Panay in the Philippines: A Sarawak Connection
The island of Panay is the fourth largest island in the Philippine archipelago. The prehistory of the island, before the Spaniards is related in a document called the Maragatas. The Maragatas, written in 1221, states the Datuks from Borneo purchased the island from the Negritoes. The negritoes then moved into the mountains of the island.
The Borneo Datus came in several boats called barangays. After the purchase, some of the people returned to Sarawak led by Datu Puti. The remaining Datus selected Datu Sumakwel as their head. Datuk Sumakwel ruled Hamtik (now called Antique). The Datu Bankaya then took Aklan (now Aklan and Capiz) while the third Datu, Datu Pariburong ruled Irong-irong (Iloilo). The Maragatoe tells us of the planting of settlements along the river mouths of Panay.
In archaeology finds at the Bongol burial site, in grave #3, tooth manipulations were observed and a Chinese plate from the early Ming. In the Oton site, gold masks, gold earrings, iron spearheads and half-moon working tool. These finds indicated they traded with or had access to Chinese goods.
One of the cultural traits that the Bornean’s introduced to the locals was cockfighting. Accounts from both Sarawak and Panay confirm the ancient existence of this sport. The Maratgas Bisayans have a word in their language: Bulang and Bulangan.
The Maratgas does describe burial traditions. In the Museum at Iloilo is a coffin made of a solid trunk of hardwood. In the coffin was food. The Maratga states coffins were filled with food so the dead would not go hungry. If the deceased had many slaves, one would be killed and placed with him to attend to him the afterlife.
Toms note) I became interested in this possible expansion of Sarawak and relate the information in following article by Baumgarter)
Denny P. Sonza from the Museum Association of the Philippines has stated 1. The term Bisaya has nothing to do with the Sri Vijaya 2. The Maragas remains as folklore. 3. The term Bisaya comes from Borneo.
Baumgarter agrees. He continues that there is a tribal group living in Sarawak called the Bisaya. The Bisaya group in the Philippines have tattoos similar to those in Sarawak. Spanish attempts to conquer Brunei met with Bisayan allies of the Sultan.
With regards to the Maragatas, the name Saragua is possibly the same as the Sirawagan River where the Borneo Datus are said to have landed. The defeat of Makatuno in the Melano area of Sarawak was said to occur when Dato Putih returned. Since Makatuno is not familiar with historians or anybody else, J. Carroll seems to think the name possibly derives from Tugao, the hero of both the Melano and their neighbours in Sarawak.
The victory of the Panay Datus resulted in the ascendancy of the Bisayas who may have ruled Brunei for some time. The Bisayas of the Philippines believe their souls go to a high mountain in Burney (Borneo).
Discounting linguistic evidence because of lack of study, Baumgarter entertains reverse migrations from Panay to Sarawak. He muses the Panay may have migrated to Sarawak because of the strict rule of the Spanish.
From what I can deduce is there were ten Datus who sailed to Panay from Borneo. They expanded to control the mouths of the rivers around Panay. They left cockfighting and the name Visaya from Bisaya in Borneo. Datuk Putih returned to Sarawak and overthrew a man named Makatuno which could be Tugo. The Bisayas then possibly took control from the Brunei people and ruled the Brunei province.
Tom’s note: I have tried to find a copy of the Maragata on line but no luck. I can buy a copy from India for RM152 or US$38 but that is an expense I am not willing to pay right now. If you readers can find a copy for free, please do let me know. There should be some clues that lead back to Sarawak. There are other articles, written in Spanish, but these will be addressed at a different time.
Baumgarter, Joseph The Bisaya of Borneo and the Philippines in The Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society, vol 2, no 3 September, 1974
The New Archaeology and the Prehistory of Panay by Moises S. Ponteras in the Sarawak Museum Journal December,1978