Zamboanga's Yakan Village is as Mindanao as could be

The author with the Yakan children
With today's modern society, and Man's hurry to progress, many of our cultural heritages have been forgotten. Our forefathers, in their obsession to catch up with modern times, have neglected to pass on what we could have counted as part of history.

But this ethnic tribe has not.

The Yakan people originally come from the Basilan province. During the trying times of the '70s, some of the population opted to move to the safer Zamboanga City, bringing along with them traditions and culture as a means of making a livelihood.

Although some of them may have moved on to become more progressive, a small village in Zamboanga City has preserved their culture, which is now known as the Yakan Village. This small group of people earn their livelihood by showing guests the traditional dance, Pangalay, which is also practised by other Muslim tribes, and by selling handwoven goods. Considering the amount of effort put into it and what it symbolizes, the price hardly makes up for it.

The goods that they sell made out of special abaca and pineapple threads and made with skilled hands.

The hanging mantles are actually the sashes that they wear with their traditional clothes, but most people who buy them use them as table runners.


Colorful patterns and designs each have a name of their own, as we were told by one of their elders. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to write them down.

More colorful items

The great thing about these products is that they seem much more durable than what you can purchase at actual department stores. Aside from that, the prices are waaaaay cheaper. You can buy a long wallet for a hundred pesos and if you haggle, they'd even let you. I would recommend not haggling though, it's kind of unfair that you're earning enough to travel for pleasure then you'd just go to haggle.

To get to the Yakan Village: 

Take a jeepney from the city proper or pueblo, going to Upper Calarian and just ask the driver to drop you off directly at the village. There's a huge red sign, so you won't miss it. It's right along the road.

The author with MagTV host, Marian

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