Echoes of Kinship: The Untold Meranaw and Higaonon Connections in Lanao and Mindanao

Abstract

This study focuses on the genealogical as well as the sociocultural connections between the Meranaw, a prominent Moro group residing around Lake Lanao, and the Higaonon, a non-Moro Lumad group traditionally inhabiting the upland regions of Northern Mindanao. This aims to address the significant lack of discussion regarding the relationship between these two closely situated tribes. Drawing on oral histories, ethnographic records, and local genealogies, the research uncovers interlinkages that challenge rigid identity boundaries. In particular, it highlights intermarriages and kinship ties that developed through peaceful exchanges, alliances during earlier periods, and negotiated coexistence in overlapping territories. These genealogical ties reveal a fluidity of identity and belonging, often obscured by current ethno-political divisions. The study also examines how these relations are remembered and mobilized by communities today, either as foundations for solidarity in Indigenous struggles or, conversely, as contested memories in the context of resource disputes or in contribution to writing their history. It found out the two groups shared the same Apo in Sharief Alawi, an early Muslim missionary in north Mindanao, and co-existed in the Tagoloan Aklim and is tied with the history of the Meranaw who recognized this shared ancestry.

 By focusing on Meranaw-Higaonon genealogical relations, the paper contributes to a broader rethinking of Moro-Lumad relations, not as static or antagonistic, but as dynamic and historically rooted in shared lived experiences. Understanding these interwoven ancestries offers an opportunity to foster dialogue and bridge-building in the pursuit of peace, cultural preservation, and Indigenous rights in Mindanao.