Maryam is a muslim girl cherish by the people around her, she lived with her family, living a

simple life, she is an only daughter and have a big and younger brother, little did she know one day she
will meet someone that will cause her to feel dismay with her family.

It was a hot Saturday afternoon and Maryam was teaching her younger brother how to read, when
suddenly their older brother arrives with libusaw, a fried banana melted with sugar as their meryenda,
and so they started eating and the older brother ask his younger brother what their sister has been
teaching him, the younger brother responded that their sister is a great teacher, he had learned so much
from her, and suddenly the older brother lecture his siblings how to be grateful in life, to obey their
parents at all time, and not to fool around. Maryam and her younger brother agreed and before the sky
gets dark they went home.

Before sleeping Maryam’s mother went to her and asked if she could perform pangalay tomorrow for
Aliya’s wedding, the daughter of her mother’s friend, who is also Maryam’s childhood friend who just
recently came home for the wedding, Maryam agreed to perform.

As the Kulintang started to make sounds, Maryam slowly walk to the center while swaying her hips
swiftly and moving her hands like an ocean waves, people are amaze on her every move, all eyes was on
her especially that Subanen guy who was looking at her admirably, and as Maryam made a turn she
alternately moves her right arm up and left arm down repeatedly, while doing so, her eyes met the
Subanen guy’s gaze which made her heart skip a beat, as their eyes meet the guy smiled at her.

A few days later after the wedding, Maryam was in the market when a guy approach her, the guy
immediately introduced himself. He is Datu Pulong a Subanen who appears to be the friend of Aliya’s
husband. Maryam was startled, she did not know what to say, yes she knows how to speak but at that
moment she can’t say a word as she stares at the guy who was looking at her intently waiting for her to
introduce herself as well. Aliya suddenly arrived with her husband and they were both introduce;
Maryam was acting shyly because it was her first time meeting a guy. Aliya insist to take her home;
Maryam was shy but she still agreed because she did not know how to decline a friend’s offer. So they
brought her home, and Aliyah and her husband with Pulong where asked to stay to eat for lunch and
there Pulong was questioned. Pulong was asked from where he came from, and few background about
him, Pulong was hesitant to answer but he still answered. As the visitors went home Maryam’s father
told her to never go near that boy because she was a Subanen, Maryam was confused but agreed to
what her father told her, before the night ends, her mother has told her stories about Subanen, and how
Moro’s and Subanen had conflict, she didn’t understand how the past has something to do with her
having a new friend.

Pulong was a determined guy, he was eager to have friendship with Maryam, Maryam constantly avoids
her, but Pulong did everything he could until they had become friends including Maryam’s younger
brother. Days had passed the two grew closer without the knowledge of Maryam’s father, Pulong was a
great friend, not just to Maryam but to Maryam’s younger brother as well, they would often go to
beaches and watch the sun and sky, Pulong would also cook for the sibling, He was having fun with
them, and realized his feelings for Maryam, and so he confessed.

Maryam knew that what she has been doing will make her father furious, but she knows more that she
had grown feelings toward Pulong, and so Pulong’s feelings were reciprocated. Pulong was inlove with
Maryam, and so was Maryam.

Maryam’s older brother has known about it, everything, including their beach escapades with their
younger brother and what Pulong has felt for his sister Maryam. The older brother talks to Maryam and
he told Maryam to avoid the guy because surely their father will get mad, but their Father heard the
conversation, and there the father commands the older brother to guard her sister and make sure that
she will never go near that guy again. Maryam was mad, because why can’t she love freely? to never see
Pulong again breaks her heart.

Days had passed and they have never seen each other, so Pulong went to her house and ask for her
presence but outburst from Maryam’s father was what he received and so he ask what he can do but he
was told to leave, until that day comes when the two lovers jumped off the cliff. They may not be meant
in real life, maybe they will be, in other life.

A long-standing dispute between two indigenous group in the Philippines mainly in Mindanao's
Zamboanga Peninsula has stand a significant chapter in the history of the Philippines. This essay aims
to provide an overview of the origins, causes, and impact of the conflict between the clashess of Moro
and Subanen indigenous group.

Subanen is a tribe of indigenous to the Zamboanga peninsula area, particularly living in the mountain
areas of Zamboanga del Sur and Misamis Occidental while Moro's reside in the area now called
Bangsamoro regions which was commonly called Muslim Mindanao in 1989 when the ARMM was
created. Moro and Subanen are two indigenous group in the Philippines, both has differences in many
aspects but what they have in common is being a Filipino.

Issues of ancestral domain and land ownership are the root cause of the dispute between the Moro
and Subanen, both indigenous group are determined to have the certain territories and have its
control of power for resources, such as agricultural land and mineral deposits, and other natural
resources that they may benefit, which is why both groups are eager to own the land and will do
everything that they can to own it. The Moro believes that their ancestral lands were taken from them
during the Spain colonization in the Philippines, while the Subanen have their own claims of ancestral
lands as an indigenous people, each indigenous group has accused the other of invading its territory
which led to disagreements of land ownership and tensions between the two community.

Moro and Subanen conflict in Mindanao has been an on-going problem arising with tension and
violence, there is no definitive beginning or end date but it is said to begin during Spanish colonial
period. The conflict has escalated over the years, in which some resulting into allegations of houses
getting burn, loss of properties, deaths, and violence affecting each community. The conflict has lasted
for years without any resolution, leading to loss of lives of the innocent civilians, and uncountable
casualties. Both community has suffered tremendous effect on the action done by their individual
group.
Over the years these kind of conflict has never been common for anyone, but between the Moro and
Subanen, it is difficult to say who started the conflict, as it has been on-going. The conflict particularly
happened in various parts of Mindanao in the southern and western region where both indigenous
group have significant presence. Each group has their own belief of who owns the land, they both
have different ways of living, and they also have cultural differences which clashes both group’s belief.
Both indigenous group are known for bravery that is why the conflict they had, has run for a very long
time, because no one wants to lose.

The Moro and Subanen conflict in Zamboanga Peninsula has had a prolonged history, which
represents land disputes, resource competition and cultural differences. Moro claims ancestral rights
over the land, while the Subanen claim original ownership. The conflict between Moro and Subanen
has affected the socio-economic conditions of both communities, and it remains unresolved issue
leading to mistrust, tension and hostility between the two communities even up to date. These
conflict has had significant effect on the people involved. The conflict does not have definitive start
and end, people in the community have been in many phases and as they grew, the conflict they
believed they had, has been slowly buried in the past, both group have suffered and grieved with the
consequence of their conflict. Reconciliation efforts could have contributed in resolving the Moro and
Subanen conflict, to hear each sides will give a clearer point in understanding and addressing the
issue, and there could have been more ways to resolve it, but it did seem that both indigenous group
where hard headed as they only believed in what they grew to believe. In this kind of conflict
government must interfere, Resilience and Peace Building can resolve land dispute, they could have
also done something that might fix the issues more, and maybe casualties were lessen and innocent
lives weren’t affected. The Moro and Subanen people can reconcile despite what happen after all
they’re both Filipinos.