Studies in Moro History, Law, and Religion Part 1

Studies in Moro History, Law, and Religion.

by Najeeb M. Saleeby.

CHAPTER I

HISTORY OF MAGINDANAO

MAGINDANAO HISTORY AND GENEALOGIES

INTRODUCTION

The history of Mindanao prior to the advent of Islam is traditional and mythological, and no effort has been made to put it on record. With Islam came knowledge, art, and civilization. A new system of government was inst.i.tuted and its records were registered. Tarsila [1] were written and the n.o.ble lineage of the datus was carefully kept. Each sultanate or datus.h.i.+p kept a separate genealogy. These genealogies, called tarsila or salsila, were very limited in their scope and brief in their narration of events. They are our only source of written information on the early history of the Moros, and are valuable on that account. Previously the Moros withheld these tarsila and kept them away from all foreigners and non-Mohammedans; but their att.i.tude has changed lately, and several different salsila were secured from the chief datus of the Rio Grande Valley.

The original ma.n.u.scripts could not be bought, but exact and true copies of the same have been secured and translated and their translations are herein published for the first time.

THE TRANSLITERATION

These tarsila are written in the Magindanao dialect with Arabic characters, and a great part of their text is Magindanao names which have never yet been expressed by means of Romanic characters. In translating these tarsila such a large number of words have to be transliterated that it is deemed necessary to adopt a system of transliteration which can be easily understood by every English reader and which is more adequate to express Magindanao sounds than either Spanish or English. Such a system is herein adopted and is briefly described as follows:

With the exception of ng and sh, the characters used in this system are simple and represent simple sounds only. Every radical modification of a certain simple sound is regarded as a different simple sound and is represented by a separate and distinct character. Every compound sound is represented by those characters that express its simple const.i.tuent sounds. It is an unvarying rule in this system that every character represents an invariable sound and every sound has only one invariable character. The Magindanao dialect has only twenty-seven simple sounds and can be expressed by twenty-seven simple characters. These characters are the following:

a, a, i, i, u, u, u, b, d, g, ng, h, j, k l, m, n, n, p, q, r, s, sh, t, w, y, z

The sounds which these characters represent conform very closely to the original Roman sounds of the letters.

a is the short sound of a; it is p.r.o.nounced midway between the a in bad and the e in bed a is p.r.o.nounced as the a in far, father i is p.r.o.nounced as the i in fin, ill i is p.r.o.nounced as the i in machine, police u is p.r.o.nounced as the u in put, push u is p.r.o.nounced as the u in rude, flute u is a midvowel, p.r.o.nounced with the tongue slightly moved from its normal position; it is intermediate between u and e, and is somewhat related to the u in hurt b, d, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t are p.r.o.nounced as in English g is always hard, as the g in gold, get ng has a guttural-nasal sound like the ng in ring h has an aspirate sound and should be always p.r.o.nounced like the h in hill, behind j is rarely used; when used it is p.r.o.nounced like the s in adhesion, vision n has a distinct palato-nasal sound and is related to the Spanish n in senor; it is generally followed by ya q is a clicking, guttural sound related to k sh is equivalent to sh in s.h.i.+p w is always consonantal and sounds like the w in we, twin, water y is always consonantal and sounds like the y in you, yes, beyond z is p.r.o.nounced midway between z and s

The triphthongs herein expressed by tsha and nya are used in words of Malay origin, and are represented by single characters in Malay and Magindanao.

In many cases when u precedes w and i precedes y the natives omit the u and the i, and the same word may be written either with or without the u or the i. When written they are p.r.o.nounced very short; u at the beginning of a word, as in undu, unggu, is often omitted both in p.r.o.nunciation and in writing. Such words may be written ndu and nggu.

To write Magindanao words by means of Arabic characters correctly a certain knowledge of Arabic grammar and orthography is necessary. The Moros lack that knowledge and write very inaccurately and inconsistently. They neither punctuate nor use the accent sign.

In transliterating these tarsila that p.r.o.nunciation which seemed consistent and characteristic of each tarsila was adopted in the transliteration of the same. The text is punctuated. The accent sign is used very frequently. It is generally omitted when the accent is upon the first syllable in words of two syllables and when it is upon the syllable containing the long vowel. Some stress should be put on the last syllable as a rule.

The Magindanao tongue is energetic and strong. Its p.r.o.nunciation is generally forcible, the last syllable being spoken abruptly and with a certain amount of stress.

