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 Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...

or '' datu'' in the Maranao community. Nowadays, concrete houses are found all over Maranaw communities, but there remain torogans a hundred years old. The best-known are in Dayawan and

Marawi City Marawi, officially the Islamic City of Marawi (Maranao: ''Inged a Marawi''; fil, Islamikong Lungsod ng Marawi), is a 4th class component city and capital of the province of Lanao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a po ...

, and around

Lake Lanao Lake Lanao (Maranao: ''Ranao'' or ''Ranaw'') is a large ancient lake in the province of Lanao del Sur, Philippines. With a surface area of , it is the largest lake in Mindanao, and the second largest lake in the Philippines and counted as one of ...

. A torogan is elevated above the ground by columns cut from trees of huge girth. Its walls are covered with plywood sticks and the roof thatched with dried coconut leaves. There is no interior partition, so it appears as a huge hall. Apart from the basic elements of this structure, it is intricately engraved with the flowing geometries of the Maranaw design system called '' okir''. A torogan is not complete without the legendary bird '' sarimanok'' being displayed inside. Furniture is also common among Maranaws. The ''

Kawayan Torogan The Kawayan ''Torogan ''(also ''Torogan sa Kawayan'')'' ''is a traditional Maranao ''torogan'' (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 ...

'', built by Sultan sa Kawayan Makaantal in Bubung Malanding,

Marantao, Lanao del Sur Marantao, officially the Municipality of Marantao (Maranao: ''Inged a Marantao''; tl, Bayan ng Marantao), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Lanao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 37,763 peopl ...

, the last remaining habitable torogan, was declared as a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines in 2008. There are also existing torogans in various locations in Lanao such as the Dayawan Torogan of Marawi and Laguindab Torogan of Ganassi. All are in need of massive funding for their rehabilitation. These collection of torogans from various towns in Lanao are being pushed to be included in the tentative list of the Philippines in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The owner of the controversial

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar (Spanish for "Acuzar's Philippine Houses") is a beach resort, hotel, convention center and heritage destination in Bagac, Bataan, Philippines. History Jose Acuzar, the owner of New San Jose Builders, New San Jose Bu ...

have bought and transported two ancient habitable torogans from Lanao into Bataan province in Luzon, sparking outrage from conservation groups.

References

{{Philippine Registry of Cultural Property Mindanao Houses in the Philippines Culture of Lanao del Sur House types

See also

Further reading

References