Visayans (
Visayan: ''mga Bisaya''; ) or Visayan people are a
Philippine ethnolinguistic group or
metaethnicity native to the
Visayas, the southernmost islands of
Luzon and a significant portion of
Mindanao. When taken as a single ethnic group, they are both the most numerous in the entire country at around 33.5 million, as well as the most
geographically
Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and ...
widespread. The Visayans broadly share a maritime
culture with strong
Roman Catholic traditions integrated into a
precolonial indigenous core through centuries of interaction and migration mainly across the
Visayan,
Sibuyan,
Camotes,
Bohol and
Sulu
Sulu (), officially the Province of Sulu (Tausug language, Tausūg: ''Wilāya sin Lupa' Sūg''; tl, Lalawigan ng Sulu), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines in the Sulu Archipelago and part of the Bangsamoro, Bangsamor ...
seas. In more inland or otherwise secluded areas, ancient
animistic-polytheistic beliefs and traditions either were
reinterpreted within a Roman Catholic
framework
A framework is a generic term commonly referring to an essential supporting structure which other things are built on top of.
Framework may refer to:
Computing
* Application framework, used to implement the structure of an application for an op ...
or
syncretized
Syncretism () is the practice of combining different beliefs and various schools of thought. Syncretism involves the merging or assimilation of several originally discrete traditions, especially in the theology and mythology of religion, thu ...
with the new religion. Visayans are generally speakers of one or more of the
Bisayan languages, the most widely spoken being
Cebuano, followed by
Hiligaynon (Ilonggo) and
Waray-Waray.
Terminology
''
Kabisay-an
The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands (Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; tl, Kabisayaan ), are one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Luzon and Mindanao. Located in the central part of the archipelago, it ...
'' refers both to the Visayan people collectively and the islands they have inhabited since prehistory. The
Anglicized term ''Visayas'' (in turn adapted from the
Hispanized ''Bisayas'') is commonly used to refer to the latter.
In
Northern Mindanao, Visayans (both Mindanao natives and migrants) are also referred to by the
Lumad as the ''dumagat'' ("sea people", from the root word ''dagat'' - "sea"; not to be confused with the
Dumagat Aeta). This was to distinguish the coast-dwelling Visayans from the Lumad of the interior highlands and marshlands.
The following
regions and
provinces in the Philippines have a sizeable or predominant Visayan population:
According to
H. Otley Beyer
Henry Otley Beyer (July 13, 1883 – December 31, 1966) was an American anthropologist, who spent most of his adult life in the Philippines teaching Philippine indigenous culture. A.V.H. Hartendorp called Beyer the "Dean of Philippine ethnolo ...
and other anthropologists, the term ''Visayan'' (
Spanish: ''bisayo'') was first applied only to the people of
Panay
Panay is the sixth-largest and fourth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of and has a total population of 4,542,926 as of 2020 census. Panay comprises 4.4 percent of the entire population of the country. The City o ...
and to their settlements eastward in the island of Negros and northward in the smaller islands, which now compose the province of Romblon. In fact, at the early part of Spanish colonialization of the Philippines, the
Spaniards
Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance peoples, Romance ethnic group native to Spain. Within Spain, there are a number of National and regional identity in Spain, national and regional ethnic identities that reflect the country's complex Hist ...
used the term ''Visayan'' only for these areas, while the people of Cebu, Bohol and Western Leyte were for a long time known only as
Pintados.
The name ''Visayan'' was later extended to them around the beginning of 1800s because, as several of the early writers state (especially in the writings of the Jesuit
Lorenzo Hervás y Panduro published in 1801), albeit erroneously, their languages are closely allied to the Visayan "
dialect" of Panay. The impression of these similarities was in fact carefully analyzed by
David Zorc, who, while able to
linguistically classify Classification is a process related to categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated and understood.
Classification is the grouping of related facts into classes.
It may also refer to:
Business, organizat ...
the
Austronesian
Austronesian may refer to:
*The Austronesian languages
*The historical Austronesian peoples
The Austronesian peoples, sometimes referred to as Austronesian-speaking peoples, are a large group of peoples in Taiwan, Maritime Southeast Asia, M ...
subfamily termed
Bisayan languages, noticed their overall connections as one
dialect continuum. These should not, however, be confused as dialects, given the lack of mutual intelligibility.
[Zorc, David Paul. ''The Bisayan Dialects of the Philippines: Subgrouping and Reconstruction''. Canberra, Australia: Dept. of Linguistics, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University, 1977.]
Grabiel Ribera, captain of the Spanish royal infantry in the Philippine Islands, also distinguished Panay from the rest of the Pintados Islands. In his report (dated 20 March 1579) regarding a campaign to pacify the natives living along the rivers of Mindanao (a mission he received from Dr. Francisco de Sande, Governor and Captain-General of the Archipelago), Ribera mentioned that his aim was to make the inhabitants of that island "''vassals of King Don Felipe ... as are all the natives of the island of Panay, the Pintados Islands, and those of the island of Luzon ...''"
Similarly, the old Spanish term ''Hiligueinos'' (also spelled ''Yliguenes'', ''Yligueynes'', or ''Hiligueynos''; from Visayan ''Iligan'' or ''Iliganon'', meaning "people of the coast") was once used by the Spanish
conquistador
Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (, ; meaning 'conquerors') were the explorer-soldiers of the Spanish and Portuguese Empires of the 15th and 16th centuries. During the Age of Discovery, conquistadors sailed beyond Europe to the Americas, O ...
Miguel de Loarca as a general name for coastal-dwelling Visayans not only in
Panay
Panay is the sixth-largest and fourth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of and has a total population of 4,542,926 as of 2020 census. Panay comprises 4.4 percent of the entire population of the country. The City o ...
, but also
Cebu,
Bohol, and
Western Negros
Negros Occidental ( hil, Nakatungdang Negros; tl, Kanlurang Negros), officially the Province of Negros Occidental, is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is the city of Bacolod. It occupies the north ...
