Superstitions

All of the tribes of the Philippines share beliefs equivalent to the were-wolf superstitions of Europe. Among the Moros, this spirit is known as Bal-Bal, a creature with the body of a man and the wings of a bird. Bal-Bal is credited with the habit of eating out the livers of unburied bodies.

Another tradition of the Moros tells us of the monster Kurits who has the form of a crocodile and whose skin is so tough that no kris can penetrate it. Kurits, like the Phoenix, has the power of rising from the residue of its own destruction, the Mindanao version providing for the rebirth of Kurits from the pool of its own death-blood.

The anting-anting, or charm against bullets or calamities, has been mentioned elsewhere in the book. The anting-anting might consist of anything. It could be a bit of polished coconut shell, or a white rock from the stomach of a crocodile. Often it was in the form of a magic shirt. The anting-anting is credited with the power to make crops grow, to protect against the bite of poisonous reptiles, to give immunity for the wearer against bullets or kris wounds, and even to act as a charm to guarantee the affection of a desired loved one.

Legends of Origin

Interesting among the legends of the Moros is that of the mythical Paradise of Bumbaran which the folk songs say was an island paradise that sank beneath the sea. The legends of all of the people of the East seem to substantiate the theories of a lost Atlantis, or a mother Mu.

The legends of the Moros are divided into three periods. The first tells of the coming of Ikander Jokanin, bringing the first Moros to the Philippines. The second period deals of the three tribes which sprang from the original people conducted hy Jokanin and of the coining of the fourth tribe of Samals. The third period deals with events occurring after the landing of Abu Bakr, the first Sultan of Sulu.

The legendary history of these three periods was prepared by Captain Charles B. Hagadorn far the Military Informaition Bureau of the United States army.

First Period

"After the waters which God had caused to destroy the earth had subsided, Noah's Ark, which contained the people whom God saved, landed on Mount Ararat. Among these people was one Ikander Jokanin. Sometime after the landing of the Ark on Ararat, Jokanin had a dream in which he saw many beautiful and uninhabited islands separated by broad expanses of water. He wanted to go to these islands but was puzzled as he had no boat. He was told in his dream that if he would blow hard he could create a wind which would carry him to the islands. Upon awakening, he blew as directed in the dream and was carried by a self-created breeze to the island of Java. From there he was borne in the same manner to Celebes and Jolo. He returned from Jolo to Ararat and taking a man and a woman, one in each hand, he carried them through the air to Java. Celebes and Jolo were peopled in the same manner. The two people placed on the island of Jolo took the names Jokanin and were the ancestors of the three tribes of the second period."

Second Period

"The first tribe that lived in Jolo were the Maimbunghanuns; the names of the chief men were Datu Sipad and Datu Narawangsa, two brothers. The second was the tribe of Tagimahanun Tagidaina. The third was the tribe of Baklaynun Tagidaina.

"The Maimbunghanuns lived at Maimbung (Maybun in the text) and in the vicinity. The Baklaynuns to the north of Pugut Point and near Lake Seit. The Tagimahanuns lived in Pansol and the vicinity. About this time there lived a man named Twan Masaaik who was very skillful and was believed to have sprung from the stem of a kayawan (bamboo) tree. The knowledge of the early Moros was not that of the Koran. The Samals came from the island of Johar. They were driven to Jolo by a great storm and the Moros took them in and cared for them and gave them the name of Tagidiana. A short while after this appeared a man called Kareenul Mahdoom. He came to Jolo in an iron tub and was received by the Moros who renamed him Twan Shareep Awalia. Awalia built a church for praying. Ten years after Awalia came the Rajah Baguinda from a place called Mana-Manangkabow to Zamboanga, past the island of Basilan and thence to Jolo. All of the chiefs tried to sink the boat of Rajah Baguinda. When they tried this, Baguinda stood up and said, 'Why do you people want to sink our boat? We are not storm-driven men, we want to visit your land.' After a conference, the priests took in the Rajah Baguinda and churches were built. Then Abu Bakr came about four hundred years ago from Palemband, Sumatra, to Borneo and thence to Jolo. He said to the people who met him, 'Where do you live and where is your place of prayer?' The people answered, 'In Buansah,' and there Abu Bakr came ashore."

Third Period

"At sunset, said Abu Bakr, attired in a long white robe, began to say his prayers. The Moros, thinking him crazy, were frightened and wanted him to go to another place. But he said that he bad come to Jolo to tell the people that there was a God and to teach them how to pray to him.

