View source for Visayas

{{Short description|Archipelago in the Philippines}}
{{Redirect-distinguish|Visaya|Vishaya}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Use Philippine English|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox islands
| name                          = Visayas
| image_name                    = Visayas Red.png
| image_caption                 = Location of the Visayas within the Philippines
| native_name                   = {{unbulleted list | ''Kabisay-an'' ([[Visayan languages|Visayan]])}}
| native_name_link              = Visayan languages
| location                      = [[Southeast Asia]]
| archipelago                   = [[Philippines]]
| area_km2                      = 71,503
| major_islands                 = {{hlist | [[Bohol]] | [[Cebu]] | [[Leyte]] | [[Negros (Philippines)|Negros]] | [[Panay]] | [[Samar]]}}
| country_largest_city            = [[Cebu City]]
| country_largest_city_population = 964,169
| highest_mount                 = [[Mount Kanlaon]]
| elevation_m                   = 2465
| country                       = {{PHL}}
| country_admin_divisions_title = Regions
| country_admin_divisions       =  {{unbulleted list | item_style=white-space:nowrap; | [[Western Visayas|Region 6 – Western Visayas]] | [[Negros Island Region|NIR – Negros Island Region]] |[[Central Visayas|Region 7 – Central Visayas]] | [[Eastern Visayas|Region 8 – Eastern Visayas]]}}
| population                    = 21,155,014
| population_as_of              = 2021
| population_footnotes          = {{PH census|2015}}
| density_km2                   = 292
| demonym                   = {{hlist | Visayan (natively "''Bisayâ''") }}
| ethnic_groups                 = {{bulleted list | [[Visayans]] {{hlist | [[Aklanon people|Aklanon]] | [[Boholano people|Boholano]]  | [[Butuanon people|Butuanon]] |[[Capiznon people|Capiznon]] | [[Cebuano people|Cebuano]] | [[Cuyunon people|Cuyunon]] | [[Eskaya]] | [[Hiligaynon people|Hiligaynon]] | [[Karay-a people|Karay-a]] | [[Masbateño people|Masbateño]] | [[Porohanon people|Porohanon]] | [[Romblomanon people|Romblomanon]] | [[Suludnon]] | [[Surigaonon people|Surigaonon]] | [[Waray people|Waray]]}} | [[Negrito]] ([[Ati people|Ati]]) | ''[[Ethnic groups of the Philippines|other ethnic groups]]''}}
}}

The '''Visayas''' ({{IPAc-en|v|ə|ˈ|s|aɪ|ə|z}} {{respell|və|SY|əz}}), or the '''Visayan Islands'''<ref>"Visayan Islands" Merriam-Webster Dictionary. http://www.merriam-webster.com/concise/visayan%20islands</ref> ([[Bisayan languages|Visayan]]: ''Kabisay-an'', {{IPA|ceb|kabiˈsajʔan}}; [[Filipino language|Filipino]]: ''Kabisayaan'' {{IPA|tl|kɐbɪsɐˈjaʔan|}}), are one of the three [[Island groups of the Philippines|principal geographical divisions]] of the [[Philippines]], along with [[Luzon]] and [[Mindanao]]. Located in the central part of the [[archipelago]], it consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the [[Visayan Sea]], although the Visayas are also considered the northeast extremity of the entire [[Sulu Sea]].<ref>C. Michael Hogan. 2011. ''Sulu Sea''. Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. P. Saundry & C. J. Cleveland. Washington, D.C.</ref> Its inhabitants are predominantly the [[Visayan people]]s.

The major islands of the Visayas are [[Panay]], [[Negros]], [[Cebu Island|Cebu]], [[Bohol Island|Bohol]], [[Leyte]] and [[Samar]].{{Refn|On May 23, 2005, Palawan and Puerto Princesa City were moved to Western Visayas by Executive Order No. 429.<ref name="EO429">{{cite web|url=http://www.ops.gov.ph/records/eo_no429.htm|title=Executive Order No. 429|publisher=President of the Philippines|access-date=May 18, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070707191249/http://www.ops.gov.ph/records/eo_no429.htm|archive-date=July 7, 2007}}</ref> However, on August 19, 2005, President Arroyo issued Administrative Order No. 129 to hold the earlier E.O. 429 in abeyance pending a review.<ref name="AO129">{{cite web|url=http://www.ops.gov.ph/records/ao_no129.htm|title=Administrative Order No. 129|publisher=President of the Philippines|access-date=May 18, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090713202522/http://www.ops.gov.ph/records/ao_no129.htm|archive-date=July 13, 2009}}</ref> {{As of|2010}}, Palawan and the highly urbanized city of [[Puerto Princesa]] still remain a part of the [[Mimaropa]] region.}} The region may also include the provinces of [[Palawan]], [[Romblon]], and [[Masbate]], whose populations identify as Visayan and whose languages are more closely related to other Visayan languages than to the major languages of [[Luzon]].

