Aginin Bayok Sa Atong Tiwarik is a dance epic oral tradition about Cebuano history written by Jovito Abellana whose family of “Old Cebu” was known for keeping oral traditions through the generations.
This oral tradition helps us date Cebu and Cebuanos in the area. Personally, I suspect that Cebuanos may have an earlier connection to Mindanao, but the Cebuano settlement of Cebu is believed to be as late as the 1400s with the “Aginin”. You will want to read down to Part 3 with other tribe claims.
According to the “Aginin”, Sri Lumay is the founder of present-day Cebu City and was of noble descent in Sumatra (Part Tamil and Part Malayan). He was commissioned by India’s Chola Dynasty to subdue all local kingdoms. (With this statement there might have already been an earlier influx of Cebuano-speaking people, indigenous tribes and the migration of people from Sumatra to subdue the local kingdoms mentioned.)
However, Sri Lumay rebelled and established his own independent Rajanate, according to the oral tradition he was loved by the people and taught them to read and write badlit. The Rajanate was modern for the time as he had umalohokans (town criers) to broadcast laws and edicts in each village and regular sea patrols to guard the coast. He was so well-liked that not a single slave ran from his rule.
During his reign, the Magalos (meaning “destroyers of peace” aka Moros) regularly raided Cebu from Southwest Mindanao.
It should be noted that the Subanen tribe of Mindanao claims Rajah Humabon descends from their tribe, which debunks the Chola commission but at least connects Cebuanos to an ancient tribe of Mindanao going back 6,000 years instead of 600 years.
On another side note, I find it interesting that this oral tradition makes mention of Lumawig the son of the Igorot supreme god Kabunian.
To make Pulua (an earlier name for Cebu City) less attractive to the Magalos, Sri Lumay had the city burned each time they were attacked. His scorched earth war tactics gave rise to the name Kang Sri Lumayng Sugbu or “that of Sri Lumay’s great fire”. Later the name was shortened to Sugbu (“scorched earth”).
Sri Lumay was married to Mandawili and had four sons who eventually helped him rule the island of Cebu. When he died in battle fighting the Moros, his youngest son, Sri Bantug, took his place as Rajah. Eventually, Rajah Bantug died of a plague and his older physically challenged brother Sri Parang became Rajah until Sri Bantug’s son Humabon was old enough to rule.
It is Rajah Humabon, who was baptized by Magellan in 1521.
Being a Cebuano-based story the “Aginin” generally paints Rajah Humabon in a positive light and Lapu-Lapu in a less positive light. Lapu-Lapu is said to be a more recent arrival and rival of Rajah Humabon that is described as a mangatang or pirate who reduces Rajah Humabon’s trading. Mactan is supposed to be a shortened version of Mangatang, but other oral traditions dispute the piracy and Mactan derivative from mangatang.
The Aginin tells of Magellan and the Battle of Mactan between Lapu-Lapu and Magellan’s forces.
The Aginin says that Lapu-Lapu is a daghagang or of half Dayak and Arabian parentage and was later defeated by Rajah Humabon in battle. Eventually, Lapu-Lapu and his family return to Borneo. There are other oral traditions that refute Lapu-Lapu being defeated by Rajah Humabon in battle, but if he was victorious why would he eventually return to Borneo as more than one oral tradition claims?
Source: Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society Vol 42 3/4 pg 189-220 copyright Univ of San Carlos Press
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