Basic Subanen Baybayin

 The Three Gbelyan Megiba (Highest Shaman)

Our Pre-Spanish writing system has been kept by some supreme guardians or "Gbelyan Megiba" for four (4) centuries, they were Apo Guilingan, Apo Tawan-Tawan and Apo Dimacaling, in the advent of Japanese Empire, some Subanen families who were called the keepers of Subanen Traditions were brought to Mt. Malindang (Subanen's most sacred mountain). Among the families, including those chosen from the Maranaw tribe, three (3) clan leaders/chiefs were again chosen to keep the sacred writings. After World War II, the chosen families returned to their communities but were saddened when they found that their lands were no longer theirs, they were displaced and settled in different places in Zamboanga Peninsula, ours has been kept away from the tribe for almost a century now, we never grew in the tribe, we were totally detached. The tribe's spirit haunt me for several times in the past until my father revealed where we came from and who we really are, I am the one and only in my clan who braved to return, I am home.

Subanen Baybayin has been forgotten when western formal education was totally introduced to our country, to Mindanao and to the Subanen domain. Our script was about to extinct just like many other traditions in the past, just like our language, just like our leaders who fought for the tribe, just like the old bearers of the Subanen scripts, just like those who were poisoned in the foot of Malindang when their homes were taken from them and their dreams broke into pieces, played in the wind and lost among the enchanted trees of the mountain, never was heard. The revival of tribe has come to its age and the revolution to save what are still left of the past became the hammock to collect all the remaining treasures of the tribe, some chosen people from the new generations were given the opportunities to discover and save the colours and gifts of the past, some were given the recognition in saving the endangered language, some were given the credit for saving the remaining epics, songs, stories, legends, dances and significant prayers, some were given the formidable quest, taboo, to uncover the oldest invention of the tribe - our Shurat Subanen. Three of our mentors passed away, they were who ambitiously tried to uncover the very secret of the tribe but failed in the process. In our present time, we faced the challenge and dared to open the portal of the sacred tradition, we dared to summon the sacred rites and claim the ancient system of writing for the generations after us to learn, we open the room of the past and give way for the present to illuminate its walls, to draw the dawn of our Golden Years, and to tell the stories of those who struggled in the past for our tribe to live, for our rights to our homeland, for our tribe to survive. We open the door for history. After 400 years, we are serving the public with our own shurat, the Subanen Baybayin - the ancient Subanen system of writing.

This is dedicated to the noble mentors who shared some of their time and offered their lives to discover our scripts. They may have failed but their inspiration was the key to open the past world and beyond. Their footprints were the legends pointing us all towards the path to discover more.

Compliments to Princess Sonita Manlin-Mande Ryde, sir Loreto "Ayeng" Danda, Datu Pax Lumawan, Thimuay Jemimo Manda, Ms. Leony Cayon Jad, Ms. Liz Malanao, Ms. Myrna Malanao-Tindoc Atilano, Mrs. Marita Minao, Ptr. Allan Mangangot, the Subanen Youth and Kolibugan Youth Organizations and to the one who keeps her life with the story of our tribe - Ms. Janie Imbing-Huminis Hapalla.

www.subanen.org

In the Beginning

Legend of the Nobles

While reading all the feeds appearing one after another, I stumbled over a certain interested topic which has something to do with my research on the civilization shared by different tribes with different religions and beliefs. Our history book was obviously influenced by historians’ critical conclusions resulted to alterations of information they had considered of lesser importance. Internet and tri-media are contributing factors capable to change or inflate a noble past while from time to time alters some of its important facts. Today is the introduction to retrieve the missing parts of our regal beginnings. Celebrate the Sabbath of our nation for it has opened a year of honey and gold. A prophesy of which the serendipity of our people is revealed.  

The Phantom of the Druids

The Daud and Dahanu, were the Dahunan and Dahuang (Dawang) derived from, had started its oral history lineage in Mumbai, India where trading Persian tea as business became the family’s tragic point, they had been traced after escaping from the historical descent of Persia; had all of Persian natives especially those belonging to its ancient monarchy be converted to Islam. In the history, Zoroastrians have been subjected to public humiliation through dress regulations, to being labelled as Najis and to exclusion in the fields of society, education and work. The peak of persecution of Zoroastrianism Religion sustained an ambitious migration from India to the vast Islands of Malay Peninsula, and to the place where their ancestors were born. Their journey succeeded through Constellation mapping and knowledge learned from books of Rome and Egypt who were once, in hundreds of years, an ally. They were experts in astronomy – thus where the “Tala” came from, the counting or estimating the position of the stars as means of determining direction. They had reached as far as the North and South of Asia escaping from the domination of Islam faith. Discrimination and slavery thus forced them to leave cities after cities. All the tribes of Malay Peninsula including Borneo, Java, Guinea and Indonesia came from this clan. Centuries made them successful business traders from Malacca strait to China and India, growing side by side with nations of various religions and beliefs thus richness of supplying oriental spices, gold and honey had reached its summit.

