Bisaya (Borneo)
Indigenous ethnic group of Borneo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Bisaya people, or simply the Bisayas, are an Austronesian ethnic group indigenous to East Malaysia and Brunei. Their populations are concentrated within Sabah's Interior Division specifically on Klias Peninsula; along the Padas and Klias riverbanks down to the coastal estuary within the districts of Beaufort, Kuala Penyu and Sipitang in the southwestern area;[notes 1] the Federal Territory of Labuan; and in the Lawas and Limbang districts of Sarawak.[notes 2][10] The Bisaya tribe bears many similarities to the Tatana Dusun tribe, especially in terms of language,[11] as there is a high degree of mutual intelligibility between the two groups.[notes 3] Nowadays, most Bisaya in Brunei, Labuan, and Sabah are Muslim, while those living in Sarawak are mostly Christians. In Brunei, they are referred to as both Dusun and Bisaya while being included in the official Malay ethnic designation within the country's official national census where they are located in the Belait, Temburong and Tutong districts.[notes 4][16]
Sabah Bisaya of Beaufort District in their traditional attire | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| c. 145,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Brunei: 42,000 (2026)[1](Belait, Temburong and Tutong districts)  Malaysia Sabah: 81,000 (2026)[2](Beaufort, Kuala Penyu and Sipitang districts)  Sarawak: 7,000 (1984)[3](Lawas and Limbang districts)  Labuan[4] United States: 15,000 (2026)[5](around Texas) | |
| Languages | |
| Sabah Bisaya, Brunei Bisaya, Sabah Malay, Sarawak Malay, Brunei Malay, Standard Malay, English | |
| Religion | |
 Islam (Sunni) (Brunei, Sabah and Labuan) Christianity (Roman Catholic and Protestant) and Animism (Sarawak) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Visayans, Tatana Dusun, Brunei Dusun, Kadazan, Kadazan-Dusun, Murut, Lun Bawang/Lundayeh, Dayak, other indigenous peoples of Brunei |
A former animist-pagan influenced by Buddhist-Hindu local government with strong spiritualist beliefs, the Bisaya form an important agricultural and fishermen community within the northwestern coast of Borneo, with close connections with the Sultanate of Brunei since the ethnicity itself later formed the early structure of the Islamic kingdom following their Islamisation. They were also exposed to Christian missions, particularly in Sarawak following the arrival of the British. With various interactions, the ethnic groups are exposed to different religions that form the majority in their respective regions, where they also connect with the neighbouring Philippines Bisaya, although they became distinctly different due to different geographies and centuries of different colonial influences.
Etymology
The origin of the "Bisaya" term comes in a different theories. The word Bisaya refers to an ethnic group who settled in northern Sarawak and Sabah (the former North Borneo) as well as the Ilonggo Bisaya of the Philippines.[17] Based on a widely known Bornean Bisaya legend recorded by British colonial administrator and Resident of North Borneo Derek Headly in 1950, when the Sultan of Brunei reached the region of the Bisaya in western northern Borneo, he exclaimed the word "Bisai-yah!", which is a Brunei Malay word with the meaning of "How beautiful!" in English language.[18] Another theory is the term comes from the word "Ma Bisa" which refers to "ability" or "greatness", associated with the medical knowledge and traditional practices of this tribe.[19]
American anthropologist H. Otley Beyer in 1926, Dr. E. D. Hester of the University of Chicago Philippine Studies Program in 1954, and Argentine-born British polymath Tom Harrisson in 1956 suggested that the name may have come from the Sumatran empire of Sri Vijaya (Srivijaya).[20] However, in 1960, Eugene Vestraelen (professor of linguistics at the University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines) cautioned that the linguistic derivation of Vijaya would not be Bisaya but Bidaya, or Biraya.[21] Another theory was suggested by American author John Carroll:
The term Visaya might be the Sanskrit Vaishya, denoting the 3rd caste of the Hindu caste system. The Philippines Bisaya were first referred to by the general term Pintados (the painted ones) by the Spanish colonial authorities, in reference to the prominent practice of full-body tattooing (batok). The word Bisaya, on the other hand, was first documented in Spanish sources in reference to the non-Ati inhabitants of the island of Panay.[22][23]
— John Carroll, through a publication on the Philippine Studies regarding the Philippines Bisaya, 1961
