Yes, I can truly say that I'm a Bisaya and proud of our heritage. Perhaps most of you out there never know the origins of the name Bisaya. Here's info for you.
Source: "Bisaya Journey" by Joseph Belandoi
Who are the Bisaya people? A review of the literatures has found many ways in which other writers or scholars described the people called as Bisaya. Some viewed it from geo-political perspective, bodily features and dress style, their origins, language, etymology, and ethnic classifications.
Origins of the Bisaya people
"Did the Bisayas of the Phillipines originate from Borneo?" There are three dominant speculations regarding the origins of the Bisaya namely, from Borneo, Phillipines and Indonesia.
Borneo Origin
The most popular theory is that the Bisaya were of Bornean origin before migrating to the Phillipines. One of the earliest accounts on this migration was contained in a manuscript of folk epic called Maragtas, recorded by Father Santaren (1956). This manuscripts detailed the tales of 10 Bisaya chieftains (dato or datu)bled by Dato Pote, who left Borneo and settled on the Island of Panay and on the southern coast of Luzon - now know as Province of Batangas. The migration was have to have occured in 1250 or during the first half of the 13th century.
According to Magos, the Bornean datus (Datos) headed by Datu Puti, came to Panay Island with their families and slaves to escape the oppressive rule of Sultan Makatunaw (Makatunao). They landed at the mouth of the Siwaragan River in San Joaquin, Iloilo. Finding the place peopled by dark-skinned Negritoes, they negotiated for the purchase of the island from chieftain Marikudo and his wife Maniwantiwan for one gold saduk (wide-brimemd hat), salakot and a manangyad (a long gold necklace). The story further said that the group of ten datus continued to sail and landed in Malandog, Hamtic, Antique where their first settlement was made.
Of the ten datus, three remained in Panay but the rest of the Datus sailed northwards and settled in the northern parts of the archipelago. Their leader, Datu Puti, sailed back to Borneo. For administrative purposes, Datu Sumakwel, Bangkaya and Paiburong divided the island into three sakups (districts).
Scholars such as Carroll (1960) doubted and disagreed with some details of this migration as it was suspected that Father Santaren had altered or composed parts of the record. Nonetheless, the alternative theory that he offered, although slightly differ in explanation, pointed to the fact that the Bisaya of the Phillipines came from Borneo. He theorised that constant harassments by the people of the "River of Bisaya" - now known as Melanau Bintulu, led by their chief Makatunao caused the Bisaya to fee to the Phillipines. When the Bisaya of a Brunei ruler (presumed to be Alak Betata). This paved the way for the Brunei invasion over the Retus and Bintulu Rivers. In later years, migration from Borneo to Panay continued and brought the name Bisaya to Panay and the nearby islands. This view, however, did not mentioned whether those people who fled to the Phillipines were of the same stock with the people of the "River of Bisaya", near to Saragua (Sarawak).
Bisaya Originally Indonesian
Some writers such as Mazlan Abdullah (1978) believed that the Bisaya came from Indonesia. However, there is insufficient empirical evidence from other scholars to support his arguments. Mazlan Abdullah (1978) mentioned that the Bisaya has migrated to Brunei from the islands of Java and Sumatra, Indonesia before other migrants. It was said that they inhabited Brunei even before the 6th century. There were not much writings by other scholars to enable further exploration on this view, which were speculated based on possible links with the people of the Sri Vijaya Empire, that once has influenced over the Malay Malay Archipelago. In addition, there is yet to be any known fact having similar cultures, language, or perhaps history with that of Sarawak's Bisaya.
Filipinos Turns Bornean
The third speculation mentioned that the Bisaya migrated from the Phillipines. Rutter (1929) suggested that the Bisaya of Borneo were probably the offshoot of the Bisaya of the Phillipines. Sandin (1971 & 1978) based on the oral hisrtory that the recorded, mentioned that the Bisaya were descendants of Orang Kaya Gunung, a Bisaya from the Phillipines, who fled to Borneo after an argument over inheritance with hos siblings, married a tenggara (Limbang) woman and names his race Bisaya.
Selamat Jati Yanjah (1990) doubted this argument because it lacked empirical evidence and there is no other record from other Bisayas that support this.
Despite all these speculations, scholars had not reached any agreements. Perhaps, more in-depth studies in this subject need to be carried out, if concrete answers are to be found. Taking the cue from Bewsher (1958) there are strong indications that the Bisaya are indeed the people of Borneo, as after more than 70 years after he first landed in Bisaya settlements, they remained static. Majority are still living in the same location described by him, although some minor migration had happened due to employment.