. Today, the demonym is only used specifically for the
Hiligaynon people, a major Visayan subgroup.
History
Classical period

The Visayans first encountered
Western Civilization when
Portuguese explorer
Ferdinand Magellan reached the island of
Homonhon,
Eastern Samar
Eastern Samar (Waray-Waray: ''Sinirangan Samar''; tl, Silangang Samar), officially the Province of Eastern Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is the city of Borongan. Eastern Samar occupies ...
in 1521. The Visayas became part of the
Spanish colony of the Philippines and the history of the Visayans became intertwined with the history of the
Philippines. With the three centuries of contact with the
Spanish Empire via
Mexico and the
United States, the islands today share a culture tied to the sea later developed from an admixture of
indigenous lowland Visayans,
Han Chinese,
Indian, and
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
influences.
Spanish colonization

The first
Filipino people
Filipinos ( tl, Mga Pilipino) are the people who are citizens of or native to the Philippines. The majority of Filipinos today come from various Austronesian ethnolinguistic groups, all typically speaking either Filipino, English and/or other ...
encountered by the
Magellan expedition (c. 1521) were Visayans from the island of
Suluan
Suluan is an island barangay in the Philippines, in the municipality of Guiuan, Eastern Samar. It lies east of Leyte Gulf and west of Emden Deep. The inhabitants of the island were the first Filipinos to trade and interact with Ferdinand Magella ...
; followed by two rulers of the
Surigaonon and
Butuanon people
The Butuanon are an ethnolinguistic group who inhabited in the region of Caraga. They are part of the wider ethnolingustic group Bisaya people, who constitute the largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group in the country.
Area
Butuanons live in t ...
on a hunting expedition in
Limasawa, Rajah Colambu and Rahah Siaui; and finally
Rajah Humabon of
Cebu. Magellan describes the Suluanon people he encountered as "painted" (tattooed), with gold earrings and armlets, and
kerchiefs around their heads. They described Rajah Colambu as having dark hair that hung down to his shoulders,
tawny
Tawny may refer to:
* Tawny (given name), a feminine given name
* Tawny (color)
* Tawny port, a fortified wine
* ''Tawny'', a 1954 record album by Jackie Gleason
* Tawny, a townland in Kilcar, County Donegal, Ireland
See also
* Tenné, a "sta ...
skin, and tattoos all throughout his body. They also noted the large amount of gold ornaments he wore, from large gold earrings to gold
tooth filling
Dental restoration, dental fillings, or simply fillings are treatments used to restore the function, integrity, and morphology of missing tooth structure resulting from caries or external trauma as well as to the replacement of such structure sup ...
s. Rajah Colambu wore embroidered
patadyong that covered him from the waist to the knees, as well as a kerchief around his head. They also described the "''boloto''" (
bangka) and the large "''balanghai''" (
balangay) warships, and the custom of drinking
palm wine ("''uraka''") and chewing
areca nut. They also described the queen of Cebu as being young and beautiful and covered in white and black cloth. She painted her lips and nails red, and wore a large disc-shaped hat (''
sadok'') made from elaborately-woven leaves.
The 16th century marks the beginning of the Christianization of the Visayan people, with the baptism of
Rajah Humabon and about 800 native Cebuanos. The Christianization of the Visayans and Filipinos in general, is commemorated by the
Ati-Atihan Festival of
Aklan, the
Dinagyang Festival of
Iloilo, and the
Sinulog festival the feast of the
Santo Niño de Cebu (Holy Child of Cebu), the brown-skinned depiction of the Child Jesus given by Magellan to Rajah Humabon's wife, Hara Amihan (baptized as Queen Juana). By the 17th century, Visayans already took part in religious missions. In 1672,
Pedro Calungsod, a teenage indigenous Visayan catechist and
Diego Luis de San Vitores
Diego Luis de San Vitores, SJ (November 12, 1627 – April 2, 1672) was a Spanish Jesuit missionary who founded the first Catholic church on the island of Guam. He is responsible for establishing the Christian presence in the Mariana Islands. He ...
, a Spanish friar, were both martyred in
Guam during their mission to preach Christianity to the
Chamorro people
The Chamorro people (; also CHamoru) are the indigenous people of the Mariana Islands, politically divided between the United States territory of Guam and the encompassing Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Micronesia. Today, signif ...
.

By the end of the 19th century, the
Spanish Empire weakened after a series of wars with its
American territories
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, p ...
. The surge of newer ideas from the outside world thanks to the liberalization of trade by the
Bourbon Spain fostered a relatively larger middle class population called the ''
Ilustrados'' or "the Enlightened Ones." This then became an incentive for the new generation of educated political visionaries to fulfill their dreams of independence from three centuries of colonial rule. Some prominent leaders of the
Philippine Revolution in the late 19th century were Visayans. Among leaders of the Propaganda movement was
Graciano López Jaena, the
Ilonggo who established the propagandist publication ''
La Solidaridad
''La Solidaridad'' (The Solidarity) was an organization created in Spain on December 13, 1888. Composed of Filipino liberals exiled in 1872 and students attending Europe's universities, the organization aimed to increase Spanish awareness of th ...
'' (The Solidarity). In the Visayan theater of the Revolution, Pantaleón Villegas (better known as
León Kilat
Lieutenant-General Pantaleón Villegas y Soldi (July 27, 1873 – April 8, 1898), better known by his '' nom-de-guerre'' León Kilat (literally "Lightning Leo" in Cebuano), was a Filipino revolutionary leader in Cebu during the Philippin ...
) led the Cebuano revolution in the Battle of ''Tres de Abril'' (April 3). One of his successors,
Arcadio Maxilom, is a prominent general in the liberalization of
Cebu. Earlier in 1897,
Aklan fought against the Spaniards with Francisco Castillo and Candido Iban at the helm. Both were executed after a failed offensive.
