Okir

Okir is covered here in 6 connected parts: Okir, Maranao people, Bakunawa, Arts in the Philippines, Malong, Lanao del Sur.

Okir

Okir, also spelled okil or ukkil, is the term for rectilinear and curvilinear plant-based designs and folk motifs that can be usually found among the Moro and Lumad people of the Southern Philippines, as well as parts of Sabah. It is particularly associated with the artwork of the Maranao and Sama (Badjao) tribes, although it can also be found to a lesser extent among the Maguindanao, Iranun, Tausug, Yakan, and Lumad groups. The design elements vary among these ethnic groups, with the greatest refinement being found among the Maranao.^[1]

History

The origins of okir are pre-Islamic. They are believed to have originated from the much earlier okil or okil-okil decorative carving traditions of the Sama (Badjao) people, which are often highly individualistic and rectilinear. The Sama are master carvers, and they made lavish decorations on ritual animistic objects, grave markers (both in wood and stone), and their houseboats.^[1]

Sama

The older Sama carving traditions (okil or okil-okil, sometimes spelled ukkil among Malaysian Sama) differ markedly from the okir of the Maranao, although elements of the okir were incorporated into later Sama carvings. Sama okil aren't bound to rules like the okir, and thus tend to be highly variable. Each artist carves according to his own tastes.^[1]

Maranao

Maranao okir motifs are so stylized that it is often easy to tell whether a carving is Maranao or not. Other ethnic groups usually introduce other elements or motifs that are non-traditional to the original Maranao okir designs. In the past, okir designs, particularly for textiles, are distinctive enough that a Maranao can usually distinguish which region someone is from based only on the patterns of their malong and their woven decorative strips (langkit).^[1]

Modern traditions

Okir-carving traditions among the Maranao is prominent in the town of Tugaya, Lanao del Sur. It is the traditional center of Maranao artisans and is the industrial capital of Lanao del Sur.^[1]

Related: Maranao people · Bakunawa · Arts in the Philippines

External references: ^[1][2][3]

Maranao people

The Maranao people (Maranao: Bangsa Mëranaw, Jawi: ماراناو; Filipino: mga Maranaw), also spelled Meranaw, Maranaw, and Mëranaw, is a predominantly Muslim Filipino and Austronesian ethnic group native to the region around Lanao Lake in the island of Mindanao. They are known for their artwork, weaving, wood, plastic and metal crafts and epic literature, the Darangen. They are ethnically and culturally closely related to the Iranun people and Maguindanao people, all three groups being denoted speaking Danao languages and giving name to the island of Mindanao.^[4]

Etymology

The name "Maranao" (also spelled "Mëranaw", or "Maranaw") means "people of the lake" (lanaw or ranaw, archaic danaw, means "lake" in the Maranao language). This is in reference to Lake Lanao, the predominant geographic feature of the ancestral homeland of the Maranao people.^[4]

Confederate States of Lanao

The Maranao were the last of the Muslims of the Southern Philippines undergoing Islamization, primarily under the influence of the Arab-Malay missionaries like Sharif Kabungsuwan and other from Borneo.^[4]

Culture

Torogan, Maranao royal houses, where the architecture used is the most aesthetic in the Philippines^[4]

Visual arts

Sarimanok, Papanok a "Məra" or "Marapatik" is a legendary bird of the Maranao that is a ubiquitous symbol of their art. It is depicted as a Hoodhud (Arabic) with colorful wings and feathered tail, holding a fish on its beak or talons. The head of Sarimanok is like the head of a Hoopoe (Balalatoc in maranaw) and is profusely decorated with scroll, leaf and spiral motifs (okir).^[4]

Music and performing arts

Maranao kulintang music is a type of a gong music. Sarunaay is also found among both Muslim and non-Muslim groups of the Southern Philippines. Kobbing is a Maranao instrument and Biyula is another popular Instrument.^[4]

