SULU: KNOWING OUR ANCESTRAL DOMAIN

By: MAJ SAMUEL T MONGCAL PN(M)

n the recent past, the Philippine Marine Corps has been clamoring to be deployed in Sulu, Basilan, Tawi-tawi provinces and Zamboanga peninsula ( or commonly known as SULBATZ) for two important reasons: to apply the Fleet-Marine Doctrine and to be at our ancestral domain. The first reason connotes development in the organization while the latter is based on historical perspective or the old saying of home sweet home. For more than three decades, the marines never left the SULBATZ area. But the question is how much do we know about our ancestral sphere of influence? Old Hands relate stories of the events of seventies onwards, thus limiting our perspective in the era wherein conflict was a daily undertaking. Seldom can you hear stories about its royal past and how it came to existence. For instance, it is officially known to us today that Jolo is the capital of Sulu but the word Jolo is a misrepresentation of the Spaniards since they earlier wrote it as Xolo or Sooloo. In Maguindanao, they rendered it as Sulug which is the complete form. However, the Sulus pronounce and write it as Sug which means sea-current. As part of personal quest for historical information, I came across with an old book that painstakingly detailed the origins of Sulu Sultanate from mid- 1300 to late 1800. The History of Sulu by Dr. Najeeb M. Saleeby , published in January 1907, is a companion volume of his Studies in Moro History, Law and Religion which was published two years earlier.. He exerted great efforts to produce two important documents that have been the centerpieces of his research: the Genealogy of Sulu and the Tarsila of Maguindanao. On 22 August , 1963 The History of Sulu was acknowledged by Dean Cesar Adib Majul of the University of Philippines as , the first and so far, the only attempt to present in a historical narrative of the Sulu Sultanate, its days of glory and vicissitudes up to the eve of its decline during the Spanish regime.

Dean Majul pointed in his introduction of the book that Dr. Saleebys second work was intended for American civil and military authorities that commissioned him in order to have a clear understanding of the Sultanate wherein American sovereignty has been declared. Thus it can be deduced that American authorities were in the right path on how to deal and govern their new territory. Our colonial past would tell us if they were really successful or not. Nonetheless, this is an attempt to supplement the knowledge and understanding about our ancestral domain which the Philippine Marines Corps earned most of its history of gallantry and legacy. As a general acknowledgement, most of its content was lifted from the above-mentioned book.

SULUS FIRST DWELLERS

The first dwellers of Sulu are the people of Maymbung (presently known and spelled as Maimbung). These were the descendants of Tuan Mashaika, whom they believed as a prophet and born out of a bamboo. Then came the Tagimaha ( Sanskrit word for country) followed by the Baklaya. After these came the Bajaw ( Samals) then Karimul Makdum ( Arabian judge or scholar ) and he settled in Bwansa where the Tagimaha nobles lived. Ten years later came Raja Baginda from Menangkabaw ( a rich, high region in central Sumatra). But according to the book written by Sultan JamalulKiram I and was in possession of Hadji Butu (his prime minister), the first persons who lived in Sulu was Jamiyun Kulisa with his wife, Indira Suga. Both were sent to Sulu by Alexander the Great, and Tuan Mashsika was their son. Dr. Saleeby believed that the Genealogy of Sulu is the most reliable record when he analyzed the tribes and elements of early inhabitants of Sulu.

elements of early inhabitants of Sulu. Maymbung was the original capital and residential area of the early rulers. Then it was Bwansa wherein the first three sultans ruled and lived. Later it was transferred to Sug until 1876 when Sultan Jamalul Alam transferred to its ancient capital of Maymbung due to Spanish occupation.

