A commentary on the People of the River: Subanon By: Norman Gabin Namla, SOAN 101 The word Subanon is a verycommon word heard in our place. They are one of the biggest tribes in the Philippines because they possess the same traits and characteristics that are seen and heard of from other tribes. This is my commentary and insights on the tribe of Subanon. The Subanon in comparison to my tribe, the Tausug is similar etymologically. Subanon means people of the river while Tausug means people of the current. As you read through my commentary, you will see some similarities that I saw between these two distinct cultures in a melting pot of diversity here in Southern Philippines. Subanon or Subanen is a group of people originally native to the Zamboanga Peninsula, Misamis Oriental and Misamis Occidental in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. Subanon or Subanen are one of the biggest groups of non-Muslim cultural community on the Mindanao. The suba is a common word in Sulu, Visayas and Mindanao, which means “river” and its has a suffix of –none indicates a place of origin. Subanon which means “a person or people of the river”; but more specific is “from up the river”. But since they are usually differentiate coastal of Zamboanga peninsula. They are originally found in the river or “suba” but many also living primarily in the mountains because of continuous invasions of Muslim groups, as well as the migrations of Cebuano speakers in the coastal areas of the Zamboanga peninsula. Subanon’s has a similarity between Tausug, like the suba it’s came from a Tausug word which means river also. But, a large number of Tausug is almost all Muslims. The Subanons is a nonMuslim group. Subanons are more in Christianity and also they have their own religion. There is guy who was named Ferdinand Blumentritt who mentioned the “Subanons” in his accounts, refers to them as “a heathen people of Malay extraction who occupy the entire peninsula of Sibuguey (west Mindanao) with the exception of a single strip on the south coast”. Also Finley recording his own impressions about the Subanons people at the beginning of America occupation of southern Philippines in the 1900s, it was published in the record of early Spanish chroniclers, notably the writings of Father Francisco Combes in 1667, to argue that the Subanon are the aborigines of western Mindanao. The traditionally remained animist calls them a “Subanen” or “Subanon” in the area closer to Zamboanga city. But, the other groups are linguistically members of the Subanen language subgroup but they are adopted by Islam the call themselves “Kolibugan” in the western areas and the Kolibugan are at the central area. The “Kolibugan”, or “Kalibugan” claims are ethnically mixed with Sama, Badjaw, Tausug, or Maguindanaon, there is no evidence supporting those claims, the languages of the The “Kolibugan” Islamic group or the “Subanon”. Lubukan. Dipolog. Labangan.Islamic members of the Subanen are virtually identical with the language of the nonIslamic group. Zamboanga Sibugay and Misamis Occidental. Zamboanga Del Sur. and also some of the areas are occupied by the Muslims. Manukan. There are also outsiders they call themselves as “Subanon” the Subanen often call them by that. looks like a giant crooked finger that extends westwart to the Sulu Sea. just like the other tribes are struggling with their ancestral domain. which is apparently a Spanish version of the native name.164. PanganuranCoronado. They live major localities they inhabit of which they are valleys among the rugged mountains in Capitan. The Zamboanga peninsula ha composes into four provinces: Zamboanga Del Norte. Dinas. These places are having some numbers of Christians.Bolong. which is particularly along the mountains of the provincial boundary. Pagadian.000 by 1998. Some of the communities of the Subanon are also living in the last province. the isthmus of “Tukuran” that separates from the bays of Iligan and Illana. The major urban concentrations are the Zamboanga City. Bakalay. The ancestral domain of the Subanon. Their population had grown to 300. Sometime in 1912 the Subanon were specifically estimated to number of 47. Lanao del Norte. and the few areas are occupied by the Christian settlers. There are dialectal variations. except that the Islamic groups they have a larger amount of Arabic vocabulary that refers to the aspects of life that dealing with the religious concepts. Many outsiders call all of the Muslim groups which name by “Kolibugan”. Tupilak. The main region of Muslim Mindanao is Lanao del Sur. Dumankilas Bay. Siocon. and Dipolog.. The Zamboanga peninsula has a 200 km long. Sultan Kudarat. Entire southern coastal region of Zamboanga del sure and from the Basilan continue to Pagadian near Lanao. Maguindanao. Quipit. In that certain places. and North and South Cotabato. Malayal-Patalun. and Mipangi. as a result of centuries of trading between the Cebu and the northern coast of Mindanao. LeiBatu. Despite these areas cited to have been the location of the . are populated by all mixed Muslim groups. or “Subanen” who was converted to Islam and ask to speak or learn a language which is a mixture of Kolibugan and Moro. The whole Zamboanga practically has