Cuisine

Maranao cuisine is spicier compared to most regions elsewhere in the Philippines, a trait largely shared with much of Mindanao. Traditionally cultivated spices, locally known as palapa (Bontang, native product of Gandamatu) are a common condiment. It is made of stewed sakurab scallion bulbs, ginger, and chillies in coconut oil.^[4]

Social structure

Traditionally, Maranao society is divided into two strata. Namely, mapiyatao (pure) and kasilidan (mixed blood). kasilidan is further subdivided into categories which are as follows; sarowang (non-Maranao), balbal (beast), dagamot (Sorcerer/Sorceress) and bisaya (Slave). The mapiyatao are natives entitled to ascend to thrones by pure royal bloodline.^[4]

Economy

The Maranao historically engaged in fishing and farming, cultivating crops such as wet rice, corn, and sweet potatoes. Local crafts such as textiles and woodcarvings are popular and sold throughout the country.^[4]

Demographics

Maranaos number 1,800,000 in 2020, representing 1.65% of the population. Along with the Iranun and Maguindanao, the Maranao are one of three, related, indigenous groups native to Mindanao. These groups share genes, linguistic and cultural ties to non-Muslim Lumad groups such as the Tiruray or Subanon.^[4]

Related: Okir · Bakunawa · Arts in the Philippines · Maranao

External references: ^[4][5][6]

Bakunawa

The Bakunawa, also called the Philippine moon-eating dragon, the Philippine moon dragon, moon dragon, or the moon-eating dragon, is a dragon-like serpent in Philippine mythology that causes several natural phenomena, primarily eclipses. The movements of the Bakunawa served as a geomantic calendar system for ancient Filipinos and were part of the rituals of the babaylan priestess. It is usually depicted with a characteristic looped tail and a single horn on the nose.^[7]

Etymology

Bakunawa is believed to be originally a compound word meaning "bent snake", from Proto-Western-Malayo-Polynesian *ba(ŋ)kuq ("bent", "curved") and *sawa ("large snake", "python"). Spelling variants include Vakonawa, Baconaua, or Bakonaua.^[7]

Historical accounts

"No. 42. When the moon is eclipsed, the Indians of various districts generally go out into the street or into the open fields, with bells, panastanes, etc.^[7]

Related myths

The Bakunawa is also sometimes known as Naga, from syncretization with the Hindu-Buddhist serpent deity, Nāga. It was also syncretized with the Hindu-Buddhist navagraha pair, Rahu and Ketu, deities who were responsible for eclipses of the sun and moon, respectively.^[7]

Cebuano mythology

According to tales, the Bakunawa is believed to be the cause of eclipses. During ancient times, pre-colonial Cebuanos believed that their supreme god—Bathala, or Kaptan the Visayan tradition—created 7 moons to illuminate the night sky. The Bakunawa, amazed by their beauty, would rise from the ocean and swallow the moons whole, angering Bathala and causing them to be mortal enemies.^[7]

West Visayan mythology

The story of the Bakunawa and the Seven Moons was first documented in Mga Sugilanong Karaan (1913) by Buyser. It later gained broader recognition when it was included in the 1926 compilation Mga Sugilanong Pilipinhon (Folk Lore Filipino), where Buyser concluded with an account of his personal encounter with beliefs surrounding the Bakunawa.^[7]

Literature

There is a short Hiligaynon song in 3/4 time that children used to sing during lunar eclipses:^[7]

Traditional art

Figures of the Bakunawa's head decorate the hilts of many ancient Filipino swords. These swords that originate in Panay are said to bestow upon the hangaway or mandirigma (sacred warriors) the fearful presence and power of the Bakunawa (or whatever deity/animal they have on their deity hilt) when they wield their swords in combat.^[7]

Games

A children's game called Bulan Bulan, Buwan Buwan, or Bakunawa is played in the Philippines. It has 6–8 players arranged in a circle.^[7]

