Maranaw Love letter

These are the traditional dance of Maranaw girls. The first one is the "kakini-kini" that portrays girl way of walking but in the form of dance. The other one is "kazanduayan", a Maranaw way of showing joys and satisfaction, also in the form of dance. These kinds is rare now. In 50's, we can see these in any Maranaw community. In early 80's, it begun to deteriorate as other form of Culture were recognized, especially school girls. We can expand our reading by finding related sites that deals with this kind of culture. For these blog, it is done to have familiarity on Maranaw culture but not an advance search.

With this kind of attitude, boys were inferred and cannot even called the girls by name. There is a high respect extended to any Maranaw girl. Mostly, in courting girl, the boy will group each other and visited girls in group too. These group will interact merrily with the presence of the folks. Eyes of both parties speak but cannot explain it verbally. In the form of " pananaroon" ( Marananw means of expressing his love to a girl) the two parties will run their conversations opposing each other. We can see the denial and acceptance of tthe girls on committing to a formal relationship in front of the folks. If these series of conversations, "kapanganakan" in Maranaw terms is honored together with the member of the family, the boy will propose formally. Various forms of courting will follow after the proposal.

I'd like to insert samples of Marananw love letter and the tradtional pananroon. The later is still practice to date. The Love letter vanish in the history of Maranaw because of the exposure to mobile phone. Courting is made easy through texting and not by writing.

An Example of Maranaw Pananaroon:


seka tawo a mapanton n bangkaden gagandaye sa saradyatum di mapos a lalan sa kasnangan, na ombes o khakowangka so polaos o maganding n d ka mindatomanong : (girl)


Ibtad so mantri ko patarogo papanan na zamata di zamata na magironota tadn sa olayan sa rambayong. tanodinka marugun ka myatharo ko mambo a soba ka sa raya na somagansang akoron na o ladas ka sa lilod na pundorosa ko mambo na o kadnka sa titib na mampira ko sa kilid. na o pagalangalanka na magintara ako, na o panik ka sa lamin na somongako sa gibon. na sodn so ranonakn i ipuphangadapakun sa romba a ladan ka. (boy) Thanks to Tisoy and ranaw.com for this portion.


osa imatowaya na pendirondan si sangkad ko sagayadan o linang koris phamaningad sa madait a denggawan, pelabi so bolawan ko bibir o somagayan ka koris phamanongad sa dait andarayaan. (girl)


so alongan khaotho na pakasasagaden den ka minsangko di baogen e moraon sa sanggibo na minsan di balbegen i mombos sa makadorat na langganang ko wa omor na dagangkowa kapatay odi ko mitindos rabao so datumanuong ko inged (boy)


Here is an example of Maranaw love letter. I have a glimpse of this because I belong to the classical girl of 80's. I have crushes then but as to serious relationships, I have none. I have that fear that right guy I've chosen might not satisfy with the tastes of the folks. If the same happen, it will bring me to serious frustration, so I never try. I have check on the possible person but our folks favor most on family origin while I am for education literacy. My feeling died in my heart with out expressing like one.
I cannot blame my self not to follow the decision of the folks. I originate from the crowd of four because my father has four wives. My mother was the second wives. I'm afraid that I might chose the wrong guy and marry as many as my father have. My struggles to be among this crowd might repeat itself. None the less, I have to chose wisely.
The sample love letter that I'm posting steal a potion of my heart. I have cried for days to erase the memory but there no power to erase, tough worries subside.

Sample of Maranaw Love letter (boy)


If i remember right, during the year 1970, maranaw love letter was still practiced by the maranaw ladies, and their suitors. We shall give a wink on its nature. Love letter could either be "kapangoba", a letter from a frustrated sender or ex-boyfriend or girl friend. Other letter can be "kapranon", a letter from a new suitor, feeling lonely and longing to share his feeling to his prospect. The later is mostly done by boys, send as a friendly letter. Upon receipt of the said letter, the girl would acknowledged, reminding the boy whether the girl is available or not negotiable. It is more on a story with a redundancy of words.

When the said letter is received by a lady, the family would grouped themselves and the famous reader within the family will read it aloud. One sentimental letter could bring the listeners to cry. This scene can move the family and may reunite this departed relations. On the contrary, if the writer is new suitor, it will give him a chance to come and court the girl. Since, personal courting is not allowed in this society, this letter serve as the passes of the boy.

We will post an example of Maranaw love letter, written 1970, pages from the collection of a maranaw lady as anonymous. Let us note of the body, the comma and he period is represented by "na" and "ka"

The letter read as:


