Definition and Origin of the concept
TIMUAY is a glal, or traditional leadership title and governance system among the Teduray and Lambangian peoples, known as Kesefanangguwit Timuay—roughly translated as Timuay Justice and Governance (TJG). The term derives from the Teduray word timu, which literally means “to gather” or “to collect.” This word is commonly used in traditional subsistence and livelihood activities, such as gathering food from forests, mountains, rivers, and seas. It also extends to other aspects of daily life, including collecting materials for building shelters, harvesting herbal plants for medicine, and other practices essential to the survival of families, clans, and communities.
In all these undertakings, skill and mastery are required in one’s field of work. From these practices, our ancestors developed a collective leadership system named Timuay, grounded in the meaning of timu: (1) as a leader (manangguwit)—one who gathers people, consolidates shared experiences, and guides the community toward collective well-being; and (2) as a system—communal and egalitarian in nature, ensuring that no one stands above their fellow human beings or other living beings, while remaining in harmony with Mother Earth, nature, and the cosmos.
This time-honored practice continues today in the provinces of Maguindanao, within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Philippines. Comparable structures exist in other Indigenous communities, such as the Timuey of the Erumanen ne Menuvu in Central Mindanao and among the Subanen of the Zamboanga Peninsula.
The Timuay leadership structure is collective, composed of various title holders known as Baglalan. These leaders are responsible for diverse spheres of communal life, including family, clan, and territorial governance; conflict resolution; livelihoods; the concerns of women and youth; community security; external relations; and the preservation of culture, spirituality, and nature. The governance system operates through collective leadership and the free participation of the maginged (citizens), who take part in assemblies and forums convened by the Baglalan across the different domains of the TJG. Ultimately, the TJG embodies kebayabaya, or the self-determination of the Teduray and Lambangian, expressed in the governance of territory, administration of justice, management of the economy, and the protection and promotion of culture and spirituality. Importantly, this leadership system is founded on the principle of respecting the territories and governance of other peoples.
Philosophies and practices with examples associated with the concept.
The Kesefanangguwit Timuay is grounded in seven guiding principles that articulate the community’s relationship with nature, governance, justice, and external relations. Refa lowoh (extension of the body) affirms that nature is an extension of the human body and life, embodying a spiritual connection to the Creator, while Timanan emphasizes communal entitlement to resources and collective guardianship of the domain—understood as the portion of Mother Earth inhabited and stewarded for the benefit of all beings. In governance, the principle of Timuay highlights the capacity to gather people and consolidate ideas into a collective leadership, complemented by Serifata, which ensures equal status for all members of society regardless of title, and Semfo fedew, which encourages volunteerism in service to the community. In the realm of justice, Kefiyo fedew upholds the freedom, peace, and well-being of every member of society. Finally, Lumut Minanga affirms the value of pluralism and respect for others in external relations.
Together, these principles constitute a worldview elaborated in the Tegudon, a complex narrative that recounts the good, the bad, and the difficult experiences of the Teduray and Lambangian, including their relations with the Creator, Tulus. From this body of knowledge arise the daily guidelines known as Ukit. Conflict settlement is conducted through the Tiyawan system, while discipline and penalties are administered through the Dowoy, both of which ensure harmony and peaceful coexistence within the community.
TIMUAY in Practice
The legislation of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) in the Philippines in 1997 was the result of sustained efforts by Indigenous communities to restore their traditional systems of governance, which had long endured oppression under colonial rule and continued marginalization after the establishment of the Philippine nation-state in 1898. While the new legal framework recognized certain rights, it largely weakened traditional structures, which had survived in clandestine forms in remote areas, without fully integrating them into mainstream governance.
The movement for restoration gained momentum during the Moro wars of the 1970s, when tribal leaders, fearing persecution by both the Moro revolutionary fronts and the Philippine government, strengthened the Kesefanangguwit Timuay in secret to preserve their autonomy. By the 1990s, as peace negotiations began between the warring parties, Timuay leaders began to operate more openly, adopting the English title Timuay Justice and Governance (TJG) to assert their right to self-governance and empowerment—particularly following the enactment of the IPRA. In South-Central Mindanao, this revival culminated in 2010 with a project spearheaded by the TJG, in collaboration with a network NGO, aimed at strengthening traditional systems of justice and governance across seven tribes in five provinces.
Province Tribe/s Governance Maguindanao Teduray and Lambangian Kesefanangguwit Timuay (Timuay Justice & Governance) Sultan Kudarat Menubu Dulangan Kena Menuwa (Menubu Dulangan Self-Governance) South Cotabato Ubo Kun K’wit Atul Ubo (Ubo Tribal Governance) South Cotabato Taboli Kogot Benwe (Taboli Territorial Governance) Sarangani Blaan Kabe Kabenwe Blaan (Blaan Territorial Governance) Sarangani Tagakaolo Tengteng Na Ketanem (Tagakaolo Governance) Cotabato Erumanen ne Menuvu Kamal (Erumanen Ne Menuvu Governance)
The process of strengthening and consolidating the Kesefanangguwit Timuay involved several key activities: the installation of legitimate Indigenous leaders to ensure genuine control and authority over their ancestral domains; the documentation of customary laws; the review of state policies concerning Indigenous rights in order to address historical injustices; and the active assertion of these rights within peace negotiations between the government and rebel forces. Through collective deliberation, it was ultimately agreed that the Indigenous traditional governance system would remain independent from state structures, preserving its autonomy and integrity.