There are four administrative [[Regions of the Philippines|regions]] in the Visayas: [[Western Visayas]] (pop. 4.73 million), [[Negros Island Region]] (pop. 4.76 million), [[Central Visayas]] (6.54 million) and [[Eastern Visayas]] (4.5 million).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/listreg.asp | title=PSA Makati ActiveStats – PSGC Interactive – List of Regions | publisher=[[Philippine Statistics Authority]] | date=June 30, 2015 | access-date=September 18, 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013150956/http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/listreg.asp | archive-date=October 13, 2008 }}</ref>

==Etymology==
{{See also|Visayans#Terminology | l1= Visayan }}

===Pre-colonial etymology===
{{anchor | NonColonialEty }}
{{see also | Indian influences in early Philippine polities | History of Indian influence on Southeast Asia | Greater India }}

From the 1950s to 1960s there were spurious claims by various authors that "Bisaya" is derived from the historical empire of "[[Sri Vijaya]]" which came from the [[Sanskrit language|Sanskrit]] term "Śrīvijaya" (श्रीविजय), arguing that the Visayans were either settlers from [[Sri Vijaya]] or were subjects of it. This claim is largely based only on the resemblance of the word ''Bisaya'' to ''Vijaya''.<ref name="Baumgartner 1974"/> But as the linguist Eugene Verstraelen pointed out, ''Vijaya'' would evolve into ''Bidaya'' or ''Biraya'', not ''Bisaya'', based on how other [[Sanskrit]]-derived [[loanword]]s become integrated into Philippine languages.<ref name="Verstraelen">{{cite journal |last1=Verstraelen |first1=Eugene |last2=Trosdal |first2=Mimi |title=Lexical Studies on the Cebuano Language |journal=Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society |date=1974 |volume=2 |issue=4 |pages=231–237 |jstor=29791163 }}</ref><ref name="Verstraelen2">{{cite journal |last1=Verstraelen |first1=Eugene |title=Linguistics and Philippine Prehistory |journal=Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society |date=1973 |volume=1 |issue=3 |pages=167–174 |jstor=29791077 }}</ref>

The name has also been hypothesized to be related to the [[Bisaya (Borneo)|Bisaya]] ethnic group of [[Borneo]], the latter incidentally recounted in the controversial ''[[Maragtas]]'' epic as the alleged origins of the ancestral settlers in Panay. However historical, archeological, and linguistic evidence for this are still paltry. The languages of the Bisaya of Borneo and of the Bisaya of the Philippines do not show any special correlation, apart from the fact that they all belong to the same [[Austronesian family]]. This is contested by Historian Robert Nicholl who implied that the Srivijayans of Sumatra, Vijayans of Vijayapura at Brunei and the Visayans in the Philippines were all related and connected to each other since they form one contiguous area.<ref name="Bruneianevidence">[https://www.jstor.org/stable/20174317 Brunei Rediscovered: A Survey of Early Times By Robert Nicholl Page 37] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210905081832/https://www.jstor.org/stable/20174317 |date=5 September 2021 }} (Sub-citation taken from Ferrand, Relations p. 333)</ref> On a similar note, according to an early Spanish missionary and historian P. Francisco Colin, S.J. in the Philippines, the inhabitants of Panay Island were originally from north Sumatra.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Reyes y Florentino |first=Isabelo de los |url=https://archive.org/details/lasislasvisayase00reye/page/70/mode/2up?view=theater |title=Las islas Visayas en la epoca de la conquista |date=1889 |publisher=Manila : Tipo-litografia de Chofre y ca. |others=Boston Public Library}}</ref> Similarly there are claims that it was the name of a folk hero (allegedly "Sri Visaya") or that it originated from the exclamation "Bisai-yah!" ("How beautiful!") by the Sultan of Brunei who was visiting Visayas for the first time. All these claims have been challenged and remain as mere speculations and [[folk etymology|folk etymologies]].<ref name="Baumgartner 1974"/>

===Colonial etymology===
{{anchor | ColonialEty | ConvertedEty }}

The exact meaning and origin of the name of the Visayas is unknown. The first documented use of the name is possibly by Song-era Chinese maritime official [[Zhao Rugua]] as the ''Pi-sho-ye'', who raided the coasts of [[Fujian]] and [[Penghu]] during the late 12th century using iron javelins attached to ropes as their weapons.<ref name="Isorena">{{cite journal |last1=Isorena |first1=Efren B. |title=The Visayan Raiders of the China Coast, 1174-1190 AD |journal=Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society |date=2004 |volume=32 |issue=2 |pages=73–95 |url=https://www.academia.edu/4813411}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Frances Antoinette Cruz, Nassef Manabilang Adiong |title=International Studies in the Philippines Mapping New Frontiers in Theory and Practice |date=2020 |publisher=Taylor and Francis |isbn=9780429509391 |page=27}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Richard Pearson |title=Taiwan Archaeology Local Development and Cultural Boundaries in the China Seas |date=2022 |publisher=University of Hawaii Press |isbn=9780824893774 |page=119}}</ref>

