Subanen and Muslim cultures are preserved by the province. Although there are inter marriages with other tribes, the cultures of the early settlers were documented. Some of the artifacts that remind their cultural heritage have been preserved in the possession of their descendants.

These early settlers still retained many colorful and interesting customs, traditions and ways of life. Some of them are described below based on the research conducted by the Provincial Government.

Whenever a strong Subanen leader emerges, who is powerful enough to protect his neighbors, they make him a timuay or leader. A timuay protects the people who recognize his authority. A rich timuay usually builds his house, long in shape to accommodate several rooms for his wives. It is surrounded by the houses of the people who seek his protection. In this case, such houses are studier and bigger, as the group’s stay is more or less permanent. And the whole Subanen village becomes more prosperous. Timuays have traditional powers to settle disputes between group members. He can impose fines and light punishments.

A Muslim patriarch or leader is supposed to be concerned with the welfare of his relatives, including distant ones. He is expected to extend financial help to clan members who are sick or getting married. Muslims have a high degree of respect for their elders and leaders. It is this family loyalty that sometimes lead to dire consequences. Muslims believed that when an offense is committed against a person, the same offense is actually directed against the entire clan, any member of the latter clan may then volunteer to slay the offender, to make things even. This is the rido system which is still practiced by some Muslims. The cyce of revenge continues until when religious or political leaders mediate the conflict, and adequate blood money is paid to the family of the victim or victims who were not at fault.

Other settlers from Visayas and Luzon have their own culture or peculiar customs and traditions, moral values, mannerisms and the like.

Celebrations and Marriage Practices

The most colorful and expensive of the Subanen celebrations is the buklog (Subanens pronounce it as gbecklug), a rite observed after a happy event, such as good harvest. Up to the 1950’s, many buklogs were held, sponsored by rich families or those with the largest landholdings. However, as the traditional Subanen chieftains began to become impoverished, having sold or lost their lands to the migrants, or have them divided by many heirs, buklogs are held occasionally. Nowadays, even in such Subanen bastions as Lapuyan, buklogs are held only during very special events, like the visits of VIP’s or politicians, and the activities are now limited to the ceremonial or merry – making aspects, minus the sumptuous feast and drinking.

In the early days, when a powerful Subanen hosted a buklog, there was along preparation to raise and fatten pigs, cows, carabaos and chicken. Other renowned and rich Subanen and relatives from afar were also invited.

An open rectangular stage, called a buklog, is constructed with round timbers, about five fathoms in diameter. It has split bamboo flooring supported by timbers which are chosen for their pliability. Beneath the center of the floor is a big pole which is positioned to pass through a hole carved on a rounded piece of log. Dancers, both men, women and children take turns in going up to the buklog to dance. They jump and dance in unison, so that their combined weight would move the stage downward, resulting in the pole striking the hollowed log, thus producing rhythmic sounds which reverberate even to the distant hills. Each sound is accompanied by joyful, synchronized shouts from the participants. The dancing lasts up to the wee hours of the morning. A sumptuous feast is served to everybody around the clock. Adult males and even some women sit on the floor of the house in a circle, at the middle of which is an expensive porcelain jar, filled with basi wine, made from fermented rice. Only one bamboo straw is used for drinking, which is passed around. Sumptuous foods are eaten without let up.

During fiestas and other festivities, such dances as the sothalek and mangalay with all their intricate movements are also performed. Women, carrying palm fronds and men, carrying wooden shields and lances, gracefully strut, advance or sidle up in measured steps.

In the past, Subanen chieftains practiced polygamy. The number of wives depended on the chieftains’s wealth or influence.

Among their honored traditional ceremonies are connected with courtships and weddings. It is true that in some instances, Muslim women are not at par with the men in the way society treats them. This impression buttressed by the fact that a Muslim man can have up to four wives provided that he can support them and treat them equally. Muslim men contract a second or more marriages only with the consent of his original wife. Nowadays, this practice is rarely done by modern or educated Muslims.

The wedding takes place only when the appropriate dowry is given by the groom to the bride’s family. There is a need for the groom to save enough money as Muslim weddings are generally grand affairs. All the relatives, distant or close, and the friends of the bride and groom are invited. The Muslims have strong family ties extending even to distant relatives, by consanguinity (blood ties) or affinity.

Muslim dances are very colorful, like the singkil and pakiring or dayang-dayang. The dancers wear beautiful and well-decorated costumes. The intricate and graceful movements of the body and hands are interesting. Muslim singers also dish out beautiful, sentimental songs during celebrations of joyous events. The Maguindanaoans popularized the unday-unday. A man and a woman try to beat each other in a contest of witty repartees between the love proponent and the object of his suit.