Republic of the Philippines

MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSIY

College of Business Administration and Accountancy
MARKETING DEPARTMENT
Marawi City

KALILINTAD | A peace forum

FPE101 – Fundamentals of Peace Education

AL-JADED A. ABUBACAR
Section – Dd6

PROF. RALPH S. BUCA

FEBRUARY 07, 2024

 Introduction

Before the colonization of the Philippines, Islam had already been a religion in the

Philippines. Moro is the name by which Filipino Muslim ethno-linguistic groups are usually

known. Moros developed a centralized religious, social and political system based on the

Qur’an. Several sultanates emerged, similar to historical sultanates that developed in what are

now Indonesia and Malaysia, with the sultans being both religious and secular leaders. These

sultanates were de facto states, exercising jurisdiction over Muslim and non-Muslim alike. At the

time of the Spanish conquest, the Muslim principalities had the most administratively complex

communities in the Philippines.

In the southern part of Glan, in Barangays Pangyan and Burias a tribal group called

Sangils lives. They reside along the coast of the Celebes Sea, scattered in different sitios of

Kimanadal, Kimangayao, Tamparan, Nakolil, Calipagan and Pangyan proper. Most of them live

along the seashore, for they engage in fishing. Others who engage in farming are found on the

hillsides near the sea. Some have small stores in the barrio of Pangyan.

Sangihe or Sangi is an island in Indonesia which is in the northeast of Celebes Sea and is known
as Sangir or Sangil Island. Its neighboring islands are Ternate and Celebes. Its inhabitants are

called Sangils. This group of people first came to the Philippines by exploratory expeditions.

When they observed that it was good to stay here in the Philippines, particularly in the coastal

area in the southern part of Mindanao, they decided to remain permanently in Mindanao.

In 1902, under the joint command of Datu Buisan, Rajah Muda of Maguindanao and

Rajah Sirungan, fifty boats from Ternate, Sangil and Tagolanda made an expedition to Sulu and

Celebes. When Sulu was delivered of the latest punitive expedition against it, Buisan was freed

froma promise to defeat it if attacked. Reinforced by his allies from Sangil and Ternate, Buisan

was then able to muster another fleet (Majul 1978). Buisan succeeded in his expedition and

afterwards his men scattered over the coastal area from Zamboanga Gulf to Davao Gulf.

The presence of Qudarat in Simuay sent the Maguindanao of the Pulangi flocking to the

place and to his standard. The people inhabiting the area between the Butig mountains and the

Pulangi became his vassals (servants) while the seafaring people from the mouth of Pulangi up to

Davao Gulf, including the people of the Island of Sangir and Sarangani, became tributary to him

(Majul 1978).

The most extensive sultanate was under the rule of Qudarat. The coastal area from

Zamboanga to Davao Gulf was tributary to him. His rule held sway over Sangir and Sarangani.

Sultan Qudarat, being a pandita, well-versed in the fundamentals of Islamic jurisprudence, was

always respectful to men of religion in accordance with Qur'anic prescription (Majul 1978, 175).

Therefore, the Sangils in Glan were influenced by the ideals and principles of Sul tan Qudarat,

for he once ruled over this group of people. As a result, until now the Sangils believe in Islam.
 The Sangil also known as Sangir, Sangihe, Sangu and Marore appear to be of true

Indonesian origin. There population is around 10, 344 and they their language is related to

Indonesian. They live in the Sangihe and Talaud Island group, and around the southern coast of

Mindanao in the Sarangani Bay area, with concentrations in Balut and Sarangani islands (2085)

off Mindanao, and Jose Abad Santos (685) in the province of Davao del Sur where there is a total

of 4322 (NSO 1980). They have been heavily influenced by the neighboring peoples, especially

the Kalagan. Boat-making is a prime activity. Traditionally, the local village group was called a

soa and composed of exogamous matrilineages; normal Filipino bilateral relationships developed

later. Christianity and Islam are strong influences, but much of the traditional ancestor-based

religion remains, with ritual specialists serving as intermediaries with the spirit world.

The Sangils are a hardworking people. They earn in order to support their family. Many

of the Sangils have farmson which they cultivate and plant coconuts, rice, corn, and other crops.

Those who live along the coast engage in fishing, but most of the Sangils are farmers. Some of

the Sangil women weave mats for a living. Others sell fish and others have sari-sari stores in the

barangay as a source of supplementary income. The Sangils are affected by economic instability,

and so are challenged to look for better jobs in order to earn more. Many of them go to the city to

look for more income and are challenged by new disciplines and new values.

