There are confusions around the cause for Sulu independence (the so-called cry to restore the Sulu Sultanate), which I intend to clear out through this article.

First, people seem to think that the term Tausug refers only to the people of Hulu (Jolo) Island. As an individual who has done intensive research on the matter, I wish to clarify that Tausug really means “nation” or “nationality”. It is also the identity of citizens that once ruled and thrived under the Sulu Sultanate.

Second, many seem to still get confused between “sultan” and “sultanate”. We should take note that the term “sultan” is a position-title to mean authority. It is a title given to a person who is leading a country under a sultanate. Simply, a sultan is not a state but an individual appointed by the people to the highest position in the country or state. The state, not the sultan, is the sultanate. A sultan may be the highest-positioned leader of a state, but he is not the owner of the state. Perhaps he may own certain lands or properties like other citizens do, but it doesn’t mean he already owns all the lands or properties of the state.

A sultan in Sulu is enthroned with the consent of a group of datus; buranuns, sharifs, and imams. One cannot become a sultan without the approval of these groups. These groups are representatives of the citizens in the Rumah Bichara, which literally means the “House of Talks”. In the present system, the Rumah Bichara is called the parliament. The enthronement process is called Paggiba.

Before the creation of the Republic of the Philippines, the Sulu Sultanate was already by itself a nation-state, running with all the elements of a state: Agama, Bangsa and Hula’. Agama refers to the people’s way of life, law and order, territory, sovereignty, and government. Bangsa refers to people’s identity and determines people’s nationality in a certain country. It encompasses the identities of each inhabitants, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. The Hula’, meanwhile, is a country that has its defined territory and independence.

These three elements are interconnected and intertwined; one can’t possibly exist without the others. During the liberation front’s struggle for independence in Mindanao and Sulu, people used these elements as benchmark; however, they were not properly defined, thus not fully understood.

The elements of a state in the modern world are people, territory, sovereignty and government, as well as external recognition by the United Nations. Sulu archipelago has this all, though its de facto government (government of fact) and external sovereignty are still controlled by the Republic of the Philippines. The de jure government (government of rights), however, is still intact as the authentic sovereignty until now because sovereignty is permanent and perpetual and thus cannot be transferred.

Tausug does not refer to only one tribe. Tausug means people of the Sulu archipelago. “Tau” means people; “Sug” means Sulu. Under the statehood and nationhood of the Sulu Sultanate, Tausug is people’s citizenship. It is composed of different tribes. It is a nation.

When I say Sulu, I am referring to the entire Sulu archipelago. Sulu encompasses present-day Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, Hulu (Jolo) Island, Tawi-Tawi, Palawan and North Borneo—all islands surrounded by the Sulu Sea. Sulu is already a nation by itself, having its own state even before the creation of the Republic of the Philippines.

Tausug is also known as Bangsa Sulu, Bangsa Sug, Sulus, Sulug and Suluk, and it means people of the Sulu archipelago. According to Sulu’s oral history, Bangsa Sulu comprises of various tribes—among them the Buranun of Hulu (Jolo) Islands, Tagimaha from Basilan (currently known as Yakan), Baklaya from Sulawesi, Dampuans from Champa, Banjar from Banjarmasin, Samal from everywhere else and many others like the Ilanun, Subanun, Mulbug, Kalibugan, Mapun and etc.

They altogether form a single distinct citizenship and nationality within the Sulu Sultanate. They are assembled into one identity, united amid the current of the Sulu Sea surrounding them.     

Tausug is the citizenship and national identity of the people of the entire Sulu archipelago, regardless if certain people or tribes may not accept it. People need to understand that Sulu as an archipelago also means a geographical identity, which every tribe within it is part of. Tausugs have their historical, political and legal basis to assert their cause for independence. Sadly, many Tausugs themselves are not aware of this.

Tausug as a national identity has been binding people for hundreds of years ago. In the course of the creation of the Philippine Republic, the people of Sulu seem to have unconsciously agreed to embrace Filipino national identity or Filipino citizenship. This has led to decades of brutal war and suffering among all involved.

The only way to restore peace is for people to acknowledge and embrace their real identity, the Tausug or Bangsa Sulu, and for the Philippines and others to accept it.

