JEWEL IN OZAMIZ CITY

SUBANEN TRIBES

The word SUBANEN  is derived from the word SUBA which means "river" and the suffix "nen" which indicates a locality or place of origin. Thus, Subanen means "a person or people of the river", more specifically "from up the river" since they are usually differentiated from the coastal inhabitants of Zamboanga peninsula.

History has better words to speak for Misamis Occidental. Its principal city was

originally populated by the Subanon, a cultural group that once roamed the seas in great number, the province was an easy prey to the marauding sea pirates of Lanao whose habit was to stage lightning forays along the coastal areas in search of slaves. As the Subanon retreated deeper and deeper into the interior, the coastal areas became home to inhabitants from Bukidnon who were steadily followed by settlers from nearby Cebu and Bohol.  

The origin of Subanen tribe in Zamboanga peninsula is traced back to the late Neolithic period as indicated by old stone tools found inZamboanga del Norte. Earthen and glazed burial jars, shell bracelets, beads, and gold ornaments have been found in caves. The presence of ceramic wares from the Yuan and Ming periods is an evidence of long history of trade between the Subanen and Chinese before the contact with Muslims.

Despite the long history of cultural influence by the Chinese, Spaniards, Americans, and even the Japanese, the Subanen have managed to preserve their tribal unity and identification, their language and dialects, their customs and traditions, and their religious world view.

SUBANEN LANGUAGE

The Subanen language has dialectal variations, depending on the locality in which the people live. In some places, the Subanen language has some Tagalog and Visayan words mixed in, as a result of centuries of trading activities between Luzon and the Visayas.

The Subanen language (also Subanon are called for the people and Subanun, Subanen Tribe ) is a dialect cluster spoken in the Zamboanga penensula, Southern Philippines and Western Part of Mindanao. The varieties provinces are Zamboanga City, Zamboanga Sibugay,Zamboanga Del Norte, Zamboanga Del Sur and Misamis. Most go by the name of Subanen, Kalibugan this mean Subanen tribe are inter married with islam believe they called Kalibugan (Mix culture Subanen-Tausog, Subanen-Samal, Subanen-Yakan etcs) and there is limited mutual intelligibility between them

SUBANEN DANCE AND MUSIC

For the Subanens, music and dance are inseparable. From the simplest ritual (PEKANO) to the most important and expensive ritual (BUKLOG), music and chanting always go hand in hand with traditional dance and performance.

Their musical instruments include the AGONG, a big single brass gong, theKULINTANGAN, a set of eight small brass gongs of graduated sizes, the DURUGAN, a hollow log or bamboo tube which is beaten like a drum, the SIGITAN, a hallow bamboo with few slits on the sides as strings to be flucked, the KUTAPI, an improvised guitar-like instrument with two strings, and TAMBOL, the native drums in various sizes.

Subanens have several types of 
songs, which include the DIONLI ( a love song ), BUWA ( lullaby ), GENADONG ( ballad ), and GELOY, ( a funeral song ). The Giloy is usually sung by two singers, one of them being the Balyan, during a GUKAS, the ritual ceremony performed as a memorial for the death of a high ranking member of the community. The chanting of the Biloy is accompanied by the ritualistic offering of bottled drinks, canned milk, cocoa, sardines, broiled fish and egg, chicken and pork. The Balyan and assistants bring out a jar of PANGASI ( rice wine ), from the house out into the field, where the wine is poured onto the earth. Then the chanting begins, inside the house.

The Subanen dance is usually associated with rituals. In BUKLOG, the whole community led by the Balyan, participate in a dance performed on a platform, at least six to ten meter above the ground. The Buklog platform can accommodate hundreds of participants at a time.

SUBANEN CULTURE AND TRADITIONS

In sharp contrast to the surrounding peoples who have adopted Christianity or Islam, the Subanon cling to their ancient polytheistic religion. They believe that man shares the universe with a variety of gods, spirits, demons, and ghosts. These supernatural forces are said to have the ability to harm humans. However, humans supposedly have the power to harm them as well. At various times of the year, the Subanon give offerings of rice, meat, and wine to the gods and ancestral spirits. Witch doctors, or shamans, play a large role in Subanon religion. The people depend on the shamans to hear and understand the wishes of the gods and ancestral spirits.

In Lanao, the Subanon introduced some of their cultures such as the marigay (maliga), a small hut decorated with several gifts and stylized by the Maranao natives as a part of the dowry paraded around. Another legacy of the Subanon is the sari manok that is common even today in Zamboanga del Sur. It is actually the head of a chicken on a stick place on the veranda of the maligay. It is made as the symbolic bird of the Maranao.  Those who reached Cotabato also spread out to Davao. Some of the words in the  language of the Maguindanao are Subanon. Some of the Subanon customs are also  practiced in Cotabato among the Maguindanao.