The Maranao Culture and Tradition
DMITRI ETHAN C. BELANDRES, B. S. PHAMACY 1-A
@evienovich / evienovich.tumblr.com
If there is one tribe that can arouse your interest, try discovering the Maranao Tribe, a Muslim Tribe that adheres to Islam Belief. The Maranaos are known to inhabit most of the municipalities of the province of Lanao del Sur and Marawi City, its capital. Visit and see for yourself how the culture and tradition of the Maranaos stay compact, and amazingly resilient against outside influences.
One of the Islamic Muslim Tribes in the Philippines which has sustained its culture and tradition even in the modern days is the Maranao Tribe. The term Maranao literally means “People of the Lake,” with reference to the location of the Tribe’s habitat immediately contiguous to Lake Lanao, south of Marawi City, in the province of Lanao del Sur, and one of the Bangsamoro Regions.
The Maranaos, as they are called, have their own spectacular culture and tradition peculiar to them which make them stand out from other Muslim Tribes. They are known for their metal crafts, architecture, colorful dances, cultural attire, tapestry, distinctive cuisine, and epic literature.
One of the most popular art manifests of the Maranaos is their vivid color combinations. This taste of art that displays bright, eye-catching colors attracts not only the locals but even foreign visitors who came to know their art. This eye-catching color combination taste which they integrate with their other forms of artistry, is truly amazing and captivating.
Among the most distinct and an essential trademark of the Maranaos’ art forms is the Sarimanok. The Sarimanok is a legendary bird that serves as the symbol of the Maranaos. Sarimanok came from the words “sari” (a garment of different colors deeply related to their culture) and “manok” (rooster with its beautiful and colorful feathers), believed to represent good fortune and prosperity, a symbol that the Maranao people in the Philipines are associated with, and a significant part of Maranao people’s cultural heritage.
Another art form of the Maranaos which also made an impression in their distinct culture and tradition are their dances. The cultural dances also showcase the Maranao’s ingenuity. Performing these dances highlight certain celebrations such as during festivals and occasions intended for entertainment. Their trademark prevails in the use of ornate colorful costumes and instrumental music. Their dances were created from the Darangen, an ancient epic of the Maranao community.
One of their famous dances include the Kappa malong-malong which is also known as Sambi sa Malong. This is a cultural dance where dancers show the several ways of using malong. It portrays how malong is worn with the fabric combined of many bright colors, an identity of the Maranaos’ taste of colors. The meaning of the dance lies in the aim of partaking the usefulness of malong that to fully absorb the steps of this dance, one must learn and understand the significance of malong – a simple tubular yet highly functional piece of cloth for all Filipino-Muslim.
Another popular dance is the Singkil, a royal dance where the woman gently steps in and out of the clipping bamboos while holding a fan. The woman dancer wears an elegant colorful costume as the main dancer. Its music is by the sound of a gong, an original sound intended for the dance. This dance is one of the proofs of Maranao’s original dances which identifies them from other tribes, a true Maranao pride.
Along with the art forms like the Sarimanok and the dances reflective of the Maranao culture and tradition is the Torogan which literally means a resting or sleeping place. It is a traditional ancestral house symbolizing a high social status or nobility among Maranao People. This pre-colonial house was home of the royal blood whose positions in the community were that of sultans or datus deemed political leaders looked up with great respect by their respective constituents.
The Torogan portrays the ingenuous architectural prowess of the Maranaos. One of the last standing Torogan and the only remaining habitable structure was declared as a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines in 2008 which can be found in Bubung Malanding, Marantao, Lanao del Sur. This structure was built without the use of nails only fitted joints and fiber lashings.
It is one of the attractions and pride of the Maranao Tribe as it reminds them of the historic deed of their brave leaders who withstood Spanish conquest. The Torogan symbolized rank, power and prestige.
Torogans were elevated from the ground using “tukod” or hard tree trunks of huge girths. At the center is the “tapuwilih” post surrounded by twenty-five others at the base.
Another part of the culture and tradition of the Maranaos is their distinct taste of food. They have a different choice of food and preparation. Travelers from neighboring provinces and students of the Mindanao State University (MSU) have been privileged to taste the delicacies peculiar to Maranao Tribe. Their famous cultural delicacies include the sakurab. It’s made with palapa (dried coconut shavings and dried chili), local native scallions and chili, a common appetizer for the Maranaos.
Known for love of spicy flavors, most of their food are indeed hot and spicy. The palapa also serves as a mainstream ingredient in most of their popular dishes like pyaparana manok (chicken with coconut meat), beef randeng (beef with coconut), bakas (tuna fish), and badak (jackfruit) with coconut milk and powdered turmeric [kalawag], which adds a yellowish color that sets their food apart food from other Muslim Mindanao cuisines.
During their month-long celebration, Maranao’s special ‘kakanin’ delicacies also highlight the event, most of which are made from sticky rice flour with coconut milk and brown sugar such as dudol, tamokansi, tiyatag, pabrot, and many more.
The traditional clothing of the Maranaos goes with their art form display of colorful, handwoven clothes. A known conservative tribe, women wear tightfitting short blouses and narrow cut pants resembling breeches and a wrap-around material to make certain that their bodies are fully covered. Men on the other hand, also wear narrow cut pants and wraps a sash-like cloth around the waist where he places his weapon – usually a long knife.
The traditional clothing of the Maranaos goes with their art form display of colorful, handwoven clothes. A known conservative tribe, women wear tightfitting short blouses and narrow cut pants resembling breeches and a wrap-around material to make certain that their bodies are fully covered. Men on the other hand, also wear narrow cut pants and wraps a sash-like cloth around the waist where he places his weapon – usually a long knife.
Start satisfying your curiosity and witness in reality this one Tribe that exhibits a distinguished way of life. It is worth knowing that a certain tribe has been able to preserve its culture and tradition despite the changes of times. It is an overwhelming experience to actually see these people’s unique culture and tradition and truly inspiring to note how they sustain such amazing culture and tradition. This is what makes the Maranao culture and tradition impressive and worth discovering.