"Abu made great progress with the children and soon the old people became interested. A mosque was built at Buansah and Abu taught the people the Arabic alphabet, by means of which he said they would be able to talk to each other on paper. Soon he sent to his country for Korans and he taught the people how to read the Koran and the laws. The shore people were soon converted to Mohammedanism.

"The hill people remained unconverted. The coast people said, let us fight the hill people and convert them to Islam.' But Abu would not allow it, and instead, told the people to pound rice and make cakes and clothing. Then the coast people marched inland to a place called Payahan. Abu sent word to the head man that he was an Arabian who could be talked with on paper. The head man answered that he did not wish to change the customs of his ancestors. But Abu approached and threw cakes into the houses of the Moros. The children ate the cakes but the older people thought them poison and threw them to the dogs. The dogs did not die and the children went to the camp of Abu where they were well received. The two tribes came to an understanding. That night Abu slept in the house of the chief and the chief had a dream that he was living in a large house with beautiful decorations. Abu interpreted the dream saying that the house was the new religion and the decorations the benefits. The news spread and the people were converted after great difficulty. Abu named the place Payahan which means 'difficult to teach.' Some of the people near did not wish to give up eating pigs and Abu named that place Bodoh meaning 'stupid.' Both places are in existence today.

"The whole island was soon converted and the people were so pleased that they made Abu Sultan under the name of Sariphul Hassim. Saripbul Hassim then held a meeting of the people and ordered them to divide the land among the people. That is how the ancestors of the present Moros acquired the title to the land they held down from father to son. The island was divided into six districts and over five of the districts he placed a Panglima. The sixth district had no Panglima as the Moros claimed all of the people in the district as slaves.

"Hassim married the daughter of Baguinda and all of their descendants have been either Sultans or Datus. The eldest sons were the crown princes (Rajamuda) and the others were Datus.

"Buansah, now called Batu-Batu, is about five miles southwest of Jolo on the coast."

The folklore and tradition of the Maguindanao Moros varies from that of the Sulus. The Maguindanao traditions concerning the beginning of the tiibe state that long ago, when only the present mountain of Mindanao was above the sea, there dwelt in the mountains, a numerous and happy people.

"The ground gave forth abundantly; in fact, nature left nothing undone for these favored children. But this earthly Paradise did not last.

"Four great monsters came to prey upon the island. '"The first, called Kurits, was like a crocodile, only larger. His skin was so hard that no weapon could cut its fibre and he could move more swiftly on land and sea than a bird can fly. He dwelt at Mount Kalaban.

"The second monster was called Tarabusan and had the form of a man so large that when his feet were planted upon rocks the size of a man's head, they were ground to pieces. Tarabusan lived on Mount Bita.

"The third was a great bird called Pah, so large that when he came between the sun and the earth, darkness fell upon the land for the distance of a day's journey. Pah also lived on Mount Bita.

The last monster was a bird with seven heads who lived near the Mount of Gurayu. Upon the people of Mindanao, these monsters preyed. So terrible were they, and so destructive, that in a short while only a few people were left, hidden in the caves behind waterfalls.

"Now to the Rajah Indarapatra, in Arabia the Happy, was brought the tidings of the terrible state in Mindanao. He called his brother, the Rajah Suleyman, and sent him to Mindanao to kill the Hell-born monsters.

"The Rajah Suleyman, taking the magic sword of the Caliph Ali, departed for Mindanao. Before he took up his journey, the Rajah Iindarapatra planted a flowering tree by the window, telling his brother that as long as he was successful, the tree would blossom, but should ill befall him, the tree would fade.

"When all preparations were made, the Rajah Suleyman willed himself to Mindanao. He first landed from his journey through the air at Mount Matutum where he saw the terrible havoc wrought by the first monster. There was never a man nor living thing to be seen.

"As he lamented, out of the ground sprang Kurits and rushed upon him. The Rajah Suleyman slew this monster easily with his sword for it had been blessed by the Prophet and tempered in the blood of many an Infidel.

"From thence, the Rajah went to the mountain and there killed Tarabusan. Then to Mount Bita where he stood in the darkness that came over the land and watched Pah rushing from the sky. The Rajah smote the bird and cut off a wing. As Pah felt the sword of Ali, it fell dead, but the severed wing, in its fall, crushed Suleyman beneath its weight.

"Far away in Arabia, the tree withered away as Suleyman died and the Rajah Indarapatra came to Mindanao to avenge the death of his brother. He followed the wanderings of his brother and came at last to the dead bird and the bones of Suleyman. His eyes blinded with tears and he could not see but when his sight returned, there before him was a crystal vessel filled with water. He knew it was a gift from Allah with which to sprinkle the bones of the dead brother. He did so; a white mist arose and overspread the ground and from the mist came Suleyman.

