Who Are the Bisaya or Visayan People?
First of all it is very important to know how the word Bisaya came about
The word Bisaya means Visayas, the islands.
BISAYA (Visayans) really means people originally from VISAYAS, who live in different parts of the VISAYAS Islands.
BISAYA people speak different VISAYA(N) languages spoken in different parts of
the Visayas Islands such as Cebuano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Aklanon, Capiznon, Kinaray-a, Bantoanon, Romblomanon, Cuyonon, Waray, Surigaonon, Butuanon, Tausog, etc.
The
BISAYA Islands and their Languages:
1. Panay = The Bisaya languages spoken are:
Hiligaynon, Karay-a, Capiznon, Aklanon
2. Negros = The Bisaya languages spoken are:
Hiligaynon and Cebuano
3. Cebu = The Bisaya language spoken is:
Cebuano
4. Bohol = The Bisaya language spoken is:
Cebuano
5. Leyte = The Bisaya languages spoken are:
Waray and Cebuano
6. Samar = The Bisaya languages spoken are:
Waray and Cebuano
7. Cuyo = The Bisaya language spoken is:
Cuyonon
8.
Romblon = The BISAYA language spoken is Asi also known as
Bantoanon, Calatravanhon, Odionganon,
Sibalenhon, Simaranhon
Heavy migration to Mindanao of people from Cebu and Dumaguete etc in 1940's, spurred by government-sponsored resettlement programmes,is the reason why 90% of Mindanao people speak the Cebuano language. Cebuano is a part of the Visayan language Family.
Also Ilonggo people from Panay and Negros islands who speak Hiligaynon migrated in Mindanao and most of them settled in Pigkawayan and Midsayap North Cotabato areas.
9. Surigao = The BISAYA language spoken is Surigaonon. This langauge is also spoken in the province of Surigao del Norte, and some portion of Agusan del Norte especially those towns near the Mainit Lake. It is related to Butuanon and Tausug.
10. Davao, Cagayan De Oro, Iligan, Dipolog, Ozamis, Gensa, Pagadian and its provinces = The Bisaya language spoken is: Cebuano
12. Pigkawayan and Midsayap North Cotabato = The Bisaya language spoken is: Hiligaynon
Sources:
University of the Philippines Library Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines http://www.up.edu.ph/
Who Are the Bisaya People http://www.hawaii.edu/cps/visayans.html
The Visayan Languages http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visayan_languages
The Visayans http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visayans
Visayan People http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Visayan_people
Related Links:
Join
the Bisaya Facebook
We did a survey to people who speak the Cebuano language in Mindanao, Cebu, and Dumaguete and we asked the following question,
"What is the language you are speaking?" and "Are Hiligaynon, Waray, Aklanon languages BISAYA?"
95% of the people answered "the language they are speaking is called BISAYA" and that "Hiligaynon, Waray, Aklanon are NOT BISAYA".
Their answers are all WRONG. This means that 95% do NOT know what BISAYA really means and it's history. They do not know the evolution of languages in the Philippines particularly in Visayas and Mindanao.
The correct answers are:
1. The language they are speaking is called CEBUANO. Cebuano is part of the Bisaya family language.
2. Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Aklanon languages are also part of the Bisaya family language because they are from the VISAYAS islands.
The main point is that, everyone from VISAYAS are called BISAYA but they speak different Bisaya languages
Why? it is simply because the word BISAYA means VISAYAS.
There are many BISAYA languages in VISAYAS or BISAYAS islands.
BISAYA Language Family are:
Cebuano is a BISAYA language spoken most of Mindanao, Cebu, Dumaguete, and part of Samar.
Hiligaynon or Ilonggo is a BISAYA language spoken in Bacolod, Iloilo, and Roxas.
Aklanon is a BISAYA language spoken in Aklan.
Capiznon is aBISAYA language spoken in Capiz.
Kinaray-a is a BISAYA language spoken in Antique.
