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93. ROY T. GONZALEZ, 1st Filipino Design Genius to Conquer Europe's Fashion Houses

IMAGE 1:  DESIGN WIZ. 22-year old Roy T. Gonzales, works on designs for the House of Cardin at his Paris office. Pierre Cardin handpicked the young Filipino to join his fashion house after seeing his award-winning designs while a student at the famed Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. Image: Sunday Times Magazine

In 1964, a young Filipino design student placed first in a class of 80 students from  France’s premiere fashion school Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. It was a historic triumph in the fashion capital of the world for the unassuming Kapampangan boy who displayed his mastery in cutting and designing to beat competition.  Little did his professors and classmates know that Froilan “Roy” Gonzales, had long prepared for this, living and breathing fashion design in all  his 20 years.

His auspicious win would presaged a long career in Paris, where he would conquer the elite fashion houses of the city—the likes of Cardin, Patou and Lecoanet-Hemant, the Versace and Calvin Klein of that period.

Undoubtedly, his creative genius was in his genes, imbibed from both his grandmother and mother, prominent couturiers back in Manila. But the course of his career was also shaped an influenced by a unique background, the kind of story that movie dramas are made of, and which must be retold.

IMAGE 2: ALING BELTA, MODISTA PAR EXCELLENCE. Roy’s design genius was inherited from grandmother Roberta “Belta” Paras, whose own drama-filled life story tested her will and shaped her character. Image: A Century of Couture R.T. Paras, 1902-2002.

Roy’s grandmother was  Roberta “Belta” Tablante Paras, a woman of extraordinary talent and character, very much ahead of her times. She was the daughter of Modesto Paras, a juez de paz of Angeles, Pampanga and Juliana Tablante. Early on, Belta showed dexterity in handling needle and thread; she could cut and sew clothes with such skill that she started making a name for herself as dressmaker of note. Thus, in 1902, the young modista opened her Angeles shop.

IMAGE 3: JOSEFINA PARAS. Roberta Paras’ love-child with prominent Angeles doctor, Dr. Jose Tayag, and Roy’s mother, at her communion. Image: A Century of Couture R.T. Paras, 1902-2002.

By a twist of fate, she would fall in love with Dr. Jose Tayag, a prominent Angeles doctor who was very much married man.  Her father disowned her, so she fled to Manila, heavy with the child of Dr. Tayag. Yet, she managed to open a small dressmaking shop in Quiapo on Fraternal St. near the Pasig River in 1912. She would give birth to her daughter, Josefina,  on November 9, 1912, but once she recovered, the single mother went back toiling in her little shop.

IMAGE 4: CLIENT CALL. Lola Belta gained a reputation for her beautiful bridal gown creations. Her early commissions include this bridal gown of Socorro Brigida Naval for her wedding with Zosimo P. Ricafort. Image: A Century of Couture R.T. Paras, 1902-2002.

Her ambition and determination paid off; her creations—from bridal ensembles to ball gowns and formal wear found a steady stream of clients, many from among Manila’s elite. So in 1918, she moved her shop to Binondo in where her business gained more ground

IMAGE 5: R.T. PARAS BUILDING, along Rizal Avenue, housed a school of dressing as well as the fashion shop of Roberta Paras. Image: A Century of Couture R.T. Paras, 1902-2002.

But there was more to come. With her substantial earnings, Belta invested on a property along Manila’s premiere commercial center, Avenida. She put up her own R.T. Paras Building at 859 Rizal Avenue, which housed not only her couture shop but also a school of dressmaking. The last venture, too, flourished, and Belta’s fashion business was now a big-league enterprise.

IMAGE 6: ALING BELTA WITH GRANDCHILDREN, TITA & ROY GONZALES. Image: A Century of Couture R.T. Paras, 1902-2002.

Roberta Paras lived long enough to reap the rewards of her dreams and enjoy them. She remained selfless in the midst of her success, welcoming even Dr. Tayag’s children to her house in Manila during their schooling in the University of the Philippines, and treating them as her own. Most important too, she managed to pass on to daughter Josefina her passion for her art and craft, her exacting eye for good design, and her fine taste in fashion couture. These too, were not lost on grandson Roy, who, at a young age, was a witness to her grandmother’s talent, work ethics, and strong family values that  that would serve him well as a design student in Paris.

IMAGE 7: INANG, THE SUCCESSOR. Josefina “Inang” Paras (with  Roy), continued the R.T. Paras fashion house and her business savvy helped grew the family enterprise. Image: A Century of Couture R.T. Paras, 1902-2002.

When Roberta Tayag Paras passed away in 1952, her daughter, Josefina, took on her mantle and embraced her new role as the head of the fashion house. She brought to the table, her sharp business acumen honed by years of being an assistant to her mother as a teen. She finished her high school at St. Theresa’s College and earned a Commercial Science degree from Jose Rizal College. She also enrolled at her mother’s dressmaking school, and successfully completed that course too.

 “Inang” (b. Nov. 9, 2012) as she was fondly called, married Francisco Gonzales of Camiling, Tarlac who gave him two children, Robertita (Tita) and Froilan (Roy). The two would tag along with their mother when she reported to the shop of their Apung Belta, staying close as the elders managed the affairs of the day.  Tragically, at age 9, Tita would  drown in a summer swimming accident that would test Inang’s faith and spirit. A woman of weaker constitution would have spiraled into profound despair at this great loss, but Inang pulled herself together, buried her daughter, and carried on with what she had left—her son Roy, and her mother’s legacy, now a flourishing fashion business she had promised to run.

IMAGE 8 : ON THE MOVE. The House of R.T. Paras at the new Quezon Boulevard location in 1957. Image: A Century of Couture R.T. Paras, 1902-2002.

Inang proved to be as strong-willed as her mother, but on her own, she was also a visionary of sorts. In 1957, Inang moved R.T.Paras to a new location in Quezon City, an area that was then just being developed. A spanking, modern building was built to become the all-new House of R.T. Paras Haute Couture.

IMAGE 9: A WEDDING GOWN CREATED FOR BRIDE NONNIE AGUINALDO. Image: A Century of Couture R.T. Paras, 1902-2002.

This proved to be a smart move as the fashion house even became even more popular, its elite roster of clients growing by leaps and bounds. In its heyday, the House of R.T. Paras got to dress all the First Ladies of the country (except Dra. Loi Ejercito), beginning with Mrs. Aurora Aragon Quezon . Presidents Corazon Aquino and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo were also valued clients. Manila’s 400 came knocking at the doors—the Cojuangcos, Aranetas, Tansecos,  Lagdameos , among others.

