent omission of the consonants between vowels
and a preference for using “l” rather than “r”, periodic
variations of “r” for “d” and some differentiated
vocabulary.  Their primary means of livelihood is a semi-
sedentary agriculture and grow corn and upland rice.

 
 The south-central part of Mindanao, where most
Maguindanao live, is located between 6° and 8° N and
124° and 126° E. This region has been known historically as
Cotabato. The name is derived from the Malay for "stone fort"
and apparently refers to a fort that once stood at the mouth of
the Pulangi River, the main access to the interior of the
Cotabato Valley. The valley is nearly surrounded by
mountains, except to the west. The river, now called the
Mindanao River, is a confluence of several tributaries that
flow down from the mountains and snake across the valley
floor before converging and emptying into the Moro Gulf on
the western coast. 
 
DEMOGRAPHY
 
 Before this century the Cotabato Valley appears to have been only
sparsely inhabited despite its large area and evident fertility. By the
turn of the century there may have been 100,000 or more
Maguindanao living there. The 1948 census found 155,000 Muslims
in Cotabato, nearly all of whom would have been Maguindanao.
Population figures from the 1980 census are not categorized by
ethnicity or religion. Those figures show that Maguindanao was the
primary language spoken in 85,964 "households." Maguindanao
households often include extended families and/or multiple
families, so even a minimum figure of six persons per household
would yield a total Maguindanao population of over 500,000. Based
on field observation and previous estimates, the actual figure is
probably substantially higher.
 
LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
 
 Shariff Kabungsuan quickly established his royal
credentials with the Raja declaring that his father
was Ali Zein ul-Abedin of Mecca and his mother –
Putri Jusul Asiqin, the daugh-ter of Sultan Iskandar
Jukarnain of Malacca on 1520.
 
o Sultanate of Maguindanao is said by some sources to have
been established at the end of the 12th cent-ury, by others
in the early 1300s; the more likely date is c.1515. 
o First re-corded rulers of Maguindanao was Raja (the term
denotes one as being a Muslim royal prince) Tabunaway
and his brother Mamalu, who were the eldest and youngest
sons respectively of Sharif Marjan to Putri Paramaisuli –
the daughter of Tuan Sharif Awliya to a woman of Maguin-
danao
DA NC E S
 SAGAYAN

 A primary dance of the maguindanaon performed by
men recalling the heroic exploits of the
maguindanaon mythological hero prince Bantugan.
 "Sagayan" is a Maguindanao word, and the war
dance has always been part of merrymakings during
special occasions and weddings among ethnic
Maguindanaons.


SILONG SA GANDING

 Silong sa Ganding is a Maguindanao dance that is a
favorite among royal courts. The dance is a very
demanding dance of discipline because hand
positions and placements required are very precise.
 Similar to other Bangsamoro dances, Silong sa
Ganding is danced with the wrists turned in and out
in a manner similar to the kumintang.

F E S T I VA L S

 KANDULI FESTIVAL

 Kanduli is a Maguindanaoan term, which literally means
“thanksgiving/offering" which is conducted during the
celebration to give thanks to Almighty God for the blessings he
has extended, and to sustain these blessings and ask for more
for the improvement of lives of every people in the community.

 INAUL FESTIVAL

 The Inaul Festival in Buluan, Maguindanao is still on its
second year. This colorful and vibrant festival is observed
annually on February 8 to 14
 Inaul is a piece of traditional hand woven cloth worn in
many ways than one. But more than just a textile, it is a time-
honoured handicraft showcasing Maguindanao’s art, culture
& heritage.
 Three types of threads are used in weaving the inaul: the
cotton tanor, the silky rayon, and the shiny katiyado.

 FOLKLORE

 They strictly observe Adat Betad or moral values to maintain a
dignified existence someone insults or threatens another.
 This concept of pride preservation is manifested in the
Maguindanaon’s strong adherence to protect
the Maratabat (pride). This makes the Maguindanaons prone to
clan conflicts (lido) that often end up in violence and death.
 This concept of pride preservation is manifested in the
Maguindanaon’s strong adherence to protect
the Maratabat (pride). This makes the Maguindanaons prone to
clan conflicts (lido) that often end up in violence and death.
 
 Traditional Maguindanaon ceremonies
include Pabpagubad (healing), Puwasa (fasting), Har
iraya Puwasa (breaking of fast), Mauludin
Nabi (birth of Prophet Muhammad), Amon
Jadid (Muslim new year) and other occasions
MUSICAL HERITAGE

 The native Maguindanaon have a culture that
revolves around kulintang music, a specific type of
gong music, found among both Muslim and non-
Muslim groups of the Southern Philippines.
 LITERARY ARTS

The literary elements of the Maguindanao include
folk speech and folk narratives. The folk speech is
expressed in the antuka/pantuka/paakenala (riddles)
and bayok (lyric poems), while the narratives may be
divided into the Islamic and folk traditions. The
Islamic includes the Quran; the tarsila or genealogical
narratives; the luwaran, an embodiment of customary
laws; hadith or sayings of the Prophet; the quiza or
religious stories. The folk tradition comprises the
tudtul, (folktales), and the epics Raja Indarapatra,
Darangen, and Raja Madaya.
 
For the Maguindanao, riddles promote friendship in
a group. They are also tools for basic pedagogy. The
structure of a Maguindanao riddle consists of an
image and a subject. There are four types of image:
comparative, descriptive, puns or puzzles, and
narrative. The Maguindanao believe in a basic unity
underlying the various aspects of the environment
and this belief is reflected in the use of often
conflicting image and subject in the riddles (Notre
Dame Journal 1980:17).
 Maguindanao verses are expressed through such forms as the
ida-ida a rata (children rimes sung in chorus), or through the
tubud-tubud (short love poem). 


Pupulayog sa papas ka pumagapas apas
Ka tulakin kon ko banog
Na diron pukatalakin
Ka daon kasakriti.
Kanogon si kanogon nakanogon ni ladan ko
A pukurasai mamikir a ana palandong a dar
Na di akun mapkangud a bologang ko sa gugao
Ka Oman akun ipantao na pusulakan a ig
O matao kandalia.
 WEDDINGS

 Arranged marriage
 Sangguni – pamamanhikan
 Pelapit
 Sagayang
 DEATHS

 Ceremonies