Top 3 Most Spoken Bisaya languages:
1. Cebuano 20 million
2. Hiligaynon 10 million
3. Waray 3 million
Who Are the Bisaya (Visayan) People?
Bisaya is a general term use to describe different Bisaya Ethnic groups and different Bisaya languages who live in the different Bisaya islands in the Philippines.
This is the Map of the BISAYA islands (Visayas or Bisayas) showing the Bisaya islands of Panay, Romblon, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor, Leyte, and Samar where different Bisaya people live and speak different Bisaya languages such as Hiligaynon, Aklanon, Cebuano, Capiznon, Kinaray-a, Bantoanon, Romblomanon, Waray, Surigaonon, Cuyonon, etc.
Bisaya is a group of related languages belonging to the Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) family
Spoken in the central and southern Philippines, it is comprised of roughly 25 languages, some near extinction with under 1,000 native speakers and others spoken by millions. Bisaya includes Cebuano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Aklanon, Capiznon, Kinaray-a, Bantoanon, Romblomanon, Cuyonon, Waray, Surigaonon, Butuanon, Tausog, etc. Spoken by approximately 28 million people, the Bisaya language family has the largest number of native speakers in the Philippines. The next two are the Tagalogs and Ilokanos. (hawaii.edu/cps/visayans.html)
Bisaya Islands and Bisaya Languages
The densely populated Visayan island group constitutes an ethnolinguistic region defined by the dominance of the three major Visayan languages: Cebuano , Hiligaynon, and Waray-Waray.
Cebuano speakers live mainly on Cebu, Bohol, eastern Negros, and western Leyte. The Hiligaynon are concentrated on Panay, western Negros, and Masbate, while the Waray-Waray are found mainly on Samar and eastern Leyte.
The two major Visayan urban centres are Cebu City on Cebu and Iloilo City on Panay. Area 22,289 square miles (57,728 square km). Pop. (2000) 15,872,692; (2010) 18,417,821. Source Britannica https://www.britannica.com/place/Visayan-Islands
GENUINE BISAYA PEOPLE
BISAYA (Bisayans or Visayans) are people who trace their Ethnic roots or bloodline in different Bisaya islands (Visayas islands). Many people who claim they are BISAYA do not even have Bisaya blood at all. Their parents and grandparents are not even from the BISAYA islands originally. They are from Luzon. If you can trace that your ancestors are from the BISAYA Islands then you are a genuine Bisaya blood.
There are different Bisaya Languages
These Languages are: Hiligaynon, Aklanon, Cebuano, Capiznon, Kinaray-a, Bantoanon, Romblomanon, Waray, Surigaonon, Cuyonon, etc.
Many Cebuano-speaking people do not know the Ethnic and Language history of Bisaya Islands they assume that the Cebuano language is the only Bisaya or Binisaya language which is false. Hiligaynon, Aklanon, Cebuano, Capiznon, Kinaray-a, Bantoanon, Romblomanon, Waray, Surigaonon, Cuyonon are also BISAYA languages. Remember Cebu is not the only island in the BISAYA region, the other BISAYA islands that also speak Bisaya languages are Panay, Romblon, Guimaras, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor, Leyte, Biliran and Samar. Panay, Romblon, Guimaras, Negros, Bohol, Siquijor, Leyte, Biliran and Samar.
Different Bisaya languages are spoken by Bisaya people in the 6 Major BISAYA Islands are:
1. The Bisaya Island of Panay
Languages of the Bisaya People in Panay are: Hiligaynon (Iloilo and Roxas), Karay-a, (Iloilo and Antique) Aklanon (Aklan), and Capiznon (Capiz).
2. The Bisaya Island of Negros
Languages of the Bisaya People in Negros are: Cebuano (Negros Oriental) and Hiligaynon (Negros Occidental)
3. The Bisaya Island of Cebu
Language of the Bisaya People in Cebu province is Cebuano
4. The Bisaya Island of Bohol
Language of the Bisaya People in Bohol is Boholano (local version of Cebuano language)
5. The Bisaya Island of Leyte
Languages of the Bisaya People in Leyte are: Waray (Northern Leyte) and Cebuano (Southern Leyte)
6. The Bisaya Island of Samar
Languages of the Bisaya People in Samar are: Waray (Eastern Samar) and Cebuano (Southern Samar)
According to H. Otley Beyer and other anthropologists, the term Visayan (Spanish: bisayo) was first applied only to the people of Panay and to their settlements eastward in the island of Negros and northward in the smaller islands, which now compose the province of Romblon. In fact, at the early part of Spanish colonialization of the Philippines, the Spaniards used the term Visayan only for these areas, while the people of Cebu, Bohol and Western Leyte were for a long time known only as Pintados.