There are three classes of Sangils. The colano, the datu; the rajah muda, the noble man;

and the lang, the slave. But, as of now, only two classes exist in Glan. They are the colano and

the rajah muda. There are no lang or slaves now, because most of them cultivate their own lands.

Those who do not have land engage in fishing. Therefore, class distinction has been minimized

in Glan.
During the early times, the sangils did not want to send their children to school because they

were afraid that their children might be converted to Christianity. It was the Imam (priest) who

taught the students to read, not to interpret Arabic script, but only to participate in the services in

the mosque (church). This was considered to be the principal aim of education among Islamic

people. During the survey of the writer for this present study about 70 percent of the sangils were

illiterate. Most of the illiterate are older people while most of the young ones are literate

(Gowing and McAmis 1974).

Body

The Sangils have changed their beliefs due to the influence of modem times. They have

realized the importance of education for their children and have begun sending their children to

school from elementary to high school and then to college. As a consequence, at present, there

are a number of Sangils who are professionals. The Barangay High School in Pangyan has been a

great help to the Sangils in this regard. Now, they have a chance to send their children to high

school with minimal expense. Those who can afford to do so send their children to college when

they finish high school.

There are a number of scholarship grants offered to minorities, including the Sangil.

These grants are another way of drawing interest towards education. The grants challenge them

to study hard to enjoy the benefits of these scholarships. As a matter of fact, the Accelerated

Training of Teachers for Cultural Communities (A'TTCC) offers scholarship grants to minorities

like Muslims, B'laans, Manobos, Bagobos, Tbolis, Tirurays, and other minorities with the

intention of educating them to become teachers so that they may educate their own people in

return. Some Sangils have become beneficiaries of this program.

 Dialect They Used
The Sangil ethnic group speaks a language that is similar to Bahasa and Tausug. This linguistic

similarity might be due to historical connections and interactions with the regions where these

languages are spoken.

Place of Origin

The Sangil ethnic group's place of origin is the Sangihe Islands, which are situated in the border

area between North Sulawesi in Indonesia and Mindanao in the Philippines. The Sangihe Islands

are a group of islands located in the Celebes Sea, and they have historically been a point of

contact and interaction between Indonesia and the Philippines. The Sangil people migrated from

the Sangihe Islands to the Philippines and settled primarily in areas like Balut Island and

Sarangani Island in the province of Davao Occidental, Philippines.

Population and their Homeland

The Sangil ethnic group in the Philippines is estimated to comprise approximately 10,000

individuals. These individuals are spread across various regions, with the majority concentrated

in certain areas. The Sangil appear to be of true Indonesian origin. They live in the Sangihe and

Talaud island group, and around the southern coast of Mindanao in the Sarangani Bay area, with

concentrations in Balut and Sarangani islands (2085) off Mindanao, and Jose Abad Santos (685)

in the province of Davao del Sur where there are a total of 4322 (NSO 1980). They have been

heavily influenced by the neighboring peoples, especially the Kalagan. Boat-making is a prime

activity. Traditionally, the local village group was called a soa and composed of exogamous

matrilineages; normal Filipino bilateral relationships developed later. Christianity and Islam are

strong influences, but much of the traditional ancestor-based religion remains, with ritual

specialists serving as intermediaries with the spirit world.

 Status of Maranao Women in Society

Some of the Sangil women make their income by weaving mats, which displays their

expert workmanship in addition to their economic contributions. This long-standing custom

helps to preserve the community’s cultural legacy in addition to offering a source of revenue.

Some people trade fish in addition to weaving mats, which boosts the local economy and

guarantees the availability of this vital food source. In addition to highlighting their economic

agency, Sangil women’s involvement in fish sales also underscores their responsibility to ensure

food security for their family and the community.

In addition, a large proportion of Sangil women run sari-sari stores, which act as

important community hubs for daily requirements.

What Do They Believe?

The Sangils, being followers of Islam, are classified as Muslims. To be saved, they follow

the teachings of the Quran as their ideal. The word Muslim means one who submits his entire life

to the will of God (McAmis 1973,201). So, a. Muslim then wants to follow the will of God in his

daily life.

The Sangils are very loyal to their religion. It was mentioned above that they do not want

to send their children to school because they do not want their children to be converted to
Christianity. They go to the mosque to worship on Fridays. Friday, according to them, was a day

of rest of the prophet Mohammad. The imam conducts the ceremony

Sangil's wedding, before wedding arrangements are made, three persons negotiate on

behalf of the man about his intention of marrying the woman. Then the man starts serving the

woman's parents (mamanugang). While serving in the house of the woman he is observed by her

parents to see how fit he is to marry their daughter. If he makes a good impression, the man is

told to bring his parents to the house of the woman to ask the consent of the woman's parents to

marry their daughter. Here the arrangement for the dowry is made by the wajel (negotiator).

