Subanen Laws and Existence: A Legacy of Peace and Coexistence
Since 4,200 B.C., the Subanen people have thrived under the guidance of their own laws and traditions, forming the Subanen People's Kingdom, despite facing threats, invasions, and coercions. Their laws serve as a foundation for peace, unity, and survival, making the Subanen people distinct from other groups that sought dominance, engaged in conflicts over power, or pursued wars driven by greed.
A Unique and Harmonious Society
The Subanen people are unique because they do not strive for supremacy over others. Instead, they uphold values of coexistence, embracing different forms of governance while preserving their own. They peacefully coexist with external rulers and laws, maintaining their identity without strict opposition or contradiction. This harmony grants them a form of immunity, enabling them to survive invasions and external pressures while preserving their way of life..The Principle of Coexistence and Compatibility
The Subanen people uphold the belief that survival does not require competition or conflict but rather mutual respect and cooperation. They can acknowledge and follow the dominant ruler’s laws while simultaneously practicing their own traditions, culture, and governance. This ability to adapt without losing identity ensures their continued existence and unity as a people.
Sharing and Sustaining Life
The Subanen people believe that heavenly power created them not to compete for survival alone but to coexist with others in full compatibility. They embrace the philosophy of sharing their resources, allowing even those who were once invaders to survive alongside them. Their commitment to peace, harmony, and cultural preservation demonstrates their enduring strength and wisdom, ensuring that their legacy remains unshaken through generations.
" Today, the Republic of the Philippines, governed by the modern Malay race, oversees territories that we inhabited, our Subanen People's Kingdom, as an ancient monarchy that has existed since 4,200 B.C.. Despite centuries of change, the Subanen people remain steadfast, resilient, and deeply rooted in our traditions. Throughout history, WE, Subanen people have faced attempts at annihilation, including forced killings and genocide aimed at erasing our existence. Yet, WE fought, endured, and survived. Though invaders sought to eliminate us, WE, Subanen people's strength and perseverance proved greater than oppression. WE Subanen people never sought separation, division, or dominance. Unlike many groups who fought for control and power, WE Subanen people embraced coexistence as our guiding principle. We did not compete to rule or conquer others; instead, WE welcomed those who wished to live peacefully among us. Although WE Subanen people are part of the earliest Indo-Malayan race, WE have preserved our unique identity and way of life. Even when thousands of our ancestors were lost to violence and attacks from invaders, WE continued to survive, grow, and rebuild. In our Subanen tradition, welcoming visitors who choose to settle permanently is not an invasion—it is a fulfillment of coexistence. However, true invasion occurs when outsiders forcibly impose their culture, traditions, and beliefs upon our Subanen people. In such cases, WE Subanen people believe in defending our heritage until our last breath, unless we voluntarily choose to adapt. While embracing coexistence, WE Subanen people uphold a sacred duty: to defend our ancestral domain so that future generations may continue to thrive within our culture, beliefs, and traditions. Our commitment ensures that our identity, history, and values remain intact despite the passage of time and external influences. WE Subanen people’s philosophy of peaceful coexistence, resilience, and respect for tradition stands as a testament to our unwavering strength. WE are not just survivors—WE are guardians of a legacy that transcends generations. - Datu Gendao "
Subanen Customary Laws: A Legacy of Tradition and Governance
The laws, practices, and customs of the Subanen people are an intrinsic and central part of their way of life, deeply embedded in culture, values, and societal norms. These laws govern acceptable standards of behavior and are actively enforced within the community, ensuring harmony, unity, and survival.
Oral Tradition and Governance
Subanen customary laws have traditionally been unwritten, passed down through oral tradition and practice from generation to generation. Since time immemorial, the Subanen people have been regulated by internal socio-political and cultural-religious structures. These informal yet highly respected traditions shaped their governance, guiding everyday life through flexible yet deeply rooted customs that eventually evolved into laws.
Challenges and Preservation
The Spanish occupation and the arrival of migrants significantly affected the transmission of these ancestral laws, as external political restrictions imposed upon the Subanen people led to the gradual erosion of certain customs. Over more than 300 years, some of these laws were forgotten or lost.
Now, the Subanen people seek to preserve and document their laws to ensure that future generations recognize, understand, and uphold them. By transitioning from oral tradition to written documentation, the Subanen people aim to safeguard their identity and ensure that their cultural heritage remains intact for centuries to come.