IMAGE 10: THE SON ALSO RISES. Young Roy Gonzales showed his design skills early, using his school notebooks to sketch and do fashion illsutrations.Image: A Century of Couture R.T. Paras, 1902-2002.

Froilan “Roy” Gonzales (b. Mar. 23, 1944) remembers distinctly how, as an 8-year old, he started sketching his own designs in his school notebooks. He was just 13 when the House of R.T. Paras opened in Quezon City. Although not a stranger to the comings and goings in the house—client consultations, design discussions, cutting, sewing, endless fittings--the pace of activities have quickened at an accelerated rate. And, he was absorbing, as he was observing everything with much interest.

Roy’s horizons expanded when his mother took him to her trips abroad, traveling to such places as Hong Kong, Egypt and Europe, with the last making the most impression on him. He was an Economics sophomore at the Ateneo when he made up his mind to help continue the legacy left behind by his grandmother, now in the able hands of his hardworking mother. And so, still in his teens, he decided to study Fashion Design in Paris no less, home to the world’s leading fashion houses.

IMAGE 11: PARIS, HERE I COME. Roy Gonzales was admitted to the hallowed fashion school, Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, Image: A Century of Couture R.T. Paras, 1902-2002.

Roy enrolled at the famed Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, a fashion school founded in 1927. For almost four decades, the school have been turning young talents into polished,  highly-skilled professionals who are seen to chart the course of fashion and the fashion industry. Beginning in 1960, the school started creating international affiliations, paving the way for Roy, a Filipino, to be a student of the school.

His first place award for school year 1963-1964 drew the attention of Pierre Cardin, the French-Italian designer who would take the fashion world by storm for his avant-garde unisex creations—including the bubble dress launched in 1954. Taking an interest in Roy’s talents, he handpicked him for an interview one day in June 1964.  Roy strode in to meet Monsieur Cardin armed with his sketches, that so impressed the design icon that he hired him on the spot.

The Filipino designer, who had just turned 20, was quickly put to work on the Spring Summer Collection of the House of Cardin. The Op Art collection reflected the rage of Paris at that time, marked by stark, geometrical patterns, with a bold splash of orange and yellow, the colors of the season.  Unlike in Manila, it was not just the dresses that Roy designed, but also the accessories to go along with the look, including hats, jewelry and shoes.

 IMAGE 12: DESIGNS BY ROY. Some of Roy’s designs for the House of Cardin reflected the style of the season: op art. Creations include dress inspired by a kimono, day dresses, and accessories like hats and pieces of jewelry.Image: Sunday Times Magazine, 8 May 1966 issue.

As Cardin’s lone fashion designer, Roy reported daily at the Cardin workshop that occupied a whole building along Rue du Fauborge Sainte-Honore, on Paris’ 5^th Avenue. He worked directly under Cardin, and a small staff that includes a business director (who took care of contracts involving the sale of patterns to American department stores), two Frenchwomen  and a Swiss who staged Cardin’s fashion shows.

His rigid schedule begins from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and then from 2:00 pm. to 7 p.m., a full 8 hours that involved sketching and designing. Cardin would then choose the ones he liked for production. In his first attempts, only a few would be selected by Cardin from his scores of design. Being a quick learner, he was soon averaging about 5 approved designs for every 10 sketches submitted. “I think I know Cardin’s taste by now”, he says, “which is for me an accomplishment”.  The cutters and seamstresses are then put to work to execute the design, and when finished, are shown off by models to prospective clients.

IMAGE 13: TWO TERNOS, by Roy T. Gonzales. Even in a foreign land, Roy also designed Filipiniana pieces. These ternos, designed 40 years apart, shows a tri-colored terno and a terno specially designed for her mother, Inang. Images: Sunday Times Magazine/  A Century of Couture R.T. Paras, 1902-2002.

In the six years (1964-1970) with Cardin, Roy got to know many high-profile customers of Cardin, like actresses Jeanne Moreau (who was romantically linked with his boss), Greek superstar Melina Mercouri, Natalie Wood, Bridget Bardot, Mme. Dewi Sukarno and Mme. Claude Jacqueline Pompidou, First Lady of Prance.

From the House of Cardin, Roy worked for a year (1972-1973) at the House of Cerruti, founded by Italian stylist Nino Cerruti. As an assistant modéliste (model maker), he created the patterns of a garment based on a sketched design, which showed his cutting skills at his best.

IMAGE 14: JUDOKA JACKET of white cotton pique damask, edged in braid over pleated black satin trousers. Jean Patou designed by Roy Gonzales. 1978. Image: https://www.shrimptoncouture.com

It was at the House of Patou that Roy’s star would shine even brighter. The venerable couture house was founded  by designer Jean Patou, who died unexpectedly in March 1936. His sister Madeleine, together with husband Raymond Barbas,  continued the House of Patou which have come to include world- renowned designers like Marc Bohan (1954–1956), Karl Lagerfeld (1960–1963) and Jean Paul Gaultier (1971–1973).

Enter Roy Gonzales, now with more fire, more experience tucked under his belt. Starting as a modéliste, he proved his worth for five years, where his technical wizardry in design served him well, indeed.  

IMAGE 15: PATOU IN THE PHILIPPINES! Roy T. Gonzales, design head of the House of Patou, brought the Jean Patou Collection to Philippines in 1976. Image: A Century of Couture R.T. Paras, 1902-2002.

In 1976, Roy returned to the Philippines, to stage a homecoming fashion show at Hotel Intercon featuring his designs worn by statuesque Patou models. The show was a smash hit; Manila revelled in his international success, which further elevated the quality high-fashion reputation of the House of R. T. Paras. The next year, Roy was finally named design head of Patou, thus establishing him firmly as a world-class fashion genius.

In the summer of 1977, Roy  presented his summer collection for Patou that was hailed as “one of its prettiest collections in recent years”. Here, he deftly replaced traditional blouses with little waistcoats. He also featured a lot of strapless dresses which doubled as evening skirts when dropped from bust to hip. Singled out as Patou's best was a fluttery shirt of red-striped beige over a red dotted beige skirt and topped by a beige canvas waistcoat. The collection  was noted for its eminently European, ultra-feminine look.

He made quite a splash at the fall couture show held in July 1977 in Paris with such eye-turning numbers such as a vest made of feathered patchwork and a batwing cardigan sweater. In the 1978 editorial of Vogue Paris, his sumptuous designs for Patou were featured on the pages magazine considered as a fashion bible.