Visayans were first referred to by the general term ''[[Pintados]]'' ("the painted ones") by the Spanish, in reference to the prominent practice of full-body tattooing ([[batok]]).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Jocano |first1=F. Landa |title=Sulod Society: A Study in the Kinship System and Social Organization of a Mountain People of Central Panay |date=July 31, 2009 |publisher=University of the Philippines Press |pages=23, 24}}</ref> The word "Bisaya", on the other hand, was first documented in [[Spanish language|Spanish]] sources in reference to the non-[[Ati people|Ati]] inhabitants of the island of [[Panay]]. However, it is likely that the name was already used as a general [[endonym]] by [[Visayans]] long before Spanish colonization, as evidenced by at least once instance of a place named "Bisaya" in coastal eastern Mindanao as reported by the [[Loaísa expedition|Loaisa]] (c.1526),  [[Álvaro de Saavedra Cerón|Saavedra]] (c.1528), and the [[Ruy López de Villalobos|Villalobos]] (c.1543) expeditions. It is likely that the reason the Spanish did not use the term generally until the later decades of the 1500s is due to the fact that people were more likely to identify themselves with more specific ethnic names like ''[[Cebuano people|Sugbuanon]]''.<ref name="Baumgartner 1974">{{cite journal |last1=Baumgartner |first1=Joseph |title=The Bisaya of Borneo and the Philippines: A New Look at Maragtas |journal=Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society |date=1974 |volume=2 |issue=3 |pages=167–170 |jstor=29791138 }}</ref>

In ''Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas'' (1609) by [[Antonio de Morga]], he specifies that the name "''Biçaya''" is synonymous with ''Pintados''.<ref name="Morga"/>
{{Blockquote
|text="South of this district lie the islands of Biçayas, or, as they are also called, Pintados. They are many in number, thickly populated with natives. Those of most renown are [[Leyte|Leite]], [[Samar|Ybabao]], [[Samar|Çamar]], [[Bohol]], island of [[Negros]], [[Cebu|Sebu]], [[Panay]], [[Cuyo Archipelago|Cuyo]], and the [[Calamianes]]. All the natives of these islands, both men and women, are well-featured, of a good disposition, and of better nature, and more noble in their actions than the inhabitants of the islands of [[Luzon]] and its vicinity.

They differ from them in their hair, which the men wear cut in a cue, like the ancient style in España. Their bodies are tattooed with many designs, but the face is not touched. They wear large earrings of gold and ivory in their ears, and bracelets of the same; certain scarfs wrapped round the head, very showy, which resemble turbans, and knotted very gracefully and edged with gold. They wear also a loose collarless jacket with tight sleeves, whose skirts reach half way down the leg. These garments are fastened in front and are made of [[medriñaque]] and colored [[silk]]s. They wear no shirts or drawers, but [[Bahag (garment)|bahaques]] of many wrappings, which cover their privy parts, when they remove their skirts and jackets. The women are good-looking and graceful. They are very neat, and walk slowly. Their hair is black, long, and drawn into a knot on the head. Their robes are wrapped about the waist and fall downward. These are made of all colors, and they wear collarless jackets of the same material. Both men and women go naked and without any coverings, and barefoot, and with many gold chains, earrings, and wrought bracelets.

Their weapons consist of large knives curved like cutlasses, spears, and [[kalasag|caraças]]. They employ the same kinds of boats as the inhabitants of Luzon. They have the same occupations, products, and means of gain as the inhabitants of all the other islands. These Visayans are a race less inclined to agriculture, and are skilful in navigation, and eager for war and raids for pillage and booty, which they call [[mangayaw|mangubas]]. This means "to go out for plunder."

. . .
The language of all the Pintados and Biçayas is one and the same, by which they understand one another when talking, or when writing with the letters and characters of their own which they possess. [[Baybayin|These resemble those of the Arabs.]] The common manner of writing among the natives is on leaves of trees, and on bamboo bark. 
|multiline=yes
|author= [[Antonio de Morga]]  
|title =''Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas'' (1609) translated in ''Morga's Philippine Islands'' (1907) by [[Emma Helen Blair]] and [[James Alexander Robertson]]
|source=<ref name="Morga">{{cite book |last1=Blair |first1=Emma Helen |last2=Robertson |first2=James Alexander |title=Morga's Philippine Islands |date=1907 |publisher=Artur H. Clark Company |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/7001/pg7001.html}}</ref>
}}

==History==
[[File:Datu and binokot (Principalia) - Philippines (c.1668).jpg|thumb|1668 depiction of a datu and a binukot, who were regarded as part of the aristocracy (Principalia) during the early period of Spanish.]]
[[File:Visayan dance Philippines.jpg|left|thumb|307x307px|[[Waray people]] [[War dance]] 1792]]
{{main|Visayans#History}}

Among the Chinese, especially during the Ming era, the Visayans are called Peshiye.<ref name="ZhufanZhi" />

The areas known as Pisheye were probably located in lowland coastal regions with minimal agricultural activity, a description that primarily fit the [[Rajahnate of Cebu]] and secondarily, the neighboring kingdoms: [[Kedatuan of Dapitan|Dapitan]], [[Kedatuan of Madja-as|Madja-as]], and [[Rajahnate of Butuan|Butuan]]; fit well.<ref name="ZhufanZhi">[https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/39bce63e4e0642d3abce6c24db470760 A Chinese Gazetteer of Foreign Lands, A new translation of Part 1 of the Zhufan zhi 諸蕃志 (1225), By Shao-yun Yang (Denison University)]</ref>

The Visayans, known for their seafaring prowess, frequently conducted raids on the southern coasts of China. Their targets included major cities such as [[Quanzhou]], along with smaller towns like Shui'ao and Weito. These attacks were launched from their operational base located in [[History of Taiwan#Early records of possible visits|Eastern Taiwan]].<ref name="ZhufanZhi" />

