Mythologies of the Ilonggo (Hiligaynon) People

The Hiligaynon people (Hiligaynon: mga Hiligaynon), often referred to as Ilonggo people (Hiligaynon: mga Ilonggo) or Panayan people (Hiligaynon: mga Panayanon), are the second largest subgroup of the larger Visayan ethnic group, whose primary language is Hiligaynon, an Austronesian language of the Visayan branch native to Panay, Guimaras, and Negros. They originated in the province of Iloilo, on the island of Panay, in the region of Western Visayas. Over the years, inter-migrations and intra-migrations have contributed to the diaspora of the Hiligaynon to different parts of the Philippines. Today, the Hiligaynon, apart from the province of Iloilo, also form the majority in the provinces of Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Capiz, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and North Cotabato. The demonym "Hiligaynon" is from Spanish Hiligueinos (also spelled Yliguenes, Yligueynes, or Hiligueynos), which is derived from the older demonym "Iligan" or "Iliganon", meaning "people of the coast", from the root word ilig ("to go downstream"), referring to a river in Iloilo, Panay. During the early Spanish colonial period, the conquistador Miguel de Loarca also used the name "Yliguenes" for other coastal-dwelling Visayan peoples in Cebu, Bohol, and Western Negros. The term "Ilonggo" is derived from "Ilong-ilong", the old name for Iloilo City, Panay. “Ilonggo” is considered to define a specific group of people whose ethnic origins are in the provinces of Iloilo, Guimaras, and Panay, while "Hiligaynon" defines the language and culture of the Ilonggo people. Thus, both terms are interchangeable in referring to the culture of the people or the people themselves.

Hiligaynon, fourth largest ethnolinguistic group of the Philippines, living on Panay, western Negros, southern Mindoro, Tablas, Romblon, Sibuyan, Guimaras, and northwestern Masbate. Numbering about 6,540,000 in the late 20th century, they speak a Visayan (Bisayan) language of the Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) family. Geographically and culturally, the heartland of the Hiligaynon area lies along both sides of the broken straits separating Panay and Negros. The coastal cities of Iloilo, on the former, and Bacolod, on the latter, serve as economic and administrative centres for the region. Most Hiligaynon, however, live in small rural barrios where the main economic activity is farming or, occasionally, fishing. The major crops are rice, corn (maize), sugarcane, and coconuts.

Hiligaynon, also often referred to as Ilonggo or Binisaya/Bisaya nga Hiniligaynon/Inilonggo, is an Austronesian regional language spoken in the Philippines by about 9.1 million people, predominantly in Western Visayas and Soccsksargen, most of whom belong to the Hiligaynon people. It is the second-most widely spoken language in the Visayas and belongs to the Bisayan languages, and it is more distantly related to other Philippine languages. It also has one of the largest native language-speaking populations of the Philippines, despite it not being taught and studied formally in schools and universities until 2012. Hiligaynon is given the ISO 639-2 three-letter code hil, but has no ISO 639-1 two-letter code. Hiligaynon is mainly concentrated in the regions of Western Visayas (Iloilo, Capiz, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental), as well as in South Cotabato (including General Santos), Sultan Kudarat, and North Cotabato in Soccsksargen. It is spoken in other neighboring provinces, such as Antique and Aklan in Western Visayas, Negros Oriental in Central Visayas, Masbate in Bicol Region, and Romblon and Palawan in Mimaropa. It is spoken as a second language by Kinaray-a speakers in Antique, Aklanon/Malaynon speakers in Aklan, Capiznon speakers in Capiz, Cebuano speakers in Negros Oriental, and spoken and understood by native speakers of Maguindanaon, Cebuano, Ilocano, Blaan, Tboli and other settler and indigenous languages in Soccsksargen in Mindanao. There are approximately 9,300,000 people in and out of the Philippines who are native speakers of Hiligaynon and an additional 5,000,000 capable of speaking it with a substantial degree of proficiency.