Martin Delgado led the rebellion in neighboring
Iloilo. Led by
Juan Araneta with the assistance of
Aniceto Lacson,
Negros Occidental was freed while
Negros Oriental was liberated by Diego de la Viña. The former would be called the
Negros Revolution or the ''
Cinco de Noviembre
The Negros Revolution ( fil, Himagsikang Negrense; ceb, Rebolusyong Negrense; es, Revolución negrense), commemorated and popularly known as the Fifth of November ( es, links=no, Cinco de noviembre) or Negros Day ( hil, Adlaw sang Negros; ce ...
''. Movements in
Capiz were led by Esteban Contreras with the aid of Alejandro Balgos, Santiago Bellosillo and other Ilustrados. Meanwhile, Leandro Locsin Fullon spearheaded the liberalization of
Antique
An antique ( la, antiquus; 'old', 'ancient') is an item perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance, and often defined as at least 100 years old (or some other limit), although the term is often used loosely ...
. Most of these revolutionaries would continue their fight for independence until the
Philippine–American War
The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
. There was also a less heard and short-lived uprising called the Igbaong Revolt which occurred in Igbaong, Antique steered by Maximo and Gregorio Palmero. This revolt, however, was
secularly-motivated as they clamored for a more
syncretic form of religion based on Visayan animist traditions and Christianity.
Federal State of the Visayas

At the peak of the
Philippine Revolution, anti-colonial insurgencies sprung from
Luzon up to the
Visayas. Despite military support from the
Tagalog Republic led by
Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (: March 22, 1869February 6, 1964) was a Filipino revolutionary, statesman, and military leader who is the youngest president of the Philippines (1899–1901) and is recognized as the first president of the Philippine ...
, Visayan revolutionary leaders were skeptical toward the real motives of the
Tagalogs. Such ethnic animosity was notable to the point that local Visayan leaders demanded forces sent from the north to surrender their armaments and were prohibited to leave revolutionary bases. Moreover, this apprehension led to the full declaration of the Federal State of Visayas on December 12, 1898. This short-lived federal government, based in
Iloilo, was an accumulation of revolutionary movements across
Panay
Panay is the sixth-largest and fourth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of and has a total population of 4,542,926 as of 2020 census. Panay comprises 4.4 percent of the entire population of the country. The City o ...
and
Negros. The following were the elected officials four days prior to the declaration:
The federation was immediately formed upon the merger of the Cantonal Government of Negros, the Cantonal Government of Bohol and the Provisional Government of the District of Visayas (based in
Panay
Panay is the sixth-largest and fourth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of and has a total population of 4,542,926 as of 2020 census. Panay comprises 4.4 percent of the entire population of the country. The City o ...
) which included
Romblon. It was said to be based on American federalism and Swiss confederacy. Despite their skepticism towards Malolos, the Visayan government proclaimed its loyalty to the Luzon-based republic while maintaining their own governance, tax collection and army.
Apolinario Mabini, then the prime minister of the Malolos republic convinced the Visayan leaders that the
Malolos Constitution was only provisional and that the governments in Visayas and Mindanao were promised the power to co-ratify it.
American colonization
After the
1898 Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Peace between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain, commonly known as the Treaty of Paris of 1898 ( fil, Kasunduan sa Paris ng 1898; es, Tratado de París de 1898), was a treaty signed by Spain and the United Stat ...
, the American colonial government saw the integral part of indigenous elites particularly in
Negros in local affairs. This was a different move compared to the previous Spanish imperialists who created a racial distinction between
mestizos and native Austronesians (''
indios''). As such, this paved the way for a homogenous concept of a
Filipino albeit initially based on financial and political power. These said elites were the ''hacienderos'' or the landed, bourgeois-capitalist class concentrated within the sugar cane industry of Negros. The Americans' belief that these hacienderos would be strategic elements in their political hold within the newly acquired colony bolstered the drafting of a separate colonial constitution by and for the sugar industry elites. This constitution likewise established the Negros Cantonal Government. This ensured that the island of Negros would be governed by an indigenous civilian government in contrast to the rest of colonist-controlled areas governed by the American-dominated
Philippine Commission.
During this period, the eastern islands of
Samar,
Leyte and
Biliran (including
Marinduque
Marinduque (; ), officially the Province of Marinduque, is an island province in the Philippines located in Southwestern Tagalog Region or Mimaropa, formerly designated as Region IV-B. Its capital is the municipality of Boac. Marinduque lies be ...
) were directly governed by the Malolos Republic through Vicente Lukban and later by Ambrosio Mojica. Meanwhile, prior to the full abolition of the federal government on November 12, 1899, Emilio Aguinaldo appointed Martin Delgado as the civil and military governor of Iloilo on April 28, 1899 upon American invasion of
Antique
An antique ( la, antiquus; 'old', 'ancient') is an item perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance, and often defined as at least 100 years old (or some other limit), although the term is often used loosely ...
. The federal government, much to its rejection of the Cebuano leaders who supported the
Katipunan cause, was dissolved upon the Iloilo leaders' voluntary union with the newly formed
First Philippine Republic. Other factors which led to Aguinaldo forcing the Visayans to dissolve their government was due to the federation's resistance from reorganizing its army and forwarding taxes to Malolos.
Contemporary
Since
Philippine independence from the United States, there have been four
Philippine Presidents
The president of the Philippines ( fil, Pangulo ng Pilipinas, sometimes referred to as ''Presidente ng Pilipinas'') is the head of state, head of government and chief executive of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of t ...
from the Visayan regions: the Cebuano
Sergio Osmeña, the Capiznon
Manuel Roxas, the Boholano
Carlos P. García
Carlos Polestico Garcia (November 4, 1896 – June 14, 1971) was a Filipino teacher, poet, orator, lawyer, public official, political economist, guerrilla and Commonwealth military leader who was the eighth president of the Philippines. A l ...
, and the Davaoeño
Rodrigo Duterte
Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson ...
.

In addition, the Visayas has produced three
Vice-Presidents, four
Senate Presidents, eight
Speakers of the House
The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England.
Usage
The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerf ...
