The Jama Mapun - A Changing Samal Society in Southern Philippines

A Book Review

Culture changes overtime. Any society has to learn to adapt to any changes that happen in its environment if it has to survive and flourish. This adaptation consequently affects the society’s lifestyle, values, practices and belief system. This is exactly what happened to a group of Muslim people in the southern part of the Philippines who are called Jama Mapun, one of the many ethnolinguistic groups that inhabited Cagayan de Sulu and Palawan.

The book is an ethnographic study of the Jama Mapun – a group of Samal people who are found not only in Cagayan de Sulu and Palawan but also in North Borneo. Casino’s study took all of ten years to finish. Within the span of ten years, the Samal society that the author had known in his first visit gradually evolved. The changes that Casino noted contributed to the wealth of material which he already has gathered through the years in the course of his studies of the Jama Mapun.

The scope of the study is historical. By making use of the participant observation method, Casino tried to answer “what moved the Jama Mapun society from its traditional to its modern form? What holds this society together?”

The book actually evolved from these two questions. In order to answer these queries, Casino gave a historical account of the life and societal evolution of the Jama Mapun since the Spanish times up to the present. The author used the notion of “determinants” to find out the factors that have contributed to the evolution of the Jama Mapun society. The first notion was change agent that influenced the socio-cultural systems. The second is adaptation, and the third co-variation.

Casino explained that in “Jama Mapun’s case ‘change agent’ refers to those actions during the American and subsequent Philippine administrations impinged upon all major institutions of the society.” Adaptation, on the other hand, can happen either by “choice or necessity”. In the case of Jama Mapun, “adaptational decisions are found among the traders, teachers, and newer political leaders.” To show how co-variation took place in Jama Mapun society, Casino used “Dahrendorf’s (1965:30-35) ‘power postulate’, which states that social stratification, in the last analysis, is caused and maintained by force or the threat of force as a means of sanctioning social norms.”

The author traced this study of Jama Mapun society in three periods, from 1531 to 1900, 1900 to 1945, and 1945 to 1970. Data on the first two periods were based from written accounts of early anthropologists and colonial settlers. The third period, although still relied on written accounts was enriched by data and observations gathered by the author when he did his fieldwork among the Jama Mapun.

In the first chapter of the book, Casino waxed nostalgic references on how contrasting it would have looked had two photographs of “Cagayan de Sulu and its inhabitants, the Jama Mapun” taken centuries apart, are put side by side. This is to emphasize the great transformation that has taken place not only on the island but on the people themselves.

Casino made an interesting observation on the life and practices of this particular group of people. He painstakingly identified the different ethnolinguistic groups of Muslims, their similarities and differences such as the Tausug, Maguindanao, Maranao, Samal, Yakan, Badjao, Jama Mapun, Palawanun, Molbog and Sangil. These different groups are scattered all over Mindanao, Palawan and Norh Borneo. As in any kind of scholarly research, one cannot just isolate the subject of study from its environment. Athough Casino’s main interest was the Jama Mapun he had also to take into account other Muslim groups, “Christian and traditional peoples whose histories” have become a part of the Jama Mapun’s existence.

Casino traced the population distribution of Jama Mapun from Cagayan de Sulu to Southern Palawan, coastal North Borneo and “the many small islands in between.” The two communities he used as “base of observation” for his study were Barrio Duhul Batu on the northeast corner of Cagayan de Sulu and Barrio Pulot in the southeastern Palawan.

Basing largely from written accounts of earlier historian and anthropologists, Casino made a description of traditional Muslim government in the early centuries which was called a sultanate. Among the many groups that were part of this sultanate was the Jama Mapun who “were generally commoners; their local village headmen and district chiefs were either rich commoners or Tausug datus who established themselves as chiefs in Samal areas.”

This traditional government would soon collapse at the pressure of foreign domination. Casino mentioned some token resistance shown by one district against foreign power. But what was specific in his narrative was the Jama Mapun’s readiness to take on the ideas imposed on them especially by the Americans whose presence had left a great impact on the political, economic and educational system of the society.

The innovations brought by the Americans as noted by Casino in the book brought changes not only in government, but in politics and education as well. Some of these changes may have been adapted by reason of necessity as well as choice. For instance, the Americans did away with the sultanate and introduced the American way of governing that determines who will be in power by means of elections. In the area of economics, Casino mentioned the Jama Mapun’s practice of huma farming which they have been doing for generations, but when Guy Stratton (the American deputy governor of Sulu) came and introduced coconut farming, the indigenous people eventually adopted the idea. Another economic innovation that the Jama Mapun adopted was the motorboat which had increased their capability for trading. This one was clearly an influence of Chinese and Arab traders that frequented the area.

