Reconstructing MORO HISTORY

History is “the act of selecting, analyzing and writing about the past. It is something that is done, that is constructed.” (Davidson and Lytle 1982). In an academic essay, I wrote:

Philippine historiography is not exactly in a good state. Skeptics have categorized historians as those who lie, those who are mistaken and those who do not know. (Gilderhus:1996) It is quite unfortunate that much of Philippine history was written by those in the first two categories. With regards to the Moros, Spanish historians (writing about Moro history) belonged to the first category; American historians belonged to the first and second; and Filipino historians belonged to all categories.

But there are exceptions, of course. Below is an article I wrote for The Philippine Post:

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Milestones in Moro Historiography
by Datu Jamal Ashley Abbas

MUSLIMS IN THE PHILIPPINES

“…History books in the Philippines tend to lay emphasis on events in other islands and glorify national heroes from such area, as if the history of the Philippines is only that of people who had been conquered while the history of the unconquered ones do not merit a share in the history of the Philippines. Possibly… a future generation of Filipinos would consider the struggle of the Muslim South as part of the struggle of the entire nation - and the epic exploits of its heroes may well be the nation’s heritage.” Thus wrote the former Dean of the UP College of Arts and Sciences Prof. Cesar Adib Majul in his groundbreaking book Muslims in the Philippines (1973).

Dean Majul’s work was like a reinvigorating rain in the arid desert of Moro historiography. Not since Najeeb Saleeby’s works (1905, 1908) has there been a well-researched tome on Moro history in the Spanish era. The book was a “best-seller” and had two editions in 1973. But suddenly, it had gone out of stock. Last year, some 26 years later, the UP Press printed the third edition.

Sultan Qudarat got his biggest press from Dean Majul’s book. Saleeby praised Qudarat as “probably the strongest and greatest Mindanao sultan that ever lived.” But Majul devoted 47 (out of 392) pages to the exploits of Qudarat. The Maguindanao sultan became an “overnight sensation” — he was proclaimed as one of the country’s national heroes, a province was named after him, commemorative stamps were issued in his honor and a statue, which now stands tall right in the middle of Makati’s commercial district, was sculpted.

Dean Majul offered his work “as a point of departure for the writing of a more comprehensive history of an enlarged Filipino people.” No such comprehensive historical writing has yet surfaced but two books on Moro history have appeared that could help bring about Dean Majul’s dream history book.

TRIUMPH OF MORO DIPLOMACY

Based on her M.A. thesis (from Ateneo de Manila University), Ruurdje Laarhoven has written another milestone in Moro historiography, The Triumph of Moro Diplomacy : The Maguindanao Sultanate in the 17th Century (New Day Publishers : 1989, 267 pp). She has unearthed a great deal of information about Mindanao in the 17th and 18th centuries and has debunked some widely held historical assumptions.

From 1663 to 1718, the Spanish abandoned all its settlements and pretensions in Mindanao, which explains the paucity of Spanish historical data in this period. The Moros, on their part, refrained from attacking Spanish settlements in Luzon and Visayas. Most historians took this as a sign of the decline of the Moro sultanates, especially of the Maguindanao Sultanate, which as Ms. Laarhoven found out, was farthest from the truth.

A native of the Netherlands, Ms. Laarhoven looked into the Dutch historical archives and found a gold mine of historical data about Mindanao. The Dutchmen, who were in the Moluccas, kept a keen eye on Mindanao, in order to protect its spice trade monopoly.

Ms. Laarhoven clearly established a) the post-Qudarat Maguindanao sultanate did not decline; on the contrary, it expanded; and, b) the very close relationships among the various Mindanao and Moluccan principalities.

Unlike Dean Majul, Ms. Laarhoven was not much of a Qudarat fan. She gave equal importance to Qudarat’s grandson and successor, Sultan Barahaman (Abd al-Rahman) who reigned for 28 years. Barahaman consolidated and even expanded Maguindanao’s power and territory.

Personally, my “favorite” Maguindanao ruler (actually most of them were half- or part-Maranao/Iranun) was Datu Buisan, Qudarat’s father. He was not even a sultan. His two elder brothers became rulers while he was “just” a Kapitan Laut (Captain-General of the Navy). He was not even the Rajah Muda (Crown Prince) but because of his mighty exploits, the Spaniards regarded him as the de facto Maguindanao sultan. And thanks to his bravery and political savvy, his son Qudarat became sultan.