Left to right: Images from the Boxer Codex illustrating an ancient kadatuan or tumao (noble class) Visayan couple of Panay, the Pintados (“The Tattooed”), another name for Visayans of Cebu and its surrounding islands according to the early Spanish explorers, possibly a tumao (noble class) or timawa (warrior class) couple of the Pintados, and a royal couple of the Visayans of Panay.
The name Visayan was later extended to them around the beginning of 1800s because, as several of the early writers state (especially in the writings of the Jesuit Lorenzo Hervás y Panduro published in 1801), albeit erroneously, their languages are closely allied to the Visayan “dialect” of Panay. The impression of these similarities was in fact carefully analyzed by David Zorc, who, while able to linguistically classify the Austronesian subfamily termed Bisayan languages, noticed their overall connections as one dialect continuum. These should not, however, be confused as dialects, given the lack of mutual intelligibility.
Grabiel Ribera, captain of the Spanish royal infantry in the Philippine Islands, also distinguished Panay from the rest of the Pintados Islands. In his report (dated March 20, 1579) regarding a campaign to pacify the natives living along the rivers of Mindanao (a mission he received from Dr. Francisco de Sande, Governor and Captain-General of the Archipelago), Ribera mentioned that his aim was to make the inhabitants of that island “vassals of King Don Felipe … as are all the natives of the island of Panay, the Pintados Islands, and those of the island of Luzon …”
Similarly, the old Spanish term Hiligueinos (also spelled Yliguenes, Yligueynes, or Hiligueynos; from Visayan Iligan or Iliganon, meaning “people of the coast”) was once used by the Spanish conquistador Miguel de Loarca as a general name for coastal-dwelling Visayans not only in Panay, but also Cebu, Bohol, and Western Negros. Today, the demonym is only used specifically for the Hiligaynon people, a major Visayan subgroup.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visayans
Common Bisaya words in different Bisaya Languages: Hiligaynon aka Ilonggo, Cebuano, Waray, Aklanon, Capiznon, Kinaray-a, Bantoanon, Romblomanon, Cuyonon, Surigaonon, Butuanon
Adlaw Agawon Bahandi. Bana Basi Bayaran Bisan Bulawan Buut Dakpon Dalan Danlog Didto Dugang Dumot Eksakto Gagmay Gahom Gakos Gamay Gihapon Gina Ginatuman Ginikanan Gubaon Halokan Himoon Hinay Hinlo Ibabaw Ibobo Imo Istorya Kaayo Kabukiran Kadugay Kamo Kaon Karon Katawhan Katingalahan Katoltol Kawatan Kinahanglan Lagom Lapas Lingaw Lipong Logos Looy Maayo Mabalik Maguba Magulang Mahatagan Mahimo Makaluto Makatodlo Makigkita Malipayon Mando Mantinir Naa Nabalaka Nag Nakahibalo Natabo Natongdan Padayon Pagkabutang Paglupad Pagpaiuli Pagtoo Pahibalo Palayo Pangibabaw Panimalay SUMBAG Sablagan Sala Sudlan Sugilanon Sugot Tabon Tago Tagsa Takna Tambong Tanom Tarong Tiil Tilawan Tindog Tohog Tomana Utro abe abot abtan agay agdahon agi agwanta akto alang-alang amiga amigo andam angkon anogon antos aslum, atimanon ato atobang atobangon atop away tan-awon bag -o . bahin balay balibaran baligya balos bangko bangkol basihan baskog baso basol basolon batasan batiis batok bawion baybay baybayon biyaan buang bug-at bugaw buhaton buhi buhian bukal bulag butang butangan dagway dako dakop dakpan , dal-on dala dalhon damgo dasma daug dayon desidido dira diri duaw dugay duha dukol dungag duso dyutay gaba galampos gamiton gasaulog . gihigugma gilauman ginadayonan ginhawa gipahimoslan guba gyud hagad hatagan hibalo hilabtan himakak hinolsol hitabo homay, hubag hubog hulam, hulat humay huway ihabla ihawa ihawon ika ikaayo ilambos ilok init ipa ipakita ipasaka ipatoman isog iya ka kaayohan kabalo kabalos kabataan kada kahoyan kalamay kalibutan kalimtan kalimti kamot kanta kapoy kasayoran kastigo kasuguan katalagman katol katongdanan kaugalingon kaunon kawat kinahanglanon kontra kuhaon kulba kulbaan kunu kurog kusog kusoga kutog kwarta lab labi labot lain , lambos lantaw later laum labyan lawas libak lomos lubot lugod luib lumba luto ma maanad mabuhat madakpan mahadlok mahibal – maka makahibalo makalingaw makig mandoan manduan mangamoyo mangayo , manghod mangita manguha manunudlo masaligan matahom matoman matumba mga na nabilin nahadlok nahitabo nahulog nahuman nakit nangayo nasiplatan nawong nga niadtong ninyo niwang paagi pabilin padoding padulong – pagdako pagkaon pagsaulog pahalipay pahilabot pahulay pakaon palangga palibog palibot palihog pamahaw pamati pananglitan pang pangitaa pangitaon panulay pasabton pasaylo pasudlon pauli pila pinaagi pinalanggaon pirme piyong pongko pugngan pugong pundo pungko sa sabton sag saka sakop . salawayon salig samad samtang sandig silingan silot simhotan singgit sogilanon suba subo sud-, sugod sulod sulong sungayon suya tabang tabok tag tagaan tahi. talaw – tanan tarongon tawganay tawo testingi tilaw tingala tingoha tinguha tog tognaw togotan tolon toltolan tomanon tomar tonga -, toyo tugutan tuig tungod tyabaw ulanan unahon ungangan unod lantawon unong uyab kabo sologoon sa-gob suba Nagkalain-lain tungud agtang kamot salog
