Art Studies 1

Reaction Paper: “The Islamized Groups in the Philippines: Underscoring System Problems And
Mitigating Their Predicaments As Citizens”

For many years, Muslims, the holders of the Islamic faith, have been continuing their
longing for their own freedom against the cultural empiricism made by the Western countries.
Their struggle, although have sometimes bared the fruit they have always wanted, is still not
enough. Why? It is because their suffering seems to be periodic and up until the present, still not
all the Muslims are free of majority of society’s (most of the Christian) discrimination. Formerly,
even I myself was a part of that majority.

One dreadful effect of this problem is the association of the word “Islamized” to the word
“Marginalized”. And as the author of this article being reviewed recommends, one way to finally
end this fight is through the promotion of greater awareness on Islamic culture. This can be done
through the showing of good things about the Muslims by the media, and the more important
one, through the integration of the true and well-deserved Muslim representation in academics.
In the case of the later one, I have proven this to be true for I was already able to change my
perceptions of the Muslims groups from my wrong impressions at the start.

The very first step is the defining of the word “culture”—its meaning and context. As
Schein says, this abstract culture is mainly manifested in the arts of a particular group of people.
These material arts which belong to the visible organizational structures are easy to see but hard
to decipher. As he further defines it, to get the meaning of these material manifestations, one
must get to the people’s shared basic assumptions. By “shared basic assumptions,” he means this
as the taken-for-granted and hard-to-decipher belief systems which are operational at the
unconscious level that serves to be the most meaningful. And relating this to the understanding of
the Muslims or by other people in general, this is a reminder that before we judge them, we
should ask ourselves first if we really know them in the first place. Our knowledge of them will
be the one that validates our assumptions. In effect, if we are able to understand their way living,
then we know how to live in peace with them, or how to act or deal with them in case a problem
will occur. This will also eliminate our offending questions to them regarding their practices and
beliefs because we already know that it is just the way of their life. And we don’t have the right
to dictate their lives. In short, everybody will be happy and will live in harmony.

And to define the culture or how the Muslims live in their everyday lives, we can bring
up the factors that condition their modes of living, the way they implement their practices, and
what do they value. The goal of knowing all of these is to clarify, to enhance, and maybe even to
eliminate some misconceptions we, Christians, generally know about them.

Muslims mostly are found in the southern part of the Philippines. There are 13 groups
that comprise the holders of the Islamic faith. 6 of these 13 groups constitute 96% (near 4
million) of the Muslim population in the Philippines. They are the Tausug of Sulu, Sama of
Tawi-tawi, Yakan of Basilan, Maguindanao of Cotabato, Maranao of Lanao, Iranun of Malabang
(Southwestern Mindanao). Although the smallest in terms of number among the groups, it is
good to note that the Badjaos of Tawi-tawi contribute a significant part to the art works
associated with the religion Islam. Since Sulu is an archipelago, Muslims in Mindanao is greatly
influenced by the sea. The influence of the sea has touched different aspects of the Muslims in
the southern Philippines, which includes their occupation, art, values and modes of living of
course, culture. Maranaos are farmers while the Maguindanaos are fishermen and traders of
brasswares. Samas are strand dwellers or residing near land and sea; while the Badjaos are boat
dwellers. There other things in which they differ like for example, the degree of their being
Islamized. An example of this varying degree of being Islamized among the different Muslim
groups is what is reflected on the ukkil compositions of the Tausugs, Samas and the Badjaos.
Tausug ukkil designs are the simplest of the three. They are also associated with the idea that
their ukkil are sort of the more traditional ones. On the contrary, Samas’ ukkil compositions are
the most detailed and where intricate designs could be found. As for the Badjaos, their ukkil
designs are the most individualistic of the three. This difference suggests that Tausugs are more
into Islam, and Badjaos are not yet that Islamized, while the Samas are somewhat in the middle
of the two. But how were these groups became Muslims anyway?