In 1569, the Spanish conquistador Legaspi transferred his headquarters from food-poor Cebu to Panay, where rice was available in abundance. Long before this time, the island's fertility permitted the Hiligaynon people to develop one of the archipelago's most advanced societies, one that engaged in international trade (as evidenced by large finds of Chinese porcelain) and that created fine work in gold and semiprecious stones. The textiles of Panay remained in high demand throughout the archipelago into the 19th century; the industry thrived until overwhelmed by cheaper British manufactures. Among Christianized regions, the Western Visayas has been noteworthy for the persistence of pre-Christian systems of belief; here, it was baylan, leaders in the indigenous religion, who led revolts against the Spanish (rather than of Christian millenarian sects as in the Tagalog and other regions). Nonetheless, the church-adorned city of Iloilo on Panay became one of the great centers of Hispanicized culture in the colony (in 1993 Iloilo's baroque Miag-ao church was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site). Large-scale sugar production for the world market created a small, initially largely mestizo, elite who enjoyed an opulent lifestyle on vast plantations (and who may have provided the basis for the stereotype of Hiligaynon hedonism, also attributable to the natural bounty of the land). At the same time, economic dislocations (such as the demise of the textile industry) forced a flood of landless Hiligaynon to take ill-paid, backbreaking labor on these plantations of the formerly under populated island of Negros to the immediate east of Panay.

The islands of Western Visayas are home to some of the sweetest and most cheerful people in the Philippines, an undeniable observation once you’ve gotten to know the Ilonggos. For one thing, they reside in the sugar capital of the country, with tourists and locals carrying boxes of piaya and biscocho upon leaving the islands to share with their loved ones in other parts of the country. The Ilonggos are also a friendly and caring people, and their bright and welcoming smiles can make anyone feel right at home. The Hiligaynons, or the “Ilonggos”, are a subgroup of people from the Visayan region who speak Ilonggo. It is interesting to note, however, that the different Western Visayans have distinct traits that add to their own beauties as cultures. Perhaps looking closely at these traits will help us gain a deeper understanding of where they come from, as well as a deeper appreciation for the Ilonggo culture as a whole. When visiting an Ilonggo household, it is common for the guest to be asked the question, Naka kaon ka na? (“Have you eaten?”) Ilonggos are very particular about their food, and will only eat the absolute best. One difference between the Ilonggos from Panay and those from Negros Occidental is the type of food that they’ll proudly serve their guests.

In the Encyclopedia of Philippine Art published by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (1994, 2018), Hiligaynon is described by Cruz-Lucero, Fernandez, et al as the term used for the language and literature of the Ilonggo people. The term connotes the more formal and literary language as it is used in schools and academe. “Hiligaynon” is said to be a Hispanic contraction of the phrase “manog-ilig sang kawayan,” or “bamboo floaters,” meaning people whose occupation it was to float bamboo poles downriver to sell as building materials. Early Spanish documents by Fray Alfonso Mentrida refer to the people as Yligueynes and their language as Hiligueyna, and he wrote about the Hiliguiana and Hiniraia languages of Panay in the 1620s and 1630s. The Hiligaynon language is one of the top five Philippine languages, spoken chiefly by over five million natives of Iloilo and coastal Panay, Guimaras, Negros Occidental and by hundreds of thousands of others in the diaspora in Mindanao (mainly General Santos, Cotabato), Palawan, and overseas. “Ilonggo” is also popularly and informally used as a synonym for Hiligaynon and now generally refers to the people and the culture of the Malay race identified with Iloilo, Guimaras Island, and most of Negros Occidental. Linguists note that the country has around 180 different languages; Hiligaynon apart, other major Philippine languages include Tagalog, Bikol, Cebuano, Waray, Ilokano, Maguindanao, Kapampangan, and Pangasinense; all together spoken by an estimated 80-90% of the total population. In The Augustinians in Panay (1987), R. Morales Maza cites Mentrida: “In the mountain regions of Ogtong (today’s Oton town) a very harsh language is spoken, called Kinaharay-a; along the coast, another, more polished and elegant, is called Hiligueyna.”

