Madja-as

**Madja-as** (Kinaray-a: *Kapunuan kang Madyas*; Kinaray-a Cyrillic: Капунан каң Мажас; Aklanon: *Kapunuan it Madyas*; Aklanon Cyrillic: Капунан ит Мажас; Hiligaynon: *Kahugpungan sang Madyas*; Hiligaynon Cyrillic: Кахугпуңан саң Мажас; Cebuano: *Kahugpongan sa Madyas*; Cebuano Cyrillic: Кахугпоңан са Мажас; Baybayin: ᜋᜇ᜔ᜌ᜵ᜀᜐ᜔ (*Madja-as*; Мажа-ас), also known as **Sri-Bisaya** (Malayo-Sanskrit), officially known as the **Confederate Kedatuan of Madja-as** (**CKM**), was a pre-Hispanic Mandala in Panay, within the Visayas islands in what is then the Philippines, and was the oldest Srivijayan territory in the archipelago, next to the Sulu Archipelago.

It was established by 10 leaders called datus (then reduced to 9, since Datu Puti, their leader, disappeared). Datus were high officials (just rendered high-official during the invasion but before the Hindu invasion, Datus were considered co-equal paramount rulers of a kedatuan). They were connected with the court of Indianized native kingdoms of Brunei and Srivijaya, who were forced to leave that land on account of enmity with the rajah, who was ruling the land at that time. The datus, together with their wives and children, as well as a few faithful servants and followers; monks, scholars, soldiers were secretly escorted out of the country by the rajah's chief minister, whose name was Datu Puti. The local folklore says that the name of the Bornean rajah was Makatunao.

They embarked on sailing rafts of the type used by the Visayans (the term used in the Malay settlements, of what is now Borneo and the Philippines, to refer to Srivijayans) in Sumatra and Borneo. According to tradition, which survive in the local culture of Western Visayas, this seafaring vessel is called a balangay, from which a barangay, the smallest social unit in the present-day Philippines came from.

The semi-democratic confederation or the kedatuan was integrated to the Spanish Empire through pacts and treaties (c. 1569) by Miguel López de Legazpi and his grandson Juan de Salcedo. During the time of their Hispanization, the principalities of the confederation were already developed settlements with distinct social structure, culture, customs, and religion. Among the archaeological proofs of the existence of this Hiligaynon nation are the artifacts found in pre-Hispanic tombs from many parts of the island, which are now in display at Iloilo Museum. There are also recent discoveries of burial artifacts of eight-foot (2.44 meter) inhabitants of Islas de Gigantes, including extra-large lungons (wooden coffins) and pre-Hispanic potteries. Another testimony of the antiquity of this civilization is the longest and oldest epic in the region, the Hinilawod, which must have been commonly known to the Visayans of Panay before the conquest, since its main protagonists, like Labaw Donggon, were noted in the accounts of the islanders' beliefs by early Spanish colonizers. One of these Westerners' accounts says that the tales regarding adventures of this ancient hero of Panay were being retold during wedding celebrations in form of songs.

After Marcos' regime ended with a peaceful overthrow, Cory restored Madja-as and eventually becomes a new colonial power.