Alamataya ranon a pizoratana gagaw a pikhaat a rangkono a paka paphanogoden ke tawangko diko bethon. a saya pephakaganat ko ladangko riniwada, na inao ala kirim na obaka pkhadanon ko manga bantoga a tawo na zizino zinowangka o da a rampana a dar na salamangka rinao na gokabo zandoa ayan sa mabaloya tadman na mawita panginogon a makalimogaw sa dar. N o amay ka masokatso alongan lomalangkap a senang mangongorangka ko katasangko boklod a gopen ngganat ko palao a pezalindao i salega rangkaniyan ko kapenggiginawai na oman midar mipangkat na mapasa panggao sa walo na masapidao sa pat na somigay mangangarig sa orogana kiblat na mendod na zando ayanko balibeto iranon na gonian panogoda so lad laino kaparan na mama mindo malondong a artawang gonawan na lagido gopn kidar apemangidansalian na oda kalalansaye a pagalongan so laod na morog na thaman taman i salgo sindaw niyan na asar bo ka minidar i tanda aken ko lalag na ipananayan aken sa aoga-gaog a ganding a sengkoana ronokan a sariato lalakho ka oba ako arangen sa phamanen dezen a dapat a orgis sa ginawa a bimban sa taginepen ka riwara bimban sa dar ka daaken mipagenong sa alongan tanan aya ka oman raken lomimbo so kapenggiginawai na o aya romba aken na baaken midederang a ginawa ko a rasy ko olona man so gawn na oman raken lomimbo so iroy ago so tadem na manako den a ponay a somengko kagagawan sa daden a borodanon na dikoden kapantonan na pekhasaodan aken sa dalaana maminar ka bakopen da borodi a aloyo so damo-aw na daa biyorodanon na adaw rintanga pikir a tangkeda lolotaken namawatan sa ginawa i baakongka lembae sa oragis ago dapat a tadman sa tonganay na inao na maregen na aya ola-olako na marinao di marinao raraprap ko wig na diko maphaka anged .........i ba adempen a ragat a salakaw ko kalodan ka diko maphaka anged ka soden so ranonaken sa romba a ladaneka a oba sagona madiwang i kapenggignawai ka rongko pakakelasa i iniliboteng sa darem ka toba ako maribon na asara pimbitakan a lomalan sa tadman na oso kakhondalia na malo ko kondaraan ka minikarangaken den so inisomaringeno wig a dita kaphanarigan ka lalayon di tanggongen na oso lad o ladangko na diden simbaran sa tig ka osa imnatowaya na pezeleg sa madiris ko lapal o bilanga tawo na pegondaya ko alam so botoon ko otowan ka pelangkap ko maklok so kakasi o alongan ka pezinta somalindaw ko belangan ko dangaday na osa imantow aya na tiyalingoma rasay so da malayam sa dindang na inadil so bolawan sa ropa katonganaya . aya katanodanon na na diman mkambinentay sa ba makapayandeg ka so simalawn o ganding na mindaog sa kakasi a ipekhasirang o tawo ko mawatan go marani na pezengko ko pagiridan sa panogodana bantog na mitho manto kargan i ola-ola kargan.

Na lengenan ta sayaden i giyagaw sa kanggaring ka makabolotha ribon na ditaden makatimbang ko mga bantoga a tawo. Inao ala sorat na o amay ka marinaw na balingangka sa rinaw na sowi ka sa rangkono ka bataden maka alang sa ko tawo a makadadaya. Tamat.

An answere from the girl

Pzambesamber pman s Pzamber o inodara magaog a makapokaw sa pikir ka oman raken lomimbo na dikoden kapantunan na kasaudangko sa lo ka awga pindo iyan a kiyarendana raken ka aden kon a salakaw a maka biraye sa dar, na inao ala kirim na obaka phadanon ko tawa malambata tawn na oba kidar mipangkat na bolayokangka rinaw na lengi angka a gagaw na dikapman prondan. Amay ka minayongka ko mawatana salinding a aya kadederangan o tantowa lolotaken na aloyo angka pindo, na perinarinawingka na gongkawn panothola a soden so kyatangked a mithinampiri so wig sa salalaw a legawan na mana koden a tikaw a rinadongana torog, ka kagiya si maregen a romibon ka romibon na obabo piragatan a kabsaran so insan na go bo rangkono mawog sa makarampana sa dar,na kiyabagowam pman so kapenggiginawai a dita masangkaya dar na daandorangan tawon.
Ino saken maregen a minsan orimpay so wig ka ana manayo sa dar, na katigangkoron a pakapepenogoden sa ginawnagka ranongko a thalenda ka inalang a biyolawangko sa dar baaken mambo ngaran a karenda renda aken ko kayo mering bolawan na birai sa mawatan na lengengka inantara a maregen sa ginawa ka mathakho patogina a kandadilagaken ko kayowa pata romaging na di ta kaphagimanan ka bimban sa sakaingud na inao bolawangko na odaka zarog maganatang sa romangkono so pandang na manganon so kanggaring na obako minikopor a sekabo i kawgan a kataman sa ranon na kagiya sa imanto na sansara imantawn ka inalangako niyan sa inikasawanga dar.
Inao ala kirim na o amay ka marinaw na goka makambalingan na zanaangka ko gadong so panyolam masaleg a pimbogabonga dar a daraken pethorogen a kinidakatengkoron ko ingaran di matembo na oba kelas so sigay na mimbalingan ki ladan ka apiya di manayo ka ba kilasan gagaw na pagadimaten aken a tadman ko kanggaring ka dibo tatap sa pikir na matag pephaka alang ko kanayo initangkap a ipzorota iman.
Marendan so inzana sa ginawangka a kirim na paladangkawn layok so toladang kamanisan ka bankari di katawi a pito barang so borok a inikhanayoon ka ba aya koron sabot rendanen ta niyambo sa daa kasidan tawon. Na Lengenan ta sayaden e ranon gagaw sa lolot ka bataden tatangkeden a tawa malamba tawon...Tamat