The Beauty and Elegance

of the South
Vocal Music of Muslim
Filipinos
Historians say that there are evidences of early settlers in the southern part of the
country as early as prehistoric times. Arab traders from Malaysia and Indonesia came in
contact with the natives with their products, culture and religion. In 1280, the first
Muslim community in the Philippines was established in Sulu by Tuan Masha’ika. In the
middle of 14th century, a religious missionary in the name of Karim-ul-Makhdum also
came to Sulu. But, it was during the time of Rajah Baginda (early 15th century) that
Islam’s political aspect was first introduced to the natives. The Sulu Sultanate was
established by his son-in-law Abu Bakar. However, it was during the mid-15th century
that Islam propagated to greater part of Mindanao through the effort of Sharif
Kabungsuan. The word Mindanao is coined after the Maguindanaons who constituted
the largest sultanate. The natives used this word to refer to their island at that time.
When the Spaniards came to the Philippines, Islam was well established in Mindanao, and they
were not able to penetrate this Philippine region. That is why until now they were able to
preserve their culture, traditions and identity as people.
In the Philippines, 93% of the entire Islamic population resides in Mindanao. Among this 93%
are 13 ethno-linguistic groups situated in different places in the region. These are the Jama
Mapuns of Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi; the Iranons of Cotabato; the Kaagans of Davao del Norte,
Davao del Sur and Davao Oriental; the Kalibugans of Zamboanga; the Maguindanaons of
Maguindanao; the Maranaos of Marawi; the Palawanons and Molbogs of Palawan; the Samas of
Tawi-Tawi; the Sangils of Sarangani; the Tausugs of Sulu; the Yakans of Basilan, and the
Bangingis of Tongkil and Zamboanga. Only five among this group can be found in Mainland
Mindanao. They are the Iranon, Kaagan, Kalibugan, Maranao and Maguindanao. The Bangingis
can be found in both mainland (Zamboanga) and island province Tongkil. These ethno-linguistic
groups may have different literary art forms but they are all united to one culture - Muslim.
The table below shows the top ten provinces with the largest Muslim population. Let us
see how large their population is as well the percentage of the provinces’ population.

Province Muslim Population % of Province Population

1. Sulu 706,229 98.32%

2. Tawi-Tawi 353,865 96.83%

3. Lanao del Sur 872,678 94.00%

4. Maguindanao (including Cotabato City*) 993,040 81.73%

5. Basilan (including Isabela City**) 311,004 79.56%

6. Lanao del Norte 285,861 30.80%

7. Sultan Kudarat 209,917 28.13%

The table below shows the top ten provinces with the largest Muslim population. Let us
see how large their population is as well the percentage of the provinces’ population.

Province Muslim Population % of Province Population

8. Cotabato 318,602 26.02%

9. Zamboanga del Sur 336,840 19.13%

10. Zamboanga Sibugay 84,835 14.53%

8
Source: 2010 Census, NSO
Islamic Music in general is characterized by delicate patterns of melody and rhythm. To the
Muslims, music is a vertical connection to Allah. That is why the Quran must be recited in a
singing-like manner. In Islamic music, the vocal aspect must overmaster the instrumental. It is
based on the skill of the artist which is given the freedom to improvise the piece. Here, the
performer also becomes a composer. Using the traditional musical elements, the artist is
encouraged to improvise with the guidance of a specific emotional or philosophical foundations
of the music.
One of the literary art forms of our Muslim brothers and sisters are their epics. Epics are long,
narrative poems telling about heroic deeds of significant characters. In Muslim culture in
Mindanao, the epics may be narrated in a form of a poem or song. At present, only three of the
13 Muslim community groups have their epics identified. This is because of the lack of
informants or researchers because of peace and order situation in some areas for research. The
Bantugan and Darangen of the Maranao or People of the Lake, the Indarapatra at Sulayman of
Maguindanao or People of the Flood Plains, and the Parang Sabil hi Abdulla iban hi Isara of the
Tausugs People of the Current.
 Darangen

