Negrense

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Negrense
Total population
4,194,525
(Negros Island Region only)[1]
Regions with significant populations
 Philippines
Home region: (Negros Island Region)
Other regions with significant populations: (Western Visayas, SOCCSKSARGEN, Northern Mindanao, Metropolitan Manila)
 United States
 Australia
elsewhere
Languages
Hiligaynon, Cebuano (mother tongues), Philippine Spanish, English
Religion
Predominantly Roman Catholic,
Aglipayan minority, Protestant minority
Related ethnic groups
Hiligaynon, Cebuano, Karay-a, Spanish Filipino, other Visayans, other Filipinos, other Austronesian peoples

The Negrenses, alternatively called Negrosanon, are people born and are residents of Negros Island Region. Years of migration in Negros Island have created a mix of people and languages, with the western shore comprising Negros Occidental and Bacolod City having a Hiligaynon-speaking majority, while the eastern shore comprised Negros Oriental, having a Cebuano-speaking majority.[1] The native Buglas Bukidnon and Aeta peoples, with their interactions and intermarriage with recent migrants from Antique and Iloilo, speaking a variant of Karay-a. The general area of Metro Bacolod is noted to speak a dialect of Hiligaynon called Bacolodnon.

Overview

Negrenses are not officially classified as an ethnolinguistic group, but rather an identity closely related to the history and culture of Negros Island, first presented in the turn of the 19th century when migrant landowners started to develop an identity distinct from their Ilonggo and Cebuano roots.[2] Rather than language, Negrenses are identified with their affinity to the island and most of which are known through their residence in Negros or self-identity by the overseas communities.[3] The Negrense people from both sides of the island are known for their colorful festivals and highly skilled cooking skills, as defined by the festivals and craved-for cuisines dotting each locale.[4]

Pre-colonial period

The original natives of the island are the black-skinned Aetas or "Negritos", from where the island derives its name. An expedition of Spanish conquistadors in April 1565 came in contact with these Negritos in what is now Ilog.

Portions of Negros Island were settled by earlier pre-colonial migrations from the island of Panay, they are the descendants of the present-day Magahats or Buglas Bukidnon, as distinguished from the Panay Bukidnon. Most of the Magahats settled in the southern valley of Negros Island called Tabla Valley, most of which comprise the present-day town of Candoni.

The northwest portion of the Negros Island was settled by the later wave of migrations by Panay Bukidnons, who continue to identify with their Panay equivalents. Villages and sakups occupied by the migrant Panay Bukidnons came under the nominal rule of the Rajahs of the Confederation of Madja-as.

Spanish era

After the island was discovered by the Spanish colonizers in April 1565, it was only in 1573 and 1583 that the islands were settled permanently, centered around Binalbagan and the designated capital, Ilog in the present-day Negros Occidental, and Dumaguete in the present-day Negros Oriental. Miguel López de Legazpi placed Negros under the jurisdiction of the governor of Oton on Panay. In 1734, however, the island became a military district with Ilog as its first capital. The seat of government was later transferred to Himamaylan until Bacolod became the capital in 1849. Through the missionary efforts of the Recollects, additional settlements in Hinigaran, Bago, Marayo (now Pontevedra), Mamalan (now Himamaylan), and San Enrique.[5]

Though the island was initially colonized by Iloilo-based landowners, the harsh topography of mountainous areas between the western and eastern side of the island made it practical for the islands to be populated separately. The western part came to be settled by Hiligaynon-speaking Ilonggo migrants, while the eastern part with Cebuano-speaking Cebuano and Boholano migrants. Administration became difficult as the trip between the eastern portions to Himamaylan (the second capital) and later on, Bacolod in 1849, required 3–5 days trek through the mountains. Thirteen Recollect friars assigned to the eastern side appealed to the Governor-General to divide the island, with their side assigned to the civil government in Cebu.

Finally, in January 1, 1890, Governor-General Valeriano Weyler issued a decree divided Negros Island into Negros Occidental, with Bacolod retained as the capital, and Negros Oriental with Dumaguete as the designated capital.[6][7] The division was not made along linguistic lines, rather, those falling under the jurisdiction of the 13 friars composed the new Negros Oriental province, which also includes the Hiligaynon-speaking towns of Tolong (present-day Sta. Catalina), and Tolong Nuevo (present-day Bayawan). The Cebuano-speaking towns of Sagay, Escalante, Calatrava, and San Carlos chose to remain in Negros Occidental.

Republic of Negros

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Main article: Republic of Negros

Post-war period and migration

In the aftermath of World War II, there was a steady rise of migration towards Mindanao. Negrenses, who would otherwise inherit only a small portion of family land in Negros, chose to avail of government benefits with resettling in Mindanao. They were the ones who spurred the sugar industry in the mountainous areas of Northern Mindanao and SOCCSKSARGEN. The Montilla and Zubiri families (which includes Sen. Miguel Zubiri) of southern Negros have risen to governance and have notable contributions to their new provinces: Sultan Kudarat and Bukidnon[8][9] respectively.

Home to the highest concentration of Negrenses in Mindanao are the cities of Valencia, Bukidnon, Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat and Koronadal, South Cotabato, while a significant minority can be found in the cities of Davao, Tagum, General Santos, and Cagayan de Oro.

With the declaration of Martial Law and the fall of the sugar industry in the 1980s, Negrense families immigrated en masse to the United States and Australia to escape the dictatorship and/or recover from economic losses and debts incurred with the steep decline of the island's main crop. Notable populations can be found in California, New Jersey and New York in the United States, Queensland and New South Wales in Australia.

Notable people

Below is a list of people who are from Negros Island.

Athletes

Basketball

Boxing

  • Francisco Guilledo
  • Donnie Nietes
  • Mansueto Velasco, Jr.
  • Roel Velasco

Football

Others

Notable people of Negrense descent

Below is a list of people whose ancestor/s is/are from Negros Island.

Negros Island Region

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Main article: Negros Island Region

References

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