Maranao Ethnic Group of the Philippines

The Maranaos are among the 13 Muslim groups in the Philippines. They are regarded as the moro people whose way of life follows their distinct Islamic & pre-Islamic heritage. But they are commonly defined as the “people living around the lake”

1. The   Maranaos  are among the 13 Muslim groups in the Philippines. They are regarded as the moro people whose way of life follows their distinct Islamic & pre-Islamic heritage. But they are commonly defined as the “ people living around the lake”

2. Like the other Filipino Muslims, the Maranao differ markedly from the Christians, who make up the overwhelming majority of the country’s population. Land is owned by the clan and controlled by local leaders known as " datus " . The customs of marriage and the family are Islāmic .

3. POPULATION Maranao , largest of the Muslim cultural-linguistic groups of the Philippines. Numbering more than 840,000 in the late 20th century. T he largest non-Christian ethnic group in the Philippines, inhabit the lands around the lake, dominating the province of Lanao del Sur.

4. LANGUAGE Maranao is an Austronesian language spoken by the Maranao people in the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur in the Philippines, Unique among other Maranaoan is spoken with a distinct downstep accent, as opposed to stress accent. 

5. Maranao Society The Maranao is a royal-heavy community replete with sultans, datus & bae labis . This came about when Islam was introduced to Lanao & has survived through colonization.
The sultanate system remains a significant part of the Maranao society to this day. It symbolizes royal authority & stands in its domestic affairs like armoring its culture & heritage, patching family disputes & chronicling the legitimacy of royal bloodlines through the ‘ salsila ’. They are very clannish too. It is their way to protect their ‘ bangsa ’ & their heritage.

6. RELIGION The mosque is the place where Muslims worship. It is made of wood and the area can accommodate about 40-44 worshipers. The mosque is beautiful decorated with ukkil designs .

7. CLOTHING Maranao women wear special kinds of clothes which are distinctly their own. The malong is one kind of dress material which can be used in many ways. Women wear it as skirt, a dress, a blouse or a gown. The rest of the family use it either as hammock, a fruit basket, a sleeping bag, a bathrobe, a baby carriage or a simple market bag.

8. ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURE   Maranao architecture has been influenced by the Indus and the Islamic religion. The influence of Islam man be noted in the ukkil carvings in maranao homes, mosques and tool. The Hindu influence may be seen in the naga or S carvings on the eaves of houses, bows of a boat, chess pieces and the Sarimanok . 

9. MARANAO ART Maranao art is rich & deep. It traces its roots back to its pre-Islamic kingdoms that were heavily influenced by Indic culture.Among its greatest prides is being the keeper of the Darangen , an ancient epic hailed by UNESCO as a world masterpiece for oral & intangible heritage of humanity. The Maranaos are skilled artisans too. Among its distinct artforms are the okir designs carved on wood, etched on metals & sewn on tapestries. Backstrap loom weaving is also one of its precious handiworks & none comes closer to exquisiteness than the women weavers of Pualas .

10. COURTING Courting a Maranao lady could be difficult. A suitor should be the most hardworking and patient bachelor in town. A go-between who will mediate for the contracting parties of the groom needed. The parents of the groom contact the parents of the bride regarding the desire of their son marry. The woman's family announces the dowry. When all is settled, the wedding celebration takes place In fun and merriment.

11. HOUSES The Torogan is the ancestral house and the royal residence of the upper-class Maranao . It is commonly found in Marawi City and other areas in Lanao del Sur province. Within the sultanate, no one can have a house bigger than the Torogan which is the dwelling place of the datu along with his wives and children .

12. LIVELIHOOD RICE FARMING METAL ARTWORKING CLOTH/MALONG WEAVING WOOD CARVING

13. SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEF The Maranaos are superstitious. They believe in the hidden powers of the ANTING-ANTING amulets. These Items which they wear on their necks, arms or legs believed to bring them good luck. 

14. Culture & Traditions ' Adat ’ is a very important characteristic of the Maranao culture. It is the totality of their metaphysical interpretations of Islam infused with their pre-Islamic culture.
Just like in any Muslim customs, eating pork & exposing skin are strictly prohibited. They pray 5 times a day facing the Kaaba in Mecca. While they’re very patriarchal, Maranao women are also well protected.

15. FOODS Rice is the staple food of Filipinos, and the same is true for the Maranaos . For important occasions and gatherings, or even on a regular day, Maranaos have a special way of preparing rice. Rice is colored with turmeric and flavored with salt, laurel leaves and olive oil, and cooked the usual way, creating the kuning .

16. Dodol is a Maranao delicacy that is made from sticky rice flour, coconut milk, and sugar. Others add durian to make it more delicious. It has become a popular Iftar food aside from being served during celebrations like weddings and thanksgivings. The dodol is wrapped in corn husks or brightly colored cellophane sheets sheets Tinadtag is one of the delicacies of the Bangsamoro . It is crispy and yummy.

17. FEMININE INSTRUMENT The kulintang is traditionally considered a women's instrument by many groups

18. FESTIVAL A dance festival of ceremonial gatherings and merry making for a bountiful harvest, being a municipality of cast agricultural lands suitable for all kinds of agricultural crops, it is also a thanksgiving for peace, prosperity and progress to the Almighty.

19. DANCES Kapa Malong Malong - Also called Sambi sa Malong , this Maranao dance shows the
many ways of wearing a malong , a simple tubular yet highly
functional piece of cloth. The traditional women’s version shows this cloth of countless colorful designs; used mostly as a skirt, woven in many different ways, depending on the purpose of the wearer. Other ways the women wear malong is as a shawl, a mantle, or a head-piece.

20. Sinkil dance takes its name from the bells worn on the ankles of the Muslim princess. Perhaps one of the oldest of truly Filipino dances, the Singkil recounts the epic legend of the " Darangan " of the Maranao people of Mindanao. The rhythmic clapping of criss-crossed bamboo poles represent the trees that were falling, which she gracefully avoids. Her slave loyally accompanies her throughout her ordeal. Finally, she is saved by the prince. Dancers wearing solemn faces and maintaining a dignified pose being dancing at a slow pace which soon progresses to a faster tempo skillfully manipulate apir , or fans which represent the winds that prove to be auspicious. The dancers weave expertly through criss-crossed bamboos.

21. WEDDING Another tradition that is practiced by the Maranaos is called “parental” marriage. In that case, parents will be the ones to adjudicate who will marry their son or daughter. The parents of both sides will have an agreement how much dowry will be given by the parents of groom side to the parents of the bride side.

22. BURIAL CEREMONY The mosque is the place where Muslims worship. The corpse is cleaned and wrapped in a white cloth. It is then buried in a tarking (grave) about 1.8 meters deep which is then covered with soil because of the belief in the resurrection, the top is not cemented. Pouring of water over the grave completes the burial.