Subanen, Eastern in Philippines

People Name:	Subanen, Eastern
Country:	Philippines
10/40 Window:	No
Population:	8,600
World Population:	8,600
Primary Language:	Subanen, Eastern
Primary Religion:	Ethnic Religions
Christian Adherents:	10.00 %
Evangelicals:	1.00 %
Scripture:	Portions
Online Audio NT:	No
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	No
People Cluster:	Filipino, Central
Affinity Bloc:	Malay Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

The Subanen peoples live on the Zamboanga Peninsula of Mindanao, the southernmost island in the Philippines. They first came there around 500 BC. They are divided into subgroups based on their dialect. The Eastern Subanan are one of these subgroups.
The Eastern Subanen were “protected” by the Spanish Empire as they conquered the Muslim peoples of Mindanao. They were dominated by the Spanish until 1899 when the United States took the Philippines as a colony. Muslim peoples such as the Moros attacked both the Americans and the Subanen. This wreaked havoc on the lives of the Subanen peoples; some of them were even enslaved. The Subanen began to have much more contact with the outside world starting in the 1910s. There was an influx of new settlers, miners and loggers. The new Philippine government established stronger control at that time for tax purposes.

What Are Their Lives Like?

This is a farming community with unusual customs. There is no division of labor based on gender. Both genders work on farms together. Men sometimes cook and take care of children. There is equality, so there is no division by class.
These farmers grow rice as their staple food, but they also raise livestock including cattle and water buffalo.
Parents arrange marriages for their children, often before they reach puberty. A husband’s family must pay for the bride, and he must do work for her family. For that reason, parents prefer daughters over sons since it means gaining wealth from the family of a future husband.
Their homes are usually rectangular with bamboo floors. Sometimes they don’t have complete roofs.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Though there is a Christian presence among the Eastern Subanen, they have their own ethnic religion. Much of the Christian work came from the Christian and Missionary Alliance. It provided them with schools as well as church planting work.

What Are Their Needs?

The Eastern Subanen people need to center their lives around the teachings and the person of Jesus Christ.

Prayer Points

Pray for a spiritual revival among the Eastern Subanen people that will lead them to the cross and the empty grave.
Pray for Eastern Subanen elders to have dreams and visions that will lead them to Jesus.
Pray for Eastern Subanen disciples to make more disciples.