The Fir Tree by Hans Christian Andersen, translated by Jose Rizal


In 1886, Jose Rizal translated five stories written in 1845 by Danish storyteller Hans Christian Andersen. He sent the Tagalog versions of these stories to his nieces and nephews to the Philippines so they would have an idea what kind of stories are read by European children.  One of the stories he translated was “The Fir Tree,”  which came with an sketch (shared above) of family around the Christmas tree. 

Filipino children (and the young-at-heart) today could enjoy “The Fir Tree” and other stories after the Danish Embassy in the Philippines and Anvil Publishing released Hans Christian Andersen and Jose Rizal: From Denmark to the Philippines. This book is a compilation of the classic Andersen fairy tales translated by the country’s foremost hero: “The Fir Tree” (“Ang Punong Pino”), “Thumbelina” (“Si Gahinlalaki”), “The Ugly Duckling” (“Ang Pangit na Sisiw na Pato”), “The Angel” (“Ang Sugo”), and “The Little Matchgirl” (“Ang Batang Babaeng May Dalang Sakafuego”).

Since its Christmas day today, enjoy this English version of The Fir Tree. Merry Christmas!

FAR down in the forest, where the warm sun and the fresh air made a sweet resting-place, grew a pretty little fir-tree; and yet it was not happy, it wished so much to be tall like its companions— the pines and firs which grew around it. The sun shone, and the soft air fluttered its leaves, and the little peasant children passed by, prattling merrily, but the fir-tree heeded them not. Sometimes the children would bring a large basket of raspberries or strawberries, wreathed on a straw, and seat themselves near the fir-tree, and say, “Is it not a pretty little tree?” which made it feel more unhappy than before. And yet all this while the tree grew a notch or joint taller every year; for by the number of joints in the stem of a fir-tree we can discover its age. Still, as it grew, it complained, “Oh! how I wish I were as tall as the other trees, then I would spread out my branches on every side, and my top would over-look the wide world.

 I should have the birds building their nests on my boughs, and when the wind blew, I should bow with stately dignity like my tall companions.” The tree was so discontented, that it took no pleasure in the warm sunshine, the birds, or the rosy clouds that floated over it morning and evening. Sometimes, in winter, when the snow lay white and glittering on the ground, a hare would come springing along, and jump right over the little tree; and then how mortified it would feel! Two winters passed, and when the third arrived, the tree had grown so tall that the hare was obliged to run round it. Yet it remained unsatisfied, and would exclaim, “Oh, if I could but keep on growing tall and old! There is nothing else worth caring for in the world!” In the autumn, as usual, the wood-cutters came and cut down several of the tallest trees, and the young fir-tree, which was now grown to its full height, shuddered as the noble trees fell to the earth with a crash. After the branches were lopped off, the trunks looked so slender and bare, that they could scarcely be recognized. Then they were placed upon wagons, and drawn by horses out of the forest. “Where were they going? What would become of them?” The young fir-tree wished very much to know; so in the spring, when the swallows and the storks came, it asked, “Do you know where those trees were taken? Did you meet them?”

The swallows knew nothing, but the stork, after a little reflection, nodded his head, and said, “Yes, I think I do. I met several new ships when I flew from Egypt, and they had fine masts that smelt like fir. I think these must have been the trees; I assure you they were stately, very stately.”

“Oh, how I wish I were tall enough to go on the sea,” said the fir-tree. “What is the sea, and what does it look like?”

“It would take too much time to explain,” said the stork, flying quickly away.

“Rejoice in thy youth,” said the sunbeam; “rejoice in thy fresh growth, and the young life that is in thee.”

And the wind kissed the tree, and the dew watered it with tears; but the fir-tree regarded them not.

Christmas-time drew near, and many young trees were cut down, some even smaller and younger than the fir-tree who enjoyed neither rest nor peace with longing to leave its forest home. These young trees, which were chosen for their beauty, kept their branches, and were also laid on wagons and drawn by horses out of the forest.

“Where are they going?” asked the fir-tree. “They are not taller than I am: indeed, one is much less; and why are the branches not cut off? Where are they going?”

“We know, we know,” sang the sparrows; “we have looked in at the windows of the houses in the town, and we know what is done with them. They are dressed up in the most splendid manner. We have seen them standing in the middle of a warm room, and adorned with all sorts of beautiful things,—honey cakes, gilded apples, playthings, and many hundreds of wax tapers.”

“And then,” asked the fir-tree, trembling through all its branches, “and then what happens?”

“We did not see any more,” said the sparrows; “but this was enough for us.”

“I wonder whether anything so brilliant will ever happen to me,” thought the fir-tree. “It would be much better than crossing the sea. I long for it almost with pain. Oh! when will Christmas be here? I am now as tall and well grown as those which were taken away last year. Oh! that I were now laid on the wagon, or standing in the warm room, with all that brightness and splendor around me! Something better and more beautiful is to come after, or the trees would not be so decked out. Yes, what follows will be grander and more splendid. What can it be? I am weary with longing. I scarcely know how I feel.”

“Rejoice with us,” said the air and the sunlight. “Enjoy thine own bright life in the fresh air.”