The Bangsa Sulu is right now in the process of registering its own citizenship and nationality. Since 2007 Tausugs have already been registering themselves as Tausugs in their own Katarrangan Kapaganak (birth certificates) and Tanda’ Karaayatan Tausug (Tausug citizenship cards), indicating that they are neither Filipinos nor Moros. This move is legal. The international law allows changing of citizenship. The right to nationality is a fundamental human right as provided in the UN Declaration of Basic Human Rights.

Allah provided this nationality right in the Surah al-Hujurat (49:13): “People, We have created you all male and female and have made you nations and tribes so that you would recognize each other. The most honorable among you in the sight of God is the most pious of you. God is All-knowing and All-aware.”

Sulu and Mindanao citizens could never be united unless people acknowledge and embrace their real identity, which is different from that one “slur” term people use to refer to them. I choose not to mention the term boldly. By patronizing the usage of that slur, one is acknowledging the imposed, imagined and false identity with which we are all unfairly called upon to accept. That name was used by the liberation front though, but only to scare enemies. This is why the enemies love to call the liberation fighters “Muklu”, from the “Moro-Moro” theater play.

The name is also derived from an old term used by the Spaniards. “Moro”, likened to the Moors in Andalusia, was then used to refer to Muslim people. On hindsight I am wondering, if not through the Spaniards distinctly calling us such, would the national identity of people from Sulu and Mindanao have been acknowledged and recognized? Sadly it may be so. I pity myself, but I am happy too, because that name has led me face to face with my real identity: that of a Tausug.

This is fundamental and important for all of us trying to understand what the cause for independence is all about. There is no point in fighting when we ourselves don’t understand what we are fighting for. If we do not understand and acknowledge our identity, we can never be united. We may win, but isn’t it pointless if we don’t win this together?

Lastly I will go back to the question posed in this article. Since Tausug means Bangsa Sulu (Sulu Nation) and Bangsa Sug (Sulu State)—tell me. Is Tausug a mere tribe?

Note: This article is intended to initiate a conversation. If there are experts, intellectuals, historians, political leaders, and others that want to share their expertise and opinions about the topic, I’d be happy if they can do so. I am here willing to listen.  

Nelson Dino
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I was sitting on my purple couch having my mid-morning coffee hand in my familiar white mug. Sip after sip, I started organizing my thoughts for writing a new poem in Malay about interconnections among people in the region when my phone blinked in green. Although my phone was set on silent mode a message that I am going for a trip to Indonesia popped on the screen as loudly as if it was a ringtone, what a pleasant surprise it is.
 
I quickly got my passport and snapped a photo of it just as Abang Naddin Shaiddin, the head of Media Trip Delegation instructed me to do.  It’s a Media Familiarization Trip to Southeast Asia to Jakarta, Bromo, Banyuwangi and Bali, from 11 to 21 October 2015, the invitation’s letterhead, adorned with the colorful bird-like logo with the tagline: Wonderful Indonesia.

After filling up the forms for the trip, I went ‘googling’ places mentioned for the trip. Banyuwangi caught my interest right away. Jakarta and Bali are quite familiar to me as I have visited them a couple of times, except for Bromo; which only rang through my ears when I visited Surabaya travelling by train to Jogjakarta in 2012. I didn’t have enough time then so I left my dream to visit Bromo but instead headed for Borobudur and Prambanan temples.
 
Joining the delegation of 40 journalists from Southeast Asia that arrived from their respective countries; Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore and Cambodia, we reached a unique landmark in the Jakarta’s Historic Center in the evening.  Café Batavia staff greeted us with smiles. We were hosted by Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism Director Noviendi Makalam. 

His warm welcoming speech about Indonesia’s extensive archipelago which has something to offer for everybody through vast cultures, ethnicities, religions and languages made me more excited  to find out the many things that makes Indonesia the multicultural land it has came to be. Despite its diversity, the locals believe in tolerance and respect for one another, as Indonesia is hoping to attract 20 million tourists and visitors within the next five years , to achieve this the country aims to waive visa requirements for more than 45 countries.
 
The Café is set in a 200-year-old building on the northwestern corner of Fatahillah Square.  It is the second oldest building in central Jakarta after the Fatahillah Museum; we were not only set to dine here but to step into 19th century Jakarta during the colonial era. I must visit this charming oasis if I would have the chance to travel to Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta someday.

