Negotiation and contestation among the Sangil in Southern Philippines : debates on religious practices and beliefs

Abstract

This study explores the micro-level dynamics of religious negotiation and contestation among the Sangil Muslim minority community in Southern Philippines, focusing on the interplay between traditional adat-based practices and emerging Salafi reformism. As a minority within a minority, the Sangil negotiate a syncretic form of Islam rooted in the legacy of Sharif Masad Akbar, while engaging with transnational Salafi ideologies propagated through madrasahs, da’wah, and local actors. The study draws on Pierre Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice and addresses two central questions: (1) How and why do religious negotiation and contestation between traditional and Salafi-influenced Sangil groups exist? (2) How do Sangil communities manage these dynamics while maintaining social cohesion? Employing an ethnographic methodology, the study utilizes semi-structured interviews with 20 respondents (mainstream imams/panditas, Salafioriented ustadhs, youth, and community members), participant observation (e.g., Diko so, Ganding, Kanduri, Manuwak, Manunjong), historical analysis, and archival research. It reveals significant shifts and transformations in the religious practices and beliefs of the Sangil Muslim community in Kiamba, Sarangani Province, as they navigate the tensions between adat-based traditions and Salafi reformism. The study also identifies the phenomenon of religious cherry-picking (selective assimilation). Innovatively, this research moves beyond macro-level studies of Salafism in Muslim-majority contexts to examine micro-level dynamics within a minority Muslim community. It contributes to understanding religious dynamics in minority contexts, glocalized Salafism, Islamic pluralism, and adat-based resistance, recognizing the localized dimensions and impacts of Salafism on marginalized groups. This study enriches the anthropology of religion and the study of Islam by extending our understanding of religious pluralism and glocalization in a Southeast Asian minority context, and presents a model for how identity can be negotiated and contested.