Maguindanao people

The Maguindanao people, called **Maguindanaon**, are an Austronesian ethnic group from the Philippines. The Maguindanaon are part of wider political identity of Muslims known as Moro, who constitute the third largest ethnic group of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan.

The Maguindanaons historically had an independent sultanate known as the _Sultanate of Maguindanao_ which comprises modern day Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region and Soccsksargen. The name _"Maguindanao/Magindanaw"_ itself was corrupted by Spanish sources into "Mindanao", which became the name for the entire island of Mindanao and its surrounding islets.

## Etymology

The word _Maguindanao or Magindanaw_ means "people of the flood plains", from the word _Magi'inged_ that means "people or citizen" and _danaw_ that means "lake or marsh". Thus _Maguindanao or Magindanaw_ can also be translated as "people of the lake", identical to their close neighbors, the Maranao and Iranun. These three groups speak related languages belonging to the **Danao language family**.

## Language

The **Maguindanao language** is the native language of the _Maguindanaons_. Aside from this, most are able to speak Filipino, and English in varying levels of fluency. Arabic is also used among madrasah-educated Maguindanaons, being the liturgical language of Islam, a religion of most Maguindanaons, though it is rarely used beyond its religious environment except by Maguindanaons in the Middle East, especially in Saudi Arabia, who are fluent in that language.

### Musical and performing arts

The Maguindanaon have a culture that revolves around kulintang music, a specific type of gong music, found among both Muslim and non-Muslim groups of the Southern Philippines.

## Infobox (ethnic group)

- **group**: Maguindanaon people
- **native name**: Magindanawn

- **image**: Shariff Kabunsuan Festival 2016 Guinakit Fluvial Parade 6.jpg
- **caption**: Maguindanaon women at S.K Festival.
- **population**: **2,021,099 (2020 census)
<small>(1.9% of the Demographics of the Philippines, Philippine population)</small>**
- **regions**:

- **region1**: Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur
- **pop1**: 1,101,885
- **region2**: Sultan Kudarat
- **pop2**: 243,445
- **region3**: North Cotabato
- **pop3**: 214,015
- **region4**: South Cotabato
- **pop4**: 41,721
- **region5**: Sarangani
- **pop5**: 41,516
- **region6**: Zamboanga del Sur
- **pop6**: 41,255
- **region7**: General Santos City
- **pop7**: 40,073
- **region8**: Metro Manila
- **pop8**: 38,861
- **region9**: Zamboanga Sibugay
- **pop9**: 12,910
- **region10**: Bukidnon
- **pop10**: 10,709
- **region11**: Davao City
- **pop11**: 8,258
- **region12**: Zamboanga del Norte
- **pop12**: 4,030
- **region13**: Rizal (province), Rizal
- **pop13**: 3,168
- **region14**: Cavite
- **pop14**: 2,816
- **region15**: Davao del Norte
- **pop15**: 2,658
- **languages**: **Native**
Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon
**Also**
Filipino language, FilipinoPhilippine English, English
- **rels**: Sunni Islam
- **related**: Maranao people, Maranao, Iranun people, Iranun, Kalagan people, Kalagan, Lumad,
 Sama-Bajau, other Moro people, Moro peoples, Visayans,
other Filipinos, Malay people
other Austronesian peoples