Maranao

The Maranao are an Austronesian-speaking Muslim ethnic group in the Philippines. They form one of the largest Moro ethnolinguistic groups, concentrated around Lake Lanao in Mindanao, especially in Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte, with Marawi City as a major urban center. The ethnonym Maranao (plural Maranaos) derives from maranaw, meaning "people of the lake."

They speak Maranao, a Malayo-Polynesian language with several dialects. Most Maranao are adherents of Sunni Islam, traditionally following the Shafi'i school, and their religious practice blends orthodox Islam with local customs developed under the historic sultanates.

Maranao culture is noted for its arts and crafts, including okir decorative motifs in wood and metalwork, kulintang gong music, and the torogan, a grand house of noble families. Traditional clothing such as the malong is common, and social organization historically revolved around datus (chieftains) and adat laws.

Historically, Maranao society was organized around the Sultanates of Maguindanao and Lanao. In modern times, they are a prominent group within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The community continues to influence regional culture through music, architecture, and visual arts.