Wang's account of the locals' appearance aligns with descriptions of the Pintados people. He noted that both men and women gathered their hair into topknots (男女撮髻, nan nü cuo ji) and used ink to tattoo their bodies up to the neck (以墨汁刺身至頭頸, yi mo zhi ci shen zhi tou jing).<ref name="ZhufanZhi" />

After the defeat of the [[Ferdinand Magellan|Magellan]] expedition at the [[Battle of Mactan]] by [[Lapu-Lapu]], King [[Philip II of Spain]] sent [[Miguel López de Legazpi]] in 1543 and 1565 to colonize the islands for Spain. Subsequently, the Visayas region and many kingdoms began converting to Christianity and adopting western culture. By the 18th and 19th centuries, the effects of colonization on various ethnic groups turned sour and revolutions such as those of [[Francisco Dagohoy]] began to emerge.
[[File:Indios, detail from Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas 1734.jpg|thumb|Visayans depicted in [[Velarde map]] 1734.]]
[[File:Panay Church main entrance.jpg|thumb|359x359px|[[Panay Church]]]]
Various personalities who fought against the Spanish colonial government arose within the archipelago. Among the notable ones are [[Teresa Magbanua]], [[Graciano Lopez Jaena]]<ref>Dr. Robert L. Yoder, FAPC.[http://www.univie.ac.at/ksa/apsis/aufi/history/jaena.htm "Graciano López Jaena"]. Universitat Wien. Retrieved July 26, 2013.</ref> and [[Martín Teófilo Delgado|Martin Delgado]] from [[Iloilo]], [[Aniceto Lacson]], [[León Kilat]] and Diego de la Viña from [[Negros (Philippines)|Negros]], Venancio Jakosalem Fernandez from [[Cebu]],<ref>[http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/386435/venancios-leon-kilat "Venancio's Leon Kilat"]. Inquirer.net. Retrieved July 26, 2013.</ref> and two personalities from [[Bohol]] by the name of [[Tamblot]], who led the [[Tamblot Uprising]] in 1621 to 1622 and [[Francisco Dagohoy]], the leader of the Bohol Rebellion that lasted from 1744 to 1829.<ref>[http://www.watawat.net/the_dagohoy_rebellion.html "The Dagohoy Rebellion"]. Watawat.net. Retrieved July 26, 2013.</ref> Negros briefly stood as an independent nation in the Visayas in the form of the Cantonal [[Republic of Negros]], before it was absorbed back to the Philippines because of the American takeover of the archipelago.

The short-lived [[Federal State of the Visayas]] was established as a revolutionary state during the Philippine Revolution. It designated [[Iloilo City]] as the Visayas capital and was composed of three governments: the Provisional Government of the District of Visayas ([[Panay]]), the [[Republic of Negros|Cantonal Government of Negros]], the Cantonal Government of Bohol, and the island of Cebu, which was under revolutionary control.<ref name="once">{{cite news |date=August 1, 2005 |title=Once, There Was Federal Visayas |url=http://archives.newsbreak-knowledge.ph/2005/08/01/once-there-was-federal-visayas-2/ |access-date=December 18, 2017 |work=Newsbreak |publisher=Public Trust Media Group, Inc.}}</ref>

On May 23, 2005, [[Palawan]] (including its highly urbanized capital city of [[Puerto Princesa]]) was transferred from Mimaropa (Region IV-B) to Western Visayas (Region VI) under ''Executive Order No. 429'', signed by [[Gloria Macapagal Arroyo]], who was the [[President of the Philippines|president]] at that year.<ref name="EO429 2">{{cite web |author=President of the Philippines |date=May 23, 2005 |title=Executive Order No. 429 s. 2005 |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2005/05/23/executive-order-no-429-s-2005/ |work=Official Gazette |publisher=Philippine Government}}</ref> However, Palaweños criticized the move, citing a lack of consultation, with most residents in Puerto Princesa and all Palawan municipalities but one, preferring to stay in Mimaropa (Region IV-B). Consequently, ''Administrative Order No. 129'' was issued on August 19, 2005, that the implementation of ''E.O. 429'' be held in abeyance, pending approval by the president of its Implementation Plan.<ref name="AO129 2">{{cite web |author=President of the Philippines |date=August 19, 2005 |title=Administrative Order No. 129 s. 2005 |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2005/08/19/administrative-order-no-129-s-2005/ |work=Official Gazette |publisher=Philippine Government}}</ref> The Philippine [[Commission on Elections (Philippines)|Commission on Elections]] reported the [[2010 Philippine general election]] results for Palawan as a part of the Region IV-B results.<ref>[http://electionresults.ibanangayon.ph/res_reg9708000.html Philippine 2010 Election Results: Region IV-B], Philippine Commission on Elections.</ref> {{As of|2011|6|30}}, the abeyance was still in effect, with Palawan and its capital city remaining under [[Mimaropa]] (Region IV-B).
[[File:Cuencofamilycebu.jpg|thumb|262x262px|Cuenco family of cebu.]]
On May 29, 2015, the twin provinces of [[Negros Occidental]] (including its highly urbanized capital city, [[Bacolod]]) and [[Negros Oriental]] were joined to form the [[Negros Island Region]] under ''Executive Order No. 183'', signed by [[President of the Philippines|President]] [[Benigno Aquino III]]. It separated both, the former province and its capital city from [[Western Visayas]] and the latter province from [[Central Visayas]].