Objective

The object of the game is for the Bakunawa to tag or touch the buwan/bulan. The rest of the players try to prevent the bakunawa from doing so by holding on to each other and running around the circle as fast as they can while not letting go of the ones next to them.^[7]

Related: Okir · Maranao people · Arts in the Philippines

External references: ^[7][8][9]

Arts in the Philippines

The arts in the Philippines reflect a range of artistic influences on the country's culture, including indigenous art. Philippine art consists of two branches: traditional and non-traditional art. Each branch is divided into categories and subcategories.^[10]

Overview

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the cultural agency of the Philippine government, has categorized Filipino arts as traditional and non-traditional. Each category has sub-categories.^[10]

Traditional arts

Traditional arts in the Philippines include folk architecture, maritime transport, weaving, carving, folk performing arts, folk (oral) literature, folk graphic and plastic arts, ornaments, textile or fiber art, pottery, and other artistic expressions of traditional culture. Traditional artists or groups of artists receive the National Living Treasures Award (Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan Award (GAMABA)) for their contributions to the country's intangible cultural heritage.^[10]

Ethnomedicine

Ethnomedicine is one of the oldest traditional arts in the Philippines. Traditions (and objects associated with them) are performed by medical artisans and shamans. Practices, grounded on the physical elements, are an ancient science and art.^[10]

Folk architecture

Folk architecture in the Philippines varies by ethnic group, and structures are made of bamboo, wood, rock, coral, rattan, grass, and other materials. They include the hut-style bahay kubo, highland houses (known as bale) with four to eight sides, the coral houses of Batanes which protect from the area's harsh, sandy winds, the royal torogan (engraved with an intricate okir motif) and palaces such as the Darul Jambangan (Palace of Flowers), the residence of the sultan of Sulu before colonization. Folk architecture also includes religious buildings, generally called spirit houses, which are shrines to protective spirits or gods.^[10]

Maritime transport

Maritime transport includes boat houses, boat-making, and maritime traditions. These structures, traditionally made of wood chosen by elders and crafters, connected the islands. Although boats are believed to have been used in the archipelago for thousands of years, the earliest evidence of boat-making has been carbon-dated to 689 AD: the Butuan boats identified as large balangays.^[10]

Weaving

Weaving is an ancient art form, and each ethnic group has a distinct weaving technique. The weaving arts include basket weaving, back-strap loom weaving, headgear weaving, and fishnet weaving.^[10]

Carving

Carving includes on woodcarving and the creation of folk non-clay sculptures.^[10]

Folk performing arts

Folk dances, plays, and dramas are performed. Each ethnic group has its own heritage, and Filipino folk performing arts also have Spanish and American influences. Some dances are related to those in neighboring Austronesian and other Asian countries.^[10]

Folk (oral) literature

Folk (oral) literature includes the epics, songs, myths, and other oral literature of Filipino ethnic groups. The country's poetry is rich in metaphors. Tanaga poetry has a 7777 syllable count, and its rhyme forms range from dual rhymes to none.^[10]

Related: Okir · Maranao people · Bakunawa

External references: ^[10][11][12]

Malong

The malong is a traditional Filipino-Bangsamoro rectangular or tube-like wraparound skirt bearing a variety of geometric or okir designs. The malong is traditionally used as a garment by both men and women of the numerous ethnic groups in the mainland Mindanao and parts of the Sulu Archipelago. They are wrapped around at waist or chest-height and secured by tucked ends, with belts of braided material or other pieces of cloth, or are knotted over one shoulder.^[13]

Description

Handwoven malongs are made by Maranao, Maguindanaon, and T'boli weavers on a backstrap loom. The pattern or style of the malong may indicate the weaver's tribal origin, such as the Maranao malong landap. Very rare malong designs and styles can indicate the village in which the malong was made, for example, the extremely intricate malong rawatan made only by a handful of Maranao weavers in Lanao del Sur and the handmade fabric inaul decorated with colorful designs by the Maguindanao weavers in the Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur provinces.^[13]

