Sindangan in Zamboanga del Norte has been home to The Subanen for centuries.
Origin
The Subanen were the first known settlers in Sindangan, living along the river banks or “suba”. The name Subanen comes from the word soba or suba, which means “river” or “body of water” and the suffix -nen or -nun or -non, which indicates a locality or place of origin.
🔍 Reading Material 📖
SUBANUNS OF SINDANGAN BAY
— HABITAT AND HISTORY
by Emerson Brewer Christie, published 1909§
🔗 The History and Habitat Of The Subanuns of Sindangan Bay 🔗 👈
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The Subanens* are the biggest indigenous peoples group in Mindanao occupying a vast area of historical ancestral domain in the Zamboanga peninsula. As a cultural minority group, the Subanens are in constant struggle to establish their identity and part in the country’s democratic space, sharing a common aspiration with other indigenous groups to pursue their right to self-determination and the preservation of their right culture and traditions.^
In the Subanen language, the term sumuba means to go upstream while the term mosog means to go downstream. The term “Subanen” was used to refer to this particular indigenous group because they were historically settled along the river banks of Zamboanga peninsula.
As people from different ethnic groups and religions immigrated and settled in the area, the term Subanen was given to the ones who were originally living at the upstream regions of the rivers for discernment. The term may have been originally given to them by the Christian settlers who immigrated in the area. The “Subanon” is more popularly used interchangeably with “Subanen” in the local setting.^
Etymology
Cebuan, from Subanun Subanen, from subà upstream + -nen people, language.**
Present Day
The Subanens are an ethnic group indigenous to the Philippines, originating and living in the Western Mindanao region that is presently partitioned into four provinces, namely: Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay.^
Lifestyle
The Subanen live in dispersed settlements of houses built on ridges near water sources. They are skilled at weaving and metal craft, and trade with coastal peoples.
Culture
The Subanen are known for their rituals, which include:
Buklog: A ritual that involves a large dancing platform and a log that hits a hollow sounding board
Benobowan: A ritual for pregnant women to avoid illness and give birth easily
Tawagimod: A ritual for infants to prevent harm and bad things from happening
Kanobata: A ritual to diminish sins and prepare for greater faith
Samaya: A practice to promise to obey God and stay away from danger
Pesoway: A ritual for the peaceful departure of the soul of the dead
Pimala: A ritual on the first death anniversary to pray for the soul of the deceased
Population
The Subanen population varies widely by municipality, ranging from 15–60% of the total population. They are concentrated in the municipalities of Sindangan, Siayan, Lapuyan, Lakewood, Kumalarang, Naga, and Kabasalan.
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Reference
* Subanen or Subanens / Subanon / Subanan / Subanun
** Meriam Dictionary
^ Subanen Identity and Locality in the Local and Regional Philippine Landscape by Prof. Paul Omar P. Gangoso, Southeast Asian Institute of Public Management. Keywords: subanen, indigenous peoples, lumad
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§ public domain
foto credit kirstine822 & albert200121