, six
Chief Justices, and five
Presidential Spouses including
Imelda Marcos, a Waray. The then-president
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is also half Cebuano. Former president
Rodrigo Duterte
Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson ...
, who is of
Visayan ethnicity, also has Leyteño roots. In international diplomacy the Visayas has produced a United Nations Undersecretary general, the
Negros Occidental native
Rafael M. Salas
Rafael Montinola Salas (August 7, 1928 – March 4, 1987) was the first head of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). His tenure started at the agency's inception in 1969 and ended with his sudden death in 1987. Prior to accepting the UN ...
who served as the Head of the
UNFPA. In the lines of religion, there have been two Visayan
Cardinals, namely
Julio Rosales from
Samar and
Jaime Sin
Jaime Lachica Sin ( zh, t=辛海梅, 辛海棉, poj=Sin Hái-mûi, Sin Hái-mî; August 31, 1928 – June 21, 2005), commonly and formally known as Jaime Cardinal Sin, was the 30th Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila and the third cardinal from ...
from
Aklan. The first Visayan and second
Filipino that was canonized is
Pedro Calungsod.
Throughout centuries, non-Visayan groups, most notably foreigners such as the Chinese, have settled in predominantly-Visayan cities in Visayas like
Iloilo,
Bacolod
Bacolod, officially the City of Bacolod (; hil, Dakbanwa/Syudad sang Bacolod; fil, Lungsod ng Bacolod), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the region of Western Visayas, Philippines. It is the capital of the province of Negros Occidenta ...
,
Dumaguete and
Cebu and
Mindanao such as
Cagayan de Oro
Cagayan ( ), officially the Province of Cagayan ( ilo, Probinsia ti Cagayan; ibg, Provinsiya na Cagayan; itv, Provinsiya ya Cagayan; fil, Lalawigan ng Cagayan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region, covering ...
,
Iligan,
Davao and
General Santos
General Santos, officially the City of General Santos,; hil, Dakbanwa sang Heneral Santos; Maguindanao language, Maguindanao: ''Ingud nu Heneral Santos''; Blaan language, Blaan: ''Banwe Dadiangas''; Tboli language, Tboli: ''Benwu Dadiangas'' ...
. These
Filipino-Chinese
Chinese Filipinos; tl, Tsinoy, / Tsinong Pilipino, ; Philippine Hokkien , Mandarin (also known as Filipino Chinese in the Philippines) are Filipinos of Chinese descent, mostly of southern Fujianese ancestry, where the majority are bor ...
have been assimilated to mainstream society. One factor would be the limited number of Chinese schools in the Visayas which help maintain the Chinese identity and a stronger sense of a distinct community. Many of them, particularly the younger generation, have been de-cultured from
Chinese traditions, share values about family and friends with other Filipinos, and do not write or speak
Chinese well.
Meanwhile,
Negritos, locally called ''Ati'', have also been assimilated into mainstream Visayan society.
Visayans have likewise migrated to other parts of the Philippines, especially
Metro Manila and
Mindanao. The Visayans have also followed the pattern of migration of
Filipinos abroad and some have migrated to other parts of the world starting from the
Spanish and
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
period and after
World War II. Most are migrants or working as
overseas contract workers.
Language

Ethnic Visayans predominantly speak at least one of the
Bisayan languages, most of which are commonly referred as ''Binisaya'' or ''Bisaya''. The table below lists the Philippine languages classified as Bisayan languages by the
Summer Institute of Linguistics. Although all of the languages indicated below are
classified
Classified may refer to:
General
*Classified information, material that a government body deems to be sensitive
*Classified advertising or "classifieds"
Music
*Classified (rapper) (born 1977), Canadian rapper
*The Classified, a 1980s American roc ...
as "Bisayan" by linguistic terminology, not all speakers identify themselves as ethnically or culturally Visayan. The
Tausūg, a
Moro ethnic group, only use ''Bisaya'' to refer to the predominantly Christian lowland natives which Visayans are popularly recognized as. This is a similar case to the
Ati, who delineate Visayans from fellow
Negritos. Conversely, the Visayans of
Capul
Capul, officially the Municipality of Capul ( war, Bungto han Capul; tl, Bayan ng Capul), is a 5th class island municipality in the province of Northern Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 12,323 people.
A li ...
in
Northern Samar
Northern Samar ( war, Amihanan Samar/Norte san Samar; tl, Hilagang Samar), officially the Province of Northern Samar, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas Regions of the Philippines, regio ...
speak
Abaknon, a
Sama–Bajaw language, as their native tongue.
Culture
Tattoo
Like most other pre-colonial
ethnic groups in the Philippines
The Philippines is inhabited by more than 182 ethnolinguistic groups, many of which are classified as "Indigenous Peoples" under the country's Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997. Traditionally-Muslim peoples from the southernmost island gr ...
and other
Austronesian groups, tattooing was widespread among Visayans. The original Spanish name for the Visayans, ''Los Pintados'' ("The Painted Ones") was a reference to the tattoos of the Visayans.
Antonio Pigafetta of the
Magellan expedition (c. 1521) repeatedly describes the Visayans they encountered as "painted all over".
[
]
Native Austronesian tattooing traditions were lost as Visayans converted to Christianity in the last few centuries. It is unclear whether the related Tausug people, who are a subset of southern Visayans who Islamized from the 13th century, had tattooing as a custom before they took up Islam. Today, traditional tattooing among Visayans only survives among some of the older members of the Sulodnon people
The Suludnon, also known as the Panay-Bukidnon, Pan-ayanon, or Tumandok, are a culturally indigenous Visayan group of people who reside in the Capiz-Lambunao mountainous area and the Antique-Iloilo mountain area of Panay in the Visayan islands ...
of the interior highlands of Panay
Panay is the sixth-largest and fourth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of and has a total population of 4,542,926 as of 2020 census. Panay comprises 4.4 percent of the entire population of the country. The City o ...
, the descendants of ancient Visayans who escaped Spanish conversion.