Uses

The malong can function as a skirt for both men and women, a turban, Niqab, Hijab, a dress, a blanket, a sunshade, a bedsheet, a "dressing room", a hammock, a prayer mat, and other purposes. A newborn is wrapped in a malong, and as he grows this piece of cloth becomes a part of his daily life. When he dies, he is once again wrapped in a malong.^[13]

Similar clothing

Similar wraparound skirts were also worn by other Filipino ethnic groups in the pre-colonial period, like the identical Visayan and Tausug patadyong and the shorter Tagalog tapis. However, most of these later evolved into a component of the baro't saya worn over a longer skirt (the saya or falda) due to Spanish influence. Some of them survive among more isolated highlander groups like among the Ifugao people.^[13]

Related: Okir · Maranao people · Bakunawa

External references: ^[13][14][15]

Lanao del Sur

Lanao del Sur (Filipino: Timog Lanao; Meranaw and Iranun: Pagabagatan Ranao; Jawi (Batang Arab): لاناو الجنوبى), officially the Province of Lanao del Sur, is a province in the Philippines located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The capital is the city of Marawi (the most populous in the province), and it borders Lanao del Norte to the north, Bukidnon to the east, and Maguindanao del Norte and Cotabato to the south. To the southwest lies Illana Bay, an arm of the Moro Gulf.^[16]

Etymology

"Lanao" means "lake", derived from ranao. The province, situated at basin of Lake Lanao, is known as the land of the "Maranaos" (which means "the "people of the lake").^[16]

Early history

Prior to the arrival of Islam, the region already had a sophisticated culture, as embodied in various Maranao epics, chants, and recorded history. The people of Lanao used to adhere to Hinduism, polytheist animism, and Buddhism. During this era, various cultural icons developed, such as the torogan, the singkil dance, the darangen epic, the unique Maranao gong and metal craft culture, the sarimanok, the okir motif, and an indigenous suyat script.^[16]

Spanish colonization

In April 1639, Spanish conquistador Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera conducted an expedition near Lanao along with troops consisting of Christianized Filipinos. In 1640, the Spanish created a garrison near Lanao but was attacked by indigenous Maranaos. In 1689, the Spaniards discovered a settlement named Dansalan at Lake Lanao's northern end.^[16]

Japanese occupation

In 1942, it was occupied by the Japanese Imperial Forces who landed in Southern Lanao. On May 2, 1942, the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines José Abad Santos was killed by the Japanese Imperial forces in a firing squad at Malabang, Lanao del Sur. In 1945, the first of the liberation forces landed in Southern Lanao and liberated the area with United States, Philippine Commonwealth troops together with the Maranao guerrilla units.^[16]

Philippine independence

In 1956, Republic Act No. 1552 changed the name Dansalan to Marawi, taken from the word rawi, referring to the reclining lilies abundant in the Agus River.^[16]

Contemporary

The Battle of Marawi began and ended in 2017. The battle was against ISIL-affiliated militants, a number of which were Malaysian citizens. The battle destroyed most of the cityscape of Marawi and killed hundreds of civilians and Filipino soldiers.^[16]

Geography

Lanao del Sur is bounded on the north by Lanao del Norte, on the east by Bukidnon, on the west by Illana Bay, and on the south by Maguindanao del Norte and Cotabato. The landscape is dominated by rolling hills and valleys, placid lakes and rivers.^[16]

Demographics

The population of Lanao del Sur in the 2024 census was 1,368,137 people, with a density of 350 inhabitants per square kilometre or 910 inhabitants per square mile.^[16]

Religion

Most of the people of Lanao del Sur are practitioners of Islam. The majority of them are Sunni. The number of Muslims in this province is 1,131,726 or nearly 95% of the total population of the province of Lanao del Sur.^[16]

Related: Okir · Maranao people · Bakunawa

External references: ^[16][17][18]