The sunggod is performed before the kawing. The dowry, in cash or in kind, can be

animals like horses, cows, carabaos or things like gongs or plates. The cash dowry of PlOO is

called kawa. This is given to the wajel to show that the marriage proposal is accepted. Another

PlOO called leng is given to the wajel to show that the wedding arrangements are final and

nobody else can touch the woman. The final plans and arrangements for the wedding are made

by the parents and relatives of both the bride and groom. Another way of giving cash dowry is

based on the Sangils' class or standard of living. For the colano, it is P1,OOO; for the rajah

muda, it isP700 and for the leng, any amount will be accepted provided it is not more than P300.

When the arrangements for the wedding are set, three days before the wedding, the bride is put

inside the kwambo. She has maids to assist her. Food is brought to her while she is inside the

kwambo. During the kawing the relatives of the groom beautify the bride, while the relatives of

the bride dress the groom. They do this to show their consent to the union.

The imam conducts the wedding ceremony. Four candles are held by four men in the

venue of the wedding ceremony. The girl sits first at the place set for the wedding ceremony, then

the groom is brought to the house of the bride. Before entering the house, the groom washes his
mouth, face, hands, apns, ears, neck, then feet. He does this to show that he is clean and pure for

the wedding rite. When he enters the house, the imam announces the start of the wedding

ceremony. He asks people around if anybody opposes the wedding. If nobody opposes, the

ceremony continues. The imam says the prayer for the wedding ceremony. As he utters the

prayer, he holds the right hand of the groom. He covers the hands of the couple with a

handkerchief, then they turn around the bride three times. After three turns he holds the right

thumb of the groom and presses it on the forehead of the bride. The gesture means they believe

that the marriage is recognized by God in heaven. Then the groom sits at the right side of the

bride. The parents tell the bride and groom to kiss the hands of the elders. This marks the end of

the wedding ceremony.

The kanduri follows the ceremony. After the kanduri the newly married couple returns to

the woman's kwambo. They stay there for three days with attendants who assist them. After three

days, the imam bathes the couple. This serves as a blessing. After the bath, they go home to

where they have decided to live as husband and wife.

Sangil's on healing sick, according to the tabib or mangungundang, the sickness of a

person is caused by karingong sitan or karingong malaykat. Other illnesses are caused by men, or

natural things like the wind. The mangungundang performs different healing rituals.

The first ritual is offering a white chicken to the spirit that causes the person to get sick.

The healer prays and asks the spirit to heal the sick. In another healing ritual, the healer rubs

chicken blood on the affected part of the patient's body after which he utters a prayer. The healer

believes that red blood signifies courage and this can drive away the illness of the person. Those

present during the healing ceremony are also dabbed with chicken blood so that they will not be

affected by the matudo (illness).

 In other cases, the healer employs spiritual healing. Feeling the pulse of the patient, he

determines the person's sickness. Then he prays the dua (prayer direct to God) believing that

Allah gave Jesus Christ the power to heal the sick. If he prays directly to Him, the sick will be

healed.

Other healers use an egg to tell the cause of the matudo. The egg is placed in a saucer

with coconut oil. He prays the du-a while allowing the egg to stand. Then he applies folk

medication fit for the kind of illness. He may use medicinal plants like the leaves of the alum.

The leaves of the alum are dipped in a glass of water to be drunk by the patient. Sometimes the

healer prays the du-a over the water and the same water is rubbed on the affected part of the

patient's body.

Another common way of healing the sick among Sangils is by the use of liya. The healer

blows the ginger to drive the karingong sitan or karingong malaykat out of the sick and make

him well.

Sangil's on Death and Burial, when somebody dies among the Sangils, the body is bathed

and cleaned. Then, the body is covered with a white cloth which stands for purity. They do not

use a coffin because they believe that the coffin traps the soul of the dead and denies it entry into

heaven. Others believe that a coffin prevents the water that is poured on the grave from reaching

the body of the dead person. As a result, he will not feel the coolness of the water that will cause

him to rise to go to heaven.