Tattoos were known as ''batuk'' (or ''batok'') or ''patik'' among Visayans. These terms were also applied to identical designs used in woven textiles, pottery, and other decorations. Tattooed people were known generally as ''binatakan'' (also known to the Tagalog
Tagalog may refer to:
Language
* Tagalog language, a language spoken in the Philippines
** Old Tagalog, an archaic form of the language
** Batangas Tagalog, a dialect of the language
* Tagalog script, the writing system historically used for Tagal ...
people as ''batikan'', which also means "renowned" or "skilled"). Both sexes had tattoos. They were symbols of tribal identity and kinship, as well as bravery, beauty, and social status. It was expected of adults to have them, with the exception of the '' asog'' (feminized men) for whom it was socially acceptable to be ''mapuraw'' or ''puraw'' (unmarked). Tattoos were so highly regarded that men will often just wear a loincloth ( ''bahag'') to show them off.
The Visayan language itself had various terminologies relating to tattoos like ''kulmat'' ("to show off new tattoos) and ''hundawas'' ("to bare the chest and show off tattoos for bravado"). Men who were tattooed but have not participated in battles were scorned as ''halo'' (monitor lizard
Monitor lizards are lizards in the genus ''Varanus,'' the only extant genus in the family Varanidae. They are native to Africa, Asia, and Oceania, and one species is also found in the Americas as an invasive species. About 80 species are recogn ...
), in the sense of being tattooed but undeserving. ''Baug'' or ''binogok'' referred to the healing period after being tattooed. ''Lusak'' ("mud") refers to tattoos that had damaged designs due to infection. Famous heroes covered in tattoos were known as ''lipong''.
Tattoos are acquired gradually over the years, and patterns can take months to complete and heal. They were made by skilled artists using the distinctively Austronesian hafted tattooing technique. This involves using a small hammer to tap the tattooing needle (one or several) set perpendicularly on a wooden handle in an L-shape (hence "hafted"). The ink was made from soot or ashes and water or plant extracts (like those from ''Cayratia trifolia
''Causonis trifolia'' commonly known as bush Grape, fox-grape, three-leaved wild vine or threeleaf cayratia is a species of liana plant native to Australia and Asia. It has black-colored berries, and its leaves contain several flavonoids, suc ...
'') and was known as ''biro''. The tattooing process were sacred events that required chicken or pig sacrifices to the ancestor spirits ('' diwata''). Artists were usually paid with livestock, heirloom beads, or precious metals.
The first tattoos were acquired during the initiation into adulthood. They are initially made on the ankles, gradually moving up to the legs and finally the waist. These tattoos were known as ''hinawak'' ("of the waist"). These were done on all men, and did not indicate special status. Tattoos on the upper body, however, were only done after notable feats (including in love) and after participation in battles. Once the chest and throat are covered, tattoos are further applied to the back. Tattoos on the chin and face (reaching up to the eyelids) are restricted to the most elite warriors. These face tattoos are called ''bangut'' ("muzzle") or ''langi'' ("gaping aws/beaks) and are often designed to resemble frightening masks. They may also be further augmented with scarification (''labong'') burned into the arms. Women were tattooed only on the hands in very fine and intricate designs resembling damask embroidery.
Tattoo designs varied by region. They can be repeating geometric designs, stylized representations of animals (like snakes and lizards), and floral or sun-like patterns. The most basic design was the ''labid'', which was an inch-wide continuous tattoo that covered the legs to the waist in straight or zigzagging lines. Shoulder tattoos were known as ''ablay''; chest tattoos up to the throat were known as ''dubdub''; and arm tattoos were known as ''daya-daya'' (also ''tagur'' in Panay
Panay is the sixth-largest and fourth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of and has a total population of 4,542,926 as of 2020 census. Panay comprises 4.4 percent of the entire population of the country. The City o ...
).
Other body modifications
In addition to tattoos, Visayans also had other body modifications. These include artificial cranial deformation, in which the forehead of infants was pressed against a comb-like device called ''tangad''. The ideal skull shape for adults was for the forehead to slope backwards with a more elongated back part of the skull. Adults with skulls shaped this way were known as ''tinangad'', in contrast with those of unshaped skulls called ''ondo''. Men were also circumcised (more accurately supercised), practiced pearling, or wore pin-shaped genital piercings called ''tugbuk'' which was anchored by decorative rivets called ''sakra''. Both men and women also had ear piercings (1 to 2 on each ear for men, and 3 to 4 for women) and wore huge ring-shaped earrings, earplugs around wide, or pendant earrings. Gold teeth fillings were also common for renowned warriors. Teeth filing and teeth blackening were also practiced.
Religion
Pre-Christianity
Prior to the arrival of Catholicism, precolonial Visayans adhered to a complex Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
- Buddhist and animist
Animism (from Latin: ' meaning 'breath, Soul, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct Spirituality, spiritual essence. Potentially, animism perceives all things—Animal, animals, Plant, plants, Ro ...
system where spirits in nature were believed to govern all existing life. Similar to other ethnic groups in the Philippines
The Philippines is inhabited by more than 182 ethnolinguistic groups, many of which are classified as "Indigenous Peoples" under the country's Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997. Traditionally-Muslim peoples from the southernmost island gr ...
such as the Tagalogs who believed in a pantheon of gods, the Visayans also adhered to deities led by a supreme being. Such belief, on the other hand, was misinterpreted by arriving Spaniards such as Jesuit
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
historian Pedro Chirino to be a form of monotheism. There are Kaptan and Magwayan, supreme god of the sky and goddess of the sea and death, respectively. They in turn bore two children, Lihangin, god of wind, and Lidagat, goddess of the sea. Both aforementioned gods had four children, namely Likabutan, the god of the world, Liadlaw, the god of the sun, Libulan, the god of the moon, and Lisuga, the goddess of the stars. People believed that life transpires amidst the will of and reverence towards gods and spirits. These deities who dwell within nature were collectively called the diwata. Meanwhile, spirits were referred to as ''umalagad'' (called ''anito
''Anito'', also spelled ''anitu'', refers to ancestor spirits, nature spirits, and deities in the indigenous Philippine folk religions from the precolonial age to the present, although the term itself may have other meanings and associati ...