RELIGIONS IN SULU
Dr. Saleeby claimed that the former religion in Sulu was of Hindu origin. The Genealogy of Sulu stated that Tuan Mashika was born out of bamboo stalk while traditions claimed that he was the son of Jamiyun Kulisa and Indira Suga which were mythological names and Sanskrit origin. He mentioned that the early dwellers deified various phenomena of nature. As part of traditions, Tausugs fired their weapons during strong winds, bad smell due to lutaw (ghost), eclipses, etc. These practices would probably explain the glaring influence of Hindu religion despite their being Mohammedans. The introduction of Islam and the rise of Mohammedan dynasty in Sulu came in 1380 to 1450. This era was influenced by two important characters namely; Makdum and Raja Baginda. The former was a noted Arabian scholar or judge who introduced Islam in Malacca in the middle of 14th century and continued his travel to the east and reached Mindanao and Sulu passing thru Sambuwangan ( Zamboanga)and Basilan by late of said century (or about 1380). It was ten years later that Raja Baginda arrived in Sulu. He was a prince from central Sumatra who invaded Sulu and became the supreme ruler of Bwansa. Dr Saleeby found the accounts of his arrival as absurd and that the Genealogy of Sulu as well as Tarsila of Magindanao accounts were exceedingly brief thus offered ambiguity, and misleading. Nevertheless, it was established that the Sulus embraced new religion which was Islam and that they were Mohammedans for more than a century before Spanish expeditions and rediscovery of the Philippine Islands.

POLITICS, GOVERNMENT AND ITS ECONOMY

art of Mohammedization of Sulu was the establishment of its laws and government or the sultanate itself. It was noted by Dr Saleeby that the narrative of events contained through out the manuscript ( tarsila) was a mere synopsis of headlines. He furthered that the establishment of Islam and its sultanate was no more than one paragraph thus lacking the much desired details. Due to the brevity of Moro writings, Dr Saleeby turned to country traditions which he claimed had added further but less reliable information in his

works to shed light on the establishment of Islam in Sulu and its sultanate, as follows: It is the common belief that Abu Bakr was born in Mecca and that he lived some time in Juhur ( or Mallaca). Others state that it was his father, Zaynul Abidin, who came from Mecca and that Abu baker was born of the daughter of the Sultan of Juhur at Mallaca. He came to Pangutaran first, the narrative continues, then to Zamboanga and Basilan. His younger brother, who had accompanied him, continued eastward to Mindanao, while he remained at Basilan for a short while. Having heard of Abu Bakr, the people of Sulu sent Orangkaya Suil to Basilan to invite him to Bwansa to rule over them. This invitation was accepted and Abu Bakr was inaugurated sultan over Sulu soon after his arrival. He beckoned on the annals of Malacca ( Malaysia) which described the success of Sayid Abu Bakr in the promulgation of doctrines of Abu Ishaq contained in Darul-Mazlum or The House of the Oppressed or Ignorant in Malacca and pushed his travel farther east reaching Sulu by 1450. He was well received by Sulus and lived with the ruler of Bwansa, Raja Baginda As fruit of his success in Bwansa that he married Princess Paramisuli, the daughter of Raja Baginda. Abu Bakr was appointed chief judge and priest by Raja Baginda and became his successor because the raja has no male heir. In my further research, I noticed some interesting similarities on the circumstances of the ascensions to powers of Caliph Abu Bakr of the powerful Quraysh tribe and Sultan Sayid Abu Bakr of Sulu. The former was the successor, close friend and adviser of Prophet Muhammad which was chosen by the elders instead of Ali, cousin of Muhammad, because he did not seek the caliphate for the good of Islam. Caliph Abu Bakr also married one of Muhammads daughters and unified the Arabia. Whether the detail of Sultan Abu Bakrs ascension to power wass accurate or not, it is safe to say that both were successors and very close to their predecessors. Sultan Sayid Abu Bakr began the political organization of his government which was framed on the same principles just like of an Arabian sultanate. With this form of government, Abu Bakr bestowed himself powers and authorities of a Caliph (Successor). Thus he divided the island of Sulu into five administrative districts, namely: Parang, Pansul, Lati, Gitung (or Talipao) and Luuk. Interestingly, the sultan owned all the shore(lines) and all the land that which the royal gong could be heard. This could be an agreement (or a compromise) between the sultan and perhaps the datus in lieu of the formers claim of absolute sovereignty over the island. It was written that these districts were being managed by panglima (an officer lower than datu) and the districts were subdivided further which