This is such an amazing historical den with affordable delicious foods and black coffee. If you are a vintage car enthusiast you should drop by the Museum Angkut in Malang. Or if you love to see exotic animals, you will never leave Kota Batu, Malang without roaming around the Satwa Museum. If you are up for seeing real cadavers, don’t miss Museum Tubuh. If you love a white beach, visit Pulau Merah to dive into its turquoise sea-water.
 
After enjoying the stunning sights and learning so many interesting things I thought of writing about this trip. I must say that the Banyuwangi Using Tribe also known as Usingnese peaked my interest. Enthralled upon the visits of different museums and billeted in the environmental friendly Kusuma Agrowisita picking Guavas and Apples. Two of our local tourism guides Mas Ozzy and Mas Gatot kept on mentioning Coffee Using or Kapai .The sound of coffee seems too inviting that I felt as if it was calling me to taste its authentic fresh brew. 

I have been an avid coffee drinker and due to my love for coffee, I coined it as kahawarista. A kahawarista is someone who is thrilled with the idea of coffee. Simply put it - is someone who takes delight in drinking, smelling and savoring each cup. I stumbled upon the peaceful coffee village with Angie Duarte, a journalist and Chris Gallegos, a photographer, both from the Philippines. D’ Copiz Coffee, the rendezvous were tribal huts covered with greens, we sipped brewed coffee and chatted over it. We talked about our adventurous and exciting trip to Indonesia.
 
Because we were all excited to join the invitation dinner with the Bupati (equivalent to Regent or Mayor) of Banyuwangi, Bapak Abdullah Azwar Anas and sipping the last drops of our coffee, we forgot to get back to Santika Hotel Banyuwangi early. It is until the charms and scents of our rooms in the hotel enticed us to rest and have a good sleep so we could prepare for the Banyuwangi Ethno Carnival the next day.  The theme “The Usingnese Royal Wedding” highlighted the Ethno carnival which was to witness the dazzling parade, symbolizing the nickname “Sunrise of Java”.

After witnessing the culturally graceful rainbow-like Gandrung Dance, I was craving for more Coffee Using at Sanggar Genjah Arum, Desa Kemiren. Sanggar Genjah Arum is a coffee shop that is often coveted with coffee lovers from different countries all over the world while visiting Banyuwangi. The coffee shop has six traditional houses of Usingnese. Who would have thought, Banyuwangi also has a cool coffee shop with the a group of women playing Gedugan traditional music with their rice pestles accompanied by the melodious beats of Angklung Paglak played by a man.
 
“It’s great. It’s traditional brewing. Yes, I like this coffee,” I excitedly answered Andy Monir (from Malaysia) a travel agent who came along to join us in the trip. He asked me how the coffee fared. “Never enough with one glass”, I added. I went to the mini bar inside a traditional house to ask for more. It was overwhelming, when the owner himself Bapak Setiawan Subekti served me a cup with his friendly smile. There is no doubt that Pak Iwan, as he is fondly called is an expert coffee planter who is known locally and in internationally made this cup of coffee more special by serving us himself. 

The village is not just the usual coffee shop but a den of living traditions of the Usingnese as Sanggar Genjah Arum as the name implies seven Usingnese customs, there are traditional houses serving as homes in preserving their inherited culture. I listened attentively when Pak Iwan related that “Using” is the name of the tribe who inhabited Banyuwangi dearly called Bumi Blambangan. Indeed, as a guest I looked around the village taking my imagination to how this quaint little village looked 100 years ago. It seems to me, the kindness and warm welcome just as the ambience dates back to the ancient times.
 
I overheard the chats of Pak Iwan with Abang Naddin Shaiddin, seven traditional earthquake resistant Using houses are laid out nicely in the land of approximately 7,000 square meters. Each house was embellished with authentic furniture of Banyuwangi with antiques aged approximately more than fifty years .Typical traditional houses are Krokogan, Tikel, Tikel Balung and Serangan. Each house had divisions; foyer, living room and kitchen.
 

As his guest in the coffee shop, I am amazed of its uniqueness plus the humble attitude of Pak Iwan that he has truly proven the Indonesian hospitality is alive and kicking as the coffee shop has brought in droves of guests to taste this coffee wonder. Accordingly, even the Bupati of Banyuwangi, Bapak Anwar Abdullah Anas always brings guests for a coffee here.
 