On August 9, 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte signed ''Executive Order No. 38'', revoking the ''Executive Order No. 183'' signed by his predecessor, President Benigno Aquino III, on May 29, 2015, due to the reason of the lack of funds to fully establish the NIR according to [[Benjamin Diokno]], the [[Secretary of Budget and Management (Philippines)|Secretary of Budget and Management]].
[[File:Filipino men 1930's.jpg|thumb|322x322px|Visayan men 1930's.]]
On June 13, 2024, the Negros Island Region was re-established, with the inclusion of [[Siquijor]].

===Mythical allusions and hypotheses===
Historical documents written in 1907 by Visayan historian Pedro Alcántara Monteclaro in his book ''[[Maragtas (book)|Maragtas]]'' tell the story of the ten leaders ([[Datu]]s) who escaped from the tyranny of Rajah Makatunaw from Borneo and came to the islands of Panay. The chiefs and followers were said to be the ancestors (from the collapsing empires of Srivijaya and Majapahit) of the [[Visayan people]]. The documents were accepted by Filipino historians and found their way into the history of the Philippines. As a result, the arrival of Bornean tribal groups in the Visayas (From Vijayapura a [[Srivijayan]] vassal state in Borneo)<ref>{{cite book |author=Wendy Hutton |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YWO5Va53GkgC&pg=PA31 |title=Adventure Guides: East Malaysia |date=2000 |publisher=Tuttle Publishing |isbn=978-962-593-180-7 |pages=31–57 |access-date=26 May 2013}}</ref> is celebrated in the festivals of the [[Dinagyang]] in [[Iloilo City]], [[Ati-Atihan]] in [[Kalibo, Aklan|Kalibo]], [[Aklan]], and [[Binirayan festival|Binirayan]] in [[San Jose de Buenavista]], [[Antique (province)|Antique]]. Foreign historians such as [[William Henry Scott (historian)|William Henry Scott]] maintains that the book contains a Visayan folk tradition.<ref>{{Harvnb|Scott|1984|pp=81–103}}.</ref>[[File:Children Partaking In The Kalibo Ati-Atihan Festival, Philippines.jpg|thumb|[[Ati-Atihan festival|Ati-Atihan Festival]], a celebration of the purported arrival of "Borneans" in Panay]]A contemporary theory based on a study of [[genetic marker]]s in present-day populations is that [[Austronesian people]]s from Taiwan populated the larger island of Luzon and headed south to the Visayas and Mindanao, and then to Indonesia and Malaysia, then to [[Pacific Islands]] and finally to the island of Madagascar, at the west of the [[Indian Ocean]].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Cristian Capelli |last2=Wilson |first2=James F. |last3=Richards |first3=Martin |last4=Stumpf |first4=Michael P.H. |last5=Gratrix |first5=Fiona |last6=Oppenheimer |first6=Stephen |last7=Underhill |first7=Peter |last8=Pascali |first8=Vincenzo L. |last9=Ko |first9=Tsang-Ming |display-authors=1 |year=2001 |title=A Predominantly Indigenous Paternal Heritage for the Austronesian-Speaking Peoples of Insular Southeast Asia and Oceania |url=http://hpgl.stanford.edu/publications/AJHG_2001_v68_p432.pdf |url-status=dead |journal=American Journal of Human Genetics |volume=68 |issue=2 |pages=432–443 |doi=10.1086/318205 |pmc=1235276 |pmid=11170891 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511201051/http://hpgl.stanford.edu/publications/AJHG_2001_v68_p432.pdf |archive-date=May 11, 2011}}</ref> The study, though, may not explain inter-island migrations, which are also possible, such as Filipinos migrating to any other Philippine provinces. There has even been backmigration to the island of Taiwan, as the historian Efren B. Isorena, through analysis of historical accounts and wind currents in the Pacific side of East and Southeast Asia, concluded that the Pisheye of Taiwan and the Bisaya of the Visayas islands in the Philippines, were closely related people as Visayans were recorded to have travelled to Taiwan from the Philippines via the northward windcurrents before they raided China and returned south after the southwards monsoon during summer.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Isorena |first1=Efren B. |date=2004 |title=The Visayan Raiders of the China Coast, 1174–1190 Ad |journal=Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society |volume=32 |issue=2 |pages=73–95 |jstor=29792550}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Reports of the missionary and benevolent boards and committees to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (1920) (14769325962).jpg|thumb|1920 map of the Visayas|231x231px]][[File:Loboc river - panoramio (1).jpg|thumb|406x406px|[[Loboc River]], [[Bohol]]]]Visayas region is located in central [[Philippines]], with a total land area of {{convert|71,503|km2|abbr=on}}. It consists of seven large and several hundred smaller islands, including [[Samar]], [[Negros Island|Negros]], [[Panay Island|Panay]], [[Leyte island|Leyte]], [[Cebu Island|Cebu]], [[Bohol Island|Bohol]], [[Guimaras]], [[Biliran]], [[Siquijor]], [[Panaon Island|Panaon]] and [[Bantayan Island|Bantayan]]. Some of the largest cities in the region include [[Cebu City]] (population 1,024,945 in 2023), [[Bacolod|Bacolod City]] (population 648,773 in 2023), and [[Iloilo City]] (population 491,641 in 2023).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Iloilo City Population 2023 |url=https://worldpopulationreview.com/world-cities/iloilo-city-population |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=worldpopulationreview.com}}</ref>

