VERNACUL YAKAN
AR PERIOD TRADITIONAL
1521 HOUSES
YAKAN
YAKAN
THE YAKAN ARE ONE OF THE MUSLIM PEOPLES OF THE
SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES. THEY LIVE ON THE ISLAND OF
BASILAN, JUST OFF THE SOUTHWESTERN POINT OF MINDANAO.
IS THE THIRD LARGEST ETHNIC GROUP IN SULU ARCHIPELAGO
KNOWN FOR THEIR INTRICATE AND COLORFUL EMBROIDERY
GEOLOGICAL/TOPOGRAPHY AND
CLIMATE CONDITION
• THE YAKANS RESIDE IN THE SULU ARCHIPELAGO, SITUATED TO THE WEST OF ZAMBOANGA IN MINDANAO. IN THE
EARLY 1970’S, SOME OF THE YAKAN SETTLED IN ZAMBOANGA CITY DUE TO POLITICAL UNREST THAT LED TO ARMED
CONFLICT BETWEEN MILITANT MORO GROUPS AND GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS
• BASILAN IS LOCATED AT 6⁰40’N 122⁰00’E, WITH A TOTAL AREA OF 1,283 SQ.KM.
• THE CLIMATE IS TROPICAL WITH A RAINY SEASON FROM APRIL TO OCTOBER AND DRY SEASON FROM NOVEMBER TO
APRIL. THE INTERIOR IS MOSTLY MOUNTAINOUS.
• THE YAKAN LIVE PREDOMINANTLY IN THE INTERIOR MOSTLY IN THE EASTERN, CENTRAL, AND SOUTHWESTERN PART
OF MINDANAO, WHEREAS SAMAL AND TAUSOG, WHO ARE ALSO MUSLIM LIVE ALONG THE COASTS.
• A FEW YAKAN ALSO LIVE ON A REMOTE ISLAND OF SACOL.
CULTURE AND HISTORY
• THE YAKAN ARE PROBABLY THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF BASILAN, AND MAY ONCE HAVE
INHABITED THE WHOLE ISLAND. WHERE THEY ESTABLISHED RUBBER AND COCONUT
PLANTATIONS. THE SULTAN OF SULU ONCE CLAIMED BASILAN AS PART OF HIS
POSSESSIONS. CHRISTIAN OCCUPATION STARTED WHEN THE SPANISH COLONIAL
GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED A FORT AT ISABELA ON BASILAN’S NORTHWEST COAST IN 1842.
• THE YAKAN ARE IN MANY RESPECTS TO CULTURALLY RELATED TO OTHER MUSLIM GROUPS
(MORO), NOT MERELY IN RELIGION. THE TAUSOG AND SAMA, AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE
SAMA THERE IS MUCH CULTURAL SIMILARITY. HOWEVER, THE YAKAN HAVE THEIR OWN
INDENTIFIABLE CULTURE
SETTLEMENTS
• THE YAKAN HAVE NO COMPACT VILLAGES; THE HOUSE ARE SCATTERED AMONG THE FIELDS, AND THERE ARE
VEGETABLES AND FRUIT TREES AROUND THE HOUSE.
• THE CENTER OF THE COMMUNITY IS THE MOSQUE (LANGGAL) WHICH IS A SIMPLE BUILDING.
• THE HOUSE ARE RECTANGULAR PILE DWELLINGS HOUSING NUCLEAR FAMILIES (SEE LUMAH HOUSES).
• THE TRADITIONAL HOUSE HAS A STEEP THATCHED ROOF, ALTHOUGH TODAY CORRUGATED IRON IS ALSO USED. THE
WALLS ARE MADE OF EITHER PLAITED REED OR BAMBOO, OR OF WOODEN BOARDS; THE FLOOR MAY BE OF BAMBOO,
BUT IS MORE OFTEN OF TIMBER. USUALLY THE HOUSE HAS ONLY ONE BIG ROOM WITH NO SPECIAL QUARTERS FOR
THE WOMEN.
• TO THE HOUSE IS JOINED A KITCHEN. THE HOUSE IS ENTERED THROUGH A PORCH, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF
THE HOUSE.
TYPICAL YAKAN HOUSES
THE THREE MAIN COMPONENTS
• THE MAIN HOUSE, THE KITCHEN, AND THE PORCH.
• THE KITCHEN OR KOSINA SERVES AS THE COOKING AND
EATING AREA. THERE IS A BRIDGE THAT CONNECTS THE
KITCHEN TO THE MAIN HOUSE
• THE PANTAN OR THE PORCH IS THE MAIN ENTRY TO THE
HOUSE, IT CAN BE OPEN OR ROOFED, ALSO THE MAIN
WOODEN LADDER IS LOCATED HERE. WATER JARS AND
DUGTUNG OR LARGE BAMBOOS CRAFTED AS WATER
CONTAINERS ARE ALSO PLACES HERE.