Earliest appearance of a Muslim in Mindanao was dated back in 1310 A.D, as evidenced
by a grave of someone named Tuan Mashaika who probably lived in Maimbung, Jolo for this is
where his grave was found. Then the arrival of a certain Karimul Makhdum in Bwansa was
mentioned in a Sulu tarsila (a genealogical account). Then it was followed by the arrival of Raja
Baguinda, who married the daughter of the chieftain that time. He later on became the political
leader of Bwansa. Next was arrival of Sayyid Abubakar, who made the “house of worship” when
he had introduced the study of Quran. Aside from Sulu, Islam continued to spread in the
Cotabato by Sharief Awliya and Sharief Maraja, according to a Maguindanao tarsila. Islam has
even reached Manila where Raja Matanda, Raja Lakandula and Raja Sulayman became the
rulers. By sixteen hundred onwards, Islam became a famous religion then. And everytime
Spaniards attempted to change Muslims’ faith in Mindanao, the Muslims have successfully
defended their territory. For three centuries, Muslims struggled against the Spaniards’
Christianity.

One factor that has contributed to Islam’s success is its flexibility. This has resulted to a
cultural synthesis between the religion Islam and addat (indigenous culture) among the different
groups Islam has reached. So we can say that in a way, Islam somewhat differs from place to
place. This cultural mix has resulted to what is called “Folk Islam”. In effect, their lives have
been enhanced rather shifted by the religion Islam. Another factor would be that of the benefits
Muslims get from this religion. An example of this blending is the beliefs of some people to the
world of the spirits like the diwata, tonong, etc. More so, they make offering to these spirits to
which they attribute their physical and mental well-being, as well as their harvesting success
farming and fishing. This suggests that they worship these spirits, which is clearly in opposition
to Islam’s belief in monotheism. This is where Islam’s flexibility comes, although there are only
limited aspects to which Islam tolerates. Further success of the religion Islam in Mindanao was
also manifested in the art works found in Mindanao.

Islam really had a good effect on the newly converted Muslims by that time. As a matter
of fact, they treated the introduction of Islam to them as a God’s blessing. Ideologically, the
concept of ummah or the wider Islamic community, to which every Muslim is treated as brothers
and sisters, was inculcated with them. In politics, they also taught to have an integrated bangsa
or nationality, which made them easy to have alliance with the neighbouring Malay borders. This
resulted to a greater area of land controlled by the Sultans in both the Malay and Philippine
Muslims.

In Arts, there are diverse works that has resulted with the influence of Islam. Some
examples are the weapons they use like the kalis and barung; gravemarkers with intricate
curvilinear deigns called sunduk; mats of different materials like the rattan Boras siyabit; boats
like the Badjao’s jengngeng and lepa; malongs used by the Muslim women; and brasswares as
well as musical instrument like the kulintangan and gongs. There is a common part in almost all
of the art works of the Muslims, the use of the curvilinear designs called the ukkil. Starting from
the house decorations, boats and boat flags, sunduk, and figurative forms such as the Naga and
sarimanok, a figure believed to have come from the stylized Naga, ukkil is found. There is a
confusion of how will we recognize or differentiate Muslim art from Islamic art. To answer this
means to just know what are the prerequisites for an art to be called a Muslim art or rather
Islamic art. Any art work that is done by a Muslim artist is considered a Muslim Art. Islamic art
work however refers to any work of art that expresses the Islamic concept of space--tawhid.

For their beliefs, Muslims believe in the concept of Tawhid which encompasses both the
zahir or the material world, and the batin or the spiritual world. This is the closest thing that
resembles Islam’s the Divine or God. For the Muslims, God is the center of all their concerns.
That is why the religion was named Islam, coming form the Arabic word “to submit” or “to
surrender” to the will of God. As the basis of their beliefs, they consult holy books in which
Q’uran is the most prominent, and holy books like the Hadith (Sayings) and Sunnah
(Mohammad’s practice). Having said that, each Muslim believes the Five Pillars and the Six
Articles as a guide and mode of their practice. Five Pillars include: 1).the utterance of the
Shahada (Profession of Faith), 2).praying five times a day, 3).fasting during the time of
Ramadan, 4).Zakat or the giving of alms to those who are in need, and 5).the once in a lifetime
Pilgrimage to Mecca if physically and financially capable. Six Articles, on the other hand
include: 1).belief in one God, 2).beliefs in prophets of whom Mohammad was the last, 3).belief
in holy scriptures of God of which Q’uran was regarded as the last of them, 4).belief in Angels of
God of which Angel Gabriel is the intermediary between God and Prophets, 5).belief in Heaven
and Hell, and 6).belief in Qadar or the “Predestination” of a Muslim that is associated with his
own words and actions.