Since high school, I have always wondered why Mindanao Island(s) did not have a proper name. Mindanao is just a shorter version of Maguindanao. Only foreigners could have referred to the whole island as Mindanao/Maguindanao. It is like naming Luzon island Katagalugan/Tagalog or Kabikulan/Bicol or Ilocandia . In the late 1960s / early 1970s, Moro intellectuals were tossing the idea of renaming Mindanao. After all, there were no such creatures as Mindanaoans. Some writers, including Christian Filipinos and foreigners used the name Moroland. The term that finally gained acceptance was Bangsa Moro (sometimes written as Bangsamoro), which referred to the people and not to the land or territory. (In the late 1980s, the settlers in Mindanao started calling themselves Mindanaoans.)

Ms. Laarhoven has provided the answer. According to her sources, the people in Mindanao and Moluccas in the 17th century referred to Mindanao Island(s) as Maluku Besar (Great Moluccas). Besar (great or big) could mean physically big or in the sense of Great Britain (Grande Bretagne) vis-a-vis Britanny (Bretagne).

Ms. Laarhoven hoped that her book would provoke “enough interest for kindred scholars to initiate a reinvestigation of its (Mindanao’s) past.”

THE KRIS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

A Christian Filipino has written a well researched and objective book on Moro history during the Spanish era; namely, The Kris in Philippine History: A Study of the Impact of Moro Anti-Colonial Resistance, 1571-1896 (Dery, Luis Camara , self-published? : 1997, 248 pp.) While Ms. Laarhoven’s work was mainly based on “primary materials” from the Dutch archives, Dr. Dery’s book was mostly based on “primary materials” from the Philippine archives.

History books about the so-called Moro Wars clearly portray a contest between the Moros and the Spaniards. Dr. Dery’s book added a new dimension — the indios all over the archipelago who were constantly raided by the Moros. Dr. Dery showed the “physical and psychological impact” on the indios and how the history of the Philippines was reshaped by these wars. The indios, such as the Bicolanos in Kabikulan, were “caught between the Spaniards, who were the masters of the land and the Moros, who were the masters of the seas. ”

The book recounts the efforts of the indios, prodded on by the Spaniards, to build forts, watchtowers and intramuros’es as well as paraos, lanchas, caracoas, and even vintas. In response to Moro attacks, the Spaniards created an all-indio virtual army and navy called armadillas..

A couple of years ago, a 65 year-old office mate told me that when they were kids in Bicol, their parents would scare them off by exclaiming “The Moros will get you!” or “The Moros are coming!” Dr. Dery’s book shows the origins of such fear and even hatred of the Moros.

MAJUL’S DREAM

Dean Majul’s dream of a “more comprehensive history of an enlarged Filipino people” done “with greater tolerance, intensive scholarship on all levels, deeper and wider moral perspectives, and a greater appreciation of the concept of a pluralistic society” might soon come true. Ms. Laarhoven’s and Dr. Dery’s books are in the right direction.

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Published in The Philippine Post on April 1, 2000

Sultanates of MOROLAND

© (text only) Hadji Datu Jamal Ashley Yahya Abbas

The Sultanate of MAGUINDANAO

The Sultanate of Maguindanao, the lower valley (sa ilud) kingdom, was a harbor sultanate relying heavily on trade and naval power. At the height of its power in the 17th century under Sultan Qudarat and Sultan Barahman, Maguindanao was the acknowledged overlord of all Mindanao, Sulu and even Borneo. The last Maguindanao sultan, Sultan Mangigin, died in 1926 during the American Occupation.

Sultan Qudarat of Maguindanao

The Kingdom of BUAYAN
The Sultanate or Rajaship of Buayan, the upper valley (sa raya) kingdom, relied on its rich agricultural lands and had the support of a great number of non-Muslim Malay tribes. The ruler of Buayan chose to stick to the old title of Rajah (a Hindu word for King) to emphasize the fact that the House of Buayan dates back to the Sri Vijaya and Majapahit empires that encompassed most of Southeast Asia. Buayan’s power was eclipsed by Maguindanao during the time of Datu Buisan, Qudarat’s father.


Around 1875, Datu Utto, son of the late Rajah Marajan ud-Din of Buayan showed great organizational skills by uniting the Buayan principalities. His wife Rajah Putri was the daugther of the 18th Maguindanao Sultan, Qudratullah Untung. His uncle, Datu Bayao, who succeeded his brother Rajah Marajan ud-Din, abdicated the rajahship in Datu Utto's favor.


Datu Utto then proceeded to take control of the Pulangi, including the Maguindanao sultanate (because of him, there was no Maguindanao sultan from 1888 to 1896). Buayan almost regained its old glory when its datus and warriors practically wiped out the remaining Spanish forces in the late 1890s. When the Americans came, Buayan led the fight in Mindanao.

The old rajah, Datu Utto of Buayan

With old age creeping up on him, the old Datu Utto (a.k.a. Rajah/Sultan Anwar ud-Din) turned over the rule of Buayan to his young cousin Datu Ali, the rajah muda of Tinunkup. Unfortunately, Datu Ali, who was about to finally unite Maguindanao and Buayan, was killed by the Americans through treachery of some Moros.