Ila basi kontra poyo
Dagko gagmay peste yawa
Labina
Bisaya is an indigenous people from the northwest coast of East Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Their population is concentrated around Beaufort, Kuala Penyu, Menumbok, Sipitang, Labuan Federal Territory and in Limbang District, Sarawak. The Bisaya tribe has many similarities with the Dusun Tatana tribe, especially in terms of language. It is evident that some of their dialogical language conversations are almost identical if they have a dialogue with each other. Nowadays the Bisaya living in Sabah are Muslim, while the Bisaya living in Sarawak are mostly Christianity. In Brunei, they are referred as Dusun, Jati Dusun and Bisaya (Though they are not to be confused with the Dusun people of Sabah).[5] The Bisaya people are also regarded as a relatives of the Dayak people whereas Bisaya was not brought into Borneo instead they are aboriginal of the land.[6]
Origin and etymology
Several theories have been put forward by various researchers regarding the origins of the name of the Bisaya people. Beyer H.O. in 1926, Hester E.D. in 1954 and Harrison in 1956 suggested that the name may have come from the empire of Sri Vijaya (Sonza, 1972). However, in 1960, Eugene Vestraelen (Professor of Linguistics at the University of San Carlos, Cebu City) cautioned that the linguistic derivation of Vijaya would not be Bisaya but Bidaya, or Biraya.[7]
Another theory was suggested by John Carroll:[8]
According to John Carroll (1961:499-541), the term Visaya might be the Sanskrit Vaisya, denoting the 3rd caste of the Hindu caste system. The Philippine term Bisaya as found in Malay writings meant ‘slave’ or ‘the country of slaves’ and referred to a geographical area of the Philippines where slaves are formerly found and captured.— Joh Carroll, The word Bisaya in the Philippines and Borneo, Sarawak Museum Journal, 1960
source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisaya_%28Borneo%29
These are the 6 main Islands of Bisaya. The people who live here are called Bisaya or Visayans.
The Visayans (Visayan: Mga Bisaya; local pronunciation: [bi-sa-ya]) is an umbrella term for the Philippine ethnolinguistic groups native to the whole Visayas, the southernmost islands of Luzon and most parts of Mindanao. Those particularly within the Visayas broadly share a sea-based culture with strong Roman Catholic traditions merged with cultural elements through centuries of interaction and inter-migrations mainly across the seas of Visayan, Sibuyan, Camotes and Bohol, and in some secluded areas merged with ancient animistic-polytheistic influences (i.e. Folk Catholicism). Most Visayans are speakers of one or more Visayan languages, the most widely spoken being Cebuano, closely followed by Hiligaynon (Ilonggo) and Waray-Waray. Many have, at some point in their lives, migrated to Metro Manila and its surrounding provinces out of necessity brought about by the negative effects of economic centralization in their nation. They comprise the largest grouping in the geographical division of the country, numbering at around 33 million as of 2010.
A lot of people are wondering why majority of the people in Mindanaw speak Bisaya Cebuano and a minority speak Bisaya Ilonggo or Hiligaynon.
In 1940’s, Heavy migration from Bisaya islands specially from the province of Cebu, Iloilo, Antique, Dumaguete, Bohol to Mindanao is due to government-sponsored resettlement programs is the reason why 90% of Mindanao people speak the Cebuano language. Other Bisaya language spoken in Mindanao is Hiligaynon.
Mindanao provinces that speak the Bisaya CEBUANO language: Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, South Cotabato, North Cotabato,Saranggani, Sultan Kudarat.
Bisaya HILIGAYNON aka ILONGGO language is spoken in South Cotabato and Gensan areas.
Top 3 Most Spoken Bisaya Languages:
- Cebuano 20 million
- Hiligaynon (Ilonggo) 10 million
- Waray 3 million
Language of Iloilo in 1600’s
Mentrida , Alfonso de , 1637
Dictionary of the Bisayan Language Hiligaynon and Haraya of the Panay Island composed of Father Alonso de Mentrida.
