Binisaya is the term we use for our language. It is spoken by about 20 million people in the islands of the Visayas and Mindanao. Mostly it is referred to as Cebuano.
It's myopic to trace our origin in the island of Cebu. Before our forefathers arrived in the island of Cebu they were already Bisaya. The word "visaya" was first recorded as the bay of Lianga in Surigao del Sur.
Linguistically we are closely related to the Surigaonon. Linguists had traced our origin as somewhere in Northeast Mindanao. Somewhere between Surigao and Agusan. If you been paying attention to the gold cache found in Magruyong, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur. Those golden treasure were surely Hindu inspired. (The golds are now exhibited in the Ayala Museum). The SriVijaya connection is still not clear yet, but it gives some credence that once we part of it.
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Origin of Bisaya
It's myopic to trace our origin in the island of Cebu. Before our forefathers arrived in the island of Cebu they were already Bisaya. The word "visaya" was first recorded as the bay of Lianga in Surigao del Sur.
Linguistically we are closely related to the Surigaonon. Linguists had traced our origin as somewhere in Northeast Mindanao. Somewhere between Surigao and Agusan. If you been paying attention to the gold cache found in Magruyong, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur. Those golden treasure were surely Hindu inspired. (The golds are now exhibited in the Ayala Museum). The SriVijaya connection is still not clear yet, but it gives some credence that once we part of it.