But the tree would not rejoice, though it grew taller every day; and, winter and summer, its dark-green foliage might be seen in the forest, while passers by would say, “What a beautiful tree!”

A short time before Christmas, the discontented fir-tree was the first to fall. As the axe cut through the stem, and divided the pith, the tree fell with a groan to the earth, conscious of pain and faintness, and forgetting all its anticipations of happiness, in sorrow at leaving its home in the forest. It knew that it should never again see its dear old companions, the trees, nor the little bushes and many-colored flowers that had grown by its side; perhaps not even the birds. Neither was the journey at all pleasant. The tree first recovered itself while being unpacked in the courtyard of a house, with several other trees; and it heard a man say, “We only want one, and this is the prettiest.”

Then came two servants in grand livery, and carried the fir-tree into a large and beautiful apartment. On the walls hung pictures, and near the great stove stood great china vases, with lions on the lids. There were rocking chairs, silken sofas, large tables, covered with pictures, books, and playthings, worth a great deal of money,—at least, the children said so. Then the fir-tree was placed in a large tub, full of sand; but green baize hung all around it, so that no one could see it was a tub, and it stood on a very handsome carpet. How the fir-tree trembled! “What was going to happen to him now?” Some young ladies came, and the servants helped them to adorn the tree. On one branch they hung little bags cut out of colored paper, and each bag was filled with sweetmeats; from other branches hung gilded apples and walnuts, as if they had grown there; and above, and all round, were hundreds of red, blue, and white tapers, which were fastened on the branches. Dolls, exactly like real babies, were placed under the green leaves,—the tree had never seen such things before,—and at the very top was fastened a glittering star, made of tinsel. Oh, it was very beautiful!

“This evening,” they all exclaimed, “how bright it will be!” “Oh, that the evening were come,” thought the tree, “and the tapers lighted! then I shall know what else is going to happen. Will the trees of the forest come to see me? I wonder if the sparrows will peep in at the windows as they fly? shall I grow faster here, and keep on all these ornaments summer and winter?” But guessing was of very little use; it made his bark ache, and this pain is as bad for a slender fir-tree, as headache is for us. At last the tapers were lighted, and then what a glistening blaze of light the tree presented! It trembled so with joy in all its branches, that one of the candles fell among the green leaves and burnt some of them. “Help! help!” exclaimed the young ladies, but there was no danger, for they quickly extinguished the fire. After this, the tree tried not to tremble at all, though the fire frightened him; he was so anxious not to hurt any of the beautiful ornaments, even while their brilliancy dazzled him. And now the folding doors were thrown open, and a troop of children rushed in as if they intended to upset the tree; they were followed more silently by their elders. For a moment the little ones stood silent with astonishment, and then they shouted for joy, till the room rang, and they danced merrily round the tree, while one present after another was taken from it.

“What are they doing? What will happen next?” thought the fir. At last the candles burnt down to the branches and were put out. Then the children received permission to plunder the tree.

Oh, how they rushed upon it, till the branches cracked, and had it not been fastened with the glistening star to the ceiling, it must have been thrown down. The children then danced about with their pretty toys, and no one noticed the tree, except the children’s maid who came and peeped among the branches to see if an apple or a fig had been forgotten.

“A story, a story,” cried the children, pulling a little fat man towards the tree.

“Now we shall be in the green shade,” said the man, as he seated himself under it, “and the tree will have the pleasure of hearing also, but I shall only relate one story; what shall it be? Ivede-Avede, or Humpty Dumpty, who fell down stairs, but soon got up again, and at last married a princess.”

“Ivede-Avede,” cried some. “Humpty Dumpty,” cried others, and there was a fine shouting and crying out. But the fir-tree remained quite still, and thought to himself, “Shall I have anything to do with all this?” but he had already amused them as much as they wished. Then the old man told them the story of Humpty Dumpty, how he fell down stairs, and was raised up again, and married a princess. And the children clapped their hands and cried, “Tell another, tell another,” for they wanted to hear the story of “Ivede-Avede;” but they only had “Humpty Dumpty.” After this the fir-tree became quite silent and thoughtful; never had the birds in the forest told such tales as “Humpty Dumpty,” who fell down stairs, and yet married a princess.

“Ah! yes, so it happens in the world,” thought the fir-tree; he believed it all, because it was related by such a nice man. “Ah! well,” he thought, “who knows? perhaps I may fall down too, and marry a princess;” and he looked forward joyfully to the next evening, expecting to be again decked out with lights and playthings, gold and fruit. “To-morrow I will not tremble,” thought he; “I will enjoy all my splendor, and I shall hear the story of Humpty Dumpty again, and perhaps Ivede-Avede.” And the tree remained quiet and thoughtful all night. In the morning the servants and the housemaid came in. “Now,” thought the fir, “all my splendor is going to begin again.” But they dragged him out of the room and up stairs to the garret, and threw him on the floor, in a dark corner, where no daylight shone, and there they left him. “What does this mean?” thought the tree, “what am I to do here? I can hear nothing in a place like this,” and he had time enough to think, for days and nights passed and no one came near him, and when at last somebody did come, it was only to put away large boxes in a corner. So the tree was completely hidden from sight as if it had never existed. “It is winter now,” thought the tree, “the ground is hard and covered with snow, so that people cannot plant me. I shall be sheltered here, I dare say, until spring comes. How thoughtful and kind everybody is to me! Still I wish this place were not so dark, as well as lonely, with not even a little hare to look at. How pleasant it was out in the forest while the snow lay on the ground, when the hare would run by, yes, and jump over me too, although I did not like it then. Oh! it is terrible lonely here.”