always been the ancestral domain of the Subanon group. is connected to the Mindanao by a narrow strip of land. but it is depending on the locality in which the people live. The “Subanon” or “Subanen” are dispersed over a wide area of the Zamboanga peninsula. This group of language is generally referred to as Subanon. Sindangan Bay. These lands are almost always subjected to corruption by miners and loggers and other business establishments in collusion with government agencies. the Subanon language has dual mixed words from Visayan language and Moro language. I love them all. Zamboanga Del Sur. master’s and doctoral in the high standard universities both local and abroad. Geographic Location of the Subanen The Subanon are scattered along the Western part of Mindanao and some part of Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental.Subanon they are rarely seen in public because they prefer to be in the safety in their villages in the mountain tops. their society as they say are patriarchal like the rest of the Filipino tribes. But in Basilan. they also used the title of Datum as the traditional leader of a tribe or a community in a certain area. they are highly concentrated in Zamboanga City as the autonomous city in the Peninsula. They are the ones who rule on disputes or any quarrel . I myself had seen them. The epicenter of the Subanen culture is found in Cagayan de Oro City. respect and treatment of each other. many of them were already highly educated. parents. Some of them got their bachelor’s. They can also be found in Zamboanga Del Norte. the education among Subanon people was limited to instruction by the Thimuay head to a future husband and wife regarding love. and Zamboanga Sibugay. you can also see that some Subanons who have embraced the Islamic faith called the Kalibugan can also be found. and in-laws. The Subanon Culture in general Traditionally. Some of them are already working in the government. In these areas you can see that. Like the Tausug and the other Muslim tribes. The Datum or the communal leader is the chief arbiter of the families of a community when they are in dispute. they are also found in the northern part of Mindanao. As the modernization already invaded the heart of the tribe's territories. For me. they have a distinct culture because they have maintained their traditions that are usually visited by tourists coming from all over the world and the country to see them perform their traditional dances to welcome the visitors to their villages and communities. What is strange here also for the Subanon is that they can be found in other areas that are far from the Zamboanga Peninsula. The basic government unit of the Subanen is the family. but they do not look any different from us Tausug. But mostly. The Datum is like the Supreme Court in modern day Philippines. they are my brothers and sisters in Islam. The Political System of the Subanon The Subanen are dynamic in nature even though they are not Christianized or Islamize. One of the distinct titles to a leader in the Subanon tribe is the “ Thimuay”. depending on the number of families which is under his control. the ultimate judge or authority in a family belongs to the father that has supremacy over the other members of the family. In fact. the power of a Thimuay may be expanded or demoted. The Datu is such a significant component of the community that has a civil and religious authority for the bearer of the title. Within that certain area. In modern day Philippines. Even the entire population of Subanon are faced with many political issues. The authority of the timuay does not necessarily mean it is limited to a certain area. As stated in the annals of history. The timuay or Thimuay in some dialects invoke an authoritarian role in cases of violations of tradition or culture such as breaches of contracts. a group of prominent Subanon families forms the community. These issues are about the defence of the Subanon Ancestral domain which was granted to them by the government through the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act or IPRA Law which was voted as constitutional by the Supreme Court in a controversial 7-7 time when the Justices sat en banc. They are neither Christian nor Muslim. The Family of Subanons are so independent and individual that they have such abilities. leaving nothing for the Subanon and their next generation. there are many attempts to modernize or change the Subanon into controllable colonies by the foreigners. defamation and other offenses. the Subanons especially in their youth who marry break off from their own family and they start their own as a result. He is the leader of the community. But when the families are not satisfied or not well-pleased by the chief or Thimuay the father of a certain family may secede or remove himself from the authority of that Thimuay and they have the power to be under the authority or rule of another leader. the Subanon leaders or timuay have been faced with many issues locally affecting their cultural group. Under this rule. their lands are still confronted by encroachments of loggers and miners who continuously devour their resources to the last drop. In a Subanon precept. . If the Thimuay is good