Region IX — Houses built on stilts above water grant

them immediate access to the sea.

Region 9 occupies a land area of 17,046.64 sq.
km and is composed of three provinces – — They use their natural settings, like bamboo
Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, and and nipa palm, for houses.
Zamboanga del Sur; and five cities – Dapitan,
Dipolog, Pagadian, Zamboanga, and Isabela. It — Their house must be a house that can sustain
has 8 congressional districts and 67 the effects of coastal condition and tide
municipalities. fluctuation.

They are generally divided into the Tausugs,

Yakans, Badjaos, Samals, and the Subanens of Clothes
Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and
Zamboanga Sibugay. — They wear light clothing that is suitable for
the hot climate condition of their environment.

— Traditional attires are sarongs with colorful

SAMALS woven garbs.
History — The ladies wear gaudy and colorful clothes,
while the gents will wear simple white shirt and
— The Samals, also named Sama-Bajau or
trousers.
Badjao, are part of the indigenous people who
conventionally live in coastal coastal areas and
islands in Region 9.
Culture
— Traditionally, they are originally from the
islands of Sulu Archipelago but are also referred — The culture is sea-based, which reflects in all
to as "sea nomads" because of their seafaring the Samal music, art, and lifestyle.
lifestyle.
— They have their own oral tradition, and
— Traditionally knowledgeable in navigating, generations pass it to the next generation of
fishing, and diving, the Samals are a culturally stories, songs, and customs.
maritime people.
— It is depicted very colorfully in all the sea-
fishing festivals of communities.

Food

— Their diet mainly comprises seafood such as Religion

fish, shellfish, and seaweed because of their
seaside way of life. — Most Samals are Muslims, which impact their
daily rituals, prayers, and communal life.
— Rice, tropical fruits, and root crops are part
of their staple. — Animistic beliefs like spirits that dwell in
nature are integrated with their practice of
— Famous for food dishes cooked in coconut Islam.
milk and spices that reflect their tropical setting.

House
Language
— The Samal language is also called Sinama, Dance
which carries a couple of dialects.
— raditionally famous for the dances *igal*,
— A few Samals can also speak Tausug, the which are mostly performed during festivals
language of the local Tausug people. and social gathering.

— The younger ones also speak Filipino and — Dance movements draw inspiration from the
English, especially if they undergo formal ocean and its organisms.
education.
— Music accompanying *igal* is native as it
uses gongs and drums.

Beliefs

— The Samals have a mix of Islamic and Challenges

indigenous spiritual beliefs.
— Suffer from discrimination and exclusion due
— Believe in spirits of nature and ancestors, to their indigenous condition and ways of life
often performing rituals for protection and
blessings. — Poor, less or no educational background, not
to mention health services.
— They usually perform rituals before sailing
out at sea, asking for a safe journey and good — Conflicts over rights to the lands and
hauls. displacement

Tradition TAUSUGS

— Various ceremonies on events of life, — The name "Tausug" supposedly means

weddings, births, and community assemblies “People of the Current,” though it is also said to
derive from tau, "person," and Suug which is
— To observe the *Hari Raya* on the last day of the old name for the island of Jolo. This
Ramadan, a religious festival widespread group has a large population in
Malaysia as well as the Philippines.
— Folk medicine, comprising herbalism and
shamanship

Food

Norms — Tausug cuisine is found in many places across

the Philippines, from Sulu to Zamboanga, and
— Community-bound and like to maintain close even in some parts of Southern Palawan. From
family ties. savory dishes to sweet delicacies, the roots of
— Respectful elders and practice Tausug food can be traced to the neighboring
*pagtutulungan*, a form of mutual aid. state of Sabah, Malaysia, and boasts of a history
that extends well before the arrival of the first
— No fighting, therefore creating peace and Spaniards.
non-violent practices.
— Prepared following the Islamic Halal dietary
law, most Tausug food is often meant for
communal feasting. Dishes like beef kulma, of islam whose member are now more known
chicken piyanggang, and lokot lokot are as the moro group, who constitute the third
normally reserved for weddings, burials, and largest ethnic group of mindanao, sulu,
other special occasions. palawan.

House Beliefs

— Tausug houses are found in the Sulu region — The Tausug are Sunni Muslims, followers of
and are distinctive one-room structures the Shaft school. The Five Pillars are observed,
elevated above ground with a sleeping area, although only the elderly practice daily prayers
porch, and kitchen. They are built using bamboo regularly. All illness, accidents, and other
and wood with symbolic design elements. misfortunes are ultimately God's will.