'' in Luzon). These refer to ancestors, past leaders or heroes also transfigured within nature. Beside idols symbolizing the umalagad were food, drinks, clothing, precious valuables or even a sacrificial animal offered for protection of life or property. Such practice was a form of ancestor worship. Furthermore, these rituals surrounding the diwata and umalagad were mediated by the babaylan who were highly revered in society as spiritual leaders. These intercessors were equivalent to shamans, and were predominantly women or were required to have strong female attributes such as hermaphrodites and homosexuals. Old men were also allowed to become one. One notable example is Dios Buhawi who ruled a politico-religious revolt in Negros Oriental at the beginning of the Philippine Revolution.
Present-day
According to 2000 survey, 86.53% of the population of Western Visayas professed Roman Catholicism
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
. Aglipayan (4.01%) and Evangelicals
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide Interdenominationalism, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being "bor ...
(1.48%) were the next largest groups, while 7.71% identified with other religious affiliations.
The same survey showed that 92% of household populations in Central Visayas were Catholics, followed by Aglipayans (2%) and Evangelicals (1%). The remaining 5% belonged to the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Iglesia ni Cristo, various Protestant denominations or other religions.
For Eastern Visayas
Eastern Visayas ( war, Sinirangan Kabisay-an; ceb, Sidlakang Kabisay-an; tl, Silangang Kabisayaan or ''Silangang Visayas'') is an administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region VIII. It consists of three main islands, Samar, ...
, 93% of the total household population were Catholics, while 2% identified as "Aglipayan", and 1% as "Evangelical". The remaining 5% belonged to other Protestant denominations (including the Iglesia ni Cristo, the Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...
, and various Baptist churches) or identified with Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
and other religions.
The Tausugs of Sulu do not or identified themselves less as "Bisaya" (Visayan) despite their language being classified as Visayan, owing to their distinct culture and profession of Islamic faith. The Tausug term "bisaya" is only referred to their Christian Visayan neighbors. Tausugs are overwhelmingly Muslims, particularly in their home provinces of Sulu and Tawi-tawi, while those who migrated to and lived in predominantly Christian cities or provinces already professed Catholic Christianity or "Born-Again" Christianity.
Festivals
Visayans are known in the Philippines for their festivities such as the Ati-Atihan, Dinagyang, Pintados-Kasadyaan
The Pintados Festival is a cultural-religious celebration in Tacloban based on the body-painting traditions of the ancient tattooed "pintados" warriors. In 1986, the Pintados Foundation, Inc. was formed by the people of Tacloban to organize this ...
, Sangyaw
Sangyaw Festival is a religious and socio-cultural event in the Philippines. It was revived in 2008 by the city government of Tacloban, Philippines. Sangyaw means "to herald news" in Waray language
Waray (also known as Waray-Waray or Bisaya/B ...
, Sinulog festivals. Most Visayan festivals have a strong association with Roman Catholicism despite apparent integration of ancient Hindu-Buddhist-Animist folklore particularly the tradition of dances and the idols in the image of the Child Jesus commonly named as the Santo Niño. The oldest Catholic religious image in the islands still existing today is the Santo Niño de Cebú.
The Sandugo Festival of Tagbilaran, Bohol is a celebration of one of the most significant parts of pre-Philippine history. This festival revolves around the theme of the reenactment of the blood compact between the island's monarch, Datu Sikatuna, and the Spanish explorer, Miguel López de Legazpi
Miguel López de Legazpi (12 June 1502 – 20 August 1572), also known as '' El Adelantado'' and ''El Viejo'' (The Elder), was a Spaniard who, from the age of 26, lived and built a career in Mexico (then the Viceroyalty of New Spain) and, i ...
, which is known among Filipinos as the Sandugo (lit. unified/one blood). The arrival of the ten Bornean datus as mentioned in the legend of Maragtas is celebrated in Binirayan Festival in Antique
An antique ( la, antiquus; 'old', 'ancient') is an item perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance, and often defined as at least 100 years old (or some other limit), although the term is often used loosely ...
.
The MassKara Festival of Bacolod
Bacolod, officially the City of Bacolod (; hil, Dakbanwa/Syudad sang Bacolod; fil, Lungsod ng Bacolod), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the region of Western Visayas, Philippines. It is the capital of the province of Negros Occidenta ...
, Negros Occidental explores more on the distinct cultural identity of the city. Since Bacolod is tagged as the ''City of Smiles'' due to its fun-loving and enduring people, the city government inaugurated the festival in 1980 after tragedy struck the region.
Literature
Some of the earliest known works were documented by a Spanish Jesuit
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
** Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
** Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, ...
named Ignacio Francisco Alzina during the Spanish colonial Philippines. Among these literary pieces from ancient Eastern Visayas
Eastern Visayas ( war, Sinirangan Kabisay-an; ceb, Sidlakang Kabisay-an; tl, Silangang Kabisayaan or ''Silangang Visayas'') is an administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region VIII. It consists of three main islands, Samar, ...
were ''candu'', ''haya'', ''ambahan'', ''canogon'', ''bical'', ''balac'', ''siday'' and ''awit'' which are predominantly in Waray Waray may refer to:
* Waray people of the Philippines
* Waray language, the fifth most spoken native language of the Philippines, spoken by the Waray people
* Waray literature
* Warray language
Warray (Waray) was an Australian language spoken ...
. There were also narratives called ''susmaton'' and ''posong''. It was also described that theater played a central role in performing poetry, rituals and dances. The Western Visayans also shared nearly the same literary forms with the rest of the islands. Among their pre-Hispanic works were called the ''bangianay'', ''hurobaton'', ''paktakun'', ''sugidanun'' and ''amba''. These were all found to be in Old Kinaray-a. Some of the widely known and the only existing literature describing ancient Visayan society are as the Hinilawod and the Maragtas which was in a combination of Kinaray-a and Hiligaynon. The ''Aginid: Bayok sa Atong Tawarik'' is an epic retelling a portion of ancient Cebu history where the Chola dynasty minor prince Sri Lumay of Sumatra
Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...
founded and ruled the Rajahnate of Cebu. It also has accounts of Rajah Humabon and Lapu-Lapu.
