The Subanon (or Subanen), Maranao, and Maguindanao speakers occupy the western portion of Mindanao and number close to 3 million people. Maranao and Maguindanao form a group called the Danao languages, and the Danao languages form a group with the Subanon language (considered to be a dialectic cluster) called the Mindanao languages. From what I've read it seems that these three groups are also culturally and genetically related, in fact, all three groups may be considered essentially as Subanon people.
These groups (the Maranao) share genes, linguistic and cultural ties to non-Muslim Lumad groups such as the Tiruray or Subanon.
[url] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maranao_people [/url]
Overtime these Western Mindanao people were divided politically and religiously causing them to identify themselves differently.
But are they also related to Visayans? Notice the suffix for Suba[U]non[/U]. "Non" is a suffix associated with Visayans. A Cebuanon (or Sugbuanon) is a Visayan from Cebu. A Surigaonon is a Visayan from Surigao. An Aklanon is a Visayan from Aklan.
The Maranao are properly called Ira[U]non[/U] or (Iranun). There is even a dialect (or separate language) of Maranao called Maranao Iranun (Iranon, Illanun).
The Maguindanao may also have a dialect called Iranun.
But the problem is that the Mindanao language group (which again includes the Subanon dialectic cluster and the Danao languages (which in turn consist of Maranao and Maguindanao)) is not classified as a Visayan language. The Mindanao language group is considered a Greater Central Philippine Language, and is on the same level as the Central Philippine languages which includes the Visayan languages as well as Tagalog and Bicolano. So perhaps that's close enough. What's your opinion on their relation with Visayans?
And also did they arrive in the Philippines before or after the Visayans? Does that explain why their language has departed from the Visayan languages or even the Central Philippine languages in general?
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Maranao Language
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Maguindanao Language
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