===List of islands by population===
The following numbers are derived from the 2015 Philippine census.
* [[Panay]] – 4,123,213
* [[Negros (island)|Negros]] – 4,414,875
* [[Cebu (island)|Cebu]] – 4,164,535
* [[Leyte (island)|Leyte]] – 2,388,518
* [[Samar Island|Samar]] – 1,751,267
* [[Bohol Island|Bohol]] – 1,211,000
* [[Mactan Island|Mactan]] – 467,824
* [[Guimaras Island|Guimaras]] – 174,613
* [[Biliran Island|Biliran]] – 171,612
* [[Bantayan Island|Bantayan]] – 136,960
* [[Siquijor Island|Siquijor]] – 95,984
* [[Panglao Island|Panglao]] – 79,216
* [[Panaon Island|Panaon]] – 57,703
* [[Pacijan Island|Pacijan]] – 55,180
* [[Daram Island|Daram]] – 39,032
* [[Poro Island|Poro]] – 36,508
* [[Boracay Island|Boracay]] – 32,267
* [[Ponson Island|Ponson]] – 11,308
* [[Maripipi Island|Maripipi]] – 7,159
* [[Limasawa]] – 6,061
* [[Homonhon]] – 4,211 
* [[Parasan Island|Parasan]] – 3,847
* [[Batbatan Island|Batbatan]] – 2,851
* [[Mararison Island|Mararison]] – 750
* [[Maniguin Island|Maniguin]] – 719

== Culture and festivals ==
[[File:Anini-y Church, 2018.jpg|thumb|432x432px|[[Anini-y|Anini-y church]] ]]
[[Visayans]] are recognized as hospitable, religious, fun, and robust people. They love to party and celebrate birthdays, graduations, baptisms, weddings, and holidays. [[Visayans]] like to sing ([[Karaoke]]) while drinking and dancing during these celebrations. They love to cook traditional foods like [[Suman (food)|Suman]], [[Sapin-sapin|Sapin- Sapin]], and [[Bibingka]] made with sticky rice during Halloween. They visited their dead loved ones at the cemetery. Aside from celebrations, Visayas has sweet and delicious mangoes that you can find in [[Guimaras]] near [[Iloilo City]]. White Beach Resort is called [[Boracay]]. It is a well-known beautiful beach located in [[Western Visayas]] at [[Malay, Aklan|Caticlan]] Province. Many foreign people love to visit this beach, which is full of fun summer activities and beachside restaurants, bars, and souvenir shops. You can also find the Seafood Capital of the [[Philippines]], located at [[Roxas City|Roxas, City]] Province of [[Capiz]]. You can taste fresh seafood daily, like shrimp, crabs, prawns, seashells, and fish.

[[Visayans]] honor their traditions and culture by celebrating festivals as they are known to be Roman Catholic or Christian in religion. These festivals are celebrated in tribute to their saints, to share peace and happiness, to give thanks for the abundant harvest, and to advertise their products. [[Visayans]] are known for their different festivals celebrated in other cities of Visayan Island.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Visayans in Hawaii, UHM Center for Philippine Studies |url=http://www.hawaii.edu/cps/visayans.html |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=www.hawaii.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Romulo |first=Liana |title=Filipino Celebration A treasury of feast and festival |publisher=Tuttle Publishing |year=2012}}</ref>

[[Sinulog|Sinulog Festival]] is celebrated every third Sunday in January in [[Cebu City]]. This festival is a tribute to their saint, [[Santo Niño de Cebú|Senior Santo Nino de Cebu.]] The Sinulog festival includes parades, fluvial processions, dances, Cebu beauty pageants, and sometimes arts contests. Some other parts of [[Cebu]] provinces participate in the celebration by performing traditional dances and decorating a float, or Higantes, to represent their patron.[[File:Sinulog Festival (2023) contingents in street dance 01.jpg|thumb|[[Sinulog Festival]], one of the grandest festivals in the Philippines held in Cebu. ]][[Ati-Atihan festival|Ati-Atihan Festival]] is celebrated every third Sunday in January, like [[Sinulog|Sinulog Festival]]. It is held in [[Kalibo|Kalibo, Aklan]], on [[Panay|Panay Island]], where the first [[Indigenous peoples|indigenous people]] settled, called [[Ati people|Aestas]], or [[Ati people|Ati's]]. This festival devotes to the mystery of baby Jesus and Indigenous people. The people who participate paint their bodies and face and wear indigenous costumes and props. The festival included music, drums, and parades for several days.