It was found by Filipino polymath José Rizal
José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (, ; June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896) was a Filipino nationalist, writer and polymath active at the end of the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. He is considered the national he ...
in Antonio de Morga's ''Sucesos delas islas Filipinas'' that one of the first known native poet in much of pre-Philippines known to Europeans
Europeans are the focus of European ethnology, the field of anthropology related to the various ethnic groups that reside in the states of Europe. Groups may be defined by common genetic ancestry, common language, or both. Pan and Pfeil (2004) ...
was a Visayan named ''Karyapa''. During the golden age of native Philippine languages at the onset of Japanese occupation, numerous Visayan names rose to literary prominence. Acclaimed modern Visayan writers in their respective native languages are Marcel Navarra, the father of modern Cebuano literature, Magdalena Jalandoni Magdalena Gonzaga Jalandoni (May 27, 1891 in Jaro, Iloilo City, Jaro, Iloilo – September 14, 1978 in Jaro, Iloilo City, Jaro) was a Philippines, Filipino novelist, playwright, short story writer, poet, sculptor and painter. She is now remembered ...
, Ramon Muzones, Iluminado Lucente Iluminado Lucente (May 14, 1883 - February 14, 1960) was a Filipino people, Filipino writer, primarily writing poetry and drama in the Waray-Waray language, Waray language. He is considered to be one of the finest writers in the Waray language.
Luc ...
, Francisco Alvardo, Eduardo Makabenta, Norberto Romuáldez, Antonio Abad, Augurio Abeto
Augurio Maranon Abeto (1900-1977) was an essayist in Hiligaynon during the Golden Age of Hiligaynon Literature. He was also a Municipal President (modern equivalent to Mayor) during 1940s.
He is the composer of the Visayan
Visayans ( Visayan ...
, Diosdado Alesna, Maragtas S. V. Amante, Epifanio Alfafara
Epifanio Alfafara (1882–1933) was a Filipino Visayan writer in the Cebuano language of political and philosophical articles. He used Isco Anino as a pen name.
Alfafara was a native of Carcar. He translated ''Ang Dose Pares sa Pransiya'' into Ceb ...
, Jose Yap, Leoncio P. Deriada
Leoncio P. Deriada is a Filipino writer and professor emeritus of creative writing and literature at the University of the Philippines in the Visayas in Iloilo.
He was born on January 13, 1938, in the town of Barotac Viejo, in the province of Ilo ...
, Conrado Norada, Alex Delos Santos
Alex is a given name. It can refer to a shortened version of Alexander, Alexandra, Alexis.
People
Multiple
*Alex Brown (disambiguation), multiple people
*Alex Gordon (disambiguation), multiple people
*Alex Harris (disambiguation), multiple peop ...
, John Iremil Teodoro
John Iremil Teodoro (*November 14, 1973 in Maybato Norte, San Jose de Buenavista, Antique, Philippines) is a Filipino writer, creative writing and literature teacher, literary critic, translator, and cultural scholar. He is also considered to ...
and Peter Solis Nery
Peter Solis Nery is a Filipino poet, fictionist, author, and filmmaker. Writing in Hiligaynon, he is a Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature Hall of Fame Awardee, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Literary Grant, and the All-We ...
.
Don Ramon Roces of Roces Publishing, Inc. is credited for the promulgation of Visayan languages in publications through '' Hiligaynon'' and '' Bisaya''.
Cinema, television and theatre
Visayan films, particularly Cebuano-language ones, experienced a boom between the 1940s and the 1970s. In the mid 1940s alone, a total of 50 Visayan productions were completed, while nearly 80 movies were filmed in the following decade. This wave of success has been bolstered by Gloria Sevilla, billed as the "Queen of Visayan Movies", who won the prestigious Best Actress award from the 1969 FAMAS for the film '' Badlis sa Kinabuhi'' and the 1974 ''Gimingaw Ako''. Caridad Sanchez, Lorna Mirasol, Chanda Romero, Pilar Pilapil and Suzette Ranillo are some of the industry's veterans who gained recognition from working on Visayan films.
The national film and television industries are also supported by actors who have strong Visayan roots such as Joel Torre, Jackie Lou Blanco
Jacqueline Lourdes Blanco-Davao (born February 11, 1964) is a Filipina actress and aerobic instructor. During the 1980s and the 1990s, she appeared in different film genres including ''Hihintayin Kita sa Langit'', (1991), ''Si Aida, Si Lorna, o ...
, Edu Manzano, Manilyn Reynes, Dwight Gaston, Vina Morales, Sheryl Reyes, and Cesar Montano, who starred in the 1999 biographical film
A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudra ...
''Rizal
Rizal, officially the Province of Rizal ( fil, Lalawigan ng Rizal), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Its capital is the city of Antipolo. It is about east of Manila. The p ...
'' and multi-awarded 2004 movie '' Panaghoy sa Suba''. Younger actors and actress of Visayan origin or ancestry include Isabel Oli, Kim Chiu
Kimberly Sue Yap Chiu (; born April 19, 1990), professionally known as Kim Chiu, is a Filipino actress, model, host, singer, dancer, and vlogger. She is currently managed by Star Magic, ABS-CBN's home-based talent agency.
Recognized as one o ...
, Enrique Gil, Shaina Magdayao, Carla Abellana, Erich Gonzales and Matteo Guidicelli.
Award-winning director Peque Gallaga of Bacolod
Bacolod, officially the City of Bacolod (; hil, Dakbanwa/Syudad sang Bacolod; fil, Lungsod ng Bacolod), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the region of Western Visayas, Philippines. It is the capital of the province of Negros Occidenta ...
has garnered acclaim from his most successful movie '' Oro, Plata, Mata'' which depicted Negros Island and its people during World War II. Among his other works and contributions are classic ''Shake, Rattle & Roll
"Shake, Rattle and Roll" is a song, written in 1954 by Jesse Stone (usually credited as Charles Calhoun, his songwriting name). The original recording by Big Joe Turner is ranked number 127 on the ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's list of The 500 Gre ...
