Visayan
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 33,463,654 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Visayas, large parts of Mindanao, southernmost parts of Luzon, the rest of the Philippines and overseas communities | |
| Languages | |
|
Visayan languages (Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray-Waray, Aklanon, Capiznon, Kinaray-a, Masbateño, Surigaonon, Romblomanon, Butuanon, Porohanon), Filipino, other Philippine languages, English and Spanish |
|
| Religion | |
| Christianity: 85% Roman Catholic, 2% Aglipayan, 1% Evangelicals, remaining 5% belongs to United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Iglesia ni Cristo, 8% Sunni Islam, Animism and other religions | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Filipinos, Tausūg people, Zamboangueños |
The Visayans (Visayan: Mga Bisaya; local pronunciation: [mɐˈŋa bisɐˈjaʔ]) are a Philippine ethnic group native to the whole Visayas, to the southernmost islands of Luzon and to most parts of Mindanao. They live primarily in the Visayan island group, in many parts of Mindanao and southernmost parts of Luzon. They are speakers of one or more Visayan languages, the most widely spoken being Cebuano, closely followed by Hiligaynon (Ilonggo) and Waray-Waray. Many have, at some point in their lives, migrated to the other parts of Luzon out of economic necessity brought about by centralisation around Manila. They comprise the largest ethnic group in the country, numbering at around 33 million as of 2010.
Filipino author and artist John Kingsley Pangan categorized the Visayans into two ethnolinguistic groups called the Sugbu Visayans and the Madja-as Visayans.
The Sugbu Visayans are the prominently known Visayans from Bohol, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Butuan, parts of Leyte and Samar, and other inhabitants who spoke the Cebuano language and were called by the early Spanish colonizers as Pintados (Painted Ones) since they were a heavily tattooed race. They originated from both the Austronesian aborigines and the Tamils through the Chola dynasty, who in turn first settled in Sugbu.
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Wikipedia