"With Suleyman away in Mount Montapuli, the Rajah Indarapatra proceeded to Mount Gurayu where he met and slew the bird of seven heads.

"After the deed he was exceedingly hungry and looking about, he found a pot of rice. Kindling a fire, he cooked the rice and while he was eating an old woman came from a tree trunk to marvel at him, He called to her and learned that all of the people of Mindanao were dead except a single Datu and a few of his people who remained in a nearby cave.

"Indarapatra went to the cave, where the Datu, in exchange for his deed in killing the seven-headed bird, gave him his beautiful daughter in marriage. Of this wife was born twins, a boy and a girl. The boy was named Rinamunyan and the girl, Ronayung. "From these two, sprang the ruling class of Mindanao."

Religion The Mohammedan religion of the Moros is sufficiently well known to require not more than a few general comments. They believe in one God whose Prophet is Mohammed and their Holy writing is the Koran. The Moros are not orthodox Mohammedans and appear to have adopted the principles of Mohammedanism with most appeal to them. The ban against alcoholic liquors and pork is generally respected.

The Mohammedan religion is based upon five pillars, namely: 1. Testimony to the unity of God and the apostleship of Mohammed. 2. Daily prayer at the five stated intervals. 3. Fasting during the Month of Ramadan. 4. Giving of the legal alms once a year. 5. Pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime.

The five daily prayer intervals arc before sunrise (subo), noon (lojar), before sunset (asar), after sunset (magarip), and before going to bed (aisa).

The legal alms is represented by one-fortieth of the wealth of the giver.

Rules for entering a mosque are very explicit. The worshiper must first be purified by washing in a tank outside the door in ceremonial manner, The hands are washed lest something unclean has been touched; lest something not his own has been taken; lest a deed unworthy of God and the Prophet has been performed. The head is washed to drive out the temptations of Satan. The ears, lest foulness has been heard. The feet and legs, so that the path to Paradise may he trod with safety and strength. The lips are washed lest a lie has been uttered. The nose and eyes, lest something unclean has been smelled or seen.

Inside the mosque, the Moro places his hands upon his ears and praises the Lord. The head and trunk are bowed continually and the floor is kissed frequently. The preaching of the Priests finished, the worshipers hasten to kiss the hands of the preachers.

There are some 200,000,000 Mohammedans in the world.

Moro Funeral Rites

The head of the dying man is directed to the north with his face turned toward Mecca. Confession is made to a priest who reads prayers for the safety of the soul. "When death comes, the body is washed and powdered and placed in a sitting position in the center of a feast attended by all of the relatives.

The body is wrapped in a white cloth (white is the Sulu color of mourning), and is borne to the grave by a procession carrying white clothes fastened to sticks. The body is buried in a shallow grave with the face turned toward Mecca. The graves are adorned with white stones and are built up with a permanent wooden framework. A round carved piece of wood indicates the grave of a man. A flat board indicates that the occupant of the grave is a woman.

On the third, seventh, twentieth and one hundredth days after death, a gathering is held in honor of the dead. This formality is repeated thereafter annually. The fifteenth of the month of Shabon is the Mohammedan equivalent of Decoration Day, and at this time the graves are decorated with flowers and freshly painted white stones. The frangipanc is the funeral flower of the Moros and is planted at all graves whenever possible.

Elopement

The Moro maidens hold a ceremonial bath at nine o'clock in the evening during an annual ceremony dedicated to fertility. At this time a Moro custom known as Magsaggow, or elopement, is in effect. A young man, having selected the lady of his choice, is privileged to lie in wait near the swimming pool and to swoop down while the young girl is in the midst of her bath and carry her away to the house of the Datu. A successful accomplishment of this feat entitles the boy to many the girl immediately, thus avoiding the preliminaries of a regular marriage ceremony. There is a standing fine of fifty pesos for the practice but the youth is able to save about seventy-five pesos and avoid a wait of four months. A payment of 130 pesos to the father of the girl assures an immediate ceremony. The father of the girl has the privilege of killing the abductor if he arrives at the house of the Datu before the boy bears in the struggling bride-to-be.

Marriage Ceremony

The customary marriageable age is fifteen years for both men and women although often marriages occur at a much earlier age. The marriages are arranged through the parents of the intended couple, ordinarily the father of the prospective groom calling upon the father of the bride-to-be. The consent of the girl's father must be obtained. In the event that the father is dead, the next male relative in importance is vested with the decision.