“Squeak, squeak,” said a little mouse, creeping cautiously towards the tree; then came another; and they both sniffed at the fir-tree and crept between the branches.

“Oh, it is very cold,” said the little mouse, “or else we should be so comfortable here, shouldn’t we, you old fir-tree?”

“I am not old,” said the fir-tree, “there are many who are older than I am.”

“Where do you come from? and what do you know?” asked the mice, who were full of curiosity. “Have you seen the most beautiful places in the world, and can you tell us all about them? and have you been in the storeroom, where cheeses lie on the shelf, and hams hang from the ceiling? One can run about on tallow candles there, and go in thin and come out fat.”

“I know nothing of that place,” said the fir-tree, “but I know the wood where the sun shines and the birds sing.” And then the tree told the little mice all about its youth. They had never heard such an account in their lives; and after they had listened to it attentively, they said, “What a number of things you have seen? you must have been very happy.”

“Happy!” exclaimed the fir-tree, and then as he reflected upon what he had been telling them, he said, “Ah, yes! after all those were happy days.” But when he went on and related all about Christmas-eve, and how he had been dressed up with cakes and lights, the mice said, “How happy you must have been, you old fir-tree.”

“I am not old at all,” replied the tree, “I only came from the forest this winter, I am now checked in my growth.”

“What splendid stories you can relate,” said the little mice. And the next night four other mice came with them to hear what the tree had to tell. The more he talked the more he remembered, and then he thought to himself, “Those were happy days, but they may come again. Humpty Dumpty fell down stairs, and yet he married the princess; perhaps I may marry a princess too.” And the fir-tree thought of the pretty little birch-tree that grew in the forest, which was to him a real beautiful princess.

“Who is Humpty Dumpty?” asked the little mice. And then the tree related the whole story; he could remember every single word, and the little mice was so delighted with it, that they were ready to jump to the top of the tree. The next night a great many more mice made their appearance, and on Sunday two rats came with them; but they said, it was not a pretty story at all, and the little mice were very sorry, for it made them also think less of it.

“Do you know only one story?” asked the rats.

“Only one,” replied the fir-tree; “I heard it on the happiest evening of my life; but I did not know I was so happy at the time.”

“We think it is a very miserable story,” said the rats. “Don’t you know any story about bacon, or tallow in the storeroom.”

“No,” replied the tree.

“Many thanks to you then,” replied the rats, and they marched off.

The little mice also kept away after this, and the tree sighed, and said, “It was very pleasant when the merry little mice sat round me and listened while I talked. Now that is all passed too. However, I shall consider myself happy when some one comes to take me out of this place.” But would this ever happen? Yes; one morning people came to clear out the garret, the boxes were packed away, and the tree was pulled out of the corner, and thrown roughly on the garret floor; then the servant dragged it out upon the staircase where the daylight shone. “Now life is beginning again,” said the tree, rejoicing in the sunshine and fresh air. Then it was carried down stairs and taken into the courtyard so quickly, that it forgot to think of itself, and could only look about, there was so much to be seen. The court was close to a garden, where everything looked blooming. Fresh and fragrant roses hung over the little palings. 

The linden-trees were in blossom; while the swallows flew here and there, crying, “Twit, twit, twit, my mate is coming,”—but it was not the fir-tree they meant. “Now I shall live,” cried the tree, joyfully spreading out its branches; but alas! they were all withered and yellow, and it lay in a corner amongst weeds and nettles. The star of gold paper still stuck in the top of the tree and glittered in the sunshine. In the same courtyard two of the merry children were playing who had danced round the tree at Christmas, and had been so happy. The youngest saw the gilded star, and ran and pulled it off the tree. “Look what is sticking to the ugly old fir-tree,” said the child, treading on the branches till they crackled under his boots. And the tree saw all the fresh bright flowers in the garden, and then looked at itself, and wished it had remained in the dark corner of the garret. It thought of its fresh youth in the forest, of the merry Christmas evening, and of the little mice who had listened to the story of “Humpty Dumpty.” “Past! past!” said the old tree; “Oh, had I but enjoyed myself while I could have done so! but now it is too late.” Then a lad came and chopped the tree into small pieces, till a large bundle lay in a heap on the ground. The pieces were placed in a fire under the copper, and they quickly blazed up brightly, while the tree sighed so deeply that each sigh was like a pistol-shot. Then the children, who were at play, came and seated themselves in front of the fire, and looked at it and cried, “Pop, pop.” But at each “pop,” which was a deep sigh, the tree was thinking of a summer day in the forest; and of Christmas evening, and of “Humpty Dumpty,” the only story it had ever heard or knew how to relate, till at last it was consumed. The boys still played in the garden, and the youngest wore the golden star on his breast, with which the tree had been adorned during the happiest evening of its existence. Now all was past; the tree’s life was past, and the story also,—for all stories must come to an end at last.


