History of Yakan's Culture

The Yakan's are descendants of people who

migrated from Papua New Guinea, they believe

their descent stems from Borneo and Malaysia.

 

Most Yakan's have straight black hair and the

 

slight build associated with the Malay rather than

 

the more Negroid features of the Papuans.





 

 



 According to the  history of  Yakan, In 1844, the French government viewed Basilan Island as

a good location for a series of naval bases to protect

French trade. Toward this end, they purchased Basilan

from the Sultan of Sulu on neighboring Jolo Island.

19 The

initial French effort to occupy Basilan was bitterly

resented by the natives who vigorously resisted their

authority for a year. They abducted several French crew

members from the battleship

Sabine in a skirmish that left

one dead. The others were released as a result of Spanish colonial intervention. The

French returned with greater force to blockade Basilan. After heated debate within the

French government, King Louis Philippe withdrew his forces. The French abandoned

their short-lived plan to incorporate Basilan Island into a naval defense line owing to the

projected costs of securing the island

During 1848, the Spanish started to use steamships with canons and were able to bring the

southern sultanates under control and end piracy. Three years earlier, Pedro Cuevas, a

Tagalog from Cavite in the northern Philippines escaped from a penitentiary in

Zamboanga; he sought refuge on Basilan Island.

21 His leadership enabled the Yakan to

fend off an encroachment by the Tausug, as well as launch attacks on the Spanish in

Mindanao. After marrying a local woman and converting to Islam, he became known as

Datu Kulun, a revered figure. He introduced the Yakan to coconut cultivation, which

developed into a cash crop economy based on copra (dried coconut meat).

18

Refference  

Mindanao Examiner. “Yakan Cloth, Now A Pride of Zamboanga.” 5 January 2006.

http://zamboangajournal.blogspot.com/2006/01/yakan-cloth-now-pride-of-zamboanga.html

17

The Yakan of Basilan Island: Another Unknown and Exotic Tribe of the Philippines. Sherfan, Andrew.

“Chapter 1: A General Background on Basilan Island [pp. 16–17]. 1976. Cebu City: Fotomatic.

18

New York Times. Crossette, Barbara. “In Filipino Port, Lawlessness Grows.” 11 September 1987.

http://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/11/world/in-filipino-port-lawlessness-grows.html?pagewanted=all

19

 

Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Northern Illinois University. “Historical Timeline of the Royal

Sultanate of Sulu Including Related Events of Neighboring Peoples.” 1996–2009.

http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Tagalog/Modules/Modules/MuslimMindanao/historical_timeline_of_the_royal.

htm

 

20

Manila Times. de Viana, Augusto. “‘What ifs’ in Philippine History.” 17 September 2006.

http://www.allempires.net/topic15834_post346316.html#346316

 

21

 

PCIJ.org. Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. “Troubled Return of the Faithful.” June 2003.

http://www.pcij.org/imag/SpecialReport/balik-islam2.html
Image came from: piazampenpics.blogspot.com/2012_06_28_