IMAGE 16: GET WELL SOON! An illness forced Roy to slow down and check-in at a French rest house where he would convalesce. While recovering, he was visited by his mother Inang. Photo: A Century of Couture R.T. Paras, 1902-2002.

But a debilitating illness befell Roy, which would hound him for months, so in 1981, he took off from work to recover in a country home in France where his mother, Inang,  visited him. His convalescence however, took more time than usual,  and he sadly decided to quit the House of Patou in 1982, and return to the Philippines for a much needed rest. Roy would be succeeded by the equally brilliant Christian Lacroix as design head in 1982, and who, in a matter of years, become a fashion superstar.

Back on his feet in 1982, Roy returned to Paris and  was signed up as by Dorothée Bis as its modeliste-stylist . The ready-to-wear house was founded by Jacqueline and Elie Jacobson in 1962. It would earn repute for its stylish sportswear line, that included knits.

In 1984, he would start a long and illustrious career at Lecoanet Hemant, which was founded by Didier Lecoanet and Hemant Sagar in the ’80s, right on the street where Roy first worked for Cardin, close to the Elysée Palace. The fashion house became known for a unique style that mixed eastern and western elements, most evident in the drapings reminiscent of the Asian sari, that characterized most of their creations.

IMAGE 17: ROY IN THE PARIS METRO, after a 1984 Didier Lecoanet Hemant Sagar fashion show 1984. Photo:  Jean-luce Huré, http://snap361.com/ig-tag/roygonzales/

Draping was one of Roy’s area of expertise being a superbly-skilled technician, and he would leave his mark in this haute couture house that was patronized by European aristocrats, Middle eastern blue-bloods, as well as the international jet set crowd. He would stay with Lecoanet Hemant until 1998.

By then, Roy’s mother Inang was already 86 years old. Away for more than three decades, he finally decided to come home for good in 1998 to spend time with her. It was also the perfect time to take over the reins of the R.T. Paras Couture House which her mother had so productively ran by herself with her loyal staff, and which had set a record by becoming the longest continuing haute couture shop in the country. Indeed, the name “R.T. Paras” was top-of-mind when it came to creating opulent wedding gowns, smart corporate attire, suits and formal wear.\

IMAGE 18: HER MOTHER’S SON. Roy Gonzales and her mother Josefina Gonzales at the pinnacle of their success, Photo: Ruppert Jacinto, A Century of Couture R.T. Paras, 1902-2002.

 Comfortably settled in Manila, Roy indulged her mother’s passion for dinners, dances and costume parties with her ‘amigas’. They were even planning the 2002 centennial of the House of R. T. Paras, plus her 90^th birthday. Roy had already designed a fabulous terno for her mother to wear for the said occasions. But Inang would not be there to see the celebration of their milestone of the design empire that she helped built; she passed away on January 28, 2001. It was a most heartbreaking moment for Roy, and he would reflect later on that “her absence scooped out a portion of our lives…and for me, it was a bucketful.”

On November 9, 2002, on what would have been the 90^th birthday of Inang Gonzales, the House of R.T. Paras celebrated its 100^th year, marked with a spectacular fashion show and an exhibit of vintage Paras gowns at the NBC Tent, Fort Bonifacio.   The beaming Roy chose to call it a “family reunion”, as it was attended by many patrons of the house, veritable members of Manila’s who’s who.

Roy Gonzales now holds high the torch of the esteemed fashion business that was begun a century ago by his Apung Belta and his beloved mother, Inang. But he also keeps the fire close to his heart, as he strives to continue the legacy of the house—now solely  his own.

These days, Roy has totally immersed himself in the local fashion scene, and his couture creations been seen everywhere—from the President’s State-of-the-Nation Address to gala balls and fashion runways. Part of his continuing journey is his mission to share and impart his couture knowledge to budding designers and students. In 2010, Roy was one of the mentors in the Designer Fashion Workshops  organized by fashion professionals in collaboration with iacademy.

The trailblazing Filipino who conquered the leading fashion houses of Europe and who paved the way for other local designers to leave their mark in the international fashion scene, can afford to rest on his laurels, no doubt.  But he chooses not to, for while he holds high the torch of the fashion business started a century ago by his Lola Belta and Inang, he also keeps the fire close to his heart. Now infused with the lifeblood of three generations, the House of R.T. Paras lives on.

 SOURCES:

Gutierrez, Lydia C., The Wizard of Op. Sunday Times Magazine, May 8, 1966, pp. 50-51.

A  Century of Couture, R.T. Paras 1902-2002, Le Recueil des Anniversaires

Tayag, Claude. My Tita Inang, TURO-TURO column,  6 October 2002 https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/sunday-life/2002/10/06/178780/my-tita-inang

https://prabook.com/web/froilan_tayag.gonzales/775456

Shrimpton Couture: Photos of Patou Designs,

https://www.shrimptoncouture.com/blogs/curated/shadows-and-lights-on-the-new-evening

 Photo, Vogue Paris, 1977. Photo by Helmut Newton. http://snap361.com/ig-tag/roygonzales/

 The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois · Page 28, Publication: Thursday,  October 27, 1977, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/73127955/

 Image: “Surprise Encounter ! Didier Lecoanet Hemant Sagar in the Paris Metro after their show 1984 and Roy Gonzales”,  Photo Jean-luce Huré, http://snap361.com/ig-tag/roygonzales/

 

 

92. BORROMEO LOU: The King Who Ruled the Philippine Jazz Age

JAZZ THE WAY YOU ARE. Luis F. Borromeo of Cebu, came back after hitting it big in the American entertainment circuit, and introduced jazz music to the Philippines by way of his song-dance-circus-magic revues that livened up the Carnivals. Ca. 1922.

He has been dubbed as the country’s “King of Jazz” and “Paderewski of the Orient”, but Luis Borromeo will always be known and recognized as the originator of Orientalized classic jazz in the colorful vaudeville years, popularizing an exciting new sound from the music halls of the West, and ushering in the age of jazz in the Philippines.

Luis Borromeo comes from the prominent Borromeo family of Cebu, but his love for music began in Leyte, where he would begin his early musical training. Like a few of his siblings, he went to America where he furthered his studies in piano, while quickly imbibing its lively musical culture.

