Daloy ng Yaman

Daloy ng Yaman
2016

The wealth (yaman) of the waters flow (daloy) through the Filipino people, as most of our cultures are based on the waterways we have built our lives around.

All great human communities have built their settlements beside bodies of water to survive; whereas these waterways provide water for agriculture, water for drinking, fish and other water food products, transport and docking for trade, and a natural waste disposal system. More so for the Filipino people, we have been traditionally a water bourne culture; with more than 7000 islands and thousands of tributaries, we can call ourselves Taga-Tubig (people of the water). With our various towns and cities are built by the coasts and riversides, many of the names of our ethnic groups are derived from our affinity to the water:

The Agusanon, of Mindanao, derive their name from the words Agos (to flow, which is the same source for their main body of water the Agusan River) and Non (people). This is simply translated as “the people of the water”.

The sea gypsies called the Badjao say that their name simply means fisher folk.

The Bicolano, of southern Luzon, get their name from the Bico River, therefore they are “the people of the Bico River”.

The Capiznon, from the Visayas area, take their name from the Kapis sea shell and the word Non (people).

The Cebuano name is a Spanish mispronunciation of the words Sugbo or to walk on the water.

The Ibanag name is rooted in the words I (meaning people) and the word Bannag (or river).

The Ilongo trace their name to the word Irong-irong (like a nose), which is an islet in the middle of the Batiano River.

The Itawes, of northern Luzon) draw their name from the words I (meaning people) and Tawid (across the river), hence they are “the people across the river”.

The Kinaray-a have obtained their name from the words Iraya (upstream) and Ka (companion).

The Maguindanao translate their name as the People of the flood plains, because they are situated near the basin of the Pulangi River.

The Mandaya name developed from the words Man (the first) and Daya (upstream).

The Iraya Mangayan explain that their name is from the word Iraya, which means upstream.

The Manobo name is a combination the words Man (meaning people) and Suba (meaning river).

The Mansaka derive their name from the words Man (people) and Saka (to ascend or upstream).

The Maranao are called the people of the Lake (Ranao), and their present city is Marawi City, on Lake Lanao.

The Pampango or Kapangpangan get their name from the word Pangpang or river bank.

The Pangasinan take their name from the word Asin or salt, thus the name means “The place where salt is made”.

The Subanon name is rooted from the words Suba (river) and Non (people).

The Tagalog have acquired their name from the words Taga (from) and Ilog (river), thus they are “the people from the river”.

The Tausug get their name from the words Tau (man) and Sug (current).

The Tiruray name is from the words Tiru (place of origin) and Ray / Daya (upstream).

Another example to this union with water is the Barangay our smallest local government unit, named after the great house boats that traversed our sea many centuries ago.