Christmas in the Philippines: An Affair of Faith, Food, Family


Legend has it that the first Christmas celebrated in the Philippines  took place almost 200 years even before Ferdinand Magellan set foot on the islands. In the town of Bolinao in Pangasinan, in the year 1324, Odoric of Pordenone, a Franciscan missionary, was said to have taken shelter on the shores of this part of the archipelago.  It was about Christmastime, the story goes, and Odoric was faced by “hostile natives” who did not take their appearance. I think they were not hostile, though. Surprise or puzzled are more apt terms to describe them. Maybe.  The European guests uttered their prayers and in an instant the locals had a change of heart and treated the Italian guest and his company on a friendlier terms. Odoric then celebrated the first Christmas mass in the archipelago. A marker was placed outside the St. James the Great Parish Church in Bolinao.

In 1565, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi reached what is now the Philippines  and he initially established the first Spanish settlement in Cebu, scouring the nearby islands to search for food and exact tributes in the name of the Spanish king. In Cebu, they have had a hard time securing provisions. They were so deficient with supplies that Christmas of 1565 was sad and desperate affair. While relations in Mexico enjoyed sumptuous luncheons amidst merriment, Legazpi and his troops, on the other hand, endured their wretched situation an ocean away, amidst native resistance. They would have to compete with rats for the pittance of corn and herbs that was rationed for their consumption.

This first Christmas celebration was a stark contrast to how the Spanish and the natives would celebrate the birth of Christ in the years to come. As Spanish rule was firmly established, Christmas became a significant part of the religious activities zealously introduced to the natives as part of the evangelical missions of the Spanish preachers.

October through January were months of harvests and folks were up earlier to start their day in the field. December 16 through January 6 were dates associated with Christmas festivities. December 16 is the start of the dawn masses or misa de gallo Spanish, simbang gabi ni Tagalog, and misa dulom in Hiligaynon.  For nine mornings until Christmas eve, the Catholic faithfuls would rise at 3 and head to the church for the 4am mass. The celebrations culminate on December 24 with the midnight mass, called Misa de Aguinaldo, officiated at 12 midnight of the 25th to welcome the birth of Christ.

The misa de gallo is meant as a mass of thanksgiving for a fruitful harvest and to pray for bounty in the coming year.  Some say it is a form of accommodation for the farmers who wanted to be in the field  at the crack of dawn. Others, however, believed that the dawn mass is a form of sacrifice. Regardless, the tradition of misa de gallo has become a Christmas tradition in the Philippines.

The early morning chilly wind is best tempered by freshly steamed kakanin (sweet native finger foods) sold at bamboo stalls outside the church. Puto bumbong, suman and bibingka are perennial favorite fares, partnered by salabat and tsokolate as the ideal choices for hot drinks.

Attending the Misa de Aguinaldo is a family affair, after which everyone returns home where a feast awaits on the dinner table.  The Noche Buena, translated as night of goodness, is the traditional meal shared by the family after the midnight mass. Families usually share all-time favorite Christmas staples, like ham, lumpia, roast chicken, and quezo de bola. The more well-to-do could have lechon (roasted suckling pig), especially if the noche Buena serves as a family reunion.  According to food historian Doreen G. Fernandez, it is the most important meal of the year, “not only hallowed by the birth of Christ, by Christian tradition and family customs, but by life forces earlier than anyone remembers, by stirrings of the Filipino ethos.”

While the first Christmas in the Philippines was a grim and gloomy affair, Filipinos today have embraced well this European introduce and take it as a time to gather together, give thanks and enjoy the blessings on the dinner table.

 

The Spanish fort in Panay

Panay Church in the town of Panay, Capiz, the town said to be location of settlement founded by the Spaniards after Cebu.

In his Relation of the Western Islands Called Filipinas, Captain Diego de Artieda described to King Philip II in 1573 the fort that he planned in the newly established settlement “between the two arms of a river” on Panay Island. Local historians agree that this settlement serve as the nucleus of what is now the town of Panay in Capiz, one of the four provinces of Panay island.

Artieda writes:

Northwest of Buglas lies Panae, an island abounding in rice and all kinds of provisions. The camp was moved thither, and, as abovesaid, I drew the plan of the said fort between the two arms of a river, because it is impossible to effect an entrance by one arm. In the other arm and below the fort, fourteen gabions were made and twelve large pieces of artillery mounted for the defense of the entrance and passage. The fort is situated two and one-half leagues inland, and the ground all the way to the fort is a swamp, covered with tangles of bushes; so that enemies can approach the said fort only through the river, where are planted the above-mentioned gabions and artillery. The position is excellent, and such that it needs only a few men to defend it against many. The bar of the river is not more than one braza deep; and its coast thereabout, for more than twenty leagues, is very forbidding. Its center lies in about eleven and one-third degrees of latitude.