Datu Utto's widow, Rajah Putri, became the wife of Sultan Mangigin, the last Sultan of Maguindanao.

During the American Occupation, the powerful non-royal Moro Chinese datus took over the leadership of the Pulangi and collaborated with the Americans. Thus ended the rule of the royals in Maguindanao and Buayan.


The Confederation of RANAO sultanates


Near the center of the island is the Lake (Ranao), the highest lake in the Philippines. Around this lake live the M’ranaos. Contrary to what some people believe, the Ranao sultanates were never subservient to the Maguindanao royalty. Datu Dimasangkay, the uncle of Qudarat, married into M’ranao/Iranun royalty. From then on, the M’ranaos/Iranuns became firm and loyal allies of Maguindanao royalty. Perhaps it was because of the M’ranao/Iranun connection that Buayan’s power was eclipsed by Maguindanao in the Pulangi area. It must be noted that when Qudarat was defeated by the Spaniards, he retreated to his relatives among the M’ranaos/Iranuns.

Thus in 1639/40, the Spaniards under Captain Francisco Atienza, in his pursuit of Sultan Qudarat, invaded Ranao. The Spanish colonization attempts ended in failure and they never returned to the land of the M'ranaos until 250 YEARS later.

In 1891, led by no less than the Spanish Governor-General Valeriano Weyler, around 1,250 Spaniards with their indio (Christianized natives) subjects attacked Ranao. They met stiff resistance, especially in Marawi with the strong cotta (fort) of Datu Amai Pakpak. In 1895, the Spaniards tried again, this time with around 3,000 Spanish troops and countless indio subjects. The M'ranao datus fought valiantly but many perished including Datu Amai Pakpak himself. But the M'ranaos laid siege to the Spanish garrison in Marawi.

A year later, the Philippine Revolution in Manila erupted.

Datu Amai Pakpak, hero of the

Battles of Marawi 1891 & 1895

The Sultanate of SULU



The Sultanate of Sulu was founded ca. 1400 by Syed Abu Bakr, an Arab who claimed descent from the Prophet Muhammad, p.b.u.h. Syed Abu Bakr took on the regnal name Sharif Hashem, perhaps to emphasize his claim to the Hashemite bloodline. The Sultan of Sulu held sway over the Sulu Archipelago, Palawan, and later North Borneo (now the Malaysian state of Sabah). The Zamboanga peninsula’s ruler changed depending upon the vicissitudes of fortune. Maguindanao, Sulu and the Spanish took turns in ruling Zamboanga, known locally as Samboangan.

SULU FLAG

Central Star represents Sulu, others represent

Kalimatan, Basilan, Sabah and Palawan

PALAWAN

Palawan Island used to be a territory of the Sultanate of Brunei. In the 1660s, after the successful intervention of the Sulu Sultan in the dynastic quarrel in Brunei, Sultan Muaddin of Brunei gave Sabah and Palawan to the Sultanate of Sulu.

In December 1893, due to old age, Sultan Harun ar-Rashid abdicated in favor of his cousin Jamal ul-Kiram II. He transferred his residence to Palawan and used the title “Sultan Jubilado de Palawan“. The Spanish continued paying him his monthly honorarium as sultan as per their agreement. He died in April 1899. Thus, at the end of the Spanish era and the beginning of the American era, a Sulu Sultan reigned over Palawan.

Sultan Haroun al Rashid

SABAH (North Borneo)

During the dynastic war in Brunei in the 1650’s between Sultan Mu’adin and Sultan Abdul Mubin, the former asked the help of the Sultan of Sulu (Salah ud Din Bakhtiar). The Sulus came to the aid of Mu’adin and defeated Abdul Mubin. In exchange, the victorious Brunei Sultan gave Sabah and Palawan to the Sulu Sultan.
European powers recognized Sulu’s sovereignty over Sabah. Eighteenth and nineteenth-century European maps usually indicated North Borneo as "territories of the Sultan of Sulu."
On Jan. 22, 1878, the Sulu Sultan Jamal ul Azam leased Sabah to Baron Overbeck. The Sulu Sultan also gave Overbeck the title of Datu Bendahara and Rajah of Sandakan, thus making him his subject.

The Sulu royalty has NEVER given up its claim over Sabah or North Borneo. The State of Sabah still pays its annual rent to the Sulu royals.



See Who Owns Sabah?

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Previously posted in The Setting Sun on April 16, 2007.
Also previously posted in my past (now defunct) and present websites like the BANGSAMORO website.