Through his early writings on the "Notes on the Bisaya in the Philippines and Borneo" in 1959, Carroll detailed a significant difference between the Bisaya of the Philippines and those in North Borneo, Brunei, and Sarawak, especially in their languages being due to linguistic metamorphoses.[24] In Brunei, the Bisaya are referred to as Dusun, Jati Dusun, and Bisaya.[16] The term Bisaya is also used within the country, although more commonly for those who settled in the border areas of Limbang with Sarawak, who have very close family ties with the Limbang Bisaya.[25]
Background history and origin
Several theories have been put forward by various researchers regarding the origins of the Bisaya people of Borneo, with some research also associating the ethnic group with another ethnic group with a closely similar name in the neighbouring Philippines.[26][27] English-born anthropologist and museum curator Henry Ling Roth, through his publication "The Natives of Sarawak and British North Borneo" in 1896, describes the Bisaya as originating from the Philippine islands, where they were found within the lower waters of the Padas and Klias rivers of North Borneo, with the majority being Muslims, while in Limbang of Sarawak most were non-Muslims.[4] They were described by the British as a peaceful ethnic group fond of gambling with the main occupations as agriculturalists, raising livestock with paddy and sago plantations where they migrated to Labuan in great numbers throughout the British administrations.[4][28]
English historian, novelist and travel writer Owen Rutter further opined that the Bisaya of Borneo are probable offshoots of the Visayan of the Philippines.[26] Nevertheless, several additional research studies have presented alternative theories suggesting that the Bornean Bisaya share a common ancestry with the Visayan Filipinos, attributing this connection to the migration of Bornean Bisaya chiefs to the island of Panay in the Philippines,[29][30][31] which is also linked to the "10 Datus of Borneo" legends of the Maragtas (History of Panay from the first inhabitants and the Bornean immigrants, from which they descended, to the arrival of the Spaniards) in that country.[18][32] This claim was further supported through the Tarsilah Brunei (History and genealogy of the Sultanate of Brunei), where many of the Visayas inhabitants are the close relatives of the Bisaya in northern Borneo, with their names being closely connected and the island name itself being believed to be named as a remembrance to their ancestors in Po Ni (Brunei/Borneo).[33] The Bornean Bisaya are closely associated with the Sultanate of Brunei royalty since the first Sultan, Muhammad Shah, known by his former name of Lok Batata (Alah Bertabar or Awang Alak Betatar),[33][34] is from Bisaya roots.[35] It was during his reign and subsequent conversion that the Bruneian kingdom was transformed from a Hindu-Buddhist kingdom into a Muslim state.[notes 5][39][40][41]
There is a popular legend belief among the Bisaya, the Tatanak legend, which associates Lok Batata and his six other siblings (Peti Berambai, Si Garamba, Peti Garamba, Peti Runa, Semaun and Siti Duyah) as descendants of the Bisaya ethnic group in Borneo.[42] The Bisaya, along with its language, is considered to be indigenous and Bumiputera to Brunei, locally referred to as puak jati.[43][44] The Bisaya, together with the Belait, Brunei Dusun and Murut of Brunei, were also mainly non-Muslim at a time.[45] They were further closely connected with other indigenous ethnics within the western coast of northern Borneo, such as the Bruneian Malays, Kedayan, and the Dusun people (including the Kadazan), where they are further grouped as part of the broader Kadazan-Dusun grouping in Sabah,[7][46] under the broader Orang Ulu designation in Sarawak,[9] and part of the official broader Malay groups within Brunei,[14] where they were also a Bumiputera within Malaysia.[47] During the British rule, the Bisaya in Sarawak were classified under the Klemantan people ethnic designation, where they are further grouped under the Baram ethnic subgroup.[48] Bisaya children in North Borneo were also enrolled in schools and some Bisaya adults employed in the British North Borneo Constabulary.[49][50][51]
