Reflecting back and recalling the people we had a chance to meet with in Mindanao, I wondered why the Muslims in Mindanao came to be called Moros and if there is a difference between the Mindanao Muslims and Muslims in the rest of the world. At first I accepted the name “Moro” for the Muslims in Mindanao as just being what they have always been called. Throughout the trip I absorbed the discussions we had with and about Moros without questioning the “Moro” name. After further research I’ve found that the name “Moro” originated as a derogatory reference; it was given by the Spanish colonizers to the Muslims already living in the southern Philippines. The colonizing Spaniards carried over the term from Spain where many of the Muslims living in Spain were “Moors”.
Moros along with the other Filipino native groups have been marginalized due to colonization. Moros are considered to be radical Muslims, seen as being dissatisfied with the central government. Due to the Moros’ growing frustration with economic inequalities and their displacement as a result of colonization first by Spain and then by America, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) formed in the 1970’s. At the heart of the conflict is their quest for justice and gaining back control of their own land.
Today, although the name was originally derogatory, the Moro people have taken on their own meaning for the “Moro” name. The name has created unity and the creation of the name ties them to their ancestors, a part of their history that they cannot forget if they want to move forward. Being a “Moro” now is preferred over being called a Filipino which is associated with King Phillip II of Spain. Moros share a struggle and try to hold on to their ancestral culture and lands. Throughout the Moro’s communities you could feel the unifying force of pride in their culture and their Moro name.