In 1915, his fascination for the performance arts brought him to San Francisco to see the 1915 Pan-Pacific International Exposition which featured stage shows and similar entertainment. In one such show, he was egged on by compatriots to show off his piano-playing skills at the Dutch Pavilion, which led to his discovery.

Taking on the stage name “Borromeo Lou”, the talented jazz pianist was signed up to perform on the Orpheum Circuit, a chain of U.S. theaters that featured films and stage shows. He often performed with singers and dancers, and his 3-year stint with Orpheum enabled him to see much of America—with tours to New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland.

LEADER OF THE BAND. Taking on the name “Borromeo Lou”, the jazz pianist played his way across America through the Orpheum Circuit, and before long, became a band leader.

As part of the trio “D’avigneau’s Celestials”, Borromeo’s act became a headline attraction, drawing crowds who came to see and hear the jazz man and his Chinese-American companions —tenor Shun Tok Sethe and Men Toy, a beautiful danseuse.  From 1919 to 1921, the Chinese costume-clad trio mesmerized audiences with their unique, jazzy sound  that one reviewer called “oriental syncopation”,  which set them apart from other stage acts.

Philippine newspapers regularly reported Borromeo’s success on the highly-competitive American entertainment circuit, often commanding one thousand pesos per week for his performance.

An opportunity to return came in 1921, at the height of the Manila Carnival craze, an annual national event that featured spectacular stage shows from here and abroad. So,  in 1921, Borromeo returned to the Philippines, and put up a band that played classical-jazz music. This music genre found favor in the local entertainment circuit, which integrated such performances in the variety shows,  later named as “vod-a-vil” by Borromeo  (from the French vaudeville). It was Filipinized into ‘bodabil’, and the term stuck.

BORROMEO’S FOLLIES. Loosely modeled from the Ziegfield Follies, Borromeo Lou’s revue featured beautiful dancing girls, exotic Japanese singers and talented musicians. He often played many of his original piano compositions.

His big band music repertoire often included his own early compositions like “My Beautiful Philippines”  ( about  U.S. sailor pining for his Filipina sweetheart in the islands), “Jazzy Sound in All Chinatown”, “Manila Mia”, and “My Vamping Sweet Guitar”.

Borromeo Lou’s familiarity with the latest American music trends made him and his group much-in demand in Manila. He was often invited to grace important events and high society functions. The Borromeo troupe were the featured performers at the Philippine Columbian Party held on Sept. 30, 1921, with Philippine Gov. Gen. Francis Burton Harrison and future president Manuel Quezon in attendance.

He would found lasting renown in his native land when he was tapped by the Manila Carnival committee to stage his own revue called “Borromeo’s  Follies”-- at the 1922 edition of the national fair. The enterprising pianist-impresario went beyond spreading his jazz music by organizing his own repertory of artists known as the “Borromeo Lou & Co., Ltd.” , which had magicians, dancers, acrobats, comedians, singers and musicians in its roster of performers.

He and his troupe were thus introduced to the Carnival audience as “Manufacturer of Jazz, Joy, Melody and Funny Noises” while Borromeo Lou himself was described as “a pianist of rare skill and ability, and champion of all ‘round mirth provoker of the Far East”. To hype his show, it was announced in promotional ads that the appearance of Borromeo Lou and his group was made possible through a “royal appointment by her Gracious Majesty, the Queen of the 1922 Manila Carnival”.

DUDU-IT-YOURSELF. One of Borromeo Lou’s prized performers was the Moro singer , Dudu, who sang beautifully, accompanied by his own banjo and guitar.

The cast was headed by Borromeo Lou himself (“The Human Dynamo, Director and Classic-Jazz Pianist”), Miss Toytoy ( the “captivating China girl that has won the hearts of all Manila with her character songs and distinctive dances”), Datu Mandi (a  superb and inimitable Moro baritone “who interprets with perfection the most difficult operas and sings the exquisite melodies of modern composers”) , Dudu (the Moro musician who accompanied himself with his banjo) , Lucas  (an impersonator who was known as the miniature Harold Lloyd) , Hayoki and Maruki San (the demure Japanese twins who sang Japanese folk songs and dances, and Osolev (Moro dancer).

HAYOKI AND MARUKI-SAN. These twin siblings sang Japanese ditties and performed traditional Japanese dances in Borromeo’s Follies. They were in fact, Filipinos.

There were also musicians like  Sulubi ( a saxophonist, “a victim of saxiphobia”) and Swasing (slide trombone player) . Of course, Borromeo’s jazz orchestra, capable of “producing about 240 jazz explosions per minute”, topbilled the Carnival show.

Under Borromeo Lou’s superb direction, his troupe dished out quality entertainment for the Carnival crowd, furnishing “the joy racket of the big show”, night after night.

“If you’re sick, come and be cured. If you’re going to die, come and have a good laugh first. If you’re well, come and help carry out the Jazzophobia victims”—so went Borromeo Lou’s call-to-action to Carnival visitors and revelers. And, indeed, the crowds did not go disappointed; in time, the whole nation was consumed by big band jazz euphoria.

EAST MEETS WEST. Borromeo Lou’s distinctive sound was described as having “Oriental syncopation”. The bandleader often presented Asian stereotypes in his performances, by way of costumes and language.

After making a triumphant splash at the carnival, Borromeo Lou and his vaudeville troupe stayed on at the Olympic Stadium across the Bilibid and continued performing as  “Borromeo Lou’s Stadium Vod-a-Vil”.  Other companies began sprouting up and by the end of 1925, Manilans had a choice of watching the Nifties at the Savoy, Variety Stars at the Rivoli, and the Lux Peaches at Lux Theater. Borromeo took his act on the road and toured Philippine provinces, captivating local audiences with his free-form jazz music, while his dancers titillated—and sometimes scandalized conservative townsfolks with their skimpy costumes and flirtatious dancing.

His “bodabil” shows would thrive for the rest of the American occupation—staged in fiestas, petit fairs and theaters—and jumpstarting the careers of well-known artists as singer Katy de la Cruz, dancer Bayani Casimiro, and the Charlie Chaplin look-alike, Canuplin. Not much is known about Borromeo’s later years, as birth and death records in Cebu were lost during the war. His children, however, remained in the U.S., a country which he has come to love.

JAZZ JOY, MELODY AND FUNNY NOISES,,,FROM BORRMEO LOU & CO. UNLIMITED.