The Two Towering Empires

During when Buddhism was introduced, the alliance of the South East or Malaya became the Empires of Madjapahit and Srivijaya. Religion became the fundamental course which strengthened trade industry by spreading the religious concept that the Empires were religious pilgrimage to India among Chinese Buddhist. The Empires became the spiritual passage for Buddhism believers for many hundred years. The influx of traders from all over the world had reached the ears of West and Arabian nations. Islamic government colonized both Empires which forced waves of populace to vacate and sail towards the comfort of the sea, into the wild gulf of Sulu and Celebes, into the abyss of God’s Promised Land, into the home of the Father. Hence, Raja Makatunaw’s tyranny advanced his power compelling the ten Datus of Borneo to cruise and save their families. They managed to reach Panay Island where they established in the haven of Capiz and spread to places nearby. “Tala” is believed to be the confederation of Royal clans, where the Tangean came from. They reached the coastal areas of holy land, deep in the jungle and by the rivers where Diwatas lived.

The Flourishing Tribes

The Shrivijaya Empire had managed to resurrect in the cradle of Visayas and doors of Mindanao, allowing traders to established commerce in 12^th to 14^th century whence the code of Raia Calanao of Kipit, the capital kingdom of Shri Raia (Sirawai) was the ruling law. Yuan and Ming dynasties had influenced Shrivijaya’s reputation which resulted to its ambitious triumph. Srinrangan (Sindangan – City of Princesses) was the center of commerce in Northern Sibuguey while Sindepan was the religious pilgrimage of native Shamans. Arab merchants arrived upon the shores where the cities seated. Indeed, the cities sprouted on the forgotten land where mankind once lived. Butuan and Caghayan were the cities of the Kings and nobles believed to have had businesses of metals and gold. Arab missionaries married the princesses of the kingdoms which influenced majority of the populace to embrace Islam, the advent of Islamic Religious Government amended Maharaja domination to Sultanate System, losing the power of some relatives populating along the northern rivers of Lusong Dao, Panay Islands, Mindoro and parts of Mindanao including Sambongan - where Kipit Kingdom of Sri Raia seated. The last Maharlikan descents of Daud and Dahanu escaped to the deep, deep forest of Sibuguey. The Jungle became their home where their fate shaped their stories, into the hinterland they lived, for centuries and almost forgotten, thus, the flight of Shrivijaya ended.

Golden Quest

One of the purposes of Spanish expedition was the search of the Golden Fleece of the Greek Myth believed to be in the very Far East where giants roamed. The Golden Fleece was the symbol of kingship and authority that placed Jason rightfully on the throne of Iolcus in Thessaly according to Iliad and Odyssey. On a chart of the Philippine Islands and China Sea, engraved in Manila in 1734, from data obtained from Spanish and British navigators, the native inhabitants of the Zamboanga and Dapitan districts are referred to as "Subanirs" and "Solocos," and the territory as a part of the great island of "Majindanao,". Ilocos and Ilo-ilo may have also derived from the place Iolcus where the descendants of Danides ruled, the possessor of the Golden Fleece. The interest of the expedition may have been influenced from the story of King Danaus who was once an Egyptian Ruler originated from the very rich region of Far East believed to be Mindanao. The Danides, who were dark-skinned, were the daughters of Danaus who escaped Egypt and influenced the Civilizations of Libya and of the Greek. There was a biblical account in which King Solomon praised a woman whose skin was darkened by kiss of the sun. She was Queen Habibi of Borneo who looked like the Danides of Iliad and Odyssey.  From the Danides had started the long epic of the Greek myth, from them whom brave Perseus came. That Persia, now Iran, was born.

On the other hand, the presence of Libyan personalities in Mindanao would tell very strong connections among people of Libya and of Mindanao.

Christianity made it through the portal of the South East the same year Islamic faith spread in Asia. While Spain forcefully imposed Catholic faith, the Dutch had maintained strong alliance with the Natives of Mindanao who resisted Islamic faith.

The Ilanon tribe came from one of the ten Datus’ clans who established in Northern Mindanao and built a kingdom equal to the lost Empire of ancient Persia.