In 1970, an estimated 14,000 Bisaya lived in Sabah and 3,312 in Sarawak.[31] In Brunei, most of the Bisaya live within the Bebuloh and Batang Mitus villages, where they have a strong cultural bond with the Limbang Bisaya of Sarawak since many of the Brunei Bisaya generations also come from Sarawak, and the movement of people between the two has been ongoing for generations.[52] Within Sabah, the villages of the Bisaya can be found from Gadong and Takuli villages in Beaufort District to Kerukan village in Kuala Penyu District.[53][notes 6] A number of them are also in the Sipitang District, within Sindumin, Mesapol and the main town area as well as in the neighbouring Federal Territory of Labuan and major Sabah cities and towns along the western coast.[54] Most historical relics and stories about the Bisaya trace their roots from the community in Beaufort since the Bisaya there are considered the oldest generations among all, as it is also the starting point of the Bisaya community in Sabah, with many of their community stories also rooted there.[54]
Culture and society
The Bisaya people are renowned for their agricultural expertise in wet rice, sago, coconut, ginger, maize, and various fruits and vegetables cultivation,[56] sharing close ties with the Bruneian Malays and both the Kedayan and Tatana Dusun while being distinct from the Philippine Visayans due to different geographies and centuries of different colonial influences, although they are connected by roots.[11][57][58] Since the Bisaya geographical settlements are mostly located on riverbanks and coastal areas, they rely on farming and trading where they carry out fishing, hunting, animal husbandry, handicraft production and other small-scale business activities with all of their agricultural, livestock or forest products being brought to the market (tamu) that operates once a week to be traded.[56] Two Bisaya cultural centres located in both Sabah and Sarawak of Malaysia represent their respective region; the Bisaya Cultural and Arts Centre in Beaufort District serves as the main centre for Sabah Bisaya,[59] and the Sarawak Bisaya Association Cultural Centre in Batu Danau Limbang Village of Limbang District for Sarawak Bisaya,[60] both organising various cultural activities related to the tribe's development and promotion of cultural arts and heritage.[61]
The Sarawak Bisaya celebrate their annual Babulang festival with a traditional banner known as luangan as one of the most important cultural elements,[62] which includes music, dance, the wearing of traditional costumes, and water buffalo races,[63][64] while the Sabah Bisaya are known for their Adau Janang Gayuh celebration and the Kulintangan festival.[65][66] The celebration also features a water buffalo race aside from a Bisaya traditional clothing competition, proa racing, tug of war, rowing, traditional kite flying (kikik), spinning top, gendang (bagandang) competition and other traditional musical instruments along with the featurement of traditional Bisaya foods such as ambuyat.[67] A state-level Bisaya festival has also been held in Sabah since 2024 to empower the ethnic culture through various competitions involving traditional dance and music.[68] During the celebration of Kaamatan in Sabah, the Bisaya kulintangan performances are also being featured at the Hongkod Koisaan Bisaya House as part of the wide Kadazan-Dusun-related ethnic group heritage which is also being performed by younger Bisaya generations.[69] Among the Bisaya in the Kuala Penyu District of Sabah, the Rumbia festival is occasionally held in the district.[70] In Sarawak, the usage of digital platforms has been promoted to showcase various Bisaya cultural events during the ethnic celebration to preserve their heritage in cultural identity, language, and customs in spite of challenges brought about by modernisation.[71]
Ethnic dance and music
The Bisaya ethnic group features several traditional dances such as the Alai Bubu,[72] Lilibu,[73] as well as children's dances of Anak Kuda[notes 7] and Liliput/Tumutu.[75][76] Popular among the Bisayas in Beaufort of Sabah and Lawas as well as Limbang of Sarawak,[77] the Alai Bubu (also known by other names such as Bubu Mengalai, Main Lukah or Sayau Salahid),[78] dance originates from a myth about a fish trap that is believed to be able to "dance".[72] It originated from a story of a Bisaya couple who lived by the seaside in ancient times with Pagan beliefs.[72] The tradition at the time ruled that when a spouse died, the surviving spouse was required to follow them into death by placing the deceased spouse into a bubu (fish trap), followed by the living spouse, where they were then cast into the sea as an act that symbolised the couple's eternal loyalty.[72] The bubu would then be summoned by a balian or babalian (shaman) to return to meet with their family members or villagers to provide healing for the sick person.[72] The shaman would recite incantations, such as the following:
Iya Bamban Iya Lukah,
Utak Bamban Iba Sari,
Main Dengan Sipar Muda,
Silukah Pandai Menari.