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.
Despite two scholars, Juan Francisco and Lourdes Rausa-Gomez, debunking this myth way back in the 1960-70s in scholarly journals and at least one book. https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/209462/persistence-of-the-sri-vishaya-hoax
Cebuano
Cebuano, the second largest ethnolinguistic group (after Tagalog) in the Philippines, numbering roughly 16.5 million in the second decade of the 21st century. They speak an Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) language and are sometimes grouped with the Hiligaynon and Waray-Waray under the generic name of Visayan (Bisayan)
Another misunderstood language is Hiligaynon. A lot of uninformed people refer to Ilonggo as a language which is wrong.
Ilonggo is NOT a language. Ilonggo means the people who trace their Ethnic roots or bloodline in Iloilo province.
The Ilonggo people speak the Hiligaynon language. Hiligaynon is also the l language in Bacolod and the Negros Occidental province.
When the people in Bacolod or Negros occidental refer Ilonggo as their language it is just a reference to the Ilonggo people who speak Hiligaynon, is the same as when people in China refer to Chinese as their language but actually Chinese is the people and their specific languages are Cantonese or Mandarin etc.
The term “Ilonggo” is derived from the Spanish term “irong-irong”, referring to the Filipino word for nose (“ilong”) and an islet in the Batiano River in Panay.[4] “Ilonggo” is considered to define a specific group of people whose ethnic origins are in the provinces of Iloilo, Guimaras, and Panay, while “Hiligaynon” defines the language and culture of the Ilonggo people.[4] Thus, both terms are interchangeable in referring to the culture of the people or the people themselves
wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiligaynon_people
Many Ilonggos and Antiqueno people migrated in Mindanao and most of them settled in Pigkawayan and Midsayap North Cotabato areas.
How to check if you are a genuine Bisaya?
If both or one of your parents or grandparents or great-great grandparents were originally from any of the Bisaya Islands then you are Bisaya. But if both of your parents or grandparents or great-great grandparents then you are not a genuine Bisaya, you just learned the language and knows how to speak it.
If an Ilokano or Tagalog person learns to speak Cebuano or Hiligaynon language it does not make him a Bisaya person because his ethnic bloodline is NOT from the Bisaya islands.
Same like if you are a Bisaya or Ilokano and you learned to speak Mandarin or Cantonese language it does not make him Chinese because his ethnic blood is not Chinese.
Related Topic
Geography
Visayan Islands are a group of islands in central Philippines, lying between Luzon and Mindanao. The six main islands are Samar, Negros, Panay, Leyte, Cebu, and Bohol. The island of Masbate and nearby smaller islands are sometimes classified with the Visayas, and sometimes classified with the Philippines’ northern island group. The island group of Palawan used to belong to the region of Luzon and was transferred to Visayas in 2005. The Visayan Islands group is divided into three geographical areas: Eastern Visayas, Western Visayas, and Central Visayas. They have a total area of 23,582 square miles (61,077 square km)
People
The Bisaya people or Visayans are a group of Austronesian people who originate from the central and southern regions of the Philippines. Several linguistic groups in the Philippines are primarily of Bisaya descent. The largest of these groups are the speakers of the languages of Cebuano, Illongo, and Waray-Waray, which are sometimes mistakenly considered dialects. More than 40% of Filipinos have Visayan ancestry.
Some well-known leaders of the Philippine Revolution in the late 19th century are Visayans. Also, there have been three Philippine presidents from the Visayas: the Cebuano Sergio Osmeña (1878—1961); the Ilonggo Manuel Roxas and the Boholano Carlos P. Garcia (1896—1961).
Legend
Based on facts compiled in a book Maragtas by Pedro Alcantara Monteclaro, written in 1907, there are legends which tells the story of the ten chiefs (Datus) who escaped from the tyranny of Datu Makatunaw from Borneo to the islands of Panay. The chiefs and followers are believed to be the ancestors of the Visayan people. The arrival is celebrated in the Festival of the Ati-Atihan in Kalibo, Aklan.
Source: http://filam.si.edu/curriculum/u1-popup-visayas.html
Resources:
Encylopedia Britannica Online
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Visayan
Ilonggo Is also Bisaya https://dumaguetemetropost.com/ilonggo-is-bisaya-too-p6211-446.htm
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:
www.thenewstoday.info/2008/01/04/early.ilonggo.bisaya.identity.html
Some great Ilonggo-Bisaya writers in history
www.thenewstoday.info/2009/03/27/some.great.ilonggo.html
Samples of Bisaya Songs:
Waray = Waray-Waray
Kinray-a = Mauli ako sa Antique
Hiligaynon (ilonggo) = Kuring – Pirot
Cebuano = BUWAD SUKA SILI
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