datu

American  

[dah-too] / ˈdɑ tu /

noun

plural

datu, datus

1. (in the Philippines) a Native chief.

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Etymology

Origin of datu

First recorded in 1925–30; from Tagalog datu, dato “landowner, head of a clan or tribe”; akin to dato ( def. )

Example Sentences

Last month, the Philippine government said one person was injured when a water cannon attack by a China Coast Guard vessel shattered a window on the bridge of another fisheries bureau ship, the BRP Datu Gumbay Piang, near the Beijing-controlled Scarborough Shoal.

From Barron's

Datu Mohamad Sinsuat Jr, a local councillor, said that he has told local officials to strictly enforce the ban on hunting sea turtles in the region, vowing “this food poisoning incident will never happen again”.

From BBC

Residents of Datu Blah Sinsuat, a coastal town known for its white, sandy beaches and clear waters, frequently get their food from the sea.

From BBC

But the worst storm impact so far was a mudslide laden with rainwater, rocks and trees that buried dozens of houses with as many as 60 people in the tribal village of Kusiong in Maguindanao’s Datu Odin Sinsuat town, Sinarimbo told The Associated Press by telephone, citing accounts from Kusiong villagers, who survived the flash flood and mudslide.

From Seattle Times

Citing reports from mayors, governors and disaster-response officials, Sinarimbo said 27 died mostly by drowning and landslides in Datu Odin Sinsuat town, 10 in Datu Blah Sinsuat town and five in Upi town, all in Maguindanao.

From Seattle Times