— Bisaya incantation, in Alai Bubu dance, Alai Bubu incantations, National Department for Culture and Arts, Malaysia (JKKN)[72]
(Right) Some of the Bisaya traditional musical instruments; the gong, the kulintangan (gong-chime), and the gambang (wood xylophone)
However, since prohibitions were introduced by the Sabah Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JHEAINS) in the 1970s, the elements of black magic and spiritual elements in the dance tradition were entirely abandoned.[72] Despite the revival of the dance in the 1980s, the chants have been completely omitted from the practice, with only a few of the remaining Bisaya elderly still remembering the older traditions.[72] The lilibu is a traditional dance among the agricultural Sabah Bisaya community in Beaufort, featuring the joyous atmosphere of the rice harvest season accompanied by badaup (singing) as an expression of gratitude for their bountiful harvest income, wherein in the past, before their Islamisation, the dance was performed to appease the spirit of rice.[73] Another dance, the Berasik is a type of traditional healing to expel disturbances believed to be the source of illness or affliction in individuals caused by spirits.[79] Traditional Bisaya musical instruments, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak, are characterised by gong-based ensembles and bamboo percussion closely linked to communal celebrations, and the ethnic woodworking is confined to making musical instruments as well as ritual paraphernalia.[80] Main instruments include the kulintangan (gong-chime), various brass gongs, gambang (wood xylophone) and the gendang (drums).[56][81]
Ethnic attire
Traditional Bornean Bisaya attire from both Sabah and Sarawak is known for its striking black colour,[56][82] similarly to other Sabah indigenous ethnics of Kadazan, Dusun, Murut and Rungus as well as Kedayan of Labuan and Belait of Brunei.[83] The dark colour was further patterned by either the red, green or yellow colour sash.[84][85][86] These colours were often highlighted with bold, intricate stitching and silver/gold embroidery with long sleeves and traditional silver buttons (kubamban).[83][85] Among the Bisaya of Beaufort in Sabah, females wear the headdresses of timbuku (bun), while males wear the sigar, which is modified to be like the tanjak (tengkolok).[84] Within Lawas and Limbang in Sarawak, the mianai is common dress among males, while among females the masuk and kebamban.[19] Both dresses are commonly worn during traditional ceremonies, celebrations, thanksgiving rituals, weddings and various social events, especially during festive occasions such as the Adau Janang Gayuh festival.[56] For males mianai clothing, white or yellow trim is the main decoration on the sleeves and neck, while females' clothing is often matched with songket cloth to add aesthetic value.[19] In Brunei, the kebamban limo dress is a traditional dress specifically for grooms from the Bisaya tribe.[87] In the past, traditional Bisaya ethnic clothing was only made from ordinary cloth, but following the introduction of better-quality resources that last longer, better-quality cloth is presently used.[56] Modern Bisaya dress has evolved to include shorter and modern designs adorned with gold-threaded sarongs of songket, beaded hairnets, and other traditional accessories, although traditional elements continue to be preserved to maintain the authenticity of its original designs and elements.[83][86][88]
Handicrafts
The Bisaya are known for their handicraft and weaving skills, where they use various natural resources gathered from the forests of their native regions, such as bamboo, rattan, sago palm, wood, animal skin, and Pandanus tectorius (pandan) as materials in the making.[89] Several handicrafts are associated with the Bisaya ethnicity, such as the kalambigas,[notes 8] a tool placed on the neck of a water buffalo to pull the rumbia (Metroxylon sagu) during their agricultural activities.[91] Another is lasok, a basket used to carry repau (crop yield) and other necessities, and the salihid made from bamboo which is used to catch fish.[92] Takiding, a traditional woven basket with shoulder straps, is common among the Bisayas of Brunei, Sabah, and Sarawak, where it is also referred to as saging.[93] It is made from either bamboo, rattan, salingkawang (Dicranopteris linearis) or other natural resources to carry or store goods such as fruits, vegetables or rice, most usually forest produce from gardens, fields or paddy fields with the basket has varying sizes depending on the wearer and its use.[93]