Fray Diego de Herrera’s impressions of the Spanish settlement along Panay River

On June 4, 1570, three ships from New Spain reached the Philippines. It contained the much-needed reinforcements for the tired and hungry Spanish troops who transferred their settlement from Cebu to Panay River. On June 7, they reached Mariripi where they rested for a while. Here they learned from the natives that the governor, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, had moved to Panay. In Fray Diego de Herrera’s letter to the viceroy of New Spain written in the last days of June 1570, he reported that from Mariripi, he and Captain Juan de la Ysla went to visit the Governor to Panay so that they may know where he wanted the vessels to go “for there is no port in Panay  and ships must take cover near a small island lying at the mouth of the river where the governor lives.” He adds that the island was “dangerous for vessels as the pilots and quartermasters believe.”

However, reading Herrera’s letter, one could surmise that he was disappointed with the governor’s decision of settling in Panay. He even remarked that “many were of different opinion” when he told de la Isla to send the ships to Panay. 

Part of Herrera’s letter also gives an overall impression at how badly he disliked the place: 

“I myself thought that his decision was wrong for the port was bad and it would be hard to unload the vessels. Also there was over one league and a half from the anchorage to the town and the sandbar at the mouth of the river made passage difficult. Nevertheless, on June 22, the vessels got there and when the men aboard saw this sad and stricken place in which we are now settled they were sad. The swamps looked bad  and the houses were built by the bank of the river where the water is brackish so that when the river rises it is necessary to go by the boat from house to house. It is hot and unhealthy and it rains day and night and although before we came, food was abundant now we lacked food.”

Herrera also reported to the viceroy the abuses committed by the Spanish soldiers and observed that they “despised” Legazpi. 

When he arrived in Panay, Herrera noted:

“I found the land in ashes and the soldiers free to do all sorts of wrong so that they are stealing and ravishing the land and they hunt the natives to sell them as slaves and I learned that there had been so much bloodshed that that I was sad in my soul especially as I learned that these wrongs were not unpunished.”

In fact, all these wrongs unpunished went on for the next 300 years. Today, while we prize the town of Panay as the second Spanish settlement in the Philippines, we should not forget as well that the colonizers also pillaged our land and abused our forefathers all for the name of gold and glory.

Remembering Ilig Exhibition


On December 7, 2019, Ang Panublion Museum launched an exhibit called "Ilig: Time-Honored Fishing Methods and Practices in Roxas City". It was a highlight of a one-year research that started as a project funded by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts where I was part of a team that documented fishing practices of Capiz. Together with Dr. Hazel Joaquin and Ralph Gerard Cadiz of Capiz State University, I visited different fishing communities in some towns in Capiz where we interviewed fisher folks and their families, took photographs and videos, and experienced how life was in these coastal communities. 

Since the project covered only one fishing community in Roxas City, I decided to continue the research, which became the topic of a master's degree thesis funded by the Commission on Higher Education. One time, I was with a meeting to Ang Panublion Museum director, Cheryl Anne del Rosario, and artist Marika Constantino and I brought up the idea of exhibiting about the fishing practices of Roxas City in time for the Sinadya festival. Cheryl beamed with joy upon hearing it while Marika thought of it as an interesting concept. The work began with Cheche, Marika and I, as well as Leiff Antonino, the museum's creative assistant, which led us to scour different seaside barangays for boats, nets, paddles, and other fishing gears. We also worked with local artists to get them to exhibit their work depicting fishing practices. Researching and curating an exhibit is an exhausting job but the output is fulfilling. 

To give you an idea about what the exhibition was about, here's the note that I wrote and shared to visitors. 

The Province of Capiz, which faces the Sibuyan Sea, is replete with marine resources that sustain the livelihood of the locals in this area. Roxas City, the province’s capital, is dubbed as the Seafood Capital of the Philippines with the wealth of natural resources that come from the sea. It supplies export seafood products to various countries such as Taiwan, Japan and the United States. The main aquaculture farms are oyster and milk fish farms that take advantage of natural tidal bays and other low-lying areas near the coast. For years, the fishing communities of Roxas City have developed fishing methods and practices, employing fishing gears which are either stationary or non-stationary. These contribute to the rich cultural landscape of the Philippines, forming part of the community bank of knowledge abundant in these places.

Fisher folks acquired their knowledge in fishing processes through their constant interaction with their parents and their colleagues in the community. Specifically, emphasis is placed on learning by doing through repeated practice over time rather than by simple observation and replication.

These days, though, passing on traditional knowledge in fishing to the younger generation has diminished. Ilig is an attempt to help bridge the gap and bring awareness to the teachers and students, especially the younger generation about this intangible heritage at risk of modernization and technology. 

The exhibit lasted for only 13 days because it was a casualty of Typhoon Ursula that swept Capiz on Christmas Day. Nevertheless, enjoy the photos of the exhibition which I am sharing below!   








Happy Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception!


"Oh, Mary, conceived without sin, please pray for us." 

 Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.  Since time immemorial, the Catholic faithful of Capiz have always maintained its veneration to the Immaculate Conception, a religious tradition introduced by the Agustinian friars to our ancestors who embraced the Christian doctrine. 

Access "Handuman" articles on Facebook and Instagram with these tags  #christianschronicles #capizheritage #handumanancapiz #capizhistory. You could also check them here on my blog. 