After the marriage has been arranged, the groom gives to the father of the bride the sum of money or live stock agreed upon, usually an amount from twenty-five to five hundred pesos. In addition, the youth provides his bride with a suitable dowry.

When the day of the marriage ceremony arrives, the groom calls at the house of the bride and asks permission to enter. This permission being granted by the father, the male relatives of the girl simulate an attack upon the groom which he evades and enters the house.

In company with the priest, he finds the lady. The priest then places the hand of the man upon the forehead of the girl and leaves the room. The groom attempts to assure himself of the virginity of his bride who defends herself against his advances until her father comes to assure the groom that the maid is a virgin. The placing of the hand upon the girl's forehead is the completion of the actual ceremony of marriage.

The ceremony following is devoted to reading from the Koran and the placing of questions before the groom in which he signifies his intention of accepting the woman as his wife. A pretentious feast follows and after seven days, the groom is permitted to live with his wife.

The Moro bride shaves her eyebrows and paints her face thickly with a white powder resembling flour. She is gaudily dressed for the occasion, as is the groom.

Divorce among the Sulus is a simple matter of notification. The husband can repeat "I divorce you" three times and it is considered sufficient. There can be no appeal on the part of the wife. For the woman, divorce is less simple. She may not break her marital relations without excellent cause. If she is granted a divorce, she is forced to repay double the amount of her dowry to her husband and is not permitted to remarry for four months.

Baptism

A Moro baby is baptized at the end of the seventh day. The ceremony is the occasion for a great feast with all of the relatives and friends of the family present. A priest moistens the child's head and cuts a lock of hair as the name is repeated. The name of the infant is selected from one of seven names chosen beforehand by the parents. These names are inscribed on separate sheets of paper and a small child a year or two old selects one of the slips at random.

The Moros quite often change their names when they become adult. Often a Moro will have a different name each year.

Moro Music and Dancing

The Moros have no written music, but they have a well-developed sense of rhythm and they possess several forms of musical instruments which they play by car. Among these are the Biola, violin; the Daop-Daop, cymbals; the Pulawta, flute; the Soling, another form of flute; the Kulaying, a Jew's harp; the Gabang, a piano, and the various gongs and drums called Agongs, Kulingtangan and Gadangs.

The violin is almost identical to the one Americans are familiar with. The string of the bow is of horsehair and those of the instrument are of hemp or goat intestines. The cymbals are made of brass and are similar to those used in any band. The bamboo flute called Pulawta is six-toned, and is played by blowing into the end. The other flute, Soling, is similar except that it is played by blowing from the side. The Jew's harp is made from bamboo. The Moro piano is made in two parts, one forming the soundboard and the other the keyboard. A perfect scale is formed by the bamboo keys.

The tom-toms, or gongs, are constructed of brass. The tone is made by striking a protuberance with a padded and rounded stick. The Gadangs are the most primitive of the Moro instruments, being formed of the trunk of a hollow tree in the manner of the bush tribes of Africa. The sound of the drums can be heard for a long distance and the Moros are prone to play them at night when the sound travels well.

The dances of the Moros are the magsayaw or spear dance, performed by two men completely armed in simulation of a combat to the death; the magpanhaly tauty, representing a man fishing from a rock with the juice of the toobly tree which stuns the fish when thrown into the water; the magpanhaly which is a posture dance performed by men and women; and the magloonsy, or the dance of Love. This dance is performed in the light of the full moon by sixteen girls and sixteen men. As far as the writer has been able to discover, it has never been witnessed by a white man.

All of the Moro dances are characterized by the same strict attention to posture and the position of hands and arms as is so characteristic of the dances of Java.

General Notes

The Moros raise all of the domestic animals except hogs, The ruling classes do not work and always the Moros marry equals. The Moros have never practiced head-hunting. Fish and meat are never eaten raw. Old persons are looked after by their families; if they have no family, they are cared for by the Sultan or the Datu. The Sultan of Sulu is accessible at all times to the poorest of his subjects. The insane are cared for carefully and are only locked up if it is dangerous to allow them to run at large. The Moros do not practice inbreeding and, generally speaking, they are an extremely moral people, Unchastity in a woman relegates her to the lowest social levels, and Moro bachelors, as a rule, lead very celibate lives.

Original publication © 1936 E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc.

Filipiniana Reprint Series © 1985 Cacho Hermanos, Inc.

This page (HTML format) © 2001 Bakbakan International. Transcription courtesy of Ashley Bass.