Suminugod: first baptisms in an indigenous community
The sacrament of Christian initiation was administered to 67 children and 42 adults. The group lives in Zamboanga Peninsula and belongs to Subanen ethnic group. Largely animist, the Subanen have a rich cultural heritage. Despite the bad weather, Bishop Caérmare personally celebrated the rite, a gift of God to the Church.
Manila (AsiaNews) – For the first time, over one hundred baptisms were performed in the indigenous community at Suminugod, in a remote village in the Diocese of Dipolog, province of Zamboanga del Norte, southern Philippines.
Despite severe weather, Bishop Severo Cagátan Caérmare personally travelled to the isolated site last Saturday for this important event in the local Christian community.
“We are excited for today’s big day,” said Chrisma Bangaoil, a lay missionary from St Joseph the Worker Parish in Sindangan who works as an assistant at the Dominican-run University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila, the country's capital.
“My heart is full,” Bangaoil noted. “I stood as witness (ninang) to the baptism of 67 infant children and 42 adults, the same people I catechised for six months,” she added.
All those baptised are ethnic Subanen, a tribe living in the remotest part of Siayan, explained Fr Joel Jag Pacquiao Agad, the parish priest.
In his homily, Bishop Severo Cagátan Caérmare said that the Suminugod community is a gift from God to the Church. “Remain firm in faith and grow in God’s power and grace,” he told them.
The prelate thanked Fr Agad, Chrisma Bangaoil, and other volunteers, urging them to continue to work with the indigenous community in Suminugod, especially through monthly catechesis, thus preparing them for the sacrament of baptism.
The Subanen (also spelled Subanon or Subanun) are an indigenous group living primarily on Zamboanga Peninsula, western Mindanao. They are a Lumad group, a non-Muslim indigenous community.
The term "Subanen" derives from the Visayan word "suba," meaning river, and the suffix "-nan," indicating a place of origin. Therefore, Subanen translates to "people of the river."
The Subanen are found in the northern, western, and southern parts of Zamboanga, especially in the mountainous areas. They live in the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, and some municipalities of Misamis Occidental.
They speak several languages, and possess a rich cultural heritage, with craft traditions that include basketry, weaving, vernacular architecture, and embroidery, as well as music, dance, and oral literature.
Traditionally, they practise swidden (slash-and-burn) farming, cultivating crops like rice and root vegetables.
While some Subanen communities have embraced Christianity, others continue to practise animism. For generations, they have lived in small villages, often near rivers or on mountainous slopes.
A chief or leader, called a "timuay”, leads each community. Historically, they lived in lowland areas but were pushed into the mountains due to conflicts with other groups.
The Subanen are one of the oldest indigenous groups in Mindanao, predating the arrival of Islam in the Philippine archipelago.
Archaeological evidence, including funerary vessels and ancient tools, suggests a long history in the region. They engaged in trade with the Chinese long before Islam was introduced.
Elements of their culture have been preserved, although some aspects have been lost or modified.
Organisations and projects are at work to revitalise the Subanen culture and language. And some community projects aim to strengthen unity and cultural preservation.
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