The Jazz craze would continue to endure for many years, providing leisurely diversions to Filipinos, especially during the war years. In the 50s and 60s, musicians like Exequiel “Lito” Molina and the Jazz Friends, Romy Katindig, Romy Posadas and Angel Peña melded folk tunes with jazz music, a distinctive sound that found wide acceptance with mainstream audience. Fusion music was all the rage in the 70s thru the 80s,  as innovative artists like Eddie Munji, Ryan Cayabyab, Boy and Eddie Katindig , Bong Peñera and Rudy Lozano dabbled in jazz mixed with rock,  pop and Latina elements, ushering a new golden age in Philippine music—thanks to the pioneering king of vaudeville  jazz  who started it all—Borromeo Lou.

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN FOR TOWNANDCOUNTRY.PH AND POSTED UNDER THE TITLE: "MEET THE FORCE WHO RULED THE PHILIPPINE JAZZ AGE", posted 1 July 2018. All images from Alex R. Castro Collection.

REFERENCES:

Pinoy Jazz Traditions. Pasig City: Anvil, 2004

Castro, Alex R., Manila Carnivals 1908-1939, www.manilacarnivals.blogspot.com

Walsh, Thomas P. Tin Pan Alley and the Philippines: American Songs of War And Love, 1898-1946 .https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=UJV8HQsaJB0C&pg=PA257&lpg=PA257&dq=borromeo+lou,&source=bl&ots=kEW-mmwKga&sig=u06kzq12ulYkiIX6CZ0ymXzx1_4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiPgPul9vDbAhXKTrwKHdi2AY44ChDoAQg5MAc#v=onepage&q=borromeo%20lou%2C&f=false

Himig: the Music Collection of FHL.http://www.himig.com.ph/features/61-jazz-music-in-the-philippines

http://fritzgrace.blogspot.com/, http://fritzgrace.blogspot.com/2013/02/some-borromeo-lou-compositions.html

Marvin, David. From Madison to Manila: Filipino Music icon Redisovered, http://www.hoodrivernews.com/news/2014/mar/26/madison-manila-20s-filipino-music-icon-rediscovere/

 The Politics of “Oriental Syncopation”, by Fritz Schenker, http://musicologynow.ams-net.org/2018/03/the-politics-of-oriental-syncopation.html

The American Colonial and Contemporary Traditions in Philippine DanceHE, http://nlpdl.nlp.gov.ph:81/CC01/NLP00VM052mcd/v6/v4.pdf

91. The Power and the Glory: IN THE REALM OF MUSLIM MAJESTIES

MAJESTIC MINDANAO: The Exotic. The Mysterious. The Unconquered.

Old Mindanao, that large land mass fringed with little islands south of the Philippines, has always evoked a world that is at once, exotic and mysterious. After all, Mindanao, far removed from Luzon and the Visayas,  was unconquered by Spain. The natives not only remained steadfast to their Islam faith--introduced by adventurers from Borneo and Malacca during the late Majapahit empire period-- but also retained their local identity, culture and traditions. Even the Americans failed to integrate the people with the rest of the country, notwithstanding the so-called “Moro Wars”  launched from 1899-1913 (The Spaniards called the Islamized natives “Moros”, a pejorative term, likening them to the barbaric Moors of North Africa).

WILLIAM DAMPIER, Mindanao Visitor

WILLIAM DAMPIER, English explorer, the first Englishman to explore parts of Australia, and the first person to circumnavigate the world three times. His visit to Mindanao drew suspicions from the Spaniards who regarded his British crew as pirates and cannibals. Photo; wikimedia commons

Curiosity was further piqued when world travellers like the British William Dampier, wrote glowing accounts of their visits to the region. In 1648, Dampier, after his Mindanao sojourn, observed that the natives there  “inspired mixed feelings of wonder, fear, pity, contempt and sometimes envy….they were proud and stately..”

Not surprisingly,  to this day, Mindanao conjures images of quiet wonderment:  where exalted blue-bloods –--brave sultans, rajahs, datus,  with their regal putris and dayang-dayangs (princesses)--- ruled kingdoms on virgin lands, which, as Dampier enthused were “fat and fruitful…with pleasant brooks and river…with  mountains that yield good gold”.  

LAND OF BLUE WATERS AND BLUEBLOODS.

That may be partly true, but the world of Muslim monarchy was also contentious, full of centuries of strifes against colonial forces, with the usual power struggles, court intrigues and royal family squabbles.  

Order in the Court: The Hierarchy of Royals

SHADING A SULTAN. Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Kiram II, and his attendants with a parasol. Source: ebay postcard.

While pre-colonial nobilities like datus and rajahs existed in Luzon and the Visayas , the Muslim royal houses  in Mindanao, Sulu Archipelago, Cagayan Sulu and parts of Southern Palawan were set apart by their honorifics. These areas in Mindanao had for their first rulers, Arab-Malay nobles from Malacca and Borneo who married into native royalties.

Where Royals Rule: DATUS, RAJAHS, SULTANS

To emphasize their distinctive faith, they assigned the more superior title of “Sultan”, as opposed to “Rajah/Maharajah” or “Datu”, which were already used as native titles. The Sultan symbolized the unity and integrity of the state. Over his domains, the Sultan was the absolute ruler, the highest political and legal authority, and the esteemed champion of Islam faith.

W. C. COWIE, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF BNBC WITH THE SULTAN OF SULU. Photo: Wikimedia commons, Public Domain.

Ancient Mindanao society were stratified using elaborate ranking procedures, unlike those of highland tribes. Below the Sultan are the nobilities led by “Datu”, and the two constitute the traditional elite, as well as the council of elders. Datus ruled over territories of varying sizes,  followed by the commoner, and the serfs and slaves. Male children of a “datu”, are also addressed as “datu”, but only one can take over his father’s role as the ruling datu ( an arrangement similar to the British royalty, where male siblings are all addressed as “prince”, but just one could ascend the throne). An heir apparent was known as “rajah muda”.

SULTAN MUHAMMAD JAMALUL AZAM (1862-1881) receives a delegation of a French explorers. Source: Voyage aux Philippines et Malasie. J. Montano, 1866. Filipino Heritage.

However, with the new religious and political structure,  the line of succession was decided on by the Sultan, who had to enforce the rule that the throne was only available to the direct descendants of the first Sultan. In 1840, French explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville confirmed this during the reign of Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Kiram I:  “His power is hereditary in the male line, to the exclusion of the female. All decisions are arrived at by the Sultan in a high council (“Ruma Bichara”). The council of 15 datus act as counterpoise to the Sultan’s authority..”.

