MSU Meranaw Cultural Heritage Center

FROM INHERITANCE TO EMERGENCE: DIALOGUES ON MERANAW IDENTITY AND LEADERSHIP TODAY OPENS REFLECTIVE SPACE FOR YOUTH AND COMMUNITY DISCOURSE

MARAWI CITY — The Mindanao State University Meranaw Cultural Heritage Center, under the leadership of 𝐌𝐒𝐔 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐲. 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧 𝐏. 𝐃. 𝐓𝐚𝐠𝐨, 𝐂𝐏𝐀 and through the stewardship of 𝐌𝐂𝐇𝐂 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐌𝐬. 𝐀𝐲𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐚 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐤𝐚 𝐌. 𝐀𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐨, formally launched the pilot session of “𝑰𝒏𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝑬𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆: 𝑫𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒖𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒘 𝑰𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑳𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝑻𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚,” a continuing dialogue series that seeks to examine how Meranaw identity and leadership are understood, practiced, remembered, and reimagined by the present generation amid rapidly changing social realities.

The program gathered scholars, cultural workers, youth leaders, professionals, media practitioners, students, and members of the community in a reflective and intergenerational discussion that explored the relationship between inherited traditions and the contemporary realities shaping Meranaw society today.

In her welcome and start of the dialogue, Ms. Ayesha Merdeka M. Alonto, Head of the MSU Meranaw Cultural Heritage Center and Meranaw Cluster Head of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts SCCTA, emphasized the importance of creating spaces where conversations on identity, responsibility, memory, and leadership may be approached thoughtfully, critically, and collectively.

Her dialogue, titled “From Inheritance to Emergence: Why This Dialogue Matters Today,” introduced the rationale and direction of the continuing series, framing Meranaw leadership not as a fixed concept confined to the past, but as an evolving discourse shaped by memory, lived realities, emerging challenges, and the aspirations of the present generation.

The dialogue highlighted that questions of leadership today are no longer confined only to formal titles or traditional authority structures, but are increasingly expressed through education, cultural work, public service, scholarship, advocacy, community engagement, digital participation, and everyday involvement in social life. The series likewise emphasized that younger Meranaws are not merely inheritors of leadership discourse, but active participants in shaping its future meanings.

Serving as facilitator for the dialogues was Walid “Hadji Jehad” Z. Pangcoga, Cultural and Heritage Advocate and former Diamla sa Tugaya, who guided the discussions and interactive reflections throughout the session.

The second dialogue featured Sittie Aisha “Baicon” Cayongcat Nuska, Commissioner of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, who delivered a lecture titled “Meranaw Traditional Leadership: Memory, Values, and Social Responsibility.”

Her discussion revisited traditional Meranaw concepts of leadership and reflected on values historically associated with leadership, including honor, wisdom, responsibility, igma, and taritib. The dialogue encouraged participants to reflect on how these values continue to shape present understandings of legitimacy, communal responsibility, and leadership within Meranaw society today.

The third dialogue was opened by Dr. Tirmizy Abdullah, Professor from the History Department of Mindanao State University, through his discourse on “Leadership, Resistance, and Self-Governance: Meranaws During the Spanish Period.”

Dr. Abdullah discussed how Meranaw communities maintained self-governance, defended their social order, and navigated external threats during the Spanish colonial period while preserving their political and cultural autonomy. His lecture situated historical leadership not merely as resistance, but as an expression of communal responsibility, negotiation, continuity, and resilience within changing historical conditions.

An interactive dialogue and open floor discussion followed, allowing participants and speakers to exchange reflections on inherited understandings of leadership, present realities among Meranaw youth, and emerging forms of leadership in contemporary society. The dialogue was also joined by members of the Ranaw Vloggers led by their President, Mr. Sahruddin Panoro T. Maruhom, together with Alip TV Vlog, Starlady, and other content creator, reflecting the growing role of digital spaces in shaping public discourse and community engagement among the younger generation.

The program also featured a cultural interlude through the theater presentation “Pilandok: A Story of Leadership Transformation” by the MSU Sining Kambayoka Ensemble. The presentation was itself part of the dialogue series as it reflected the journey of a Meranaw folk character on leadership through challenges, wisdom, transformation, and responsibility.

The story of Pilandok resonated deeply with the audience as it portrayed a wise individual who eventually became a leader, yet later chose to step away from authority, not out of rejection of leadership itself, but from an awareness of the weight and accountability that leadership carries. The performance opened reflections among participants on the deeper meaning of leadership and responsibility in both Meranaw society and Islamic understanding.

