Mindanawon

Mindanawon is a demonym for residents or natives of Mindanao, the southern Philippine island. It refers to people who originate from Mindanao or identify with its regional culture, regardless of ethnicity, language, or religion. The term conveys a Mindanaoan regional identity within the broader Philippine nation and is used in everyday speech, media, and academic writing.

Mindanao is ethnolinguistically diverse, home to Muslim, Christian, and Indigenous communities. Prominent Muslim groups include the Maguindanaon and Maranao in central Mindanao and the Tausug in the Sulu archipelago, while Christian communities are spread across various provinces where Visayan and other languages are spoken. Indigenous groups such as the Manobo, Subanen, Higaonon, and others contribute additional cultural identities within the Mindanawon umbrella. The island hosts a range of languages, traditions, cuisines, and crafts reflecting its diversity.

Administratively, Mindanao comprises several regions and includes the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), a self-governing region established following the Bangsamoro organic law. The Mindanawon identity is often described as inclusive of its diverse peoples, united by shared experiences of living in Mindanao’s varied landscapes—mountains, forests, and coastlines—and by regional concerns such as development, peace, and cultural preservation.

In contemporary usage, Mindanawon denotes pride in Mindanao’s resilience and cultural plurality, while also acknowledging historical tensions and ongoing efforts toward inclusive growth and peaceful coexistence. The term appears in academic discourse, media, and everyday conversation as a way to describe a regional Filipino identity.