Boholano_people

Boholano people

The Boholano people, also called Bol-anon, refers to the people who live in the island province of Bohol. They are part of the wider Visayan ethnolinguistic group, who constitute the largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group.

Area

The Boholanos live in the province of Bohol, an island with an estimated area of 4,117.3 square kilometers.Its oval-shaped mainland is surrounded by 73 smaller islands, having a gently rolling terrain, ideal for commercial and industrial site development. Bohol's mountainous interior is home to rare and endangered flora and fauna. At certain points, hills drop steeply to the coast from a maximum elevation of 870 meters above sea level. The interior uplands are fit for agro-forestry and high value agricultural production. The central and northern lowlands have also fertile grounds and abundant water supply. Over a hundred caves have been identified, the biggest of which is found in the eastern part which makes Bohol ideal for spelunking adventures.

Language

Boholano is a dialect of Cebuano that is spoken on the island of Bohol in the Philippines, which is a Visayan speech variety, although it is sometimes described as a separate language. Boholano, especially the dialects used in Central Bohol, can be distinguished from other Cebuano dialects by a few phonetic changes. The "y" sound in Cebuano becomes "j" ("iya" in Cebuano becomes "ija"), the "k" sound sometimes becomes "h" ("ako" in Cebuano becomes "aho")the "l" sound sometimes if it is used in the second or following syllable becomes "w" ("kulang" in Cebuano becomes "kuwang"). The dialects used in the coastal areas of Bohol though, including Tagbilaran City, are almost indistinguishable from other Cebuano-speaking areas.

Demographics

The population of Bohol is 1,137,268 according to the 2000 census. Some also live in Mindanao. The majority of the population is Roman Catholic adherents of other Christian denominations like the Protestants and Iglesia ni Cristo account for a significant part of the remainder.

Culture

Much of the Boholano culture has been influenced by the Culture of Spain and Indigenous Philippine traditions. The majority of its people belong to the Roman Catholic religion.

History

The people of Bohol are said to be the descendants of the last group of inhabitants who settled in the Philippines called pintados or “tattooed ones.” Boholanos had already a culture of their own as evidenced by the artifacts dug at Mansasa, Tagbilaran City, and in Dauis and Panglao. They are different from Cebuanos, thus Boholano language is considered separate language from Cebuano.

Bohol is derived from the word Bo-ho or Bo-ol.The island was the seat of the first international treaty of peace and unity between the native king Datu Sikatuna, and Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi, on March 16, 1565 through a blood compact alliance known today by many Filipinos as the Sandugo.

Boholano is derived from the name of the province.