Do the less-refined Maranaos showcase the Maranao entirety? Of course, not! Definitely not.
Over a year ago, in 2018, I wrote how some Maranaos were so ill-mannered that there were some who did not like it. My story goes this way:
“Weeks ago, I joined a queue for a pamphlet to ring-bind at a bookstore in the city busy downtown. I was fifth to the first being served by the counter girl. After a while, I looked back and saw others queuing behind me. When it was my turn, a lady suddenly appeared, screened me to talk to the girl whom I was talking to.
“From the look of the lady who is slinging a DepEd identification card, I could see she was a Maranao and a Muslim — I supposed. She wore long dress with head cover, typical of a Maranao Muslim woman. I couldn’t believe a Muslim woman who is not only educated but a public school teacher could do such an uncivilized manner. She was insolent, bastos, really.
“Earlier, at a phone shop in front of the bookstore, I asked a saleslady if they got a battery pack for a MyPhone android unit. She brought me one and said 350 pesos. I asked why expensive and told me it was original. To avoid looking at other stores, I said okay and asked for an official receipt. She said their OR is still under process. I asked your store has been in business for quite sometime and until now you don’t have OR?
“One of the ladies in the store approached us and said, it’s okay if you don’t buy. I said, it is not the buying. What matters to me is the OR that I and other customers of yours will need for legal or other purposes. The lady got angry and said you talked to the owner whose name is withheld, and a Maranao.
“At an eatery near a known coffee shop, a Maranao who is a lawyer and a government worker I was told is often seen drinking Red Horse during daytime, mostly office hours. I used to take my lunch or snacks in that eatery as the owner is a close friend. When this Maranao lawyer frequently drinks at the eatery, I have to lessen taking my lunch there because he was one of the most noisy and ill-mannered professionals I have ever seen.
“I have a lot of experiences involving Maranaos whose manners are uncivilized, discourteous and bastos. Sad to say, these happened after the Marawi Siege when we, Maranaos, are supposed to change our bad manners into good ones. Have we not learned any lesson from the Marawi tragedy? We should have learned something.
“I have heard also of Maranao druglords, drug-peddlers and users, of Maranao corrupt public servants, of Maranao kidnappers for ransom and of Maranao engaged in criminalities but they are only a few of the entire Maranao People and the Maranao entirety as a people should not be identified with this trademark.”
These are a few persons who affect negatively the good name and reputation of the Maranao people. And I wish every Maranao show respect and be civilized in their actuations.
#ThePasserby