Asi also known as Bantoanon, Calatravanhon, Odionganon, Sibalenhon, Simaranhon, is a BISAYA language spoken in Romblon.
Cuyononis a BISAYA language spoken on the coast of Palawan and the Cuyo Islands in the Philippines.
Waray is a BISAYA language spoken in the provinces of Samar, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte (eastern portion), and Biliran.
Surigaonon is a BISAYA language spoken in the province of Surigao del Norte, and some portion of Agusan del Norte especially those towns near the Mainit Lake. It is related to Butuanon and Tausug.
Sources:
University of the Philippines Library Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines http://www.up.edu.ph/
Who Are the Bisaya People http://www.hawaii.edu/cps/visayans.html
The Visayan Languages http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visayan_languages
The Visayans http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visayans
Visayan People http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Visayan_people
Related Links:
Early Ilonggo-Bisaya identity
===================================================================
Samples of Bisaya Songs:
Waray = Waray-Waray
Kinray-a = Mauli ako sa Antique
Hiligaynon (ilonggo) = Kuring - Pirot
Cebuano = BUWAD SUKA SILI
Bisaya is NOT a specific to Cebuano language only which most people from Mindanao, Cebu, Dumaguete think which is totally based on wrong assumption.
Bisaya refers NOT only to Cebuano but ALSO to Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Aklanon, Capiznon, Kinaray-a, Bantoanon, Romblomanon, Cuyonon, Waray, Surigaonon, Butuanon, Tausog, etc.
Bisaya or Visayas is one of the three island groups in the Philippines, along with Luzon and Mindanao. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea. Its inhabitants are referred to as the Visayans or Bisayans.
What started this big confusion? I think the main reason this misunderstanding started by Max Surban and Yoyo Villame's songs who referred to Cebuano as Bisaya in some of their popular songs in which many people in Cebu and Mindanao listened and subconsciously absorbed the wrong terminology.
Suprisingly, if you ask the people in Panay, Negros, etc they know that their language is also Bisaya and they also know that they are Bisaya people because they live in the Visayas Islands.
Also you will be surprised when you fill out a document to work overseas because you will not see a bisaya language among Filipino list of languages, that's because bisaya is a group of Visayan languages which includes Cebuano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Aklanon, Capiznon, Kinaray-a, Bantoanon, Romblomanon, Cuyonon, Waray, Surigaonon, Butuanon, Tausog, etc.
Visayans (also spelled Bisayans) generally refer to people who trace their roots to the Bisayan-speaking region in central Philippines. This region includes the islands of Panay, Romblon, Guimaras, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor, Leyte, Biliran and Samar.
However, because of migration over time, a large part of Mindanao (from Zamboanga up to northern Mindanao and down to Davao and Cotabato) is now largely populated by Visayans. Thus, it is not uncommon for people from Mindanao to call themselves “Visayan,” especially if they are native speakers of the Bisaya language.
Bisaya is a group of related languages belonging to the Malayo-Polynesian family. Spoken in the central and southern Philippines, it is comprised of roughly 25 languages, some near extinction.
The origin of the term “Visayan “ is unclear. Some sources say it refers to Shri Vijaya, the ancient island Southeast Asian empire to which the original Visayans supposedly belonged. Others consider the term a literal rendering of the Visayan sadya or the Tagalog saya, meaning happiness. The latter version appears to stem from the stereotype that Visayans are a generally laid-back, fun loving and happy-go-lucky people. But as Visayans themselves would put it, they are a hardworking people who just know how to enjoy life.
For Feedback Email Us: Pagadian.City@Gmail.com
Sources:
University of the Philippines Library Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines http://www.up.edu.ph/
Who Are the Bisaya People http://www.hawaii.edu/cps/visayans.html
The Visayan Languages http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visayan_languages
The Visayans http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visayans
Visayan People http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Visayan_people
Related Links: