maranao ...wikepedia says...

Maranao is the term used for the people of Lanao, a predominantly Muslim region in the Philippine island of Mindanao. They are famous for their artwork, sophisticated weaving, wood and metal craft, and their epic literature. The word Maranao, also spelled Maranaw, means "People of the Lake", referring to the indigenous people who inhabited the lands around Lake Lanao whose principal town is Marawi City. The Maranaos are part of the wider Moro ethnic group, who constitute the sixth largest Filipino ethnic group.

Area

The Maranaos primarily live in the provinces of Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte and many are settlers in Zamboanga del Sur, Bukidnon, Davao, Cotabato, Maguindanao, and in many southern Philippine islands from Basilan exending to Tawi-Tawi. Small communities of Maranaos, mostly traders, can be found in all major cities in the Philippines.

Demographics

Maranaos number about 1,142,000. Along with the Illanun and Maguindanao, the Maranao are one of three related indigenous Muslim groups native to the island of Mindanao. In turn, these groups also share genes, linguistic and cultural ties to non-Muslim Lumad groups such as the Tiruray or Subanon. Maranao royals have varied infusions of Arab, Indian, Malay, Indonesian, as well as Chinese ancestry.

The language of the Maranao people is also called Maranao. It is a language spoken by approximately 800,000 people living in areas near Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte. The language can be traced from the Southern Philippine sub-branch of the Western Austronesian language family, and is closely related to the Illanun language spoken in Sabah and Malaysia. It is also close to Maguindanaon, the language spoken in Maguindanao, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Zamboanga del Sur provinces. They speak Cebuano, Tagalog, and [Arab language] English as second languages. The vast majority of Maranaos are Muslims. A few, especially those living in the hills around Lake Lanao practice Islam diluted with traces of pre-Islamic traditions.

Musical Heritage

Main articles: Music of the Philippines and Kulintang

The native Maranao have a fascinating culture that revolves around kulintang music, a specific type of gong music, found among both Muslim and non-Muslim groups of the Southern Philippines. In 2005, the Darangen Epic of the Maranao people of Lake Lanao was selected by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

History

Previous to the occupation of the Philippines by Spanish, and later American and Japanese, the Maranaos had their own kingdom with a Sultan ruler due to the influence of Muslim missionaries.