The word Mohammed is written with o in spite of the fact that it is p.r.o.nounced with u sound in both Arabic and Magindanao.

The combinations ay, ay, aw, aw are not diphthongs, but simple syllables. The y and w in these cases and in all cases where they precede a vowel have pure and distinct consonantal sounds.

A GEOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE CHIEF MORO SETTLEMENTS MENTIONED IN THE TARSILA OF MINDANAO

The term Mindanao [2] or Magindanao was originally given to the town now known as Cotabato and its immediate vicinity. As the power of the sultan of Magindanao extended over the adjacent territory it was next applied to the lower Rio Grande Valley and later to all the valley and the whole seacoast that was brought under the rule of the sultan. The word is derived from the root "danao," which means inundation by a river, lake, or sea. The derivative "Mindanao" means "inundated"

or "that which is inundated." "Magindanao" means "that which has inundation." This is the most appropriate term which could have been given to this land. For more than 10 miles from the sea the Rio Grande, aided by the rise of the tide, periodically overflows its banks and floods all the adjacent lands. In the rainy season this inundation extends farther up and includes an extensive tract of country. The word "Cotabato" is in Moro kuta watu, which means a stone fort. Batu is the equivalent of watu in Malay, Sulu, Tagalog, and Visaya. This name is very modern, for the older maps that are still in use give the name Mindanao in place of Cotabato. The little stream that rises in the sulphur springs of Cotabato and empties into the Rio Grande at its junction with the Matampay in front of the present guardhouse is still known as the Stream of Magindanao.

The name of the Rio Grande in the Magindanao dialect is "Pulangi,"

which means "large river." The Rio Grande divides, 20 miles before it reaches the sea, into the north branch and the south branch. Cotabato is situated on the left bank of the north branch, about 5 miles from its mouth. The hill of Cotabato is called "Tantawan," which means "extensive view." Paygwan means "the place of was.h.i.+ng," and is on the left bank of the river at its mouth and above the bar. The Spanish maps give it as Paiuan. Tinundan is at the mouth of a dead estuary of the same name that joins the Pulangi about half a mile above Paygwan and on the same side. Slangan is the western part of present Cotabato and extends along the Manday stream. The Moros call the Manday "Masurut." Simway extends along the river of the same name for about 2 miles from its mouth and lies about 4 miles north of Cotabato.

The Matampay River is a dead stream which joins the Pulangi at Cotabato. Tagiman is the name of an old settlement built on the Matampay River some distance above Cotabato. It is now called Binilwan. Matampay and Lusudun were built on the Matampay River east of Cotabato. Kat.i.twan is an old settlement on the right bank of the river 3 miles below Libungan. Libungan is built at the junction of a river of the same name with the Pulangi, about 9 miles above Cotabato. The point at the fork is called Tambao. Three miles below Tambao on the right bank of the south branch is the site of Bagumbayan. Three miles below Bagumbayan on the left bank of the river is Taviran or Tapidan. Ten miles below Taviran comes Tamontaka, which is nearly south of Cotabato and about 4 miles distant. Tamontaka is about 4 miles from the mouth of the south branch of the Pulangi. Lumbayanagi lies a little below Tamontaka, on the right bank of the river. Immediately above the fork and on the left bank of the main river lies the old site of Kabuntalan. Fourteen miles above the fork lies Dulawan, the settlement at present occupied by Datu Piang. Here empties one of the largest tributaries of the Pulangi, which is navigable by launches for 12 miles farther up, to Sapakan, Datu Utu's main residence. Rakungan lies in the foothills of the Tiruray Mountains about 12 miles south of Sapakan. Talayan lies in the foothills of the Tiruray Mountains 15 miles southwest of Dulawan. Two miles below Dulawan lies the old site of Bwayan, on the left bank of the Pulangi. Opposite Bwayan and Dulawan lies the land of Kudarangan. Tinunkup is Reina Regente and Kabarukan is the wooded hill beyond. Sarunayan is the stretch of country lying north of Reina Regente and northeast of Kudarangan and extending to the base of the Kulingtan Mountains, which separate the Rio Grande Valley from the Ranao region. The country occupying the declivities of these mountains north of Sarunayan is called Pidatan. Bagu Ingud is an old settlement that lies along the left bank of the river about 16 or 20 miles above Reina Regente. Matbangan is on the right bank of the river and extends a short distance below Piket. The Malitigaw or Malidigaw is a large tributary of the Pulangi, about 15 miles above Piket. Matinggawan is located at the junction of the Kabakan tributary and about 30 miles above Piket. It is the chief settlement of the last Moro district in the Rio Grande Valley whose farthest boundary is the Mulita stream, which is about 115 miles by river above Cotabato.