and efficient leader. The highly educated Subanon are currently organizing themselves into non-government organizations or NGOs to advocate their grievances against these opportunistic miners and loggers and the government. But this didn’t work because the Subanons just like the rest of the Moro tribes resisted colonialism that is why they have retained their ancestral identity up to now. the community of the group of families under his rule may expand exponentially.within the tribe. under the Spanish and American peri0ds. Despite the grant by the government of their ancestral domain. pots. agriculture harvest. That means menstruation for the women and wet dreams for the men. They see to it that the partners of their sons and daughters are of high quality breed that is fitting for their standards. food items. After a waiting period. The parents arrange the marriages and their partners to their desire. The possession of land is always temporary. Marriage is always present in every culture as a common ground. After the wedding ceremonies. which is almost always near the place where they get their income – farms. The harvests that they have are stored . the delivery of what has been agreed may be made which will make the marriage effective. There are a lot Subanon groups in the Subanon society. livestock or a combination of anything of the aforesaid. the Subanon marriages are parental in nature. the Tausug. Once the dowry is now agreed upon. the couple can now choose where they want to live for their residence. in comparison to my tribe. In all of the Moro and Christian tribes there is always marriage as a union of man and woman for the perpetuation of their tribe. The sons and daughters to be married off are considered fit once they reach the age of puberty. the members of each family may intervene to become the middle-man in any dispute involving the family or the family members. gongs and in recent times. The Subanon marriage requires that the newlyweds stay at the house of the bride and the man is also required to give service to the family of the wife mainly in the chores at home which is primarily for the purpose of cooking of the meal for the day or so. jars.The Social Customs of the Subanon The communities of the Subanon are mostly divided to 6 to 12 families becomes a unit of social groups. where their agricultural necessities are met because this is mainly their source of income. The arrangements are made between the two parents of each party. The middleman tribe members develop a sense of becoming arbitrators of such disputes and they become recognized as the chief arbiters in the community. The property of a traditional Subanon tribe includes the acquired Chinese glasses. the mother and the father of the bride and the mother and father of the groom. In cases of quarrels or misunderstandings. there is also a wedding celebration that follows immediately after the delivery of the bride-price. money. But unlike the Moro tribes. They always go elsewhere. The much larger Subanon groups have at least 50 families under the authority or rule of a Thimuay or datu. The families of interested parties to a Marriage have a negotiation stage where the meet for the sole purpose of agreeing on how much is the dowry or bride-price which maybe in forms of cash. these assets are always left because the Subanon does not always stay in one place. instinctively in the jars that they acquire in trades with the Chinese. and other forms of art. but mostly these are stored in pots and jars handmade by the Subanen. my dialect. Meaning they believe in a god that decrees everything in their life. So they are not to be called atheists or agnostics. they make jars to fill the need of the kitchen. They in fact have their own distinct religious system. The maker puts her hand. into this hole and proceeds to enlarge the hole by turning the stone round and round the inner surface of the clay. The Subanen possess a simpler look in the design. In terms of sculpture. including but not limited to amount of harvest. The clay is shaped and on top of which a hole is bored. like Christianity and Islam. Many types of baskets are found in a normal regular Subanon household. Pretty basic to the layman but this is a skill that takes time and a lot of practice to perfect. rain. The name itself sounds like Tausug. The religious belief of the Subanen The Subanen believes in a supreme being. Most of these designs are made by the women of the household. The Subanon family is a unit that is as similar to the present day Filipino marriages especially the Moro marriages. distinct to its culture. unlike the Muslims who believe in the Quran and the Christians who believe in a holy book called the Bible. which holds a smooth stone. But the Subanon marriage. In addition to pottery the Subanon are also fond of making baskets. The pot made is sun dried and after which it is baked under hot charcoals to make it ready to hold liquid or any other solid material. The Artistic Heritage of the Subanon I have learned throughout my reading of the Subanon’s culture that like the Tausug they also possess a distinct look in their arts. Every family has at least one member who is an expert or skilled in the art of