•
THE FLOOR MAY BE MADE OF BAMBOO
BUT OFTEN TIMES IT IS MADE OF
TIMBER
THE WALLS ARE MADE OF WOODEN
BAMBOO STRIPS CALLED SAWALI OR
BAMBOO POLES ATTACHED TO ONE ANOTHER
BY RATTAN LASHINGS
THE SAPIAW OR THE ROOF IS MADE OF
STEEPLY PITCHED COGON ON BAMBOO OR TIMBER
FRAMES.
• THE HOUSES OF THE YAKAN PEOPLE FACE THE EAST, AND ACCORDING TO THEIR BELIEFS
THE BUILDING MATERIALS SHOULD BE STOCKPILED ALSO IN THE EAST.
• THERE ARE NO CEILINGS AND ONLY ONE WINDOW OR TANDIWAN WAS ALLOWED FOR
THE MAIN HOUSE . THE TANDIWAN AND LADDER WERE ALLOWED AT THE KITCHEN
HOUSE.
THE MAIN HOUSE IS A SINGLE ROOM, HAS VARIOUS FUNCTIONS SUCH AS A
VENUE FOR SOCIAL AFFAIRS, WEAVING AREA AND AS SLEEPING QUARTERS.
IN DESIGNING THE HOUSE, THE YAKANS
OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING;
1. HOUSES ARE MADE TO FACE EAST SO THAT THE HUSBAND WHO SLEEPS ALONG THE EAST SIDE WITH HIS
WIFE IN BED MAY OUTLIVE HIS WIFE;
2. NUMBER OF ROOMS AND STAIR STEPS ARE USUALLY IN ODD NUMBER WHICH SYMBOLIZES LIFE,
3. TWO DOORS ARE MADE TO FACE THE RISING SUN WHICH IS THE SOURCE OF LIFE,
4. WINDOWS ARE FEW AND SMALL SO THAT ENTRY OF EVIL SPIRITS INTO THE HOUSE WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE,
5. CROOKED IN WOOD AND POSTS WITH HOLES ARE NOT USED FOR THEY ARE SYMBOLS OF DEATH
6. CRACKS IN WOOD SHOULD BE PARED OFF SO AS TO PREVENT DIFFICULTY DURING ILLNESS AMONG THE
MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY.
LUMAH
• THE INTERIOR OF THE ONE ROOM HOUSE IS DIVIDED
INTO KOKAN(SLEEPING AREA) OR TINDAKAN ( MULTI
USE LIVING SPACE) PANTAN OR SIMPEY (PORCH) AND
KOSINA (KITCHEN) BY 0.25-METER PATUNG ( WOODEN
FLITCH). THE HOUSE ALSO HAS ANGKAP
(MEZZANINE FOR GIRLS BOVE THE SLEEPING AREA.
• THE HOUSES ARE TRADITIONALLY BUILT SCATTERED
AMONG THE FIELDS OR CLUSTERED AROUND THE
LANGGAL (MOSQUE)
• YAKAN HOUSES IS OFTEN USED FRON 10-15 YEARS
THEN WILL BE DISMANTLED, REBUILT, OR BUILT
USING NEW MATERIALS BESIDES THE PREVIOUS SITE.
LUMAH
• THETRADITIONAL HOUSE OF THE YAKANS IN THE
MOUNTAINOUS INTERIOR OF BASILAN ISLAND
• IT IS A RECTANGULAR ONE ROOM STRUCTURE WITH
APPROXIMATELY 50 TO 100 SQ.MTS. FLOOR AREA ELEVATED
2 TO 3 METERS ABOVE THE GROUND BY TIMBER POSTS
• WITH FEW SMALL WINDOWS AND PROTECTED BY A HIGH
PITCH THATCH ROOF
• KITCHEN IS USED AS THE FAMILY'S DINING AREA
• PORCH IS USED FOR ENTERTAINING GUESTS AND AS A
RESTING PLACE FOR THE HOUSEHOLD
• IN THE LIVING ROOM YOU WILL FIND A CLOTH WEAVING
LOOM LOCATED NEAR THE DOOR WHICH LEADS TO THE
PORCH OUTSIDE
PARTS OF THE HOUSE
MASJID
MABARAKAT
• MABARAKAT MOSQUE, OR
COMMONLY CALLED AS MASJID
JAMID IS PROBABLY THE MOST
BEAUTIFUL MOSQUE IN BASILAN
PROVINCE NEXT TO MASJID GERAS.
• MASJID LOCATED INSIDE
MABARAKAT VILLAGE IN AGUADA
BARANGAY OF ISABELA CITY, THIS
IS ONE OF THE MOSQUES IN
BASILAN THAT YOU SHOULD
DEFINITELY VISIT
MASJID GERAS