— The house is a designed to be a one-room

(Bilik) partitionless structure. It's nine posts
corresponds to the various body parts found in Tradition
the human anatomy. It's roof has a hole for air
— Land is traditionally owned by the clan and
ventilation called Sungan and has a porch
controlled by local leaders known as datus. The
outside of it - a place to welcome guests.
customs of marriage and the family follow
Muslim tradition. Kinship solidarity is very
strong among the Tausug, and married children
Clothes often live near—or in the same household with
—the parents of the husband.
— The native attire of a Tausug consists of
Badjuh Lapih (upper) and Kuput (pants) for
boys; while the top for girls is Batawi and Sablay
for formal occasions, and Sambra and Supa- Norms
Supa for daily use.
— The Tausug culture, rooted in Islamic
traditions, is characterized by distinct social
expectations and norms that shape community
Culture interactions and gender roles. Central to these
norms is the concept of marriage, known as
— The Tausug maintain a unique culture that "Pagkawin," which is deeply intertwined with
features strong family ties, warrior traditions, Islamic principles and varies across different
and a folk iteration of Islam. The traditional municipalities in Sulu[2]. Additionally, the social
warrior ethos considers retreat as shameful. 5 realities of Tausug women reveal a complex
In addition to the traditional aspects of Islamic interplay of empowerment and societal
culture, the Tausug have a high regard for constraints, as expressed through their
nature and the spirit world. kalangan (songs), which reflect both cultural
richness and the challenges faced by women in
this society.
Religion

— The tausug are part of wider political identity

of Muslims of mindano, sulu and palawan. Most
BADJAO
of the tausugs have converted into the religion
— The Bajao, also known as the Sea Gypsies, spend most of their time in the water, sailing
are an indigenous group of people in the day and night to fish for a living.
Philippines who are known for their seafaring
lifestyle. — Yung mga Haligi ng tahanan ay pupunta sa
laot upang kasama ang kanilang mga anak na
— The Bajao are scattered along the coastal lalaki, pagdaong naman nila sa baybayin ay
areas of Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Basilan, and some naghihintay ang mga babaeng badjaos para
coastal areas of Zamboanga City. kuhanin ang kanilang mga nakuhang isda para
ipamili o ibenta.

House
Beliefs
— Badjao houses are wooden structures built
on stilts over water and are often made from — Badjao or Sea Gypsies have strange beliefs.
driftwood and debris from coastal cities. They also believe that where the spirits of the
dead are kept in a grave and every period of
Shaaban, the soul is allowed their master to
come back to our world.
Language

— The main language spoken by the Badjao

people is Sinama, though they also speak a total Traditional
of 8 languages. The Tagalog, English
— Burial practices. The Badjao believe that
death is a blessing and that people should
return in the same way they arrived.
Clothes
— Prenatal, and postnatal practices. The
— their mode of dressing is the traditional attire
Badjao have many beliefs and practices
patadyong, which is a tube-like wraparound
surrounding pregnancy, birth, and after birth,
skirt worn by both men and women. Women
including: Magbuhat, a prenatal practice that
also wear the sablay and simpay with the
involves excessive abdominal massaging and
patadyong.
checking the position of the fetus.

— Burying the placenta, which they believe is

Foods the undeveloped twin of the baby.

— Fresh fish and cassava are the staple diet of

the Badjaos. After they fled their homes, many
Religion
had to adjust to the food provided by the
government and humanitarian organizations, — The primary religion of the Badjao people is
which generally consist of rice and canned SUNNI ISLAM. The Muslim Bajau people follow
goods. the Islamic calendar, including Ramadan, and
practice Islamic death rites. A small number of
Badjao people are Catholic or Protestant.
Lifestyle

— The Bajao are semi-nomadic and live in small

Norms
boats called lepa with thatched roofs. They
— The Badjao hold superstitious beliefs — Subanen were driven further into the forest.
including throwing newborns in the sea and There, most of the Subanen settled down and
communicating with spirits. subsisted on rice farming and fishing, in
addition to breeding a variety of livestock, such
as chickens, water buffaloes, pigs, and cattle.
Challenges

— The Bajao face many challenges, including Religious Beliefs and Practices
poverty, lack of access to education and
government services. — Gulay. The Subanon are firm believers in a
supreme being called Gulay. Other terms for
Gulay include Apu’ Asug, Gegded, Megbebaya’,
and Meglengaw. The Subanon consider him as
Support
the creator of heaven and earth, the giver of
— Some organizations have worked with the life, and the creator of the first man and
Bajao to provide education, medical care, and woman.
other assistance. For example, the Bailey family
— Spirit who are part of nature. These spirits
built a school in a Bajao village and hired a
inhabit the most striking natural features, which
teacher to educate the children.
are considered the handiwork of the gods, such
as unusually large trees, huge rocks balancing
on a small base, peculiarly shaped mounds of
SUBANEN earth, isolated caves, and peaks of very tall
mountains. However, the favorite abode of the
— In the island of Mindanao, particularly in the deities in the mountains is the banyan or balete
Zamboanga Peninsula, there exists a group of tree.
lumad or non-Muslim indigenous cultural
community called the Subanen. They are also — Buklog Festival. Buklog is an elaborate
known as Subanon or Subano, derived from the thanksgiving ritual system of the Subanen, an
word “suba,” a Visayan word meaning “river,” indigenous people in the southern Philippines.
as most of their settlements can be found near The head of a host family, usually a village chief
rivers or mountain streams. called ‘timuay’, plans the ritual system to
express gratitude to the spirits. The rituals
ensure harmony among family, clan and
community members, as well as among the
Tribal Leader
human, natural and spiritual worlds. They
— Timuay or Gukom. Peace and order between include asking the spirits for permission to
families in the community is governed by a gather materials from the forest, presenting
tribal leader called timuay or gukom, who is coin offerings, inviting the spirits of the
authorized as a mediator to resolve conflicts. departed to feast, invoking spirits of water and
However, if these conflicts involve heinous land, and music and dance.
crimes, they are then presided over by rightful
authorities in the area such as the Barangay
Captain. Culture, Customs and Traditions