[[Dinagyang|Dinagyang Festival]] is celebrated in [[Iloilo City]] on the fourth Sunday of January.  This festival marks the baby Jesus Senior Sto. Nino. At [[Ati-Atihan festival|Ati-Atihan Festival]] in [[Aklan]], [[Dinagyang]] also has [[Ati people|Ati's]] dancing to celebrate the entry of [[Malays (ethnic group)|Malay]] in [[Panay|Panay Island]], colorful costumes, and a Pageant for [[Miss Iloilo]]; Sadsad is a procession with a decorated float. Schools and businesses in [[Barangay]]s in this city participate in dancing competitions at this festival.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Funtecha |first=Henry Florida |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YQaCAAAAMAAJ&q=festival+in+visayas+island+philippines |title=Popular Festivals in Western Visayas |date=1992 |publisher=Center for West Visayan Studies, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines in the Visayas |language=en}}</ref>

==Administrative divisions==
[[File:Visayas in June 2024.png|thumb|A [[map]] of the Visayas, color-coded according to the constituent regions (since June 2024)
{{legend|#0000ff|Central Visayas}}
{{legend|#008000|Eastern Visayas}}
{{legend|#ff0000|Western Visayas}}
{{legend|#ffa500|Negros Island Region}}
The major islands, from west to east, are [[Panay]], [[Negros Island|Negros]], [[Cebu Island|Cebu]], [[Bohol Island|Bohol]], [[Leyte]], and [[Samar]].]]
[[File:Visayas regions.PNG|thumb|A former map of the Visayas, prior to the revival of Negros Island Region in June 2024
{{legend|#0000ff|Central Visayas}}
{{legend|#008000|Eastern Visayas}}
{{legend|#ff0000|Western Visayas}}]]

Administratively, the Visayas is divided into 4 [[Regions of the Philippines|regions]], namely [[Western Visayas]], [[Negros Island Region]], [[Central Visayas]], and [[Eastern Visayas]].

The Visayas is composed of 16 [[Provinces of the Philippines|provinces]], each headed by a Governor. A governor is elected by popular vote and can serve a maximum of three terms consisting of three years each.

===Western Visayas (Region VI)===
Western Visayas consists of the islands of [[Panay]] and Guimaras. The regional center is [[Iloilo City]]. Its provinces are:
* [[Aklan Province|Aklan]]
* [[Antique Province|Antique]]
* [[Capiz]]
* [[Guimaras]]
* [[Iloilo Province|Iloilo]]

=== Negros Island Region (NIR) ===
Negros Island Region consists of the islands of [[Negros]] and Siquijor. The interim regional centers are [[Bacolod]] and [[Dumaguete]]. Its provinces are:

* [[Negros Occidental]]
* [[Negros Oriental]]
* [[Siquijor]]

===Central Visayas (Region VII)===
Central Visayas includes the islands of [[Cebu Island|Cebu]] and Bohol. The regional center is [[Cebu City]]. Its provinces are:
* [[Bohol]]
* [[Cebu]]

===Eastern Visayas (Region VIII)===
Eastern Visayas consists of the islands of [[Leyte]], [[Samar]] and Biliran. The regional center is [[Tacloban City]]. Its provinces are:
* [[Biliran]]
* [[Leyte (province)|Leyte]]
* [[Southern Leyte]]
* [[Eastern Samar]]
* [[Northern Samar]]
* [[Samar (province)|Samar]]

Scholars have argued that the region of [[Mimaropa]] and the province of [[Masbate]] are all part of the Visayas in line with the non-centric view. This is contested by a few politicians in line with the Manila-centric view.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/halalan2016/nation/05/10/16/nene-pimentel-gives-details-on-proposal-for-federalist-government | title=Nene Pimentel gives details on proposal for federalist government}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yRvtREhJdI| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211107/7yRvtREhJdI| archive-date=November 7, 2021 | url-status=live|title=Rappler Talk: Nene Pimentel on federalism, Congress, Duterte's SONA – YouTube|website=www.youtube.com| date=July 25, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{Philippine Census
| cols = 2
| align= none
| title= Population of Visayas <!-- sum of Western, Central, and Eastern Visayas regions -->
| 1903 = {{sum|1083474|1124444|655159}}
| 1918 = {{sum|1347249|1485976|977525}}
| 1939 = {{sum|2173579|1954366|1462159}}
| 1948 = {{sum|2530517|2119975|1764103}}
| 1960 = {{sum|3078305|2522802|2040966}}
| 1970 = {{sum|3618326|3032719|2381409}}
| 1975 = {{sum|4146390|3387274|2599728}}
| 1980 = {{sum|4525615|3787374|2799534}}
| 1990 = {{sum|5393333|4594124|3054490}}
| 1995 = {{sum|5776938|5014588|3366917}}
| 2000 = {{sum|6211038|5706953|3610355}}
| 2007 = {{sum|6843643|6400698|3915140}}
| 2010 = {{sum|7102438|6800180|4101322}}
| 2015 = {{sum|7536383|7396898|4440150}}
| 2020 = {{sum|7954723|8081988|4547150}}
| 2025 =
| 2030 =
| footnote= Source: Philippine Statistics Authority{{PH census|2015}}<ref name=NSO>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov.ph/sites/default/files/attachments/hsd/pressrelease/Population%20and%20Annual%20Growth%20Rates%20for%20The%20Philippines%20and%20Its%20Regions%2C%20Provinces%2C%20and%20Highly%20Urbanized%20Cities%20Based%20on%201990%2C%202000%2C%20and%202010%20Censuses.pdf |title=Population and Annual Growth Rates for The Philippines and Its Regions, Provinces, and Highly Urbanized Cities |work=2010 Census and Housing Population |publisher=Philippine Statistics Authority |access-date=August 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928012059/http://www.census.gov.ph/sites/default/files/attachments/hsd/pressrelease/Population%20and%20Annual%20Growth%20Rates%20for%20The%20Philippines%20and%20Its%20Regions%2C%20Provinces%2C%20and%20Highly%20Urbanized%20Cities%20Based%20on%201990%2C%202000%2C%20and%202010%20Censuses.pdf |archive-date=September 28, 2013 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>
}}