pottery. design. bamboo and sometimes wood. Some of the Subanen have adopted faiths of another tribe. The process of their pottery is a lot similar with the other tribes. the divorcee can be married to a brother. It starts with the beating of clay with a pestle. children. But despite their distinct religious system they are believed to have no religion because they do not believe in a holy book. . married or not or the parents of divorcee are married of to another divorcee. The female members of the tribe shape round case baskets of different colours such as the into. They believe in a god called “Diwata Migbebaya”. These marriages end with divorce. All these are a result of filling their domestic needs of tools and materials to help them in their daily tasks. earthquakes and many more. the Migbebaya may be closely translated to the one who wills. They have also mats for it may cover these platforms. guitars. in the humbler dwellings. and dishes these things are some of their stored in this way. They have also a Salt and wrapped by leaves. This is recorded by the ethnographers in the 19th and 20th century. the Subanen are also like my culture the Tausug. some of the Subanons are hve begun building houses like of the lowlands. it is normally located on a mountain close to the farm. thatch-roofed. And also the space of the under the house is utilized in various ways. In there house. The weavers are always at home from which they use abaca fiber before the Muslims and the Chinese introduce the use of cotton in making this weavings. two three. that where contact with the settler have taken place.5 meters wide and are built against one. They have also some things like Clothing. ornaments. so that it . pepper.5 to 2. In there house of the family. and also the exposed beams in their roof it serve as convenient places from which is to hang a multitude things of the family. They usually use a platform from about 2 to 2. with a small floor space. the floor is elevated 1. drums. Base from the research of the ethnographers. that their house don’t have a ceiling. And also the floor of their living room is sometimes. The floor of their house is just an ordinary split of bamboo or a palma brava. corn. The most common colour for the Subanen are red and black that is matte in texture much like the Tausug. they are also fond of clothe weaving. The houses of the Subanon in the Sindagan bay are typifies the traditional design and construction of the group. all of that is just on one level. In the areas.5 meters from the ground. The Tradition of a Subanon house is generally rectangular.Other than what was mentioned. or four walls. Subanon Architecture and Planning The “Subanon”. or “Subanen” settle a cluster of three to twelve dispersed households. based from the ethnographers it is for also suspended over the hearth. squash. as many as 30 or 40 baskets are suspend from the roof with and it calls a rattan or abaca. I was also amaze when I knew. The strands are dyed with colours in order to fit the bright culture that the Subanons posses. and there is only one room for only a single family. rice. there is only one room. which then become a lounging places by day and beds by night. They may not have used armed struggle for it. This is the one thing that makes us truly Filipino. their political system and all. I have learned that they are such noble people. Its social practices. The Moro tribes resisted against Spanish and American colonialism but I didn’t know that the Lumads including the Subanon also resisted such pressure from the foreigners. There are countless tribes of different faiths of Christian and Islam is gathered in this part in particular. Conclusion and personal reflection The Philippines is one of the melting pots of culture and tradition in the world. It is an eye-opener if you will. and they are protected from breakage. They deserve equal recognition as the Moros. it is not that different from what we have in our culture. We have a culture that is lively and colourful. it just separates us from the rest of the world. but they used other means to resist which ultimately preserved their identity as a people that is worthy of being called a true Mindanaoan. I am a proud Tausug. A formidable group of people that is as distinct as its name and practices. they are in part in parcel a part of Mindanao history.wikipedia. (2013). the Subanon tribe is also unique in itself. Although it is unique. and rodents. The ethnographers said that there is also an advantage of hanging their things from the roof has two advantages: the articles do not occupy floor space and get in the way. I thought our culture is the best and the most unique. The southernmost part of the Philippines enjoys most of this diversity. to me as a Muslim Filipino. their dances. I am proud of our heritage and our lineage but now I have learned to appreciate the other tribes of the Philippines – most specially the Subanon.will not absorb to much moisture from the atmosphere. Youtube.org/wiki/Subanon_people. Sources: Wikipedia. . http://en. BOKLUG: A ONCE IN SEVEN YEARS SUBANON RITUAL. insects. ItV Philippines. (2011). Subanon. its legal practices. But I was wrong.
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