OF DAYANG-DAYANGS AND PUTRIS. A retinue of royal princesses. Source: Presidential Museum and Library PH , 2010, via flickr. (Photo from The Scrapbook of Clyde Tavenner)

On the distaff side, the title of “Dayang” is equivalent to the rank of a princess, but it could also apply to a lady of the court. A synonym is the now-seldom used “Putri”. “Dayang-Dayang” refers to the “princess of the first degree”, a title given only to the Sultan’s daughters. This female noble title holds importance in the rule of succession as the son of a sultan whose mother is a royal princess (dayang) takes higher priority to the throne than those born of the Sultan’s concubine”.

 Without exception, Sultans maintained an elaborate court retinue that included a master of ceremonies, scribes skilled in calligraphy, translators, a weapon-bearer, a flag or standard carrier. The Sultan, his ministers and his judge (Qadi) are always in attendance when foreign dignitaries came to visit.

A Sultan’s coronation was marked with pomp and splendor.  Strict protocols were imposed, including the presentation of the royal kris by a datu to the Sultan, who had to pause and bow at every step of his right foot. Then the royal headdress and regalia were brought to the Sultan, followed by prayers recited by the Qadi or imam (worship leader) for a successful reign. 

After his royal proclamation, an entourage of panglimas (territorial governors), orang kaya (people of wealth),  and minor officials would then approach the Sultan to pledge their loyalty. The emphasis on the rituals of the Sultan’s crowning added an aura of mystery and awe to the mystique of the Muslim monarchy.

Sultanates Rising

The Sultanate system was the first centralized political bureaucracy in the Philippines. It provides an organized way of state governance,  combining civil and religious authority. Most Muslim sultanates (states) are small, representing tribe subdivisions headed either by a Sultan or a datu. But sultanates could grow by mergers, driven by tribal relations or commonality of language. It was in this manner that the Sultanate of Maguindanao expanded from a small, Cotabato sultanate into a realm of far-reaching power and impact in the region.

SHARIFF KABUNGSUAN, the founder of the Sultanate of Maguindanao in the 16^th c,. The Arab-Malay married many royal daughters of ruling families. Creative representation.

An origin story of the sultanate begins with the arrival of missionary Shariff Kabungsuwan of Johor ca. 1490, who introduced Islam to two brothers living in the Cotabato valley--Mamalu and Tabunaway. Only Tabunaway chose to convert, so Mamalu parted ways amicably with his brother and moved to the highlands, with their kinship intact.  This, then, became the basis of peace pacts between Muslims and indigenous mountain people.

Sharif Kabungsuwan installed himself as the Sultan of the Cotabato Sultanate and married many daughters of the ruling families of Maguindanao.  He would grow his grand Sultanate of Maguindanao to cover the whole of Mindanao and its small islands. Its sphere of influence stretched from the Zamboanga peninsula to the Saranggani Bay.

Another leading light of the Sultanate of Maguindanao was Sultan Kudarat (Corralat to Spaniards) who ruled from 1619 to 1671.  His father was Buisan who was instrumental in maintaining friendly relations with the Dutch and the British. He was known for his prolonged resistance against the invasions of Spaniards beginning with the 1637 attack of Gen. Sebastian de Corcuera.

SULTAN KUDARAT

The Unconquered, known for resisting Spanish conquest of Mimdanao. Creative representation.

 Sultan Kudarat  formed an alliance with the Dutch, under Gov. of Ternate, Jan van Broeckom to help ward off the Spaniards, and even went to the extent of rallying other sultans to mount a jihad (holy war) against them. As if these problems were not enough, he also had to contend with the Sultanate of Buayan which resulted in a dynastic war. At the zenith of his rule, his powers extended up to the regions of Maranao regions, Cagayan de Oro and Saranggani.  Sultan Kudarat  never surrendered to the Spaniards, and remained unconquered till his death in 1671.

After his death, the Maguindanao Sultanate began to decline,  while the Sultanate of Sulu, which goes back to the middle of the 15^th century, gained more prominence.  Sharif Abu Bakr was an Arab who married the daughter of Rajah Baguinda, a Sumatran royal who had a principality in Sulu. Abu Bakr managed to convert Sulu to Islam, framing rules based on the Koran. Succeeding his father-in-law and assuming full political and religious control, Abu Bakr proclaimed himself Sultan Sharif ul-Hasim of the great Sultanate of Sulu.

This sultanate would spawn a succession of mighty monarchs that included the likes of Sultan Muhammad Shahab ud-Din, who under his term (1685–1710), expanded the Sulu territory to its widest, with the acquisition of South Palawan, Basilan and other islands and  Sabah or North Borneo, part of the great Muslim world known as Dar-ul-islam. This period was marked with relative peace with Spaniards and the Dutch, and productive economic ties with China.

BADAR UD-DIN, Father of the great and much admired rulers, Azim ud-Din I, or Alimuddin. Source: Filipino Heritage.

His nephew would prove to be one of Sulu’ s most admired and beloved ruler: Sultan Azim ud-Din I (also known as Muhammad Alimuddin), son of Badar ud-Din who reigned twice (1735–1748 and1764–1773). Educated as a boy in Batavia, East Indies (now Jakarta), he mastered the Koran and earned a reputation as “an authority almost supreme”. 

AZIM UD-DIN’S BAPTISM. Mindanao’s chief monarch converted to Christianity and assumed the name Don Fernando de Alimuddin I. Illustration from Filipino Heritage, Felta Press.

His chief accomplishments were the minting of money, establishment of a Muslim navy and army, revision  of the sultanate’s justice system,  and the translation of the Koran into the local language. Azim ud-Din also converted to Christianity and took the name “Fernando de Alimuddin I”.

The Sultanate of Lanao, came into existence through the influence of the aforementioned  Sharif Kabungsuan, the first Sultan of Maguindanao in 1520. The first Maranao chieftain to be given the title of sultan was Balindong Besar (official name Sultan Diagaborolah) of the House of Masiu, in 1640.

Tasked to spread the teachings of Islam and to put a sense of order in Lanao, the Sultan, along with 7 Maranao datu advisers,  decided  to create 4 Lanao states: Bayabao, Masiu, Unayan and Baloi. The four constituted an informal confederation without a centralized rule (unlike Maguindanao and Sulu), and within these states were a cluster of some 15 higher sultanates and 48 minor ones.

SULTAN OMAR KIRAM II was adopted by Christian family who named him Vicente Austria. He became an engineer, and educator, and a military man like his adoptive father.