At night, the dim light with a sound of nature make the atmosphere cooler. No wonder why many guests linger or simply chat with Pak Iwan. If anyone wanted to taste this coffee, take a flight or ferry from Bali to Banyuwangi. In this trip, we travelled across the long road near Java Sea, from Malang to Banyungwangi. Everyone can actually choose which way to take. Along the way there’s also a ground black coffee shop.

Just don’t forget to visit Tanah Lot in Bali. If not, you will be indeed missing the stunning sunset over the beach-rock near the temples with Holy Water and Holy Snake - among the Hindus. If you do not know a place for your dinner, Gardin Bali, a multihued church-like international restaurant is always available to serve you from 10:00PM-1:00AM. It is located at Jalan Petitenget No.106, Seminyak, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali.
 
I simply cannot think of a word that describes the kindness of the Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia that brings guests for a familiarization trip like this. Aside from bringing me closer to the past, I can feel the warm welcome of the Indonesians that indeed we belong to the same ancestry and history – a race of gallant sailors, warriors, humble, peaceful and diverse.

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Indonesia is truly a haven of “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika”, a national motto from a Javanese word for “Unity in Diversity”. With warm welcome, I am personally inviting myself as everyone is welcome to be their guest, not simply a visitor. I will be proud to welcome everyone and will say, Sugeng Rawuh to Wonderful Indonesia!

The Tausugs are known warriors. Never an honest writer skips to mention the bravery of the Tausugs as fighting men. Filipino and American colonizers  even use the word juramentado to refer to the Tausug Gagandilan. Juramentado, derived from the Spanish word juramentar, means one who takes an oath to die while killing infidels (Wikipedia.com). The word is often interchanged with amok, taken from the Malay word amuk or mengamuk, which means to run out of control. In Bahasa Sug, to run amok means magwala’.

Juramentado, in the Tausug sense however, is an act of martyrdom or pagparrangsabil. Anyone who becomes a juramentado and gets martyred is known to be parrangsabil. All magsasabil or parrangsabil entrust their fates to Allah, strengthened by yakin or their confidence that no humanistic agent could harm or kill them. Whatever happens to them is from the “will of Allah.”

Before going to fulfill the parrangsabil, Tausugs ask the blessings of their gurus, Tuan Sharif or Tuan Imam. They even sometimes visit the tombs of dead gurus to seek barakat or blessings.

Tuan Sharifs or Tuan Imams are the religious gurus who give Tausugs permission to fight through the will of Allah and Qudratullah. These gurus are known to the Spaniards as Pandita. Throughout the history of parrangsabil in the Sulu Archipelago, Spaniards were known to have destroyed and burned tombs of many sharifs and imams to prevent Tausugs from visiting them. Tausugs are known to usually prefer death over putting their maruah or dignity at stake.

Known incidents of Tausug parangsabil are those at Bud Dahu in 1906 and 1911, Bud Talipaw in 1911, Bud Bagsak in 1913, Corregidor Island in 1968, Jolo in 1974 and Pata Island in 1984.

The main fighting weapons of the Tausug warriors are the Kalis (Kris), Barung (Bold knife) and Budjak (Spear).

During periods of foreign colonization, the parrangsabil would be seen running with their kalis on the streets of Jolo, Zamboanga, Siasi, Bungau, Mapun, Basilan, Palawan and Lupa’ Higad, killing as many Spanish and American soldiers as they could.

Tausugs are fond of conversing during coffee breaks about the Tausug Invulnerability. There is rarely a conversation that does not mention this topic. The Tausug's belief in their invulnerability is taken from their belief of Allah’s will. To them, it is only Allah that can protect them from harm.

For the Tausugs, invulnerability is called di’ pag-ukun which means “cannot be pierced”. The impenetrable man, or man that cannot be pierced, is known as tau di pag-ukun or bunut basa. Bunut basa is a Tausug slang which literally means “wet coconut husk”. The impenetrable man is also boldly known as kubulan, which means invulnerable to any sharp or metal objects, equivalent to the Malay word kebal. Modern-era enemies in fights against Tausugs see kubulans as Robocop, a superhuman cyborg cop from a 1987 American movie.

In formal terms, someone invulnerable is called marayaw timbakun. That means someone who is “good to be shot” because of his invulnerability to bullets. To Tausugs, everything depends only on Allah’s will, nothing more and nothing else.

