Maguindanao
Maguindanao is a
province of the
Philippines located in the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Its capital is
Shariff Aguak and borders
Lanao del Sur to the north,
Cotabato to the east, and
Sultan Kudarat to the south. To the west lies the
Moro Gulf.
Political
Maguindanao is subdivided into 28
municipalities and 1
city. While
Cotabato City is found within the bounderies of Maguindanao, it is independent of the province. Though it is the regional center of the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the city is actually part of the
SOCCSKSARGEN region.
City
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Cotabato CityMunicipalities
Physical
Shariff Mohammed Kabungsuwan of
Johore introduced
Islam in the area at the end of the 15th century. He subsequently married a local princess and established the
Sultanate of Maguindanao. The Cotabato Valley formed the sultanate´s heartland but its influence extended from the
Zamboanga Peninsula to Sarangani Bay and Davao.
The
Spaniards launched expeditions to subdue the area througout the colonial era but they never gained control of the region until the middle of the 19th century.
During the
American period,
Cotabato became a district of the Moro Province created in 1903 and a province of the Department of
Mindanao and
Sulu in 1914.
The old province of Cotabato was subsequently divided first into
Cotabato and
South Cotabato in 1966 and later,
Cotabato into 3 more provinces which were Maguindanao was created in November 22, 1973, along with
North Cotabato and
Sultan Kudarat.
Maguindanao is the only Muslim province of the four created out of the former Cotabato Province. In 1989, the province opted to join the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao but Cotabato City did not, which ironically serves as the capital of the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The native Maguindanaon 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.
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Traditional Music of the Southern Philippines - An online textbook about Southern Pilipino Kulintang Music. Has chapters devoted to kulintang instrumentation, styles and uses by the Maguindanaon and other Southern Pilipino Groups.
