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The Cebuano people (Cebuano: Sugbuanon), are a Visayan ethnic group in Cebu and form the second largest cultural-linguistic group in the Philippines, the largest being the Tagalogs.

History

The early people on the island were Austronesians who settled in Cebu around 30,000 years ago. They introduced a sea-faring ocean-sailing culture throughout Southeast Asia. Like the rest of the population in the Philippines, the Austronesian tribal groups, which became the Malay people encountered the Negrito population on the Visayas region, such as Negros Occidental and Zambales, who were among the first indigenous inhabitants on the islands.

The early Cebuanos held animist beliefs and worshipped anitos or spirits until the introduction of Roman Catholicism during the arrival of the Spanish between 1521 and 1565. Muslim traders from Malaysia and Indonesia established trade relations with the islands between the 13th and 16th centuries, at the same time introducing their religion to the Filipino population and being organized into a variety of tribal groups governed by chieftains called datus and rajahs. Both Spain and the United States colonized the island between the 16th and 20th century, achieving its independence from colonial rule in 1946.

Population

The population of Cebu stands at about 3,850,000 people. The term Cebuano comes from the Spanish that settled the islands, while the word Sugboanon is a native word for Cebuano. The majority of Cebuanos like the rest of the population of the Philippines are of Southeast Asian origin. There are also a minority of mixed race groups called mestizos who were descendants from Spanish and White American settlers that colonized the Philippines during the colonial period. There are also some people that have ancestries from other Asian groups such as Chinese, Japanese and among others.

Culture and festivities

Cebuano culture is traditionally characterized as a blend of Filipino-Malay and Spanish tradition with influences from the United States and other Asian culture. The majority of its population are Christians, most of whom follow the Roman Catholic religion while others are Protestants. There are also some followers of Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism.

Among the island's notable festivities are the Sinulog festival which is a tribal and Christian festival celebrated annually every third week of January.

Language

The most common laguage spoken is Cebuano is spoken by about 20,000,000 people on the island and forms the largest Visayan languages. It is one of the largest Filipino dialects and the second largest spoken language in the country, the other being Tagalog. Most speakers of Cebuano are found in the Central Visayas and in certain parts of Mindanao. Both Cebuano, English and Filipino (which is based on Tagalog) are used in schools, media and the government. While other languages native to island such as Spanish and Chinese are also spoken by a minority of its population.

See also

• Demographics of the Philippines

References

1. "Cebu has biggest population among provinces". Sunstar.com. Retrieved April 18, 2008.
2. "Cebuano". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved October 28, 2009.
3. William Allan Reed. "Negritos of Zambales". Manila Bureau of Public Printing 1904 - Letter of Transmittal (Department of the Interior, The Ethnological Survey. Retrieved March 3, 1904. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
4. "Cebu has biggest population among provinces". Retrieved April 18, 2008.
5. "A Predominantly Indigenous Paternal Heritage For The Austronesian-Speaking Peoples of Insular Southeast Asia and Oceania" (PDF). Stanford University. Retrieved 2001. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
6. "Countries and their Cultures". www.everyculture.com.
7. "Culture Of The Philippines".
8. "Culture and Lifestyle". Cebu Province Official Website.
9. "Cebu Philippines Festivals, Fiestas and Cultural Event". eTravel Pilipinas-Discover the Wonders of Island Paradise.
10. "Cebuano language". Ethnologue.com.

External links

• Encyclopedia Britannica

• Visayan people
• Cebuano