According to Tausug author and researcher Tuan Sharif Aliazer, a person who is invulnerable to any sharp objects are of good attributes--wayi lummi’ ha pangatayan (no dirt in the heart), baying ulungun (caring), and baying kasihun (loving). Other attributes are based on knowledge or ilmu’. The person or man who is knowledgeable shall have his yakin to the ilmu’ and is thus invulnerable.

Tuan Sharif Aliazer further said that one of the basic beliefs to strengthen the yakin of a person for him not to be pierced by any sharp objects is the kasussihan (purity). Nur Muhammad is also said to be invulnerable. It is from Nur Muhammad, he said, that humankind was created. Invulnerability results from having no doubts about the Qudratulllah (the power of Allah).

Tuan Sharif Aliazer added that it is not about the skin or flesh being invulnerable to bullets or any sharp objects but the ilmu’--the body's familiarity with objects that touch it. It's as if  the objects themselves and the human flesh are friends, thus knowing each other’s selves.

Common practice among Tausugs is the belief in alamat. The alamat is an internal compass used to determine if a day is safe or not. This is part of the Tausug's secrets on how to be safe from harm and injury. Through the alamat, Tausugs can determine the best time to attack the enemy as well as where best to shoot them.

One of the applications of alamat is pagtitik. The pagtitik is the practice of counting the letters in peoples' names. In pagtitik, every letter is assigned a number. The numbers are used to read a person's fate. The pagtitik is part of the putikaan or kutikaan. It is a way to look at the fortune for the day or the next and coming days and time.

Some Tausugs also practice pitunang, or the act of reading chants on a bullet.

The Tausugs who apply the knowledge to be invulnerable are not afraid to die. They practice what is allowed in Islam as protection from danger, harm and injury. This is so people in a defensive war can continue to fight for longer time through the Will of Allah.

There are many ways in which a Tausug is believed to be invulnerable to sharp objects or to bullets. One way is when a bullet reaches a person’s body but will only slide through as the skin or the flesh is impenetrable by it. Another is when the bullet is fired but won’t reach the target. It will instead melt as water or explode into pieces midair.

The Tausug before going to war does the mag-alamat, umalamat or target. And the guns will themselves be blasted upon firing.

Invulnerability varies based on the practices and rituals  Tausug men and women use to achieve them. The rituals are also varied according to the different pangadji or teachings of gurus.

Hampan: One practice of Tausugs is the wearing of amulets. The amulets are called in Tausug as hampan-hampan used as habay-habay (tied around the waist) or worn as headscarf. The hampan-hampan or amulets to be worn as habay-habay have many kinds.

There are amulets that derive their charm from Quranic verses and vernacular words. Pis Siyulatan is also a form of amulet. It is a piece of cloth with Quranic verses written in it. The cloth is of different colours, the most common is green, white and yellow.

Kabatinan: Kabatinan is the belief in the unknown that exists. One who believes in batin believes in having a direct link with Allah. In kabatinan, Quranic verses are applied into water, which is then drunk by the Tausug or used in bathing. This is also the application of kasussihan.

The pag-alamat or alamat is part of the kabatinan. Sometimes people use to understand this as sihir. Sihir is actually another practice, and it is also believed to be from Allah. Sihir derives its power from chanting to ask help from Allah to make someone invulnerable to any sharp objects; this kind refers to the Will of Allah. To the Tausug, there is nothing in this world that passes without the will of Allah.

There are many more details on the Tausug Invulnerability which are not covered in this article and have not yet been documented. Intensive research is indeed needed. The Tausug people understood and used their belief on invulnerability to defend their pride in being Muslim and being Tausug. Every manner practiced in this subject forms part of the identity of the Tausug people, and something for them to be proud of.

Preservation by practicing is important. A guru shall not put this knowledge out into space, away from the Tausug society. To the Tausug, whatever the practice maybe, it shall be attributed to the Will of Allah. It is only His Qudrat that could shape and make invulnerability happen. The Tausug practiced their knowledge on invulnerability to prepare themselves for any foreign attacks. The story of the foreign attacks affected young generations of Tausugs who inherit their forefathers' history and destiny.

As with their invulnerability, the Tausug is powered most of all by humility and their belief that “bang aku masipa iyaampun sin Tuhan, misan unu punglu atawa mahait di’da makamatay kaku" (If I am still forgiven by Allah, whatever bullet or sharp objects cannot kill me).

Insha Allah ampunun sin Tuhan bang aun pardusahan sin katan Tausug ha katilingkal dunya! Amin Ya Rabbil Alamin!