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No one knows the origin of the name, Palawan. The name may have come from the Chinese word “Pa-Lao-Yu” or “Land of Beautiful Harbors.” Others think it’s from the Indian word “Palawans” or “Territory.” However, most think it comes from the Spanish word “Paragua” because Palawan looks like a closed umbrella.
Palawan had been called the “Cradle of Philippine Civilization” because the bones of the first Filipinos were found there 22, 000 years ago. The first known settlers were the Tagbanua, Palaw’an, Tau’t bato and the Bataks. They made the mountains and coastal areas their homes even before the Malay settlers came.
When the Spaniards arrived in Palawan, the first to be successfully occupied was Northern Calamianes Islands. In the early 17th century, the Friars tried to reach the parts of Cuyo, Agutaya, Taytay and Cagayancillo but the strong Moro forces made their attempts unsuccessful. In the 18th century, the Spanish friars stared building churches with garrisons in the towns of Cuyo, Taytay, Linapacan and Balabac to protect them against the Moro raids. These forts still stand today. Back then, the island was called “Paragua.” In 1749, the Sultanate of Borneo gave the Spaniards the power to rule the southern parts of Paragua.
After the Americans bought the Philippines from the Spaniards for 20 million dollars, they made changes in Paragua. They consolidated the islands and called it Palawan. They promoted education, medical assistance, agriculture and tribal minorities’ rights. Today, Palawan still has a considerable amount of well-preserved beauty thanks to the locals’ and various groups’ perseverance. They even have their own hospital for sick and disabled crocodiles. Two UNESCO World Heritage sites are found there which are the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park, South Sulu Sea and the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. These are the reasons why Palawan is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Philippines.
The Palawan languages are the languages of the island of Palawan and nearby islets in the Philippines.[citation needed]
They are Palawano (a dialect cluster), Aborlan Tagbanwa (not to be confused with Kalamian Tagbanwa), and Palawan Batak (not to be confused with Toba Batak).
There are various ethnolinguistic groups that consider Palawan as home. These are the Tagbanua, Palaw’an, Tau’t bato and the Bataks. The mountains and coastal areas serve as their homes. These groups have built villages in those areas and have been staying there for quite some time already. It has been said that they have been occupying the province even before the Malay settlers from Indonesia set foot there during the 12th or 13th century. During 1962, there was a team of anthropologists who went to Lipuun Point or the Tabon Cave. Headed by Dr. Robert Fox, this team was able to get fossils that belonged to Homo Sapiens that were 22,000 to 24,000 years old. Because of this finding and many more that succeeded, this place was known as the Cradle of the Philippine Civilization.
The tribes of the Tagbanua can be found in the central and northern part of Palawan. They are known to practice the shifting cultivation of upland rice and are known for a rice wine ritual called Pagdiwata. The Tagbanua tribes also believe in a lot of deities that they believe can be found in their surroundings.
The tribes of the Palaw’an are said to belong to the linguistic groups that are Manobo based. They are said to originally come from the areas of South Apuruan and Abo Abo.
The Batak or “mountain people” are said to live in the northeastern part of Palawn. They are generally shy and peaceful people as they are known to live with nature. They believe in spirits and commune with a babaylan or a religious person.
The Palaweños would include the Agutaynons, Molbogs and Cuyunons. The Cuyunons are said to be an elite class of people. They come from the town of Cuyo in the northern part of Palawan and are religious and disciplined. They are very community oriented. The Agutaynons, on the other hand, are a more simple group. They fish and farm in order to derive income. Lastly the Molbogs are said to be the first people to actually stay on Balabac. Their name comes from the word, malubog or turbid water. Among the other groups, this group’s culture is the one closest to that of the Islamic race.
Prepared By:
Carreon, Justin Dean A.
BSHM 4-3D