The Darangen is an epic song about Maranao people. The story, together with the Qur’an , the central
religious text of Islam, serves as a cultural foundation on their community. Although it is used by a
Muslim community, scholars said that most of its content dates back before the arrival of the first
Muslims in Mindanao. Therefore, it is a mixture of both Islamic and non-Islamic way of life, and for the
Maranao people, this Anonen A Rawaten or The Way of the Ancestors is worth imitating.
Only 18 out of 25 song cycles of the Darangen has been recorded and studied. The epic deals not only
about relationships and adventures but also ancestral political laws like kingship and succession. Even
today elders of the community still refer to the text of the epic in dealing with various laws.
Literally this epic means “to narrate in song”. An Onor plays the lead role in a Darangen performance.
Her responsibilities include singing the traditional songs, being a dancer, and playing the Kulintang, a
set of eight small gongs. She is also expected to portray the characteristics of a Maranao princess,
setting a royal standard for Maranao women. This epic is usually performed in weddings and lasts up to
several nights of performances.
 Ballads

Most ballads (poem that tells a story) in Muslim Mindanao are religious and historical.
But would you believe that these two types of ballads are related to each other?
Religious because they talk about Islamic faith. Historical because they talk about
historical personality and their works - mostly to propagate or to defend the Islamic
faith. And like most of their literary art forms, they are handed down from generation
to generation by oral tradition. These art works are usually done in song form and
accompanied by instruments like the gabbang kulintang and byula.
Islamic Music retains its original form and style. There are two main uses of Islamic
music. The first one is for rituals and the other is for entertainment. Music for rituals is
mainly vocal with no instrumental accompaniment. Various Islamic tribes still possess
the same vocal music style like the ones used by their early ancestors. Music with
musical instruments attached to its performance are normally for entertainment
purposes only.
 Tausug Vocal Music

Tausug Vocal Music

The Tausug vocal music called the “Palangan” can be categorized into narrative and lyrical
songs. Narrative songs tell a story which include the Kissa or epic legends and the lyric songs
which both deal with their normal and daily way of life. Lyric songs are also sub-categorized
into Lugu and paggabang types. The lugu is a religious chant usually done by women. This
song is related to Muslim rituals like wedding, funeral, birth, and the paggunting (traditional
cutting of an infant boy’s hair during baptism.)
The paggabang, on the other hand, are songs usually accompanied by the gabbang or bamboo
xylophone and the byula or violin. These songs are less serious in nature.
Lyric songs consist of the langan bata-bata or Children’s song, the Baat or occupational song.
This form includes the Baat callaw or Funeral song which has a very sad melodic line,
pangantin or the wedding song which the newly-wed couple dances while the singer or a
modern band performs it.
Another forms of vocal music of Mindanao are the Diker or death song of Maranao and the Dekil or Maguindanaon
mournful song. All of these songs regardless of its tribe of origin have some common characteristics:

1. Melismatic style of singing. Melisma means a group of notes sung in one syllable of the text.

2. Use of tremolo (rapid reiteration of a single note). The tremolo produces a musical effect which resembles a shaky
sound of notes.

3. Long and slow melodic phrase. Unlike the regular song which has a fixed meter or number of syllables for each line in
stanza, these songs have indefinite length of lines which results from the singer’s improvisation of the tune of the
song.

4. Strained or throaty voice. This style of singing is very common to ethnic groups wherein the singer uses his/her
speaking voice to execute the song.

5. Free rhythm. Vocal music of Mindanao uses the free rhythm style. It means there are no fixed measures in the song.
You cannot distinguish if the song you are hearing is done in duple, triple or quadruple. And because the singer has
always the freedom to improvise the piece, one cannot predict the length of each line of the song.
Another forms of vocal music of Mindanao are the Diker or death song of Maranao and
the Dekil or Maguindanaon mournful song. All of these songs regardless of its tribe of
origin have some common characteristics:
1. Melismatic style of singing. Melisma means a group of notes sung in one syllable of
the text.