'' horror film series, '' Scorpio Nights'' and ''Batang X''.
GMA Network's 2011 period drama teleserye '' Amaya'' as well as its 2013 series '' Indio'', featured the politics and culture of ancient and colonial Visayan societies, respectively.
Music
Traditional Visayan folk music were known to many such as ''Dandansoy'' originally in Hiligaynon and is now commonly sang in other Bisayan languages. Another, although originally written in Tagalog
Tagalog may refer to:
Language
* Tagalog language, a language spoken in the Philippines
** Old Tagalog, an archaic form of the language
** Batangas Tagalog, a dialect of the language
* Tagalog script, the writing system historically used for Tagal ...
, is ''Waray-Waray'', which speaks of the common stereotypes and positive characteristics of the Waray people. American jazz singer Eartha Kitt
Eartha Kitt (born Eartha Mae Keith; January 17, 1927 – December 25, 2008) was an American singer and actress known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the Christmas novelty song "Santa Ba ...
also had a rendition of the song in her live performances. A very popular Filipino Christmas carol '' Ang Pasko ay Sumapit'' translated by Levi Celerio to Tagalog was originally a Cebuano song entitled '' Kasadya Ning Taknaa'' popularized by Ruben Tagalog.
Contemporary Philippine music was highly influenced and molded through the contributions of many Visayan artists. Many of them are platinum recorder Jose Mari Chan
Jose Mari Lim Chan (; born March 11, 1945) is a Filipino singer, TV host, songwriter and businessman in the sugar industry. He is currently chairman and CEO of Binalbagan Isabela Sugar Company, Inc. (BISCOM) in Negros Occidental and A. Chan Su ...
, Pilita Corrales, Dulce, Verni Varga, Susan Fuentes
Susan Fuentes (; 1 November 1954 – 7 September 2013) was a Filipino singer known as the "Queen of Visayan Songs". She recorded and popularized Visayan classics such as ''Matud Nila'' (''They Say'' in English; ''Sabi Nila'' in Filipino), ''Gi ...
, Jaya
Jaya may refer to:
Media
*''Jaya'', self titled albums by Jaya (singer), released in 1989, 1996 and 2001
* ''Jaya'' (film), a 2002 Indian Tamil film
Mythology
*''Jaya'', a name of Karna in Mahabharata; the core portion of the ''Mahabharata''
...
and Kuh Ledesma who enjoyed acclaim around the 1960s to the early 1990s. Newer singers are Jed Madela, Sheryn Regis and Sitti Navarro
Sitti Katrina Baiddin Navarro-Ramirez (born November 29, 1984 in Las Piñas), known professionally as Sitti, is a Filipino bossa nova singer. After releasing her first album, ''Café Bossa'', in 2006, other bossa nova acts in the Philippines foll ...
.
Yoyoy Villame, a Boholano, is dubbed as the Father of Filipino novelty songs with his ''Butsekik'' as the most popular. Villame often collaborated with fellow singer, Max Surban. Joey Ayala, Grace Nono and Bayang Barrios are some of the front-runners of a branching musical subgenre called Neotraditional which involved traditional Filipino instruments with modern rhythm and melody.
Rock emerged into dominance within the Philippine music scene in the 1980s. Among the bands from Visayas are Urbandub and Junior Kilat. Another subgenre also sprung a few years later called BisRock which is a portmanteau of ''Bisaya'' and '' rock''.
Dance
Ethnic dances from the region are common in any traditional Filipino setting. Curacha or kuratsa (not to be confused with the Zamboangueño dish) is a popular Waray dance. Its Cebuano counterparts are kuradang and la berde. There is the liki from Negros Occidental and the well-known tinikling of Leyte. Other Hiligaynon dances are the ''harito'', ''balitaw'', ''liay'', ''lalong kalong'', ''imbong'', ''inay-inay'' and ''binanog''.
Visual arts
The only Boholano and the youngest to receive the National Artist of the Philippines award for visual arts is Napoleon Abueva. He is also tagged as the Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture. Among his works are ''Kaganapan'' (1953), the Transfiguration (1979) and the 14 Stations of the Cross around the EDSA Shrine. He is also responsible for the sculpture of the ''Sandugo'' monument at Tagbilaran City to give homage to his roots.
A renowned figure in architecture is Leandro Locsin of Silay, Negros Occidental. He was proclaimed as National Artist of the Philippines for architecture in 1990. Locsin worked on many of the buildings in many campuses of the University of the Philippines System. He also designed the main building or the '' Tanghalang Pambansa'' of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Ayala Tower One & Exchange Plaza housing the Philippine Stock Exchange at Makati.
See also
* Bisaya (Borneo), a similarly-named ethnic group
An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...
in Borneo
* Pintados
* Visayas
* Luções
* Rajahnate of Cebu
* Timawa
*Malay world
The Malay world or Malay realm (Indonesian/Malay: or ; Jawi: ), is a concept or an expression that has been used by different authors and groups over time to denote several different notions, derived from varied interpretations of Malayness ...
*Bisaya (genus)
''Bisaya nossidiiformis'' is a beetle that is native to Iran, and the sole member of the genus ''Bisaya''. Its diet consists of mainly dead wood and leaf litter
Plant litter (also leaf litter, tree litter, soil litter, litterfall or duff) is d ...
* Boxer Codex
* Tagalog people
* Kapampangan people
* Ilocano people
* Ivatan people
* Igorot people
* Pangasinan people
* Bicolano people
* Negrito
* Lumad
* Moro people
References
External links
Visayan Languages
by Henry Funtecha, PhD The News Today. August 28, 2009 Iloilo City, Philippines.
{{Authority control
Visayan people
Ethnic groups in the Philippines