Historians believe that the Negritos or Atis tribe was the earliest to settle on Panay Island. Oral history passed down as "Maragtas" says that ten "datus" or small tribal leaders fled persecution in a Borneo town called Odtohan by a tyrannical ruler named Makatunaw.[7] Led by Datu Put, the ten data sailed north with their families and communities, landing in Panay after leaving Borneo.[8] Maragtie's account is said to be dated to 1212 to coincide with the transition of the Srivijayan kingdom to Majapahit, but there is no written evidence for this and no surviving claims linking the account to Borneo. However, the story of Maragtas must be considered part of the local history of the nation. Upon arrival, Malay intelligence met Ati chief Datu Marikudo and his wife Maniwantiwan. They offered the chief a salak (wide-brimmed hat)[9] (an exaggeration, according to today's locals, that it was pure gold), which contained, among other things, a gold necklace, earrings, bracelets and jewelry that they had worn when they fled Borneo. as a sign of respect gifts of pearls and beautiful clothes and to buy land for them to live on. Datu Marikudo responded to the generosity of the information by giving the lowlands to the Malays and moved to the mountains with his Ati tribe because the mountains are sacred to them. The legacy of that landing is celebrated every year during the Binirayan festival in ancient times.[10]
Panay Island was then divided into three parts: Hantik, Akean and Irong-Irong. Irong-Irong became Iloilo, Akean became present-day Aklan and Capiz, and Hantik (also called Hamtik or Hamtik) in ancient times. Hantik was named after the large black ants found on the island called "hantik-hantik".[11]
Hantik's sakupi was given to Datu Sumakwel, one of the ten data, who according to tradition was a master swordsman and the wisest. These three sakupi were later governed as a political unit called Madja-asin Kedatuan, also under the leadership of Datu Sumakweli. Datu Sumakwel founded the town of Malandog, which is considered the first Malay settlement in the country. Malandog is now a barangay in the current municipality of Hamtic, named after a historical sakup.
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