Maranao In The Philippines

Maranao is also spelled Meranao, Maranaw and Mëranaw. The term Lanao is derived from the Maranao word “Ranao” meaning a body of water. “Maranao” means Lake Dweller or "people of the lake. The Maranao people have lived on the Southern Philippine island of Mindanao since at least the 13th century. They are the natives of the place occupying the land around Lake Lanao, which is located at the central part of Lanao del Sur. Maranao denotes not just to a people group but also to their language, spoken by people living in the provinces of Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte. Closely affiliated with the Maranao is a group or subgroup possibly predecessor to the Maranao, varyingly called Iranon, Iranun, Illanun, and Ilanon.

Together with the Illanun

The Maranao language is an Austronesian language. The Maranaos he Maranao are one of several major Muslim people groups in the Philippines which together constitute a small percentage of that country's population. The Maranao province of Lanao del Sur is part of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, or ARMM. They are mostly located in the two Lanao provinces; 90% Lanao Del Sur, 10% Lanao Del Norte. Some parts of Cotabato and Zamboanga del Sur.

Letters in Maranao alphabet (dictionary letters, not standardized): A B D AE E G H I K L M N NG O P R S T W Y. AE represents the pepet.

The Maranaos are superstitious. They believe in the hidden powers of the ANTING-ANTING amulets. These items, which they wear on their necks, arms or legs believed to bring them good

Maranaos are known for their gold and purple malong. The colors green, yellow, red, and violet are also used. The malong is one kind of dress material, which can be used in many ways. Women wear it as skirt, a dress, a blouse or a gown. Families also use it either as hammock, a fruit basket, a sleeping bag, a bathrobe, a baby carriage or a simple market bag.

Okir - coming from an old Malayan word that has the same derivative meaning as the Tagalog word "ukit" which means to carve often rendered in hardwood and brass, depict animals, plants and mythical figures in highly decorative, long curvilinear lines and secondary arabesques.

Okir is an exclusive artistic cultural heritage of the Maranaos. This Motif is an art depicting the indigenious originality and skill of the Maranaos. It is as an artistic design of the Maranao native inhabitants of southern Philippines beginning from the early 6th Century C.E. before the Islamization of the area. Okir is a design or pattern often rendered or curved in hardwood, brass, silver and wall painting in curvilinear lines and Arabic geometric figures. It is a fine art of figuring, painting, curving and sculpturing depicting the social and psychological identity of Maranao Society.