datu) and the districts were subdivided further which were administered by maharaja, orangkaya, laksamana, parukka, etc. All of these were subordinate officers or chiefs. The panglima is under the supervision and authority of the Sultan. The Sultan ruled over Sulu archipelago including Palawan and extended up to northern and eastern Borneo until it was ceded by Sultan Jamalul Alam to the Sabah or British North Borneo Company through its authorized representative, Baron von Overbeck, for a money consideration of $5,000 ( Mexican currency) per annum. Although, it was Sultan Alimud Din (better known to Sulus as Amirul Muminin The Prince of the Faithful) or who first ceded part of North Borneo lying between Cape Inarstang and the River Frimanis and the Islands of Balambangan and Tulayan to English. These two cessions were the results of the continuing struggle of the Sultanate against Spanish government in the Philippines. Jolo was of commercial importance in the early days because the whole trade of archipelago passed through it. Sulus trading relationships spanned to Bruney (Brunei), Sandakan, Celebes, Java, Singapore, China, Luzon and the various islands of the Philippine archipelago. The important exported commodities were the Mother-of- pearl (shells), copra, fish and hemp as reflected in the trading/customs records of 1905 and 1906. The trade of Sulu continuously declined with the development of Manila, Cebu and Iloilo and later on of Zamboanga, Cotabato and Davao. It was told that trade then was controlled by Moros and Chinese but because of the prolonged war with Spain, the Sulu traders became fewer while the Chinese were unmolested and eventually controlled all aspects of commerce. Dr Saleeby pointed out that a new political revival will no doubt change their attitude and may bring about a surprising development in arts and trades as well as of commerce. Thus it was not surprising that the Ramos administration and governments of ASEAN had established BIMP-EAGA to spur the growth in the region and revived as well the trading routes of the past.

THE HISTORICAL SUPPLEMENT

As a conclusion to this historical supplement for soldiers to be assigned in Sulu archipelago, the following are nice to know as they pursue their military career: 1. The old name of Isabela, Basilan is Pasangan which is the name of the stream that runs through it. 2. Ihe Island of Sulu is smaller than Basilan and of volcanic origin and that the last record of volcanic

activity was in 1840. 3. The Island of Tulayan, in front of the present Tandu batuh, Luuk was ceded by Sultan Alimud Din I to English in return of some favors but it was never occupied or used. 4. The name Busbus means chop up or dress wood. During the Sultanate reign, this is the place wherein convicted persons of capital crimes were tied to a tree and chopped to pieces. 5. For more than three hundred years of conflict between Spain and Sulu, the only established method of warfare for the Sulus at that time was by raiding its opponent. It has no standing army but all able-bodied males were their defenders and thousands could be summoned in short notice. That it was only the introduction of steamship in Spanish navy that suppressed the Moro raids of settlements in Luzon and Visayas including Manila. 6. Long before the arrival of Spaniards in Sulu islands, the Sulus were using guns and brass cannons( lantaka) which was probably introduced by the people of Malacca which could have been introduced by the Arabs 7. For 425 years, Sulu Sultanate had been independent. The Spanish never took serious consideration of occupying Jolo until 1876. A large expeditionary force under an admiral was assembled with an estimated strength of 9,000 troops and more than 30 ships in various sizes. 8. The Sulus are basically of the Malay race and some historians pointed out that piracy is not only a habit

for them but an instinct. But we all know also that piracy exists all over the world and Sulu is no exception to this daring yet highly profitable endeavor. 9. The Spanish government and the Sultanate have signed three treaties; the Treaty of 1836 with the Sultan of Sulu which was ratified by Queen Regent of Spain, Queen Isabela II, the Treaty of April 30, 1851 and the Treaty of July,1878. In May, 1899 the Spaniards evacuated Sulu and was occupied by Americans. General J.C. Bates concluded a treaty with Sultan Jamalul Kiram II which was generally known as the Bates Agreement. 10. Raja Baginda received two elephants as precious gift from raja of Java. This was reported by earlier Spanish expeditions and some historical notes of different nationalities that visited the island. As the story said, the elephants were let loose in Mount Tumatangis and they multiplied. That there was a place in Tumatangis called as lubluban-gaja. The last elephant which was mentioned on stories was killed by chief and earned the right to marry the daughter of the sultan. 11. The original title of the rulers of Sulu was Timway or Tumuway which means chief or leader and this was replaced by Datu.

Being wise is better than being strong. Yes, knowledge is more important than strength. After all, you must make careful plans before you fight a battle and the more good advice you get, the more likely you are to win.Proverbs 23:5-6 TEV
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