Maranao people

The Maranao people (Maranao: ['mәranaw]; Filipino: Mëranaw (based on Papanoka Mera)), also spelled Meranao, Maranaw (based on Marapatik) and Mëranaw, is the term used by the Philippine government to refer to the southern tribe who are the "people of the lake" (Ranao in the Iranaon language), a predominantly-Muslim region of the Philippine island of Mindanao. They are known for their artwork, weaving, wood and metal crafts and epic literature, the Darangen.

Etymology

The word Maranao is a misnomer as it does not have a sense in reference to nouns such as people, places or things. The prefix Ma- means 'to be', i.e., Maranao means to be a lake. Alternatively, the word Maranao may be a portmanteau of "Malay" and "Lanao" or Lake Lanao thus making it "Maranao" which means people living around Lake Lanao).

The proper term is Iranon (also Iranun) which means "People of the Lake," referring to the indigenous people who inhabited the lands around the lake. The Maranaos are part of the wider Moro ethnic group.