Waray people

According to historian and Filipinologist William Henry Scott, evidence of the first humans in the Eastern Visayas region can be found at Sohoton Caves in Basey, Samar, dating around 8,550 BC. Before the Spaniards came in the region, the Warays already had complex cultural and socio-political systems, and trading with the Chinese, Borneans and Malays. were the first people from the Philippine islands that were seen by the Europeans in the expedition led by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. Attempts to “Filipinize” Warays and other Bisayan ethnicities into assimilating into the Philippine State. The Waray language of Waray-Waray is not nationally considered a language in the Philippines but a dialect except in the islands of Samar and Leyte. "Waray Waray" and Eartha Kitt The folk song, “Waray Waray” came to international attention in the 1960s when the American entertainer, Eartha Kitt, performed and recorded her own version of the song. Kitt sings the song in a mix of Tagalog and Visayan with some English interludes. Eartha Kitt's version of "Waray-Waray" differs significantly from her songs in other languages like French and Spanish. Her rendition is marked by noticeable mispronunciations, misplaced emphasis on certain words, and the inclusion of a few invented words. This rough delivery contrasts with the smoother performances she typically provides in other non-English songs. The folk song "Waray-Waray" was composed by Juan Silos, Jr., with lyrics by Levi Celerio. It centers on Waray women and perpetuates stereotypes about them. Lyrics such as "Waray women will never flee, even in the face of death" and "But Waray women are different, we do not fear anyone" reinforce the portrayal of Waray people as strong and combative. The song depicts Waray women as tough, thuggish, and grumpy. Eartha Kitt performed "Waray-Waray" internationally, including in the Philippines, where it became part of the broader discourse on Filipina identity. ==Stereotypes==

in the University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban College (2016) Martial Culture The Waray-Waray are often stereotyped as brave warriors, as in the popular phrase, , meaning "The Waray would never back down from a fight". Most of the negative connotation of this stereotype however, which depicted Warays as violent and callous, were caused by the notorious Waray-Waray gangs. The ongoing New People Army Rebellion's main stronghold is held within Northern Samar, due to the region's history of resistance against colonialism and its strong cultural ties to their former warrior culture in their pre-colonial days as many NPA fighters are predominantly of Waray & Cebuano descent. Contentment Culture They are also known as contented people, so much so that, during the Spanish era, they were often called lazy, for being contented to live in simplicity as farmers, and for making tuba palm wine from coconut nectar. Warays are also known for their love of music, in particular the Kuratsa, a courtship dance. ==Culture and traditions==

Language The Waray people speak Waray, a major Visayan language. Many also speak English, Tagalog, Bicolano and/or Cebuano as their second languages. Some people of Waray descent speak Waray as their second or third language, especially among emigrants to Metro Manila, other parts of the Philippines (especially in Mindanao), and elsewhere in the world. The term "Waray" refers both to the people and the language of Samar and Leyte, and means "nothing" in the Waray language. It is unclear how it became the language's name. According to the Sanghiran sang Binisaya (Council for the Visayan Language), the formal name of the language is Lineyte-Samarnon or Binisaya. Warays who live in these provinces may also be identified with those names. ==Education==

Tacloban City in Leyte is home to a campus of the University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban College, Leyte Colleges, and Leyte Normal University. There are numerous state universities serving the region, including Eastern Samar State University, Eastern Visayas State University, Samar State University and the largest both in terms of land area and curricular offerings in the whole region, the University of Eastern Philippines located in Catarman, Northern Samar. There are also other colleges in (Western) Samar like St. Mary's College of Catbalogan, formerly Sacred Heart College and Samar College. Northwest Samar State University, formerly Tiburcio Tancinco Memorial Institute of Science and Technology and Samar State College of Agriculture and Forestry, offer courses that are needed in technology and business community. ==Livelihood==

Crops The most important crop and major source of income for many is the coconut. Other major agricultural products include rice and corn, while sugarcane, abaca, and tobacco are also grown. Cassava and camote (sweet potato) are grown as supplementary staple crops. Pineapple, banana, mangoes, and other fruit are grown year round, as are many vegetables and peanuts. A root crop known as palawan is also widely known in Samar and Leyte. Leyte is a big producer of bananas. Farming and fishing Farming and fishing provide much of the livelihood of the Waray-Waray. There is an impressive variety of seafood available. Native wines are produced in the area, as in many places in the Philippines. The most common of these wines are tuba extracted from the coconut palm, "manyang" extracted from palm tree (common in the province of Northern Samar) and pangasi, made from fermented rice. ==Demographics==

The Waray people form the majority of the population in the provinces of Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Samar while they form a significant population in Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran, and Sorsogon, as well as few parts of Mindanao. According to the Philippine census of 2010, the Waray population is 3,660,645. Encyclopædia Britannica estimates that the Waray people's population reached 4.2 million in early 21st century. Although, an updated 2020 Philippine census reveals that Warays only constitute around 4.1 million only, about 100,000 short of the Encyclopædia Britannica estimate. Most Warays are Catholic, with a minority professing Protestantism, Islam, traditional Waray beliefs, or having no religion. Christianity amounts to 99% of the Warays, 4.69% of which are Evangelicals. == See also ==