Meranaw Traditional Weapons and Warfare and their Relevance

Abstract

Ibrahim, noralia u., “meranaw weapons and warfare: its relevance to the decades of conflict in mindanao.” A Masteral Thesis, Master of History, College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Mindanao State University, Marawi, 2018. The study was an attempt by the researcher to document the traditional weapons used by the Meranaws in their historic warfare with western invaders starting with the Spanish conquerors up to the Americans. The Meranaw weapons were the focus of the study as well as their warfare, and the researcher was thankful to the existing write-ups about this subject in both the Spanish and especially American periods. Though the information given was lacking and scant, it was enough to discern that western conquerors were impressed with the weaponry of the Moros of Mindanao and the Meranaws in particular. The greater portion then of this paper devotes itself to the detailed documentation of the various Meranaw weapons which were significantly useful in the battles of Marawi in 1895 and up to the early years of the Americans in the country. Also included in the study was the discovery and analysis of these traditional weapons’ origin, features and purposes or relevance. Most importantly, the researcher attempted to find out the utmost relevance of these various weapons in those decades of conflict in the history of Mindanao especially of Lanao. Some of the findings of this study showed that the Meranaw weapons were not so different from the weapons utilized by other Moro groups like the Tausug and Maguindanao. Moreover, these kinds of weapons possessed by the Meranaws significantly enabled the Moro resistance particularly the Meranaw resistance to Spanish conquest for centuries and which consequently gave the Americans the hardest times in colonizing them. Of all natives of the Philippines, the Moros like the Meranaws surprised the invaders, in those chaotic times of conquest, by being equipped with the necessary and basic items in fighting and for defence. Their most popular weapons were the swords like the Sundang and the Kampilan. They were also outfitted with the mighty Lantakas and firearms that met the Spaniards on equal grounds and challenged the Americans. It also found out that the weapons by the Meranaws were not only part of warfare but definitely a reflection of the people’s way of life centuries ago.The study intends to be useful and contribute in understanding a portion of Meranaw history and culture.

At the end of this paper, it appeared that the Meranaws were the most well-armed group among the Moros at the times of western conquest and the production of these mentioned types of weapons could just be one of the enduring contributions of the Meranaws in Moro history and culture. And as one recommendation, it was only right for the government to take actions in protection and retrieval of this kinds of artifacts which were not only important to the Meranaws but to the whole country itself.