Legazpi moves the Spanish camp somewhere by the Panay River

Miguel Lopez de Legazpi

 In 1565, Spanish explorers led by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi arrived in what is today Cebu with the hopes of establishing a settlement in the name of King Philip II and preach the Christian gospel. However, they met the native resistance. Hunger and threats of Portuguese attacks forced Legazpi and company to move to the nearby Panay island, which, according to Luis de Haya, abounds with rice. Haya earlier reached the island as he searched for food upon the governor's order. Natives who went to Panay also told them of the bountiful supply in this part of the archipelago. 

With reinforcements from New Spain (present-day Mexico) yet unavailable, the governor thought it wise to move in this land where food runs aplenty. 

With this decision to move to Panay, Andres de Mirandaola, a nephew of Fray Andres de Urdaneta and who was with Legazpi in Cebu, wrote King Philip II on June 8, 1569, telling the sovereign:  

…it was decided to change the site and situation of this camp to a province called Panae, where it is believed that we can hold out until your Majesty provide us with help and reënforcements, in order that your Majesty's affairs and vassals may not be so injured by the vassals of the king of Portugal- a place where no damage may be done, for never since these parts were discovered have the Portuguese resorted thither, and neither the king of Portugal nor his vassals had trade or commerce, nor can they possess anything there.

On July 7, 1569, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, still in Cebu, in a letter to the Marquess de Falces, the viceroy of New Spain, wrote:

All agreed that we should change our location and settlement, because it would be impossible to defend ourselves here where they could, simply by closing the entrances to the port, as they did at first, starve us, on account of the lack of food on this island. In view of other causes and arguments set forth for this change, we thought that the river Panae, situated forty leagues from this place, would be a more suitable site, for it abounds in rice, and no one from the sea could prevent us from going up the river to the mountains. Accordingly we have removed thither the artillery, although the quantity of powder and ammunition now remaining is so small that the artillery can be of little help in any place. We have decided to send the companies around the river into other towns, where they can sustain themselves until we hear from the enemy.

By this time, a settlement along the Panay River was already established , after Legazpi sent Captain Felipe de Salcedo to accompany the soldiers and the artillery to this part of Panay island. 

The Spaniards rested in Olotayan

For 40 days in 1570, Spanish conquerors, tired from endless days and nights on rough seas, rested in Olotayan Island. From here, three missionaries set out to preach the Catholic faith while the soldiers and sailors repaired two ships for a voyage back to New Spain. 

A view of Olotayan, taken in 2015, by CGFA

Some time in May 1570, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, already settled in Panay, received a letter from Juan de la Isla, who was resting in Mariripi Island, informing him that he had already arrived from New Spain. He brought with him three new ships containing the much needed reinforcements. These ships were the San Juan, Espirtu Santo and the patache San Lucas. de la Isla asked the governor where to proceed with the ships and the governor directed them to proceed to Lutaya (present-day Olotayan), a small, uninhabited island facing the mouth of the Panay River. Of these accounts, Fray Gaspar de San Agustin, in Conquistas de las islas Filipinas 1565-1615, wrote:

“He [de la Isla] inquired where to go with the ships. The governor informed him to go to the island of Lutaya, fronting the mouth of the Panay River... Juan de la Isla reached Lutaya, and anchored in a port there, which was small and unprotected on the south and southeast. He dropped anchor with the three ships on June 23, 1570.”

On board these ships and most likely landing on the island were three missionaries from  Mexico, Fray Diego de Herrera, Fray Diego Ordonez, and Fray Diego de Espinar. Here in Olotayan, de la Isla rested and spent 40 days repairing San Juan and Espiritu Santo for a trip back to Mexico. The ships might have been loaded with indigenous finds the Spaniards obtained from the island, including 12 pimento trees, possibly obtained by Legazpi from the settlement along Panay river, and was offered as a gift to King Philip II. On July 25, 1570, Juan de la Isla sailed back to New Spain.

It is important to note that it is in Panay where Legazpi received specific orders from the Spanish king to “populate and pacify these islands for conversion of the natives” and to “divide the land and endow land grants to the most worthy conquerors”. It was also in Panay where Legazpi received the news that the king had conferred upon him the title “Adelantado of the Ladrones islands” as a reward for having taken the island in the name of the King of Spain.

Arroz from Panay, the “Sicily of the Philippines”


In the island of Panay, legend has it that a grain of palay was once large enough to fill the pot [1]. Man needed not sow and raise the grain because it abounded everywhere, bearing fruit so easily. One day, a man became too tired of the palay’s abundance. Worried that his storage would fill quickly, he pounded the palay hard and tough until the solid grain turned into bits and pieces. Bathala saw what he did and the angry god decided the mere mortal deserves a punishment. “From now on,” the almighty said, “You will toil for every grain of palay!  You will sow and plant and harvest and pound every rice that would make into your stomach! Every drop of sweat for every grain you eat.”  