The Hiligaynon people, often referred to as Ilonggo, are a subgroup of the Visayan people whose primary language is the Hiligaynon language, an Austronesian language native to the large eastern coastal plain of Panay. Over the years, intermigrations and intramigrations have contributed to the diaspora of the Hiligaynon to different parts of the Philippines. Now, the Hiligaynon form the majority in the provinces of Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Capiz, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat. The term "Hiligaynon" is derived from the Spanish term "Yliguenes", which is then derived from the Hiligaynon word "Iligan" or "Iliganon". From here are two divergent proposals of origin for the word. The first proposal puts forth that Iligan or "Iliganon" refers to a river, or literally "where the water flows down", and the Spanish were likely to have made this connection to the indigenous residents of Panay, who resided at the river mouth and were thus discovered easily by the Spanish. The second proposal puts forth that "Iligan" or "Iliganon" is derived from "manog-ilig sang kawayan", a phrase that describes bamboo poles that Panay men would float downriver in order to sell the poles. This activity becomes mistaken by the Spanish as the name of the indigenous residents. The term "Ilonggo" is derived from the Spanish term "irong-irong", referring to the Filipino word for nose ("ilong") and an islet in the Batiano River in Panay. “Ilonggo” is considered to define a specific group of people whose ethnic origins are in the provinces of Iloilo, Guimaras, and Panay, while "Hiligaynon" defines the language and culture of the people of the Ilonggo. Thus, both terms are interchangeable in referring to the culture of the people, or the people themselves. According to a 2000 census, 7.5% of the national population is Hiligaynon/Ilonggo, compared to 28.1% Tagalog (the majority group). This makes the Hiligaynon the fifth most populous ethnic group in the nation behind the Tagalog (28.1%), the Cebuano (13.1%), the Ilocano (9%), and the Bisaya (7.6%). Two provinces have populations above one million since a 1990 census: Iloilo (1,608,083) and Negros Occidental (1,821,206), comprising 97.6% and 80.7%, respectively, with urban centers taken into account.

Ilonggos are known for their warmth, friendliness, and welcoming nature. A hallmark trait of Ilonggos is their malambing nature, marked by their softly spoken yet persistent dialogue in social and personal settings. Ilonggos are proud and have a laid-back disposition towards life that allows them to better express the depth of feeling with the people around them. Ilonggo culture values relationships highly, and Ilonggos pride themselves on maintaining ties with friends and family no matter how much they have changed or grown over time. Iloilo in the Philippines is well known for its warm, friendly, and hospitable people. This charming community has so much to offer visitors, from the superb cuisine to the gorgeous natural scenery. Here’s a list of some of the best things about this vibrant culture that makes it an excellent destination for travelers everywhere. Ilonggos are renowned for their melodic way of speaking and singing, which gives them a unique blend of communication that is both easy to understand and pleasing to listen to. One of the main traits of Ilonggo culture is their tremendous friendliness and hospitality towards strangers or foreign guests—making it easier than ever to get around while visiting this lovely region in the Philippines.

Hiligaynon is the leading Ilonggo weekly magazine published in the Philippines since 1934. It contains Ilonggo serialized novels, short stories, poetry, serialized comics, essays, news features, entertainment news and articles, and many others. Hiligaynon is named after one of the most predominantly spoken language amongst the people of Western Visayas and Soccsksargen region. Hiligaynon closed during the notorious Martial Law era, but was resurrected in 1989. Hiligaynon magazine aims to preserve the rich culture and literature, unique traditions and colorful festivities of the Ilonggo people. Hiligaynon magazine was first published in 1934. It promotes Ilonggo culture and arts by printing articles in the native language, thus giving non-English Ilonggo readers a better understanding of their own heritage. The birth of Hiligaynon magazine was inspired by the successes of its sister-publications Liwayway magazine, Bisaya magazine and Bannawag founded by Don Ramon Roces of Ramon Roces Publishing, Inc., who also handles the Manila Bulletin. During the Second World War, the combined U.S. and Philippine Commonwealth military ground forces including the local Panay guerrilla resistance fighters was fought against the Japanese Imperial forces led by General Sosaku Suzuki during the Battle for the Liberation of Panay in Western Visayas included the three provinces of Antique (now, Aklan and Antique), Capiz and Iloilo in 1945.

The Iloilo Dinagyang Festival is a showcase of the rich heritage, colorful history, passionate devotion, and fun-loving spirit of the Ilonggo people. The festival traces its roots as a thanksgiving celebration in honor of Senyor Santo Niño, the child Jesus. Today, it has grown to be one of the Philippines’ most spectacular religious and cultural festivals. The Dinagyang Festival is held every 4th weekend of January. In 2020, the highlights are scheduled for January 24 to 26, 2019. The festival’s major events include the fluvial procession, religious sadsad, and the Ati tribes’ dance competition. In addition, there are many exciting activities happening all throughout the month of January. Held on a Sunday, this is the most awaited event of the Dinagyang Festival. Competing tribes, which include the warrior-dancers are all smeared with dark brown body-paint, dance to the fast-paced beat of the drums and other live instruments & battle it out to become the festival chamption. This 2020, the stakes have been raised with the winners receiving the highest prize money in the Dinagyang’s history. Formerly known as the “ati-ati competition, the tribes’ competition is now called the “Dinagyang 360°” competition. It will be presented arena-type, so the audience can enjoy the performances from every angle.