Hiligaynon language in the context of "Central Philippine languages"

A bolo (Tagalog: iták/gulok, Ilocano: bunéng, Ibanag: badáng/aliwa, Pangasinan: baráng, Kapampangan: paláng, Bikol: tabák/minasbad, Cebuano: súndang/kampilan, Waray: sansibar, Hiligaynon: sandúko/binangon, Aklan: talibong) is a general term for traditional pre-colonial small- to medium-sized single-edged swords or large knives of the Philippines that function both as tools and weapons. Bolos are characterized by a wide curved blade that narrows down to the hilt, and that comes with a pointed or a blunt tip.

Bolos are sometimes incorrectly described as a type of machete (as bolo machete), due to their similarities in use and shape. But bolos are not related to the machete. Bolos are pre-colonial in origin and have very different characteristics. The most obvious physical difference between the two is the shape of the cutting edge, which is typically curved in bolos and more or less straight in machetes.

The Bisayan languages or Visayan languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages spoken in the Philippines. They are most closely related to Tagalog and the Bikol languages, all of which are part of the Central Philippine languages. Most Bisayan languages are spoken in the whole Visayas section of the country, but they are also spoken in the southern part of the Bicol Region (particularly in Masbate and Sorsogon where several dialects of Waray are spoken), islands south of Luzon, such as those that make up Romblon, most of the areas of Mindanao and the province of Sulu located southwest of Mindanao. Some residents of Metro Manila also speak one of the Bisayan languages.

Over 30 languages constitute the Bisayan language family. The Bisayan language with the most speakers is Cebuano, spoken by 20 million people as a native language in Central Visayas, parts of Eastern Visayas, and most of Mindanao. Two other well-known and widespread Bisayan languages are Hiligaynon (Ilonggo), spoken by 9 million in most of Western Visayas and Soccsksargen; and Waray-Waray, spoken by 6 million in Eastern Visayas region. Prior to colonization, the script and calligraphy of most of the Visayan peoples was the badlit, closely related to the Tagalog baybayin.

Visayans (Cebuano: mga Bisayà [bisaˈjaʔ]) are a Philippine ethnolinguistic family group or metaethnicity native to the Visayas, to the southernmost islands south of Luzon, and to a significant portion of Mindanao. They are composed of numerous distinct ethnic groups. When taken as a single group, they number around 33.5 million. The Visayans, like the Luzon Lowlanders (Tagalogs, Bicolanos, Ilocanos, etc.) were originally predominantly animist-polytheists and broadly share a maritime culture until the 16th century when the Spanish Empire enforced Catholicism as the state religion. In more inland or otherwise secluded areas, ancient animistic-polytheistic beliefs and traditions either were reinterpreted within a Roman Catholic framework or syncretized with the new religion. Visayans are generally speakers of one or more of the distinct Bisayan languages, the most widely spoken being Cebuano, followed by Hiligaynon (Ilonggo) and Waray-Waray.

Santa Barbara, officially the Municipality of Santa Barbara (Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Santa Barbara, Tagalog: Bayan ng Santa Barbara), is a municipality in the province of Iloilo, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 68,467 people.

Waray (also known as Waray-Waray or Bisayâ/Binisayâ and Winaray/Waray, Spanish: idioma samareño meaning Samar language) is an Austronesian language and the fifth-most-spoken native regional language of the Philippines, native to Eastern Visayas. It is the native language of the Waray people and second language of the Abaknon people of Capul, Northern Samar, and some Cebuano-speaking peoples of western and southern parts of Leyte island. It is the third most spoken language among the Bisayan languages, only behind Cebuano and Hiligaynon.

Western Visayas (Hiligaynon: Kabisay-an Nakatundan; Tagalog: Kanlurang Kabisayaan; Filipino: Kanlurang Visayas), designated as Region VI, is an administrative region in the Philippines. The region comprises the islands of Panay and Guimaras. It consists of five provinces: Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo on Panay, and the island province of Guimaras. The region also includes one highly urbanized city, Iloilo City, which is the largest city and serves as the regional center.

The Hiligaynon language, native to Iloilo City, is the region's lingua franca. The region is also dominated by native speakers of three Visayan languages: Kinaray-a, Aklanon and Capiznon. The land area of the region is 12,750.63 km (4,923.05 sq mi), and with a population of 4,730,771 inhabitants.