One Lanao royal from contemporary times  with a story worth retelling is  Sultan Omar Kiram Jr. (b.1914-d.1986), Uyaan Sultan of the Onayan Sultanate of Lanao. The boy was orphaned when his parents, former Sultan Omar Kiram I and Bai Ampaso Saomay Mindalanao, perished in World War II.

At this point, stories surfaced as to how Omar survived—the more plausible version had his nanny Ishraida, spiriting him away to Dansalan for safety. Along the way, the two got separated after their capture by collaborators. A U.S. scout, Sergeant Gil Austria, bought his freedom for 22 pesos, adopted him with his wife and raised him as a Christian. Renamed as Vicente Austria, he became a chemical engineer, taught in Silliman and then pursued a checkered military career after his marriage to Nellie Lee Kelly, a Spanish-American mestiza.

EMRAIDA KIRAM, daughter of Sultan Omar Kiram II, and the first Miss Phililppines-World 1967.

 Omar discovered his noble ancestry after he joined the post-war government. During a Lanao disaster mission  in 1955, he found himself back in Uyaan where he serendipitously got reunited with Ishraida. His nanny positively identified him through his hidden birthmarks. He would learn that both Princess Tarhata Kiram and Sultan Esmail Kiram, successor to the Sultanate Throne of Sulu, were both his cousins. Among Omar’s children was Princess Emraida Kiram, or Vivienne Lee Austria, Miss Philippines-World of 1967. Upon his death in 1986, Sultan Omar was buried in Muslim rites.

Intrigues in the Game of Thrones

As one can expect, the many sultanates in Mindanao was the perfect breeding ground for internal intrigues,  rivalry for power and secret collusions. To establish political coalitions and dynasties,  royals resorted to marriage alliances--some even considered incestuous--  contracted between the families of husbands and wives. This way, powers were consolidated and networks of influence expanded.

A ROYAL COURT, Alliances were contracted between families of husbands and wives to preserve power and build dynasties.

For instance, Shariff Kabungsuwan, who had succeeded in converting Tabunaway, married his sister, Putri Tunina. Two of their daughters were wed to two brothers who were ruling datus of Buayan. Kabungsuan also took on another wife, Agintabu, a member of the Iranuns, a very important political group. Their son, Sharif Maka-alang went on to marry Bulim, a Bi-laan woman. This strategic alliance would start the lineage of the mighty Sultan Kudarat.

SHARIF UL-HASHIM aka “Abu Bakar”/ “Paduka Mahasari Maulana al Sultan Sharif ul-Hashim.” Is the first ruler of the Sulatanate of Sulu.

The principles that guided the high council in electing a new Sultan, as in the case of the Sulu sultanate, was also subjected to varying interpretations. It was stipulated that no datu could become one unless he was a royal datu, descended  from the first Sultan of Sulu, Abu Bakar Paduka Mahasari Maulana. This was taken to mean that the legitimate children of the Sultan were not necessarily the first priority for the title. In fact, it was argued by datus  that any descendant of the first Sultan could be, in principle,  a candidate, and thus, a qualified contender for the throne. To thwart possible usurpers, royal datus kept their genealogy records or “tarsila”, as proof of their noble lineage.

ALIMUD-DIN WITH BRITISH TROOPS. The sultan was suspected of treachery by Spain, so he turned to the British for protection in exchange for political favors.

The reign of the celebrated Sultan Alimud-din I was not without issues. His own datus thought that he became over-dependent on the Spaniards in his quest to quell the Tirun rebellion in Borneo. His welcoming attitude towards Jesuits and his plan to shift to a centralized form of government used by other Arab countries, alarmed traditional datus, such that that they rallied around Alimud-din’s power-tripping brother, Datu Bantilan, an opposition figure.

As Alimud-din was preparing to sail to Manila, a mercenary hired by his brother wounded him. Datu Bantilan took advantage of his absence and grabbed his throne. In Manila, Alimud-din fell victim to suspicions—Spaniards accused him of treachery and of being a false Christian, and for this, he was jailed, then exonerated.

A plan by Gov. Manuel Rojo to ship him back to Sulu was aborted with the British invasion of Manila. Injured in a skirmish,, he asked to be returned to Sulu, a request that was denied. So, Alimud-Din turned to the British, who put him under the protection of the British flag in exchange for political favors, that disturbed the flip-flopping Spaniards. Alimud-Din  regained his throne in 1764, a tired old man,  for his second term.

HARUN AR RASHID, was a descendant of Alim ud-Din I, through Datu Putong. Governor Arolas recommended his appointment as sultan. Governor-General Terrero after obtaining approval on September 11, 1886, announced him as Sultan of Sulu, until 1894. Source: Filipino Heritage, Felta Press.

The history of Muslim sultanates is replete with similar tales—of sultans being proclaimed due to Spanish intrigues (like in the case of Sultan Harun Ar-rashid in 1894), bastard children rising to power (Badar ud-Din ca. 1718–32 who became the 17th Sultan of Sulu despite being the illegitimate son of Sultan Salah ud-Din Bakhtiar),   banished  nobles (like Datu Salikula deemed  as restless and rebellious) ,  heir-less sultans (Jamalul-Kiram II, died in 1936,  he had 7 daughters, but no male heir which Islamic law requires), forced abdications, and appearances of pretenders to the throne.

 JAMALUL KIRAM II. Sultan of Sulu from 1894 to 1915. During his long reign, he signed treaties with several nations. He served under both Spain and America. He had 7 daughters but no male heirs,

Princesses Charming and other  Female Royals

Clearly, the male nobilities were at the top tier of royal Muslim hierarchy and society because of their primal roles as rulers of states and communities. Their female counterparts, on the other hand, had limited freedom and little involvement in state affairs, their activities confined to their domestic and ceremonial duties as wives and princesses.  

TUAMBALOCA, regarded as queen of Jolo, helped repel Gov. Gen. Sebastian Corcuera’s invading forces in 1638.

There are a few accounts of Muslim royal women who stepped out of their comfort zone like the legendary Sima (ca. 637) who ruled a kingdom in Cotabato. Famed for her firm application of the law, she had her son’s foot cut off because he came across a sack of gold that was not his, and felt it with his foot. Another was Tuambaloca of Jolo, who helped her husband Rajah Bongso  repel the invading forces of Gov. Gen. Sebastian de Corcuera in 1638. In like manner, Purmassuri, a princess, connived with native leaders by distracting the Spanish forces in their cuartel, so that the Muslim army could attack in stealth.