The quest for rice is often associated with man’s never ending need for sustenance and survival. Rice is the preferred staple and it was grown everywhere in the Philippines, although early Spanish settlers found this grain abundant in Panay Island. Rice comes in various names. The Visayans call it called humay, tipasi, or paray. The Panayanons planted rice following the direction of the stars, the movement of the winds, and the song of the birds. Miguel Lopez de Legaspi observed that the natives would harvest rice every October and November [2]. For the Sulud society, practicing rice rituals is necessary for the success of every phase involved, from marking (panuos) and clearing of the site where rice is to be planted (panabi-tabi, tadag), to planting (paminhi), caring (handugan) and preharvest (luy-ahan) [3]. Every step of the way, the blessings of the spirits would have to be sought to ensure bountiful yield.

The Spaniards, under Legaspi, in Cebu have had a hard time securing provisions. They were so deficient with supplies that Christmas of 1565 and New Year of 1566 were spent eating corn, while relations in Mexico enjoyed sumptuous luncheons amidst merriment. They, on the other hand, amidst their wretched situation an ocean away, would have to endure native hostilities and compete with rats for the pittance of corn and herbs that remained for consumption.

  The drive to search for food led the Spaniards to explore the nearby islands and that was how they learned about the abundance of the archipelago. Legaspi’s maestre de campo (aide-de-camp), Juan de la Isla, reached Araut (later called Dumangas), in Panay Island, where he found 300 fanegas of rice (1 fanegas approximately 25.40 kilogram) [4]. It was then that the Spanish leader learned about this island of plentiful rice and honey. 

With the threat of Portuguese attacks, Legaspi ordered the transfer of their camp to the island of Panay, where, in 1569, they settled by the river of the same name, an “impregnable” place and one that abounds with “everything necessary to resist enemy invasion.” [4]

“… we thought that the river Panae would be a more suitable site," wrote Legaspi to the Marquis de Falcis,  "for it abounds in rice, and no one from the sea could prevent us from going up the river to the mountains.”  [5] Unlike the unwelcoming natives in Cebu, the hospitality showed by the Panayanons impressed the Spaniards. When Legaspi finally arrived in Panay, he was “lovingly received”[4] by the two native leaders, Madidum and Manicabug. 

“The people are populous, with a more docile nature than any of the Pintados,” Fr. Gaspar de San Agustin later wrote. Early Spanish settlers called the Visayans Pintados because of their their tattoed skin. The natives planted rice to such an extent that their “abundance is unbelievable on this island.” It is probably because of its fertile earth that the island was called the Sicily of the Philippines by Fr. de San Agustin. 

The sustenance and the goodwill received by the Spaniards would place them at an advantageous position as they set out to conquer the nearby Mindoro and, eventually, Manila. Panay’s abundance of rice, on the other hand, would linger for generations. ( Image under Creative Commons attribution.)

Reference: 

[1] Amorita C.Rabuco (2006). Hiligaynon Mythological Stories and Folktales: Analysis and Translation. Iloilo City: University of San Agustin Publishing House. 

[2] William Henry Scott (1994). Barangay: Sixteenth Century Philippine Culture and Society. Ateneo de Manila University Press.

[3] F. Landa Jocano (1958). Corn and Rice Rituals among the Sulod of Central Panay, Philippines. Philippine Journal of Science, 87 (4).

[4] Gaspar de San Agustin (1998). Conquistas de las islas de Filipinas (1565-1615), translated by Luis Antonio Maneru. Manila: San Agustin Museum. 

[5] Letter from Miguel Lopez de Legazpi to the Marques de Falces, in E.H. Blair and J.A. Robertson (eds). The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803, Volume 3, 1569-1576. Cleveland: The Arthur H. Clark Co., 1907, 1908.

The White Cross of Dumalag


In the early 1600s, Spanish missionaries in Dumalag observed “beautifully worked stone-crosses that fall with lighting.” [1] The occurrence came in regular frequency on the foot of the hill called Panguilngalon  (another version calls in Pamligaron [2]) (now Mt. Blanco). The hill took its name from the surprise that came with sudden thunder and lightning on its tip. When lightning strikes crosses fall from the sky, the natives claimed.

The mountain hosts a series of caves believed to be the abode of babaylanes. In the middle is an altar where natives from all around Panay Island frequent and place their offerings in exchange for the oracles and visions from the priestesses. Christian missionaries, though, alleged that these babaylanes were talking to the devils.

A certain Fr. Morales, unable to convince the natives of the devils residing in the cave, was already bent to abandon the town. One day he went up to the mountain accompanied by many parishioners. There he celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Hardly had the celebration ended when a furious storm broke out with torrential rainfall, accompanied by lightning and thunder. With the rainfall, many little white crosses fell like what the women used to wear around their neck. Some were light blue, others in darker hues. They were described to be “perfectly crafted, the four arms being in equal size, with four perfect corners throughout it all” [1] and seemed to be cut in diamonds.

Many miracles were associated with the white cross. One native who happened to pick the cross claimed his crops were never plagued by grasshoppers. He would secretly bury the cross in the middle of his rice field and unearth it after harvest. Another was healed from her asthma when she dipped the cross in a glass of water before drinking it. [1]

One cross fell near the Mapanag river and native, upon seeing it, picked it up and gave it to the Prior of Panay who in turn presented it to the convent of Santo Niño de Cebu [2]. The white crosses, however, got lost in time. (Image under Creative Commons license)

 References

 [1] Gaspar de San Agustin (1998). Conquistas de las islas de Filipinas (1565-1615), translated by Luis Antonio Maneru. Manila: San Agustin Museum.

