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Maranao manuscripts digitized to preserve precious heritage
The Grupo Kalinangan, Inc. (GKI) has digitized more than 10,000 pages of centuries-old manuscripts of Maranao Jawi and Kirim to preserve the heritage of the Maranao people, a project that began in May 2018.
Digitized copies of the manuscripts that were collected from Marawi city and around the towns of Lanao del Sur, contain genealogies of prominent families, religious books, treatises, epics and short stories that highlight some of the most important events in the history of the Maranao people.
According to Jason Cristobal, the project coordinator, the extent of the damage done by the Marawi siege on the total number of manuscripts is unknown.
He said that the Marawi siege "depleted the copies in the area, especially in madrasas (educational institutions) because most of them are Islamic schools in Marawi."
He said he contacted students of notable Maranao scholars only to find out that all of the works and books of the scholars dating even back to the 19th century were all burned down during the siege.
GKI consultant Nasser Sharief said that aside from the rehabilitation of the city, the preservation of what was left of the manuscripts is of high importance to the nation.
"How many manuscripts were lost during the siege of Marawi? They (the people) don't have any remorse for the manuscripts. Forget the buildings. The manuscripts is all we have. This is our heritage," he said.
The digitization of the manuscripts—in partnership with the Bureau of Cultural Heritage of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Mindanao State University, National Historical Commission of the Philippines and Vibal Foundation Inc.—is an effort to preserve precious records of the Maranao people to ensure that these will always be a part of their collective memory, said GKI President Joel Aldor.
The digitized copies will soon be available in Vibal Foundation's in-house museum, the Museo-Aklatan ng Impreso at Awit. —Kaela Malig/LBG, GMA News
