Introduction / History

On the islands of Mindanao, Basilan, and Luzon, Philippines, may be found speakers of the only Spanish-based language in Asia, Chabacano/ Chabakano, a pidgin/creole Spanish. What began as a seventeenth-century lingua franca is now an ethnic language. It is Spanish-based with Cebuano and Tagalog words. Any one speaking Spanish can understand the gist of it. (Nouns seem to be all masculine, even when they are feminine in Spanish.) Yet its speakers are Malay by ethnicity. Technically, it is call Zamboango Chabacano, after the major city where it is spoken, the "Spanish City." Speakers number in the hundreds of thousands.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Like the language spoken, Chabakano Creole culture is a mixture of Mexican, indigenous, and Muslim cultures. The people live mostly in urban areas. They have strong family ties, and strong cultural identification. They earn a living in the trades, fishing, transportation, small businesses and government employment. However, many are unemployed and poor. Health care is marginal. Youth are marginalized.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Most people may be orthodox Roman Catholic or practice syncretistic folk-Catholicism, or they may belong to a Protestant church, including a sizeable evangelical church. Biblical resources are available, including the Bible and audio resources.

What Are Their Needs?

As noted above, they need jobs and job training. They need mother-tongue literacy and multilingual education. They need community development and youth programs. They need peace due to group conflicts that spill over into their communities. Religiously, they need interdenominational cooperation.

Prayer Items

Pray for peace in Zamboango and Basilan.
Pray for economic opportunities and job training availability. Pray for youth to find purpose and the development of youth programs.
Pray for a strong local church, for Biblical literacy, and the development of youth programs.
Pray for interfaith cooperation among Christians; including promotion of Biblical literacy and job training.
Pray for medical ministry. Pray for revival among both Catholics and Protestants and outreach to Muslims.

Scripture Prayers for the Chabakano Creole in Philippines.

References

John Lipsky, Philippine Creeole Spanish (Chabacano); Wikipedia, "Chabacano"