Source: "Bisaya Journey" by Joseph Belandoi
Who are the Bisaya people? A review of the literatures has found many ways in which other writers or scholars described the people called as Bisaya. Some viewed it from geo-political perspective, bodily features and dress style, their origins, language, etymology, and ethnic classifications.
Origins of the Bisaya people
"Did the Bisayas of the Phillipines originate from Borneo?" There are three dominant speculations regarding the origins of the Bisaya namely, from Borneo, Phillipines and Indonesia.
Borneo Origin
The most popular theory is that the Bisaya were of Bornean origin before migrating to the Phillipines. One of the earliest accounts on this migration was contained in a manuscript of folk epic called Maragtas, recorded by Father Santaren (1956). This manuscripts detailed the tales of 10 Bisaya chieftains (dato or datu)bled by Dato Pote, who left Borneo and settled on the Island of Panay and on the southern coast of Luzon - now know as Province of Batangas. The migration was have to have occured in 1250 or during the first half of the 13th century.
According to Magos, the Bornean datus (Datos) headed by Datu Puti, came to Panay Island with their families and slaves to escape the oppressive rule of Sultan Makatunaw (Makatunao). They landed at the mouth of the Siwaragan River in San Joaquin, Iloilo. Finding the place peopled by dark-skinned Negritoes, they negotiated for the purchase of the island from chieftain Marikudo and his wife Maniwantiwan for one gold saduk (wide-brimemd hat), salakot and a manangyad (a long gold necklace). The story further said that the group of ten datus continued to sail and landed in Malandog, Hamtic, Antique where their first settlement was made.
Of the ten datus, three remained in Panay but the rest of the Datus sailed northwards and settled in the northern parts of the archipelago. Their leader, Datu Puti, sailed back to Borneo. For administrative purposes, Datu Sumakwel, Bangkaya and Paiburong divided the island into three sakups (districts).
Scholars such as Carroll (1960) doubted and disagreed with some details of this migration as it was suspected that Father Santaren had altered or composed parts of the record. Nonetheless, the alternative theory that he offered, although slightly differ in explanation, pointed to the fact that the Bisaya of the Phillipines came from Borneo. He theorised that constant harassments by the people of the "River of Bisaya" - now known as Melanau Bintulu, led by their chief Makatunao caused the Bisaya to fee to the Phillipines. When the Bisaya of a Brunei ruler (presumed to be Alak Betata). This paved the way for the Brunei invasion over the Retus and Bintulu Rivers. In later years, migration from Borneo to Panay continued and brought the name Bisaya to Panay and the nearby islands. This view, however, did not mentioned whether those people who fled to the Phillipines were of the same stock with the people of the "River of Bisaya", near to Saragua (Sarawak).
Bisaya Originally Indonesian
Some writers such as Mazlan Abdullah (1978) believed that the Bisaya came from Indonesia. However, there is insufficient empirical evidence from other scholars to support his arguments. Mazlan Abdullah (1978) mentioned that the Bisaya has migrated to Brunei from the islands of Java and Sumatra, Indonesia before other migrants. It was said that they inhabited Brunei even before the 6th century. There were not much writings by other scholars to enable further exploration on this view, which were speculated based on possible links with the people of the Sri Vijaya Empire, that once has influenced over the Malay Malay Archipelago. In addition, there is yet to be any known fact having similar cultures, language, or perhaps history with that of Sarawak's Bisaya.
Filipinos Turns Bornean
The third speculation mentioned that the Bisaya migrated from the Phillipines. Rutter (1929) suggested that the Bisaya of Borneo were probably the offshoot of the Bisaya of the Phillipines. Sandin (1971 & 1978) based on the oral hisrtory that the recorded, mentioned that the Bisaya were descendants of Orang Kaya Gunung, a Bisaya from the Phillipines, who fled to Borneo after an argument over inheritance with hos siblings, married a tenggara (Limbang) woman and names his race Bisaya.
Selamat Jati Yanjah (1990) doubted this argument because it lacked empirical evidence and there is no other record from other Bisayas that support this.
Despite all these speculations, scholars had not reached any agreements. Perhaps, more in-depth studies in this subject need to be carried out, if concrete answers are to be found. Taking the cue from Bewsher (1958) there are strong indications that the Bisaya are indeed the people of Borneo, as after more than 70 years after he first landed in Bisaya settlements, they remained static. Majority are still living in the same location described by him, although some minor migration had happened due to employment.
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