The
Maranao people (
Maranao: ['mәranaw];
Filipino:
Mëranaw (based on Papanoka Mera)), also spelled
Meranao,
Maranaw (based on Marapatik) and
Mëranaw, is the term used by the Philippine government to refer to the southern tribe who are the "people of the lake" (
Ranao in the Iranaon language), a predominantly-
Muslim region of the
Philippine island of
Mindanao. They are known for their artwork, weaving, wood and metal crafts and epic literature, the
Darangen.