Visayans

The term Visayans refer to several ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines. The largest of these are the speakers of Cebuano, Hiligaynon and Waray-Waray. They live in the region of the Visayas and some parts of Mindanao. Some have migrated to other parts of the Philippines, including Luzon. Permanent migrants to the Visayas region are also referred to as Visayans.

History

Prehistory

The early people on the Visayas region were Austronesians and Negritos who migrated to the islands about 6,000 to 30,000 years ago. These early settlers were Animist tribal groups. In the 12th century, settlers from the collapsing empire of the Sri-Vijayan, Majapahit and Brunei,^[6][7] settled in the Visayan islands. By the 14th century, Arab traders and their followers venturing into the Malay Archipelago, converted some of these tribal groups into Muslims. These tribes practised a mixture of Islam and Animism beliefs. There is also some evidence of trade between other Asian people in the area as early as the 9th century.

Spanish period

The Visayans first encountered Western Civilization when Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan reached the island of Cebu on March 16, 1521. The Visayas eventually became part of the Spanish colony of the Philippines and from then onwards, the history of the Visayans is intertwined with the history the Philippines. With the four centuries of contact with Spain, Mexico and the United States, a common lowland Christian Filipino culture emerged (other Filipino cultures include that of the Muslim Filipinos). The Visayans share this culture with the Ilocanos, Kapampangans, Tagalogs and Bicolanos. These ethnolinguistic groups form the majority of the Filipino population and have embraced Democracy, Christianity, the Latin alphabet, western ways of dressing and education and English as a secondary language. Many Visayans also spoke Spanish during the Spanish period.

The 16th century marks the beginning of the Christianization of the Visayan people, with the baptism of Rajah Humabon and about 800 native Cebuanos. The Christianization of the Visayans and Filipinos in general, is commemorated by the Sinulog festival and the feast of the Santo Niño (Holy Child), the brown-skinned depiction of the Child Jesus given by Magellan to Rajah Humabon’s wife, Hara Amihan (baptized as Queen Juana). By the 17th century, Visayans already took part in religious missions. In 1672, Pedro Calungsod, a teenage indigenous Visayan catechist and Diego Luis de San Vitores, a Spanish friar, were both martyred in Guam during their mission to preach Christianity to the Chamorro people people.

Philippine Revolution and American period

Some prominent leaders of the Philippine Revolution in the late 19th century were Visayans. Among leaders of the Propaganda movement was Graciano López Jaena, the Ilonggo who established La Solidaridad (The Solidarity). Pantaleon Villegas (better known as León Kilat) led the Cebuano revolution in the battle of Tres de Abril (3rd of April). One of Leon Kilat’s successors, Arcadio Maxilom, is a prominent general in the Philippine-American War.^[8]

Contemporary period

There have been three Philippine Presidents from the Visayan region: the Cebuano Sergio Osmeña, the Ilonggo Manuel Roxas and the Boholano Carlos P. García.

Throughout the centuries, Spaniards, Chinese and other groups have settled in Visayan cities like Bacolod, Cebu, Dumaguete, Tagbilaran, Iloilo, Ormoc and Mindanao cities like Cagayan de Oro and Davao. Some of them have intermarried with Visayans and their descendants have taken on one of the Visayan as their primary language.

Many high-land Negritos have also been assimilated into mainstream Visayan society and there has also been migrations of Visayans to other parts of the Philippines and abroad. A large part of Mindanao is populated by Visayans. In Manila some are of Visayan descent. The Visayans have also followed the pattern of migration of Filipinos abroad and some have migrated to other parts of the world starting from the Spanish and American period and after World War II. Most are migrants or working as overseas contract workers.

Culture

Language

Map of the Philippines showing the locations of Visayas, Mindanao and Luzon region.

Kabisay-an

Kabisay-an refers both to the Visayan people collectively and the lands occupied by them. The English translation, Visayas, is used only to refer to the latter. From a geopolitical standpoint, the Philippine region of the Visayas comprises the following islands: Panay, Romblon, Guimaras, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor, Leyte, Biliran and Samar.

Visayans refer to their respective languages as Binisaya or Bisaya. The table below lists the Philippine languages classified as Visayan by the Summer Institute of Linguistics. Although all of them belong to the same language family of Visayan, not all speakers identify themselves as Visayan. The Tausug ethnic group, for instance, only use Bisaya to refer to Christian Visayans.

¹ Philippines only.
² Philippines only; 1,022,000 worldwide.

Religion

According to a survey made in 2000, "Majority (86.53 percent) of the population of Western Visayas were Roman Catholics. Aglipayan (4.01 percent) and Evangelicals (1.48 percent), followed, while 7.71 percent belonged to other religious affiliations."^[9]

According to the same survey, "Majority (92 percent) of the household population in Central Visayas Region were Roman Catholics. This was followed by Aglipayan (two percent) and Evangelicals (one percent). The remaining five percent belonged to other religions that include United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Iglesia ni Cristo or other religions."^[10]

For Eastern Visayas, "Majority of the total household population in Eastern Visayas were Roman Catholics. It comprised more than 93 percent of the total household population, followed by Aglipayan (two percent) and Evangelicals (one percent). The remaining 15 percent were either Iglesia ni Cristo, Seventh Day Adventist, Islam and other religions."^[11]

Festival

Sinulog festival

Visayans are known in the Philippines for their festivities such as the Ati-atihan, Sinulog, Sandugo and the MassKara festivals.

See also

• Bisaya (Borneo)
• Bisaya (genus)
• Visayas

References

External links

• Visayan Languages
• Visayan
• The issues on the use of the word ‘Bisaya’ by Henry Funtecha, Ph.D. The News Today. August 28, 2009 Iloilo City, Philippines.

v • d • e Ethnic groups in the Philippines Filipinos · Overseas Filipinos Indigenous Non-tribal Bicolano · Ibanag · Ilocano · Ivatan · Kapampangan · Pangasinan · Sambal · Tagalog Moro Bajau · Banguingui · Illanun · Maguindanao · Maranao · Samal · Sangir · Tausug · Yakan Visayan Aklanon · Boholano/Bol-anon · Butuanon · Caluyanon · Capiznon · Cebuano · Eskaya · Hiligaynon · Karay-a · Masbateño · Porohanon · Romblomanon · Surigaonon · Waray Tribal Igorot Balangao · Bontoc · Ibaloi · Ifugao · Isneg · Kalinga · Kankana-ey Lumad Kamayo · Manobo · Samal · T'boli · B'laan Mangyan Buhid · Hanunó'o · Tawbuid · Ratagnon Negrito Aeta · Ati Palawan tribes Agutaynen · Cuyunon · Kagayanen · Palawano · Philippine Batak · Tagbanua Non-indigenous American · Arab · British · Chinese · Desi · Greek  · Indonesian · Indian/Pakistani · Italian · Japanese · Jewish · Korean · Mexican · Spanish