Challenges and opportunities related to its implementation. The challenges facing the Kesefanangguwit Timuay arise from living in a society dominated and transformed by the capitalist system, which has eroded many of its guiding principles. Rëfa Lowoh, which sees nature as an extension of the human body and a source of spirituality, has been undermined as forests and natural resources once used for worship, healing, and livelihood are increasingly commodified into lumber and other market goods. The principle of Timu, rooted in collective and communal life, has given way to growing individualism. Similarly, Mëtiman, the value of unity and oneness, has been fractured by divisions and factions, while Sërifata, which emphasizes equality, is now overshadowed by hierarchies of power that perpetuate inequality. The principle of Këfiyo fëdëw, affirming peace and well-being, has been weakened by the persistence of lidu (conflicts) that remain unresolved, deepening social tensions. Lumut Minanga, the respect for pluralism, has been replaced by pressures of integration and assimilation, and Semfo fedew, the spirit of volunteerism, has been displaced by capitalist forms of wage labor. The impacts of this transformation are evident in the conditions of Indigenous communities. Layaf (hunger) reflects the lack of food caused by environmental destruction and the appropriation of resources; Druun (sickness) refers to the physical and emotional suffering inflicted by both natural and human-made forces; and Stiboh (hostilities) signals the escalation of conflicts and injustices that may even lead to war. These problems are compounded by persistent patterns of oppression, exploitation, and inequality introduced by external systems and ideologies. Despite these challenges, important opportunities exist. Indigenous Peoples’ rights are recognized and protected under international frameworks such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the International Labour Organization’s Convention 169 (ILO 169). Within this context, safety mechanisms have been articulated for the restoration of self-governance over ancestral domains. These include safeguarding the closeness of communities to nature by rejecting any form of development that threatens to displace them or destroy their environment; ensuring that collective leadership and decision-making remain central, while resisting corporate strategies of division and co-optation; and protecting communal ownership of resources such as land, forests, fishing grounds, and sacred sites, which sustain dignified and humane life. Equally important is the preservation of Sërifata, or equal status in society, by rejecting forms of development that privilege individuals at the expense of the collective, thereby affirming that all are children of Mother Earth. Development must also uphold the principle of good fedew—the presence of well-being, peace of mind, and harmony in the community—as the foundation of justice, peace, and sustainable living. Finally, Lumut Minanga, or progressive pluralism, must be maintained and enhanced, ensuring respect for neighboring territories and the diversity of other peoples. Safety mechanisms in a period of Restoration of self-governance within ancestral domains: Safeguard the Maintenance of our Closeness to Nature: Development should ensure we are not distanced from our closeness to nature. Development that threatens to destroy nature and remove us from our lands is not acceptable.
Collective Forms of Leadership: Development should ensure that collective forms of leadership and decision-making are respected. We particularly abhor attempts by large corporations to get their way through divide and rule with enticements aimed at individuals in our society. Development must respect the need for group consultation so that we can determine by consensus what the whole community desires.
Communal Ownership of Sources of Economy: Development should ensure that communal ownership of property is not threatened. This includes the communal ownership of the land, hunting and fishing grounds, worship places, and other primary sources of economy in the community, for no one has sole control over the product of Mother Earth. We use these resources in order to live a humane and dignified life. Equal Status in Society: Development should ensure that equal status in society is preserved. We reject development that elevates some individuals into prestigious and influential positions at the expense of others in the community. We value every individual in our community, irrespective of the life chances that may have come their way for advanced education, employment, and so on in modern society. Thus, we reject development that values one human being over another, for we are all children of Mother Earth.
The “good fedew” as Basis of Justice, Peace and Development: Development should ensure that the good fedew remains the basis of justice and development. Good fedew is the presence of a good feeling, peace of mind, and the physical well-being of every individual member of the community. This is the strongest foundation of peace, justice, and development in tribal society.
Lumut Minanga or Progressive Pluralism: Finally, development should ensure that progressive pluralism is maintained and enhanced. Development should be respectful of neighboring territories and other peoples.
Visual example
Video documentary of 7 tribes; the Teduray, Lambangian, Menubu Dulangan, Ubo, Taboli, Blaan, and Erumanen ne Menubo in South-Central Mindanao, Philippines, produced by CCFD-Tierre Solidaire, such as follows: Video 2-3 WEB – Tribal Justice and Governance Video 2-4 WEB – Struggle for Recognition Video 2-1 WEB – The Impact of the Struggle Video 2-2 WEB – Culture, Identity and Values Video 2-5 WEB – Perspective for the future
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1XJooFH31wmeIHq6PIy7N7s4BIpYRzxAl?usp=sharing
Alim Bandara, standing
References
Cultural Survival, Overcoming the Covid-19 Pandemic: Lessons from “dulet” Policy Brief: Moving Forward the Non-Moro Indigenous … Threats and Challenges of Globalization to the Lumad People of … Nature of the Timuay Justice and Governance in Central Mindanao … Why Filipinos Should Read: ‘Wisdom from a Rainforest: The …
Personal biography of the contributor: Alim M. Bandara, currently a member of the Minted sa Inged (Council of Chieftains) of the Timuay Justice and Governance, an Indigenous Political Structure (IPS) of the Teduray and Lambangian in the BARMM, and Head Claimant of the Teduray and Lambangian unified ancestral domain claim. Acknowledgements: My big, big thanks to Ms Joolia Angelica Demigillo of the Legal Rights Center (LRC) for her assistance in creating for me the Google Drive to keep the video and other backup documents and some edits.