In Islam, leadership is regarded as an amanah (trust) and a haq (duty) that carries obligations toward the people, emphasizing that leadership is not merely a position of honor, but a responsibility that must be fulfilled with justice, sincerity, and service.

The event concluded with a synthesis and closing reflection delivered by Ms. Alonto titled “What Do We Carry Forward?” emphasizing that the dialogue series is not intended to arrive at a final or singular definition of Meranaw leadership, but rather to sustain continuing conversations between memory and change, continuity and transformation, inherited structures and present realities.

The series ultimately hopes to encourage greater awareness, responsibility, reflection, and engagement among the younger generation while contributing to a more grounded and evolving understanding of Meranaw identity and leadership in the present time.

Organizers also shared that the dialogue will continue through succeeding sessions that will further explore the leadership of the past, present, and future, examining what continues to endure, what has transformed, and what new forms of leadership are emerging among Meranaws today.

𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘴, 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘸𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘯 𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱, 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺.

This 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, at 𝑲𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒖𝒅𝒂𝒏 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒍, 𝑴𝑺𝑼 𝑴𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒘 𝑪𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑯𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝑪𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓, the pilot session of “𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐈𝐧𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐰 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲” opens a reflective space where younger generations can engage with important questions on heritage, belonging, leadership, and transformation in contemporary Meranaw society.

As society continues to rapidly change, Meranaw leadership is no longer understood only through formal titles or inherited authority, but also through education, cultural work, scholarship, advocacy, public service, community engagement, and the everyday participation of young people shaping their communities today.

Rather than simply looking back with nostalgia or turning away from tradition, this continuing dialogue encourages thoughtful reflection between memory and change, continuity and transformation, inherited values and emerging realities.

This session will also feature a special theatrical presentation by the multi-awarded theater group from the Philippines, the MSU Sining Kambayoka Ensemble, staging the play “𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐤 𝐬𝐚 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐲𝐨𝐠.” The play follows the journey of a young man, Pilandok, whose life is shaped and transformed through trials, challenges, and shifting times, eventually emerging into a figure of leadership. Through storytelling and performance, it brings forward reflections on growth, responsibility, and the making of leadership within changing social landscapes.

Join scholars, cultural workers, professionals, community leaders, and fellow youth as we reflect together on what it means to be Meranaw today and how leadership may continue to evolve for future generations.

📍 𝐊𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐝𝐚𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐌𝐒𝐔 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐰 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫
🗓 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔
🕐 𝟏:𝟎𝟎 𝐏𝐌 – 𝟓:𝟎𝟎 𝐏𝐌

𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡: Roots and Horizons. Shared Heritage. Our Collective Future.

The Mindanao State University Meranaw Cultural Heritage Center joins the nation in celebrating National Heritage Month 2026, honoring the living legacy of our people, woven through generations, stories, and traditions that continue to shape who we are today.

This May, we reflect on how our roots ground us and how our horizons inspire us forward. From the heritage we inherit to the future we build together, every Filipino carries a story worth preserving and sharing.

Through this initiative, the Center reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding Meranaw cultural heritage while contributing to a shared national identity—where culture is not only remembered, but actively lived, nurtured, and passed on.

Together, we honor our past. Together, we shape our collective future.

WORD OF THE WEEK | 𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗚𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗡
(pa-ning-ga-lan / pah-ning-gah-lahn)

In celebration of National Heritage Month 2026, we honor the word Paninggalan, a heritage, legacy, or treasured inheritance passed down by our ancestors. It is a gift that continues to shape our identity, culture, and history.

“Our traditional okir designs and woven textiles are essential parts of the paninggalan of the Meranaw people.”

Paninggalan serves as a powerful reminder that culture is not merely inherited; it must be protected, practiced, preserved, and passed on to the next generation.

Word of the Week: 𝘼𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙬𝙩 (ah-lang-ma-na -owt)

Alangmanawt is a Meranaw term also known as “𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙖𝙠𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙜-𝙠𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙜” or “𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙣 sa poro”. It refers to the state of being high above the ground, when you are up in the sky or flying, such as being aboard an airplane.

In simple terms, “alangmanawt” means being “in midair” or “airborne.”

Culturally, this word reflects the Meranaw imagination and connection to space, movement, and the unseen. Even before modern flight, expressions like “alangmanawt” captured the idea of elevation, not just physical, but also symbolic. It can suggest freedom, transition, or a moment of being between worlds, echoing how Meranaw language often blends the physical environment with deeper cultural meaning.