Nyiru (the winnowing tray) is common among the interior indigenous ethnics,[94] including the Bisaya, traditionally used in their agriculture and presently in cultural performances and ceremonies such as during the lilibu dance.[73] Bisaya handicrafts reflect the indigenous coastal traditions, often featuring intricate beadwork and woven bamboo, as well as their traditional attire, with key items including beaded accessories, handmade mats, and baskets.[95] These traditional crafts, representing the Bisaya people's cultural heritage, can be found in local markets and through specialised cultural showcases. Among the Bisaya of Sarawak, they are known for their specialised traditional weaving with common motifs associated with the Bisaya ethnicities, such as flora and fauna.[96] The Bisaya were also known for several of their traditional handmade weapons such as andiban (spear), parang (large knife), sumpit (blowgun), and kris (dagger).[97][98] In the past there were annual handicrafts and agricultural shows in the Kuala Penyu District of North Borneo, where various Bisaya heritages are being featured.[99]
Marriage
The Bisaya wedding customs in Sabah and Sarawak are known for their unique ancestral heritage, including merisik (surveying), bertunang (engagement), and berinai (henna). The culminating ceremony involves a procession of the groom being carried, the pusing naga custom (circling the pillar 3 times), with the couple wearing traditional clothing.[55] Merisik is carried out by the male side to investigate the female's background and to ensure that the prospective bride is not married or single, which also aims to introduce the families of both the groom and the bride so that the family relationship can continue.[56] The period for giving a decision after the ceremony is also an indication to the male family whether the female parent is willing to make the male their son-in-law or not.[56] If within three days the decision has been made, it means the female family have agreed, but if a week has passed and no answer has been given by them, this means that the proposal has been rejected.[56] The bertunang ceremony takes place when both parties have reached an agreement.[56] Usually, a period will be set for the male side to be ready in preparations for the wedding and dowry, where the required amount has been negotiated during the process of merisik.[56] Usually a year is given to the male side for preparing the engagement, although it can also be less than a year.[56] The berinai ceremony is the application of henna to the bride's nails and fingers, which is symbolic for the bridal where traditional Bisaya clothing is often worn on the night of the wedding.[100]
Cuisine
Ambuyat is the main traditional dish for both the Bisaya and Bruneian Malays within both Brunei and Malaysia; it originated from the Bisaya tribe.[101] Popular especially among the Bisaya in Kuala Penyu District of Sabah,[102] it is made using sago flour obtained by processing the trunk of the rumbia tree (Metroxylon sagu), commonly called among the locals as ampulung, and the dish is also enjoyed by other closely related indigenous Bornean ethnics on the western coasts, such as the Tatana Dusun, the entire Kadazan-Dusun, the Lundayeh, and the Bajaus.[103] Bisaya ethnicities are famous for their sago-based traditional foods, including the umbut (heart of palm), which has been practised for a long time.[104] Kelupis, another snack frequently associated with the Bruneian Malays, Kedayan, and Dusun, is also the traditional snack food of the Bisaya, with the difference being seen from the wrapping technique, glutinous rice texture, and the way it is presented.[105] Another traditional food is the bubur kacang hijau (mung bean porridge), which is commonly served during the month of Ramadan for iftar among the Bisaya Muslims in Labuan and Sabah.[106][107] In Brunei and Sarawak, most Bisaya ethnic food is sourced from natural plants, such as cooking chicken and fish in bamboo and rattan umbut dishes and chicken cooked inside coconuts together with various herb drinks.[108]
Religion
The majority of Bisaya in Brunei, Sabah and Labuan are Muslims, while those in Sarawak are mostly Christians.[109][110] Their traditional belief system focuses on animism—revering nature spirits and ancestors with a pagan worldview that emphasises maintaining balance with nature and caring for the dead.[111] In the past, there was also a common oath-taking practice among the animist Bisaya within the Limbang area in Sarawak to settle major disputes as well as the beliefs on the spirit of ipon, which has the power to kill and hunt wrongdoers and those who persist in lying that subsequently help Bisaya to preserve their customary laws (Adat).[112][113] The conversion of Bisaya into Islam started with the conversion of their leader, Alah Betabar, in the 14th century.[36] Before their Islamisation, the local government that exists among the Bisaya people was under Buddhist Bisaya sovereign and Hindu influences.[114][115][116] A majority of Sarawak Bisaya, especially within Limbang, are Christians, either Roman Catholic (RC) or Borneo Evangelical Church (SIB).[113] The spread of Christianity among the Bisayas within the region started when two Bisaya pagan children whose mother had died during childbirth were adopted by Australian missionaries.[117][118]
