Moros in Spain

Answer 1

Hi, the term 'moro' refers to indigenous tribes in the southern Philippines, primarily of Muslim beliefs. Though in the past and possibly currently, there were numerous tribes lumped in that were animists or other less-mainstream religions and Filipino Islam generally tends to operate under slightly different tenets and proscriptions. There are some people who follow strict Middle-Eastern Islam, but just as many, if not more, whose beliefs deviate from those espoused in Mecca.

The Moors of Spain, which may possibly be expressed in Spanish and/or historical documents as 'moros' or 'moro' were invading Islamic/Arabic tribes. The Spanish tended to call all Muslims Moors, thus when they arrived in the Philippines 'look more moros'.

You can find detailed Wikipedia articles about both of these peoples that can go into far more detail than I can or will here.

K.

It should be noted that the term "Moro" was created as racially and religiously derogative slang by those groups of Christian Spaniards and Americans bent on capturing the Southern Philippine Islands from the resident Muslims, for both their military and commercial importance, and any modern application of this term ought to be done with full knowledge of the demeaning aspect of its origin and intended use.