Moro people

The Moro people is a coined term for the population of indigenous Muslims in the Philippines, forming the largest non-Catholic group in the country, and comprising about 5.1% (as of August 2007) of the total Philippine population.

There are around 13 Filipino ethnic groups included, and the majority are Muslim, most are the followers of Sunni Islam of Shafi'i madh'hab. The "Moro" term came into use during the pre-colonial period, drawing upon a term used centuries earlier to refer the Muslims of al-Andalus in southern Spain known as the "Moors" during the Reconquista and applied to the native Muslims within conquered islands. Traditionally, the indigenous Filipino Muslims were offended with the term "Moro", for it was taken from the "Moro-Moro" stage plays from the Spanish era, in which Muslims were always depicted as antagonists. In modern history, influential groups such as the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) espoused the Moro identity to unify all Muslim groups in the Philippines. This is different from the "Filipino" identity as it was more seen as an epithet to Christian ethnic groups. In addition with the Moro concept represents their distinct Islamic heritage, MNLF leader Nur Misuari clarifies that they are not a part of the majority Filipino society with a slogan "Moro not Filipino" in their struggle for autonomy or independence against the Catholic majority Philippine central government. This is rooted from resistance of the then-Spanish and American rule who forced them to integrate into the modern Philippine republic.