Language
The Bisaya language of Sabah is very closely related to Tatana, one of the Dusun dialects,[119] where it shares 90% intelligibility and has a further 58% lexical similarity to the Sarawak dialects of Bisaya as well as 57%–59% with the Bruneian dialect.[120] The high degree of intelligibility between Bisaya and the Tatana Dusun was partly due to the close contact between the two groups, which included intermarriage and the subsequent learning of each other's languages, as well as their strong family ties.[11] The Bisaya language has been an inseparable part of the wide Dusunic languages, which also have connections with the languages of the Philippines.[121] Between the Ilonggo Bisaya in the Philippines and Bornean Bisaya, a lot of similarities in their vocabulary were found.[122] Both the Sabah Bisaya and Limbang Bisaya were subgroups together, along with the Bisaya-Lotud subgroup, which includes the Brunei Dusun and Lotud Dusun of Sabah.[123] Among the Limbang Bisaya of Sarawak, their mother tongue remains the primary language of choice to interact within their community, followed by other Sarawakian ethnic languages.[124] Sarawak's Bisaya dialect shares at least 60% of its features with the Bruneian dialect.[125]
Notable people
- The late Lajim Ukin (1955–2021) – former Sabah state cabinet minister and former Malaysian federal deputy minister as well as the Sabah Bisaya Association former president.[126][127][128]
- Azizah Mohd Dun – former Beaufort MP twice, from 2004 to 2008 and again from 2013 to 2022.[128][129][130]
- Kamarlin Ombi – former Sabah state assistant minister and former member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly for Lumadan, from 2008 to 2018.[131][132]
- Matbali Musah – Sipitang MP since 2022 and former member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly for Lumadan, from 2018 to 2020.[133]
- Ruslan Muharam – State Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister of Sabah on Religious Matter and member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly for Lumadan since 2020.[134]
- Siti Aminah Aching – Beaufort MP since 2022.[135]
- Isnin Aliasnih – State Assistant Minister of Housing and Local Government of Sabah since 2025.[136]
Notes
- In Sabah, the Bisaya are included under the Kadazan-Dusun group of peoples.[6][7]
- Based on historical folklore legend, the origin of the name of the Tatana Dusun ethnic group stems from an event of a war between the Tatana Dusun tribe and the Bisaya tribe.[12] The ancestors of the Tatana tribe were once attacked by the Bisaya tribe, who migrated to the Padas and Klias rivers area around the 1500s. After a series of battles, peace was established between the two tribes, leading to close relations with further intermarriage and cultural assimilation.[13]
- Based on The Pagan Tribes of Borneo (1912), written by British colonial administrator Charles Hose and psychologist William McDougall, Awang Alak Betatar is said to have gone to Johore, where he was converted to Islam to marry the daughter of a Sultan and given the title of Sultan Muhammad Shah to expand a new sultanate rule over Sarawak and his other conquests, although the exact circumstances of how his conversion happened are still a matter of debate.[36] Since his reign, the royal house of Brunei is largely derived from three sources – the Arab, the Bisaya, and the Chinese.[37] Following their massive conversion into Islam through their contacts with the Mohammedan Malays, the Bisaya, together with the Kedayan, are among the ethnics which have adopted Malay dress and, to some extent, Malay customs as part of their culture.[38]
- The Bisaya community is found within the Klias River area and along the banks of the Padas River within Beaufort District.[54] In Klias, they inhabit village areas such as Kabidang, Kebatu, Kota Klias, Klias Kecil, Kukut, Laba, Malabau, Nukahan, and Takuli. Along the Padas River within the areas of Bangkalalak, Batandok, Beringin, Gadong, Garama, Jabang, Kebajang, Kepawa, Lawa, Lago, Limbawang, Luagan, Lubak, Lupak, Malalugus, Mempagar, Padas Damit, Pintas, Silaun, and Suasa;[55] while in Kuala Penyu District, their settlements are within Kilugus, Malikaidan, Manggis, Pecan Menumbok, Sinapokan, and Siaun villages.[54]
- Once part of the Berasik dance, a ritual dance of the Bisaya.[74]
- A similar name but different item, kalambigas also existed within the Visayas region of the Philippines, particularly in the Western Visayas, as an armlet, although there is no indication of whether it was worn by any men or women.[90]
