The Kawayan ''Torogan ''(also ''Torogan sa Kawayan'')'' ''is a traditional

Maranao The Maranao people (Maranao: mәranaw Filipino: ''Maranaw''), also spelled Meranao, Maranaw, and Mëranaw, is the term used by the Philippine government to refer to the southern indigenous people who are the "people of the lake", a predomi ...

torogan A torogan () is a traditional ancestral house built by the Maranao people of Lanao, Mindanao, Philippines for the nobility. A torogan was a symbol of high social status. Such a residence was once a home to a sultan or ''datu'' in the Maranao co ...

'' (house) built by Sultan sa Kawayan Makaantal in Bubung Malanding, Marantao, Lanao del Sur. Being the last standing example of the house of the elite members of the Maranao tribe, and the only remaining habitable ''torogan, ''it was declared as a National Cultural Treasure by the

National Museum of the Philippines The National Museum of the Philippines ( fil, Pambansang Museo ng Pilipinas}) is an umbrella government organization that oversees a number of national museums in the Philippines including ethnographic, anthropological, archaeological, and vis ...

in 2008. The location of the structure is in Marawi City according to a 2008 declaration, however, the location was shifted into Marantao in 2015 according to another declaration. The recently updated 2018 PRECUP currently states that the Kawayan Torogan is in Pompongan-a-marantao, a barangay (village) of Marawi City, not of Marantao town. The confusion has caused scholars to push for the declaration of the kawayan torogan in Marantao as a National Cultural Treasure, as well. The

National Commission for Culture and the Arts The National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines ( fil, Pambansang Komisyon para sa Kultura at mga Sining, ceb, Nasodnong Komisyon alang sa Budaya ug mga Arte) is the official government agency for culture in the Philippines. ...

has no official statement regarding the issue yet.

Features of the Torogan

A ''torogan, ''which literally translates as "a place for sleeping”, is the stately house of elite members of the Maranao tribe in the province of Lanao del Sur in the island of

Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...

, Philippines. As the house of the ''

datu ''Datu'' is a title which denotes the rulers (variously described in historical accounts as chiefs, sovereign princes, and monarchs) of numerous indigenous peoples throughout the Philippine archipelago. The title is still used today, especial ...

'' or '' sultan'', it is a symbol of status and leadership. It is known for its traditional

vernacular architecture Vernacular architecture is building done outside any academic tradition, and without professional guidance. This category encompasses a wide range and variety of building types, with differing methods of construction, from around the world, bo ...

, the pre-Islamic style tracing to Indian architectural influence; and has been called "the prime example of the architectural genius of Filipinos". This style of great-house has a single large hall with no permanent partitions and is divided only into sleeping areas under a widely flaring, ridged roof. Its dominant feature is the unique floor end beams, known as ''panolongs'', which have butterfly-shaped projections and are carved alternately with the traditional Maranao symbols of ''niaga or naga'' (serpent or dragon) and ''pako rabong armalis'' (asymmetrical growing fern). Unique designs through carvings and paintings are also found on the house's facade panels and interior posts. It is built above the ground using massive tree trunks on rounded boulders as a measure against earthquake, wood rot and infestation of termites. It also includes the ''gibon'' or ''paga'' known as the room of the datu's daughter; the ''bilik'', a hiding place at the back of the sultan’s headboard. Entrance is usually located near the datu's bed. ''Torogan ''also serves as a courthouse and hall for community meetings and its courtyard as ritual areas for weddings and coronations. It also embodies the height of the ''

okir Okir or okil is the term for rectilinear and curvilinear plant-based designs and folk motifs that can be usually found among the Moro and Lumad people of the Southern Philippines, as well as parts of Sabah. It is particularly associated with t ...

'' decorative tradition.

Declaration as a National Cultural Treasure

Under Presidential Decree No. 374, which amends certain sections of Republic Act no. 4846 or "''The Cultural Properties Preservation and Protection Act''", the National Museum is one of the lead agencies tasked to declare National Cultural Treasures. The declaration for the Kawayan ''Torogan ''was made through Museum Declaration no. 4 in 2008. The specifically declared ''torogan'' known as the Kawayan ''torogan ''is the last standing example of traditional Maranao vernacular architecture in the Philippines and the only remaining habitable ''torogan'' there.

Current state

Unfortunately, the Kawayan ''torogan'' needs immediate rehabilitation. Some parts of the house were reported to be collapsed. In an architectural documentation of the

, the complete rehabilitation would need the government to allocate ₱ 2.5 million. Aside from the Kawayan torogan, many other torogans in Lanao are in the same condition, prompting conservationists to campaign for their restoration.

Features of the Torogan

Declaration as a National Cultural Treasure

Current state

References

Further reading