Muslims In The Philippines Essay

The Muslims in the Philippines consist of thirteen ethno-linguistic groups: Iranun, Magindanaon, Maranao, Tao-Sug, Sama, Yakan, JamaMapun, Ka’agan, Kalibugan, Sangil, Molbog, Palawani and Badjao.There also Muslims among the other indigenous people of Mindanao. The Muslims who traditionally inhabited Mindanao, the islands of Basilan and Palawan, and the Tawi-Tawi and Sulu archipelago in the south of the Philippines identify themselves as Bangsamoro.

The name Moro was given by the Spanish Colonizers to the Muslims in Mindanao because it is the term used for people who shared the religion of the Moors once subdued Spain. The Malay word bangsa means nation. Bangsa-moro, indicates a nationality distinct from that of the majority Filipinos. The homeland of the Bangsamoro people consisted of the territories under the jurisdiction of their government before the emergence of the Philippine state. When Spain subjected most of the Luzon and Visayas archipelago to colonial rule, and converted the population to Christianity, but Spain failed to colonize the rest of Mindanao that was populated by Islamised people and many non-Muslim indigenous groups now known as Lumads.

The Mindanao Muslim society was organized, socially and politically in sultanates with the leadership of a sultan. Their wealth was based on maritime trade with China and the Middle East. The sultanates provided the Muslims an identity that is distinct

The Bangsamoro used to exercised sovereign power over 2/3 of Mindanao yet today, they only have 1/3 of their original remaining land. According to the Bangsamoro, they only want to exercise their right to self-determination, but the national government does not allow them. They tried to used democratic and peaceful means and resorted to armed struggle to defend their communities from the military raid, and attempted several times to separate from the