Surprisingly, there is a provision in the guidelines that allow the daughter of a Sultan to become a Sultana  as a “Pangyan” , so long as  her husband was a royal datu. If she married a royal datu within 7 days after the Sultan’s demise, the husband could be a Sultan. Such was the case with  Nur ul-Azam (known as Pangyan Ampay) , daughter of Sultan Nasirud-Din II,  who ruled from 1680-85. The Tausugs, however, rejected her reign as the idea of a female leader was unacceptable.

Hadji Dayang Dayang Piandao (b.1884/d.?)  was the highest-ranked female royal in Sulu from the late 1890s-early 1900s. Her parents were Sultan Baharud Din and Hadji Amina. An uncle took care of rearing her after her father’s death. An exceptional child, she mastered the Koran at age 8; at 12, she was an experienced traveler, going on pilgrimages to Mecca, Sandakan, and Singapore. Sulans sought her services as an an astute adviser. Dayang Dayang married Datu Ombra Amilbangsa, who, in 1937, became the Sultan of Sulu. With that, she was elevated as a Pangyan, a Sultana of Jolo.

P. TARHATA KIRAM

TARHATA KIRAM. The American-educated princess was a niece and adopted daughter of Jaramul Kiram II, Sultan of Sulu. Photo: Graphic Magazine, 1929.

Another Muslim princess who made history for Muslim women in her time was  Princess Tarhata Kiram (b.1906/d. 1979). In 1924, she became a U.S. government scholar (pensionado) at the University of Illinois. There, she became a campus figure, and took to Western ways—including wearing Flapper dresses which made news back home.

She returned without a degree only to marry Datu Tahil, a Jolo prince who led a Moro revolt in 1927, much to the chagrin of American officials. The princess kicked out three other rivals from her husband’s home, in defiance of Muslim laws that permitted polygamy. She denounced the Bacon Bill which called for the separation of Sulu from Mindanao. To preserve regional peace in the region, Princess Tarhata gave up her claim on Sabah which her ancestors had leased to the British.  

NORA MAULANA, Miss Mindanao 1927

NORA MAULANA. Chosen as Miss Mindanao 1927. She became an educator and wrote scholarly books about Mindanao.

By 1926,  Muslim women with noble blood were being sent to compete for the Miss Philippines title at the Manila Carnival. The representation of minorities in a national contest was obviously a token gesture of inclusion and unity with the deep South. Sulu was represented by Scott Rasul, and Lanao by Bala Amai Miring who won Miss Mindanao. The next  year, it was Sulu’s turn to win with Silliman-educated Nora Maulana, who is of royal descent. She is the niece of the Sultan of Jolo and a descendant of the founder of the Sultanate of Sulu, Paduka Mahsari Maulana al-Sultan Sharif ul-Hashim. It was also the last time that Muslim women participated in the national fair.

Crafting a New State: The Bangsamoro

No other place in the Philippines has done more statecrafting—the effective management of state affairs-- than Mindanao. Throughout its history, the vast southern land has undergone long periods and processes of building political communities out of  its many ethnic tribes.

The founding of confederate districts, like the Sultanate of Mindanao, with its hierarchy of monarchs and nobilities was the first such try at state-building. Spain tried to take control through sword and the cross, but to no avail.  So did the U.S., which could not make an American territory out of the “Moro province” it formed in 1903. The secession and separatist movements  could also be considered experimental attempts in statecrafting.

SULTAN TAMBILALWAN II OF BUAYAN. His Majesty Mohamad Kuso Kanebpal Mangudadatu. Source: Bombo Radyo Koronadal FB Page, 13 July 2017.

In 1915, the political sovereignty of the Sultanate was scrapped. However, non-sovereign powers like the right to confer titles remained, along with religious and cultural rights. Which is why, to this day, royal titles are still being accorded, and descendants of royal families recognized,  as a way of sustaining, preserving snd respecting Islamic traditions and principles. As recent as July 2017, Mohamad Kuso Kanebpal Mangudadatu,  a descendant of Shariff Kabungsuan. was installed as Sultan Tambilawan II of Buayan.

Three major royal families are recognized in Maguindanao as of May 2018, each headed by a Sultan under the Sultanate of Maguindanao, Kingdom of Rajah Buayan, and Domain of Allah Valley.

SULTAN OF MAGUINDANAO. His Majesty Sultan Macapado M. Benito, Sr., Al-Haj., Photo Source: Mindanao.Politiko.PH

Time will tell if the newly-passed Bangsamoro Organic Law, which provides for the establishment of an autonomous political entity known as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (replacing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) with  its own defined identity, territory, government, justice system, economic and financial framework-- will have an impact on the royal traditions of Mindanao, that has remained virtually intact for centuries.

SOURCES:

BOOKS:

Canoy, Reuben R., Mindanao, The Quest for Indpendence. Mindanao Post Publishing Co.  3^rd printing, 1991.

Casiño, Eric S., Mindanao, Statecraft and Ecology. Moros, Lumads and Settlers Across the Lowland-Highland Continuum. De La Salle University Press. Notre Dame University, Cotabato City. 2009.

Filipino Heritage, The Making of a Nation. Vol. 4, The Moro Wars, (p. 1080-86) Felta Book Sales, Inc.

Filipino Heritage, The Making of a Nation. Vol. 5, Statecraft (p. 1261-64), Summitry in the South (p.1293-97), Sulu Power Game (p.1332-36), Felta Book Sales, Inc.

Forbes, W. Cameron. The Philippines Islands. Harvard University Press, 1945. P. 273-277.

Ibrahim, Omar S., Diary of a Colonized Native: (Years of Hidden Colonial Slavery), Partridge Publishing, Singapore.

Sultan Kudarat: Ang Bayaning Hindi Sumuko sa mga Espanyol. Aklat Adarna. Children’s Communication Center, Quezon City. 1983.

ONLINE SOURCES:

http://maguindanaosultans.blogspot.com/

Castro, Alex R. “8 Filipina Queens and Princesses Too Awesome for Disney Movies https://filipiknow.net/filipina-muslims-philippine-history/

List of Sultans of Sulu: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sultans_of_Sulu

Sultanate of Maguindanao: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultanate_of_Maguindanao

Sultanate of Sulu: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultanate_of_Sulu

Sultan Omar Kiram : A Profile, http://archive.su.edu.ph/page/47-sultan-omar-kiram: Bangsamoro Organic Law.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangsamoro_Organic_Law