— Levirate and Sororate. They also practice

levirate and sororate forms of marriage. In
Livelihood
levirate marriage, the woman marries the
brother of her dead husband. In sororate concoction of herbs called “tapay” (made from
marriage, the man marries the sister of his dead 24 to 60 herbs). The Pangase wine undergoes
wife. These two forms of marriage seem to fermentation process in a ceramic jar called
reaffirm the view that marriage establishes a “bandi” or “tibod” for two weeks to three years.
more or less permanent tie, a tie that even
outlives the principal of the marriage.

— Selecting a spouse to marry. Selecting a Tribal House

spouse to marry can be done in three ways.
— The typical Subanon settlement is composed
First, the family can arrange the marriage,
of any number of either clustered or dispersed
which can take place even before the parties
households and is normally located on high
reach the age of puberty. In this type of
ground close to the swidden farm. There are
marriage, the parents select the spouse for
three types of houses according to purpose and
their child. Second, a go-between is hired as a
materials used: the tree house, field huts, and
spokesman by the boy to express his desire for
permanent dwellings.
a lady. Third, conventional, modern courtship is
followed, in which the young man and young — Tree house. In times past, the tree house,
woman first become friends and then the young built atop a 12 foot-high stump, protected the
man personally expresses his love to the young Subanon from enemies, who could not strike
lady. Whatever method is used in selecting a with the spear from below. The ladder, made of
spouse, the contracting families go through the a notched tree trunk, was pulled up by
preliminaries of patching up previous conflicts residents, thus preventing the enemies’ quick
before determining the bride-price, which may and sudden entry.
be in the form of cash or goods or a
combination of both. — Field huts. The Subanon have field huts for
temporary shelter. Field huts provide some
— Limilimi. They must first give a symbolic shade when one is guarding the swidden farm
entrance fee called limilimi. When all have from rodents, monkeys, and wild pigs.
entered the house, the members of the boy’s However, not all Subanon farmers have field
family are invited to sit along the edge of a huts.
sleeping mat, which has been placed on the
floor of the main and biggest room of the — Permanent dwellings. Permanent dwellings
house. The spokespersons of the boy’s family in the settlement vary in sizes and durability.
ask the spokespersons of the girl’s family to The traditional Subanon house is generally
take a winnowing basket and an ear of corn. rectangular, thatch-roofed, with a small floor
When the winnowing basket arrives, the girl’s space averaging 12 square meters. Invariably,
party turns it upside down to cover the corn, there is only one room and therefore space for
which has had a few kernels removed from it. A only a single family.
sharp knife is laid on top of the overturned
winnowing basket. After these symbolic objects
have been placed at the center of the floor mat,
Yakan
discussion of the proposed wedding begins
while both parties chew betel nut and smoke - The Yakans are the native inhabitants of
tobacco. Basilan and their home is in Lamitan.
– Pangase. In the production of the Pangase - Lamitan. dubbed by many as the "Home of the
wine, three main raw materials are utilized, Yakans" because of the strong influence of the
namely: cassava tubers, rice hull and a Yakan culture and the presence of the Yakans
Language

- They speak a dialect of Sama language and are

culturally influenced in some respect by the
Tausug.

Livelihood

- The Yakans are basically farmers growing

products like coconut, cassava,

abaca, lanzones, cacao, com, and the most

valued among all crops, upland

rice

Tradition

- Wedding Ceremony. Tanyak Tanyak is a face

painting from the Yakan culture that is mostly
worn only for wedding ceremonies

- Weaving. Tennun is the Yakan word for woven

cloth and pagtetennun is the act of weaving.
This inimitable craft led to the Yakan being
honored as one of the finest weavers in the
Philippines.

Religious Beliefs and Practices

- The Yakans are Muslims, although they

practice pre-Islamic religious ceremonies like
planting and harvesting rituals, birth and death
rituals, and spirit and ancestor worship.

– Rituals and prayers are performed with the

planting and harvesting of upland rice so as to
ensure a bountiful harvest ko.