The Ten Bornean Datus and the Purchase of Panay


The story of the buying of Panay by ten datus coming from Borneo is told in the Maragtas, a legendary account about the pre-Spanish Panay Island. This narrative tells us that about A.D. 1250, at about the time Malaysia and Indonesia were dominated by the Hindu-Malay Empire of Sri-Vijaya, a cruel sultan named Makatunaw ruled Borneo–or perhaps part of it. Because he was cruel, ten of his datus decided to leave Borneo and seek their freedom and fortune beyond the sea.

The Ten Datus were:

#1. Datu Puti (the leader)

#2. Datu Balensusa

#3. Datu Bangkaya

#4. Datu Dumalugdog

#5. Datu Dumangsil

#6. Datu Dumangsol

#7. Datu Lubay

#8. Datu Panduhinog

#9. Datu Paliburong

#10. Datu Sumakwel

One dark night after loading on boats their families, warriors, slaves, and supplies, they secretly left in their balangays (boats) without a specific destination in mind. After sailing north for many days, they reached the southern tip of Panay Island. They landed at the mouth of the Sirwagan River there, near the present town of San Joaquin in Iloilo. From there they proceeded to Lake Andona where they met an Ati fisherman. This man led them to the Negrito village of Sinugbuhan and was introduced to the local ruler, King Marikudo and his queen, Maniwantiwan. Datu Puti addressed them and said they came as friends and would like to buy land.

Marikudo consulted his wife and the elders of his kingdom and agreed to sell some land to them. The purchase price consisted of a gold salakot (a native helmet) for Marikudo and a long gold sumangyad (necklace) for Maniwantiwan. The sale was sealed by a pact of friendship and merry feasting. After that, Marikudo and his people bade farewell to the Borneans and went into the hills.

Seven of the ten datus settled in Panay. The three others–Balensusa, Dumangsil and Puti sailed farther north and reached Lake Taal, in present-day Batangas province. Impressed by the fertility and scenic beauty of the area, Balensusa and Dumangsil settled there. Datu Puti, however, returned to Borneo. He told the Borneans about his exciting adventures in the islands of the north.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Datu Puti sailed farther north and reached Taal lake". Is there a passage or tributaries from the sea to that inlet lake? Please expound?

Anonymous said...

Yes Pansipit river which was blocked with volcanic boulders in 1749 or 1754. Navigation was possible before 1749. Taal lake was known as BOMBON lake in the olden time during the Spanish conquest. The orator of the 3 datus who reached that place would have mentioned Lake Bombon instead of Lake Taal

Anonymous said...

Is this ten datus also written in the history of Borneo? Or just an imagination of the author?

Unknown said...

Some historians say this is just a product of fiction in Panayanon's quest to self-identify .

Unknown said...

What is the setting of the story

Teacher Joy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jonjongot said...

The ancient Brunei Kingdom was build by the Dusunic people (Dusun/Bisaya). Accroding to the most reliable historical record, the Brunei sultanate only come to exist in the year of 1515, when the last Maharaja of Brunei converted to Islam, while other Dusun/Bisaya Raja still pagan. The Dusunic people are the early people who inhabited the coastal area of Borneo from Brunei to Marudu Bay. The Kelabitic people (Lundayeh or Puak Murut) migrated from North Kalimantan recently (500-600 years ago), the Malay people migrated from Sumtra and Malay Peninsular recently (500-600 years ago), the Kedayan migrated from West Kalimantan 500 years ago and the other Dayaks people such as Kiput, Narum, Iban, Penan and Kayan just arrived around 200-300 years ago. The First people in Brunei was the Dusunic people (Puak Dusun or also known as Puak Bisaya, they are the same Dusunic stock).

Unknown said...

I believe that these 10 datus were the 10 lost tribes of Israel.

Unknown said...

i guess this is true, the story about the 10 Bornean Datus who sailed to Balayan and eventually settled along the banks of Taal Lake. We have terminologies or words in Batanguenio dialect very similar to Malay words. A lot of them actually, like katang (talangka) in Malay talangka is ketam, In villages along Lake Taal, lemongrass is "salay"...in Malay it is "serai" Bolo or machete is 'golok", Malay is same 'Golok"..My middle name is found only in Borneo and Kuching in Malaysia, aside from my town along Lake Taal.

unknown said...

What is your argument regarding the historical information and the controversies that surrounds the Ten Bornean Datus to Panay?

Gab Comia said...

https://dontinoso.blogspot.com/2021/04/dumangsil-ang-datu-ng-lampung-sa-lawa.html

Gab Comia said...

https://dontinoso.blogspot.com/2021/04/dumangsil-ang-datu-ng-lampung-sa-lawa.html

mcDo said...

salamat for this one.

Unknown said...

I believe that the ten Bornean chieftains were our descendants. Being a Visayan, I have discovered that there are enormous Indo-Malay words integrated in our language system or dialect aside from those that come from Spanish.

Anonymous said...

The history of ten Bornean Datus led by
Datu Puti who left Borneo aboarded balangay (boat) without destination in search of freedom because of the cruelty of Sultan Makatunaw was true. They landed on the northern tip of island of Panay where they met a fisherman who brought them to the native chieftain of the island King Marikudo whose wife was Queen Maniwangtiwang.

Anonymous said...

At first King Marikudo and his people were terrified of the boat people till Datu Puti told him that their intention is to purchase parcels of lands and offering öne gold salakot (helmet) and a gold necklace for King Marikudo's Queen consort Maniwangtiwang.King Marikudo agreed because the island has a vast track of land. When the deal has done King Marikudo and his followers bid goodbye and went to the hinterlands.

Anonymous said...

Thereafter, the ten Datus divided the island into three districts Aklan, Irong-irog (ilo-ilo) and Hamtik (Antique). Seven Datus remained and settled in the island of Panay while the trio led by Datu Puti proceeded to Taàl present day Batangas.

Two of the three Datus settled in Luzon while Datu Puti returned to Borneo and narrated to the Borneans about his fascinating adventures to the North.

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