Famous speech of Sultan Kudarat

Published by Jun | Filed under Bangsamoro, War in Mindanao

The speech below is famous amongst us Moro people. This speech that awakens the prides of the Moro people that after this speech the moros fights under the leadership of Sultan Kudarat, a significant history that unites the Moro people to fight against the spaniards. A moment in the history of the Bangsamoro that proves we Moros are united in our struggle for self-determination and freedom.

The speech of Magindanaw Sultan Muhammad Di-Pertuan Qudarat was translated in the Spanish language by the famous Jesuit Father Francisco Combes who served as ambassador of the Spanish government to the court of the Magindanaw Sultan in Simway between the years 1645 to 1657. The speech was written in the book of Combes titled Historia de Mindanao y Jolo (Madrid, 1667 (Prologo of Wenceslao E. Retana dated March 19, 1897) Obra publicada en Madrid en 1667, y que ahora con la colaboracion del P. Pablo Pastells de la misma Compania, Saca Nuevamente A Luz W. E. Retana. Madrid: Viuda de M. Minuesa de los Rios, 1897, (Retana edition), p.164). The speech runs as follows:

que aueis hecho, les dezia? Sabeis a que os ha de reducir la sujecion? A una trabajosa esclavitud a todos los Españoles. Bolued los ojos a las Naciones sujetas, mirad la miseria a que estan reducidas tan gloriosas Naciones. Mirad los Tagalos, y Bisayas. Sois vosotros mejores que ellos? O pensais, que los Españoles os tienen por mejores? No veis como qualquiera Español los atropella? No los veis cada dia obligados al remo, a las fabricas, y a los rigores de su execucion. Podreis sufrir, que un mesticillo os de de palos, que os arrebate los frutos de vuestro sudor? Pues ea sujetaos seruireis mañana a su boga, y yo por lo menos serne piloto, que es el mayor favor que hazen a los Principales. No os engañen sus dulces palabras, que todos los principios los facilita cl engaño, y hasta apoderarse del todo, se van passo a passo. Pensais que hicieron menores promessas a los Principales de otras Naciones, ni menos agassajos a los principios, hasta enseñorearse de todo. Ved aora ci caso que hazen dellos: mirad como a todos los lleuan por un rasero.

This speech of Sultan Qudarat was translated by the eminent Muslim scholar Dr. Cesar Adib Majul in his book Muslims in the Philippines (Quezon city: University of the Philippines Press, 1999 edition, pp.156-157) as follows:

What have you done? Do you realize what subjection would reduce you to? A toilsome under the Spaniards! Turn you’re your eyes to the subject nations and look at the misery to which such glorious nations had been reduced to. Look at the Tagalogs and Visayans! Are you better than they? Do you think that the Spaniards consider you of better stuff? Have you not seen how the Spaniards trample them under their feet? Do you not see every day how they are obliged to work at the oars and the factories with all their rigors? Can you tolerate anyone with a little Spaniards blood to beat you up and grasp the fruit of your labor? Allow yourselves to be subjects (today) and tomorrow you will be at the oars; I, at least will be a pilot, the biggest favor they will allow a chief. Do not let their sweet words deceive you; their promise facilitates their deceits, which, little by little, enable them to control everything. Reflect on however the minor promises to the chiefs of other nation were not honored until they became masters of them all. See now what is being done to these chiefs and how they are led by a rod.

Don’t we have a right to regain back our Independence?

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