After the body is bathed and wrapped with a white cloth, the dead person is laid down

with his head facing the sunset. They do this because they believe that this dead will have an

easy way to heaven by passing through the sunset. Through this, the soul will surely go to
heaven. The bereaved family is not allowed to cook squash for they believe that it will mix with

the blood of the bad spirit or witch and will cause them to become sick. The sympathizers help

the bereaved family in guarding the remains of the dead person so that the cat or anything else

cannot jump over the dead body. They believe that once the cat jumps over the dead person, it

causes the dead to rise. This is why the family keeps a close guard over the remains of the dead,

The mirror is placed on the side of the dead body because they believed that if the witch or other

bad spirits see their face in the mirror, they will be afraid of their reflection.

The burial ceremony is conducted by the imam or pandita. Before the body is brought to

the pangungubuang, the imam or pandita performs the prayer for the dead in the house of the

dead. Then the body is brought to the cemetery. The imam or pandita performs the burial rites.

Before the interment the hatib says the "bang" It announces to everything around like the trees,

mountains, forest, and people, that this man is to be buried. After the "bang" the body is put into

the grave. When the grave is filled with soil, water is poured on it three times. This ritual is

called turking. They pour water three times into the grave because they believe that when the

water reaches the dead body, and the body feels the cool water, this will cause the soul of the

dead to rise up to heaven if he has done good deeds when he was still alive. If he has done bad

deeds, his soul will not depart until all his sins are atoned for.

A stone is placed on top of his grave adjacent to his heart. The belief is that the stone is

where he passes when he rises up to heaven. Three days after the burial, a kanduri is held as a

thanksgiving for his soul to go to heaven. The Sangils believe that after three days the soul of the

dead will come back to the house. They will observe the place where the stone is placed. If they

hear footsteps after three days, it means that the soul is back from the grave.
After 7,40,100, and 1,00O days, the family performs the kanduri again. The pandita who prays

during the kanduri is given money and food. He is served well, too. The amount of money given

to the pandita is not fixed. This kanduri is a thanksgiving for the soul of the dead. If a kanduri is

offered by the bereaved family, the soul of the dead will not come back anymore. The pandita

who was given the clothes of the dead person will offer prayers for the soul. If he fails to pray for

the soul of the dead, he will always be disturbed by the spirit who comes back.

Problems that Sangil People is Facing

Cultural Erosion. The Philippines' Sangil culture may be dealing with issues relating to

cultural erosion, which is the process by which modernity or outside influences affect customs

and beliefs, possibly resulting in a loss of cultural identity.

Youth Disengagement. The disengagement of younger generations is a common

problem in many traditional civilizations. The Sangil culture may be struggling to pass on its

beliefs and traditions to the next generation of members, which could jeopardize the continuation

of its rituals.

Environmental Pressures. If the Sangil culture is strongly associated with certain

natural resources or ecosystems, then environmental changes, such deforestation or climate

change, may have an impact on it.

Globalization Impact. There are advantages and disadvantages to globalization. Global

trends may be having an impact on Sangil culture, which could weaken its uniqueness or lead to

conflicts between more modern and traditional lifestyles.

Limited acknowledgment and Support. The Sangil culture may have trouble

maintaining its legacy if it does not receive official acknowledgment and assistance. This may
show up as a lack of funding for artistic endeavors, educational activities, or research and

documentation projects.

Implications and Conclusions

The Sangils' transition to appreciating education and taking advantage of scholarship

chances points to the beneficial effects of modernity on their community, encouraging

professional and academic prospects for its members.

The Sangils show tenacity and flexibility in accepting education and adjusting to societal

shifts without sacrificing their cultural identity. The Sangil community is dynamically evolving

culturally, as evidenced by the way that modern practices like schooling coexist with old values

like their steadfast adherence to Islam.

References:

Albano, Norma G. 1983. The rites, rituals and utterances of the Tboli of Lake Sebu, Surallah,

South Cotabato. M.A. thesis, Notre Dame of Marbel College.

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/14724/RP

Gowing, Peter G., and Robert D. McAmis1974. The Muslim Filipinos: Their history, society and

contemporary problems. Manila: Solidaridad Publishing House, 1974.

https://www.csueastbay.edu/museum/virtual-museum/the-philippines/peoples/sangil.html
McAmis, Robert D. 1973. Muslim Filipinos, 4th Annual Seminar on Islam in the Philippines and

Asia, 20-22 September, Davao City Majul, Cesar Adib. 1978.

Muslims in the Philippines, 3d. ed. ManilaSaint Mary's Publishing Municipal development plan

of Glan, South Cotabato, 1982 Webster's ninth collegiate dictionary, s.v. "Geographical names

WongHonoria 1982.

Courtship and marriage folkways of the Bilaans in Baliton, Glan, South Cotabato: A descriptive

study. M.A. thesis, Notre Dame of Marbel College

https://www.jstor.org/stable/42633434