MOROLAND -- Land of the Bangsa Moro

This was posted in The Setting Sun on April 16, 2007. This was posted in my previous (now defunct) and present websites much earlier. ================================================

Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan comprised the Land of the Moros since the 13th century. The lands north of it like the Kingdom of Manila were invaded and colonized by Spain. The Moro sultanates — Sulu, Maguindanao, Buayan and the Maranao confederacy — however fought and maintained their independence until the coming of the Americans in the beginning of the 20th century.

The 16th century European map below proves that Mindanao was already known to the world even before the so-called “discovery” of the Philippines by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.

When Ferdinand Magellan arrived in Cebu in 1521, an island north of Mindanao, he met with the Cebu King, Rajah Humabon. The Spaniard immediately introduced his religion, Roman Catholicism to the natives, and planted a wooden cross to commemorate the arrival of Christianity in Asia. This angered the Muslim religious leader Cali Pulacu (known to the Filipinos as Lapu-Lapu), who protested the presence of the foreigners. Magellan, in typical European arrogance, led his men to the neighboring island, Mactan, where the Cali (meaning judge) lived. Magellan met his death at the hands of the Muslim Cali, thus depriving him the honor of being the first man to circumnavigate the globe. However, his flagship, the Trinidad, was the first ship to circumnavigate the globe (at least according to Western documents).

In 1571, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi arrived in Manila, in Luzon Island, north of Cebu. Manila at the time was ruled by Muslim Malays from Borneo. Rajah Matanda ruled Manila together with his teenage nephew, Rajah Suleiman, the Rajah Muda. Suleiman’s elders, including his other uncle, Lakan-Dula of Tondo welcomed the foreigners. But the young prince realized that Legazpi had devious intentions. He declared war against the Spanish. Without the help of his elders, Rajah Suleiman fell in battle. Rajah Muda literally means Young King but Malay sultanates use this title to denote Crown Prince. But the Filipinos celebrate Rajah Suleiman as the last king of Manila.

The Spanish conquistadors could not believe their eyes. It was not too long ago when they revolted and drove away the Moros (Moors) from Spain. And now, halfway around the globe, they met them again.

The Spanish differentiated the two natives of the archipelago into Moros (Muslim Malays) and Indios (pagan Malays). They then formulated their simple policy regarding the natives — convert the Indios to Christianity and kill the Moros.

And so, for about three hundred and fifty years, the Spaniards tried their best to Christianize the Indios and annihilate the Moros. They succeeded in the former but failed in the latter.

In 1898, the Spanish left and the Americans came. Again the Moros fought. In 1946, the Indios became masters of the Philippine Islands. In 1972, the Moros resumed their fight.


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(Note: The true identity of Cali Pulacu / Lapu-Lapu / Silapulapu is still under debate. This writer believes in the theory that Cali Pulacu was a Muslim because pagans like Rajah Humabon, usually submit to foreigners first. Throughout history, Muslims usually do not immediately bow down to Christian invaders, esp. proselytizing ones like the Spaniards. Rajah Suleiman of Manila is a case in point.)

WELCOME BACK!

Assalammu 'aleikum!

Wow, I never thought I'd find this blog again. As you can see, my previous post is dated January 13, 2005. For some reasons, I completely forgot this blog. I knew I started a blog somewhere but I just couldn't find it. I didn't bookmark it and forgot the url. I only rediscovered it today.

Last January, in my blog The Setting Sun, I was shocked to learn that my posts had to be screened by the bloghost. The note said that there were questions on my content. I could not believe that they were going TO CENSOR my posts! I started that blog in April 2007 and they were going to censor it after almost two years!

The Setting Sun

I wrote the following and sent it to the bloghost for review:

CENSORING BLOG CONTENT

When I logged in to this blog, I was surprised to see the following:

Warning: We have a concern about some of the content on your blog. Please click here to contact us as soon as possible to resolve the issue and re-enable posting.

I wonder what could be objectionable in this blog.

I thought there is freedom of expression in the blogosphere. There are millions of blogs with adult content (meaning, pornography) and so many are full of hate materials, especially anti-Muslim.

This blog has no pornographic content. It also has no hate content although some Ilonggos sent hate comments. So this will not turn into a hate blog, I did not post some of the comments and merely answered them privately through emails but I posted some to show samples of these comments.

I hope the warning message is just a computer error. It is a shame if blog hosts will censor posts of blogowners.

I then got the response that it was all a mistake, a "system error". And so they removed the censor mechanism. But this still made (and makes) me nervous. It just means that bloghosts (or at least that one) has a censor mechanism which would block posts if they don't like the content. I do hope Blogger is not like that.

So far, everything is back-as-usual for that blog. But I decided to make a back-up blog for my more "timeless" posts there. I went to Blogger to create a new blog. To my surprise, the url http://datujamal. blogspot was already taken. I though that somebody got my name, or at least shares my name and beat me to blogspot. When I went to the site, lo and behold: it was my long-lost blog!