Immediately south of the mouth of the south branch of the Rio Grande and rising above the seash.o.r.e at Linuk is the lofty and picturesque pyramidal peak of Mount Kabalalan. From Kabalalan and the hills of Taviran there stretches an extensive mountainous region or table-land which extends as far south as the Bay of Sarangani. This table-land is designated as the Tiruray table-land or mountains for the reason that its northern half is inhabited by the tribe of pagans of the same name who are not met with anywhere else. The Bay of Sarangani is called in Moro Sugud Bwayan. Sugud means "bay," and Bwayan is the chief settlement at the head of the bay. North of the head of Sarangani Bay and at the southern terminus of one of the ranges of the Apo system of mountains towers the picturesque and conical peak of Mount Matutun. Matutun means "burning," and the mountain is an extinct volcano. Lying between Matutun on the east and the previously mentioned table-land on the west is the country of Talik. North of Talik lie Lake Buluan or Bulwan and farther north Lake Ligwasan, which empties into the Rio Grande through a stream called Maytum ig or black water. This junction occurs at Kukmun, about 8 or 10 miles above Reina Regente.

Balabagan is about 10 miles south of Malabang. Magulalung is in the neighborhood of Balabagan. The Iranun sultanate was on the sh.o.r.e of Illana Bay, and the term Iranun signifies, in general, the people who live along the sh.o.r.es of that bay. Iranun is also p.r.o.nounced and written as Ilanun; hence the corrupted Spanish name given to the bay. The former Iranun sultanate must have occupied the country in the vicinity of Malabang. Tubuk is the territory immediately bordering on Malabang to the north of the Malabang stream. Baras lies a few miles north of Malabang. Ramitan is in the immediate vicinity of Baras.

Malalis is near Tukurun. Dinas is the princ.i.p.al settlement on the western coast of Illana Bay. k.u.maladan is at the head of Dumanquilas Bay. Sibugay is the name of the large bay east of the Zamboanga peninsula.

The word "ranao" means a lake and is the name the Moros give to the upland lake lying midway between Malabang and Iligan and to the region surrounding the lake. The mountain range separating the Ranao table-land from the Rio Grande Valley is called the Kulingtan Range on account of the resemblance its peaks bear to the k.n.o.bs of the row of kulingtan on which the Moros make their music. The highest peak in this range north of Parang and above Barira is supposed to be Mount Bita. The highest ridge west of Ranao is called Mount Gurayn, at the base of which lies the settlement of Bacolod or Bakulud.

The Ranao settlements which are mentioned in the tarsila are Kadingilan, Bayan, Makadar, and Bakayawan in the south, and the Bayabaw settlements of Marawi (Marahui), Madaya, and others in the north; also Sikun, Didagun, and Dupilas.

At the time of the Spanish invasion of Mindanao all the southern and western sh.o.r.es of the Island of Mindanao except the eastern sh.o.r.e of Illana Bay were ruled and controlled by the sultan and datus of Magindanao. The Ranao inhabitants are related to the Iranun in language and tribal characteristics.

The word Mindanao unless restricted by the sense of the sentence is generally used to mean the Island of Mindanao, while the term Magindanao is limited to the old district or town of Cotabato proper.

THE MYTHOLOGY OF MINDANAO

Long ago, before the days of Kabungsuwan, Magindanao was covered by water and the sea extended all over the lowlands and nothing could be seen but mountains. The people lived on the highlands on both sides. They were numerous and prosperous, and many villages and settlements arose everywhere. But their prosperity and peace did not last very long. There appeared in the land pernicious monsters which devoured every human being they could reach. One of these terrible animals was called Kurita. It had many limbs and lived partly on land and partly in the sea. It haunted Mount Kabalalan [3] and extirpated all animal life in its vicinity. The second was called Tarabusaw. This ugly creature had the form of a man, but was very much larger. It was extremely voracious and spread terror far and wide. It haunted Mount Matutun and its neighborhood.

