The Island of Pearls Blog

Sulu Nation

“Tau” broadly means as “Nation” not just as “People” identical with the word “Bangsa” and “Sug” as "Sulu" thus Tausug is Sulu Nation not a single tribe or ethnic.

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Simply people do not understand the wisdom and national concept of the word “Tausug” because of the effect of the colonial tactic of divide-and-rule by the enemies that reshaped the mind setting of the people living in Sulu – Sulu not just a single province it is country or nation-state.

People tend to think that there tribe is greater than the others – that is ethnocentrism. The truth is Sulu country or nation-state is composed of many different ethnic tribes living in its dominion.

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Ethnocentrism is the result of the successful intervention of the enemies to topple down the strong force of Sulu to put barriers to its people. The time to revisit the historical, cultural, political and legal dome is coming – so people are no longer unaware to the incident that curtains their vision to fulfill their mission to achieve their self worth and identity of their Bangsa.
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The Tausug [Bangsa Sug or Bangsa Sulu] has three groups based upon their residing places in Sulu Archipelago [Zamboanga, Sulu, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and Sabah]; the Tau ha Higad, the Tau ha Gimba and the Tau ha Pu’.
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First, The Tau ha Higad people inhabited the city or town. Second, the Tau ha Gimba people who dwell the hinterlands of Sulu, the farmers. The third one, the Tau ha Pu’ [islander], are those who are living in the islets and their main source of income is fishing.
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This is what we called the Tausug Nation of the Sulu country.Tausug Nation composed of different ethnic tribes that include Buranun [now known as Tausug because of their dominant personalities], Sama-Bangingi-Badjao [sea expert], Yakan [Taguima], Dampuans, Banjar, Baklaya, Kalibugan [agriculturists] and others that had inhabited Sulu Archipelago including Ilanun.