Historical-wise the fight of the Muslims and non-Muslims here in the Philippines differ
in terms of their purpose. For the Christians, the purpose was to regain, and not to maintain just
like the Muslims did. Since they are the marginalized group unlike the Christians, the efforts
they give in their fight against internal colonialism present in the Philippines are looking bad in
the eyes of the many Christians. This is where the negative Moro image in the minds of the
Christians comes. The concept of misrepresentation of the Muslims is also a great factor that
conditions the poor relationship between the Christians and Muslims. An example is the
exteriorization of the sovereignty and power of the Muslims in history text books, and claiming
that the independence we gained was solely due to the efforts done by the Christians here in the
Philippines. But in reality, Muslims have really a separate struggle against the Spaniards which
was proven to be true by the many treaties Spain has made with them. In particular, Sulu’s
people and courage was given credit by American military historian Vic Hurley as “fighting men
who take the first rank in martial history.” Again, just to clarify it, these efforts they give in their
fight were just of a defensive warfare form. They were forced to fight because of the
unreasonable conditions Spain had imposed on them, and also what their religion had taught--to
them whenever there is a need to defend their territory. That is why it is wrong to say that
Muslims are just war-freaks because they have a reason for doing that.

The misrepresentation of the Muslims by the scholars to only as “problems” has a reason:
the government-sponsored unitary system wants all the land in the Philippines to belong to
themselves. That is why the persistence of the negative Moro image still continues upto the
present. It is very evident as we can see in the diminishing heritage lands of the Muslims that
first included almost all of Mindanao, down to just today’s 4 provinces where the Muslims
reside. Unfortunately, although only 4 provinces are left to them, these lands are still in danger of
being taken away from them. How did the government do that (the throwing away of the
Muslims in their own homelands)? Well, they had it through the Resettlement Programs they
implemented after the First World War. Based on statistics, the recorded population of both the
Muslims and Christians in Mindanao starting from the 1850’s until the 1970’s clearly states it all.
by the year 1939, Christians had already overtaken Muslims’ population by having an annual
increase of 29.9%, while the Muslims only increases annually by 5.3%. Another suspected
agenda of those resettlement programs was the obliteration of the distinct character of the Lumad
(Mindanao indigenous groups) and the Muslims. This is the greatest fear of the Muslims—
assimilation of their culture to somewhat like to that of the Christians. That is why rebel groups
starting from the New People’s Army (NPA) down to today’s Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF) keep on fighting for their lands that were stolen from them. Their goals are clear: to still
be isolated from the Christians and for their culture to be preserved and not be assimilated.
 Another kind of misrepresentation is the unlevelled number of Muslims and Christians in
the Philippine government in the playing field. If there are Muslims officials in the government,
then maybe they are just in the Congress and not in the higher Senate. I have never known a
Muslim that had made it to the Senate, and more so, the President of the country. This reflects
their being powerless in terms of laws that would supposedly protect their rights and secure
equal opportunity for them as to that of the Christians. That is why it is not new to know why the
poorest of the poor provinces mostly include that of the Muslims’.

To sum it up, the prevalent government-sponsored unitary system here in the country is
just not fit for the Philippines. This is because there are two groups of people that are historically
and culturally different. And according to Samuel Huntington, the Moro Problem is a multi-
dimensional system problem, at the bottom of which is the fact that Muslims are culturally
distinct and historically older than that of the Filipino Nationality.

As the author of the article being reviewed recommends, possible solutions are the
federalism of the government (because Autonomy seems nonsense in a Unitary system type of
government) and the propagation of more consciousness about the Islamic culture done in the
academe. The former one could be done through the revision of the textbooks that should now
include the separate story of the fight of the Muslims!