===Languages===
{{Main|Visayan languages|Languages of the Philippines|Philippine Languages}}
Languages spoken at home are primarily [[Visayan languages]] despite the usual misconception that these are dialects of a single macrolanguage. [[Cebuano language|Cebuano]] is the largest native language spoken on Visayas Island, where approximately 20 million natives speak it.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-04-03 |title=The Dialectology of Cebuano |url=https://mlephil.wordpress.com/2012/04/04/the-dialectology-of-cebuano/ |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=Multilingual Philippines |language=en}}</ref> Major languages include [[Hiligaynon language|Hiligaynon or Ilonggo]] in Western Visayas, [[Cebuano language|Cebuano]] in Central Visayas, and [[Waray-Waray language|Waray]] in Eastern Visayas. Other dominant languages are [[Aklanon language|Aklanon]], [[Kinaray-a]], and [[Capiznon language|Capiznon]]. [[Filipino language|Filipino]], the 'national language' based on [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]], is widely understood but occasionally used. English, another official language, is more widely known and is preferred as the second language most especially among urbanized Visayans. For instance, English rather than Tagalog is frequently used in schools, public signs, and mass media.

==''Cebuano'' versus ''Bisaya''==

There has been ongoing contention regarding the use of the word '''''Bisaya''''' among speakers of Visayan languages. The term ''Bisaya'' broadly refers to the people of the Visayas region in the Philippines, as well as those who have migrated to other parts of the country, including Luzon and Mindanao. The Visayas region encompasses several ethnolinguistic groups and languages, including [[Hiligaynon language|Hiligaynon]], [[Cebuano language|Cebuano]], [[Waray language|Waray]], and others, which are distinct and not mutually intelligible, despite belonging to the same language family.

Over the years, ''Bisaya'' has often been used interchangeably with Cebuano in many parts of the country,<ref>{{cite web |title=The Dialectology of Cebuano: Cebuano, Bisaya, Binisaya |url=https://binisaya.com/content/dialectology-cebuano-cebuano-bisaya-binisaya |website=Binisaya |date=10 February 2011 |access-date=25 November 2024}}</ref> though this practice is context-dependent and varies across regions. Cebuano-speaking settlers in Mindanao and other areas outside Cebu frequently refer to themselves and their language as Bisaya to distinguish themselves from the people of Cebu and their dialect. To address this ambiguity, some propose using the term '''''Sinugbuanong Binisaya''''' (which has been the term used in basic education)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lacorte |first1=Germelina |title=Learning in Sinugbuanong Binisaya |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/206105/learning-in-sinugbuanong-binisaya |date=4 June 2012 |agency=Philippine Daily Inquirer|access-date=25 November 2024}}</ref> to specify Cebuano, while others suggest '''''Binisaya''''' as a broader term. Surveys, such as those conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA),<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mapa |first1=Dennis |title=Tagalog is the Most Widely Spoken Language at Home (2020 Census of Population and Housing) |url=https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/population-and-housing/node/1684041577 |website=Philippine Statistics Office |date=7 March 2023|access-date=25 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Thinking Machines Data Science Inc. |title=The language landscape of the Philippines in 4 maps |url=https://stories.thinkingmachin.es/philippine-languages/ |website=Thinking Machines |date=10 August 2016|access-date=25 November 2024}}</ref> often separate Bisaya and Cebuano, despite the two being mutually intelligible. Ethnologue, however, only lists Cebuano as a language.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cebuano |url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/ceb/ |website=Ethnologue |access-date=25 November 2024}}</ref> In Western Visayas, ''Bisaya'' may refer to Hiligaynon or Kinaray-a speakers, whereas in Eastern Visayas, it may denote Waray speakers.

In Mindanao, migrant ethnic groups from Luzon and indigenous peoples have assimilated into predominantly Cebuano-speaking societies (or Hiligaynon-speaking communities in the case of Soccsksargen) over the years. Many of these individuals now identify as Visayans after learning Cebuano, though they often retain knowledge of their non-Visayan roots and may still speak their ancestral languages fluently as a second or third language.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Galay-David |first=Karlo Antonio |date=December 2017 |title=We Who Seek to Settle Problematizing the Mindanao Settler Identity |url=https://www.academia.edu/35306614 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230914194141/https://www.academia.edu/35306614/We_Who_Seek_to_Settle_Problematizing_the_Mindanao_Settler_Identity |archive-date=September 14, 2023}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Visayans]]
* [[Regions of the Philippines]]
* [[Provinces of the Philippines]]
* [[Mindanao]]
* [[Luzon]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
*{{Cite book
|last=Scott
|first=William Henry
|author-link=William Henry Scott (historian)
|title=Prehispanic Source Materials for the study of Philippine History
|publisher=New Day Publishers
|year=1984
|isbn=978-971-10-0226-8
}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline}}
* {{Wikivoyage inline}}
* {{Wiktionary-inline}}

{{Visayas lateral}}
{{Philippine regions}}
{{Principal Geographical Divisions of the Philippines}}

{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:Visayas| ]]
[[Category:Island groups of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Archipelagoes of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Archipelagoes of the Pacific Ocean]]
[[Category:Archipelagoes of Southeast Asia]]
[[Category:Maritime Southeast Asia]]