The third was a monstrous bird called Pah. [4] This bird was so large when on the wing that it covered the sun and produced darkness underneath. Its egg was as large as a house. It haunted Mount Bita and the eastern Ranao region. It devoured the people and devastated the land. The people were awe-struck, and those who escaped hid themselves in the caves of the mountains.

The fourth was a dreadful bird, also, which had seven heads. It lived in Mount Gurayn and the adjacent country.

The havoc was complete and the ruin of the land was awful. The sad news found its way to strange and far lands, and all nations felt sorry for the fate that befell Mindanao.

When the news reached Raja Indarapatra, the King of Mantapuli, it grieved him very much and filled his heart with sympathy. Raja Indarapatra called his brother, Raja Sulayman (Solomon) and asked him to come to Mindanao to save the land from those destructive animals. Raja Sulayman was moved with sorrow, mingled with enthusiasm and zeal, and consented to come. Raja Indarapatra handed to his brother his ring and his kris, Juru Pakal, [5] and wished him safety and success. But before they parted Raja Indarapatra took a sapling and planted it in the ground in front of his window. This he thought was a sure sign by which he could tell what would happen to Sulayman after his departure. He said to Sulayman, "If this tree lives, you will live also; and if this tree dies, you will die too."

Raja Sulayman left Mantapuli and came over to Mindanao in the air. He neither walked nor used a boat. The first place he reached was Kabalalan. There he stood on the summit of the mountain and viewed the land and the villages, but he could not see a single human being anywhere. The sight was woeful, and Raja Sulayman exclaimed, "Alas, how pitiful and dreadful is this devastation!" As Sulayman uttered these words the whole mountain moved and shook, and suddenly there came out of the ground a dreadful animal which attacked Sulayman and fixed its claws in his flesh. The minute Sulayman saw the Kurita he knew that it was the evil scourge of the land, and he immediately drew his sword and cut the Kurita to pieces.

From there Sulayman went to Matutun. There he saw greater devastation and a more awful condition of affairs. As he stood on the mountain he heard a noise in the forest and saw a movement in the trees. Soon there appeared Tarabusaw, which drew near and gave a loud yell. It cautioned Sulayman and threatened to devour him. Sulayman in his turn threatened to kill Tarabusaw. The animal said to Sulayman, "If you kill me, I shall die the death of a martyr," and as it said these words it broke large branches from the trees and a.s.sailed Sulayman. The struggle lasted a long while, until at last the animal was exhausted and fell to the ground; thereupon Sulayman struck it with his sword and killed it. As the animal was dying it looked up to Sulayman and congratulated him on his success. Sulayman answered and said, "Your previous deeds brought this death on you."

The next place Sulayman went to was Mount Bita. Here the devastation was worse still. Sulayman pa.s.sed by many houses, but they were all vacant and not a soul lived there. "Alas, what havoc and what misfortune has befallen this country!" he exclaimed, as he went on. But suddenly there came a darkness upon the land and Sulayman wondered what it could mean. He looked up to the sky and beheld a wonderful and huge bird descending from the sky upon him. He at once recognized the bird and understood its purpose, and as quick as he could draw his sword he struck the bird and cut off its wing. The bird fell dead, but its wing fell on Sulayman and killed him.

At this same time Raja Indarapatra was sitting in his window, and he looked and saw the little tree wither and dry up. "Alas!" he said, "Raja Sulayman is dead;" and he wept.

Sad at heart but full of determination and desire for revenge, he got up, put on his sword and belt, and came over to Mindanao to search for his brother. He traveled in the air with wonderful speed and came to Kabalalan first. There he looked around and saw the bones of the Kurita and concluded that his brother had been there and had gone. At Matutun he saw the bones of Tarabusaw, but Sulayman was not there. So he pa.s.sed on to Mount Bita and resumed the search. There he saw the dead bird lying on the ground, and as he lifted the severed wing, he saw the bones of Sulayman, and recognized them by means of the sword that was lying by their side. As he looked at the sword and at the bones he was overwhelmed with grief and wept with tears. Raising up his head he turned around and beheld a small jar of water near him. He knew that the jar was sent down from heaven, so he took it and poured its water on the bones of his brother, and his brother came to life again. Sulayman stood up, greeted his brother, and talked with him. Raja Indarapatra had thought that Sulayman was dead, but Sulayman a.s.sured him that he had not been dead, but that he had been asleep. Raja Indarapatra rejoiced and life and happiness filled his heart.