To have a deeper understanding of the value system and socio-cultural practices of the Jama Mapun, Casino presented several cases of family conflicts involving land disputes, as well as some Islamic rituals. The cases offer the reader a glimpse of the communal aspect of the Jama Mapun’s way of life. Casino mentioned two cases on Islamic rituals, the death anniversary prayers and the annual rite of cleansing. Another case was the story of Tima, which gives the reader a glance on how family affairs, such as bride-price for a girl to be married, sometimes had to be settled by the village chief. Disputes over inheritance also fall within the jurisdiction of the village heads. To this Casino also provided several cases.

In the latter part of the book, Casino made a synthesis of his observations of the Jama Mapun. He analyzed how social stratification in the traditional society of Jama Mapun became the basis of the changes that eventually happened in the society.

But even in a “transformed state,” the Jama Mapuns are still a “stratified and differentiated society,” Casino noted. The “power postulate” that Casino mentioned earlier is still very much present in the modern society albeit in a different form. Now it is modern politics that produce “new power elite” that had the means to surround themselves with wealth and prestige. Whereas before, it was the Sultan or Datu who lord it over the indigenous group, now the modern politicians have taken over. Whether it is taken in a positive note or not, (Casino did not mention it) the Jama Mapun simply adapted to the changes that happened in their life.

Casino noted one striking aspect among Jama Mapun and Muslims in general. This is one characteristic that gives one a profound understanding of Muslim culture. It is worth noting that they, as a people, might be willing or ready to adapt to new innovations as long as these did not threaten their religion. When for instance, education was first introduced, the Jama Mapun were fearful and suspicious. They saw it as a threat to their religion to the point that other members of the community fled the area. It somehow explains why Muslims in general are very jealous of their Islamic faith. For the Muslims Islam “is a way of life.” Their whole being and all activities revolve around it. It is what holds them together as a people.

This book is interesting to read inasmuch as it provides details on the various practices and lifestyle of this particular ethnolinguistic group. It is an eye opener especially at this time where conflicts between Christians and Muslims are happening not only in the southern part of the country but elsewhere in the world. It provides the reader a profound understanding not only of the Samal way of life but also of Muslims in general since they share the same cultural practices and belief. On a personal note I also realized there is a lot to learn about our Muslim brothers and sisters. It is in exposing oneself to others’ culture that one gets a grasp of the others’ reality. With understanding comes acceptance and respect.

Acceptance and respect are two important elements that help build a fruitful understanding not only between Christians and Muslims but also among other ethnolinguistic groups.

The Muslims have been generally categorized as terrorists. The media have unconsciously promoted this general concept on Muslims because of the way it headlines news. If a Muslim is caught in any criminal activities, it is common to see headlines like this: “Muslim killed in a shoot out… Muslim kidnapped girl…” But we do not see a headline that says: “Christian killed in a shoot out… Christian killed girl…” What does it mean? Maybe without meaning to, we have unconsciously labeled the Muslim people as terrorists, kidnappers and killers. People tend to overlook the fact that Muslims are composed of individuals, many of whom are peace loving (just like the Jama Mapun) and abhor terroristic acts perpetrated by some misguided elements in the Islamic society.

The ethnocentric attitude of some Christians towards Muslims becomes a hindrance in building up a relationship that is founded on trust. Trust is an essential component in a relationship to succeed.

The Muslims as well as other ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines have been subjected into domination by foreign rulers. Hundred of years of subjugation have raised havoc in the Filipinos’ sense of dignity as a people. Although Muslims in the South had been able to resist Spanish colonial rule, they were not as lucky when the Americans came.

Ironically, the Muslims will continue to fight for autonomy and freedom even years after America had granted the Philippines its independence. The Muslims have never felt free in their own region, in their own land.

The presence of soldiers in Mindanao areas have also contributed in breeding distrust among Muslims. Ongoing hostilities have made them virtual prisoners in their own turf. Whereas their life before could be described as simple, now, they are poorer and miserable. The conflict has left them homeless, without property, and education, to help them start a new life.

As Casino noted in his book, the Muslims are very suspicious of anything they consider a threat to Islam. Schools are regarded as such because Muslims thought Christian teachers are out to convert them.

“It must begin with trust,” as Archbishop Capalla (President of Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines) who is into dialogue with Muslims, said.

Trust on the part of both Christians and Muslims, would mean allowing each other to be. Cultural adaptation does not mean assimilation. The Muslims, being the minority always feel the threat of being assimilated, hence their difficulty in exercising their Islamic way of life in a hegemonic Christian environment.

Islam, like Christianity, is a religion of peace. Any Muslim who knows his or her Koran well subscribes to this teaching and makes peace a way of life. However, without understanding and trust, acceptance and respect, any attempt to bridge the gap between Christian and Muslim would be difficult to achieve given the history of conflict and distrust between these two groups.