[2] Juan Fernandez . (1921, 1923). Monografias de los Pueblos de la Isla de Panay.

Neglected Cemeteries are Heritage Sites, too


A few steps away from where I live is the Catholic Cemetery of Banica, the oldest and the largest in Capiz, if my conjecture is correct. The burial ground’s megasize, however, has its nucleus in the confines of a Spanish wall. An avenue of coconuts and santan welcomes visitors towards a towering arch entrance. At the center of this niche-lined Spanish wall is the domed chapel, covered by moss and ferns and worn out by the absence of preservation.

Spaniards established cemeteries outside of the poblacion for health and hygiene purposes, and practical reasons, as well. Death by cholera, which came in a decadal cycle in the 1800s, numbered by the thousands and it was impractical to host these bodies inside the church (for the rich) and outside (for the poor). The fear of contamination led the priests to bury the dead away from the population [1].

 By1851, el Pueblo de Capiz already had a cemetery outside the town,  which was “in good condition and is capable and ventilated.” [2] Between 1870s and 1880s, Augustinian priest Apolinar Alvarez, "did the work in the cemetery which with later retouching  was finished by his successor P. Lesmes-Perez [3]. Fr. Alvarez was also responsible for the construction of the cathedral from 1870 until 1885. 

The arch leading to the capilla  adds up to the cemetery's imposing feel.  Surrounding the cemetery chapel are the mausoleums of the landed families of the old el Pueblo de Capiz. Lining the avenue from the old archway to the chapel are prominent names: Eleuterio Acuña, grandfather of President Manuel Roxas, a host of Alvarezes, Acevedos, Aldeas and Altavases. What struck me the most is the pantheon of the Deocampo Family, built in the art deco style following the designs of a sculptor named Justo Abiertas. Pastor Alcazar, the trailblazing presidente municipal of Capiz has his remains placed in the discreet corner of his family's vault. Jovita Fuentes' siblings are laid at the family's resting place. Local leader Mabini Altavas' tomb has a statue of blindfolded Justitia, an allusion to his just character.

Cemeteries used to be art spaces and pre- and postwar resting places were made imposing by statues of angels or women depicted in sorrow. Even in death, the notion of keeping up with the Joneses still applies.  Just like the houses of the living need to be close to the church to claim social prominence, in death, one’s position in the community is affirmed at how close one’s mausoleum is to the capilla. No wonder a Chinese mausoleum stood outside the Spanish walls.  The deprived natives who could not cope up in paying the annual dues for the nichos would expect that the remains of their dead relatives to be “cast ruthlessly” at a bone heap at the back of the cemetery. The emptied nicho would then be leased to tenants capable of paying the yearly fees.  [5]

The cemetery is an important part of every Filipino’s way of life, as much as the souls of the dearly departed hold dear in the heart of their loved ones.  Cemeteries are both sentimental spaces and heritage places. Sentimental because by merely looking at the lapida of our dearly departed, we reminisce our past with them, sometimes leaving the most maudlin, teary eyed. Furthermore, a cemetery’s significance lay beyond serving as a mere “memorial park” because it is, more importantly, a heritage site.  They are “venues where customs and traditions relating to the dead and survivors are played out,” [4] evinced on the material culture (architectural style of the pantion, design of the lapida, wrought-iron works, tiles, etc.) and the more complex intangible heritage associated with the cemetery (such as prayers, lighting of candles, food for the dead, and other beliefs and practices).

Historians also frequent cemeteries because they are reliable source materials as we ascertain the lives of famous personalities, trace our ancestry, and validate whether one has really existed or not. A look at the architectural style of the pantion, tomb, mauseleum, arches, walls, and the capilla reveals the age and significance of the church, a remnant of a bygone era. It is, however, lamentable, that we don’t value cemeteries as much as we value churches and old houses. In Europe and the United States of Gilded Age, enjoying a picnic at the cemetery on any given time was fashionable.  Today, however, cemeteries have become the objects of the growing “cemetery” tourism in these countries. In the Philippines, however, except for November 1 and 2, church-owned cemeteries, in particular, languish and left at the mercy of illegal settlers who call neglected mausoleums and pantions home sweet home. At the Banica Cemetery, balete trees are in a creeping spree at the capilla, their overgrowth haphazardly cut without uprooting the roots that damage the structure's integrity.

I'm sharing with you some pictures I took last year. Enjoy! 

A view of the arch entryway to the Spanish cemetery.

Balete overgrowths threaten the integrity of the capilla. 

The remains of Pastor Alcazar, the Batangas-born presidente muncipal of Capiz, was kept in a corner of the family mausoleum. 


Neglected statues of angels, often noseless and handless, litter around the cemetery. 

The Greek-inspired mausoleum of the Acevedos.


The roots of the balete outgrowths are eating away the bas relief of the archway. 

Another Greek-inspired mausoleum, neatly painted for the occassion. 

A statue of a grieving lady adorns postwar graves. 

Angels, mater doloras, and huge cross are parts of the niches of the well-to-do.

Cadena de amor eat up neglected niches. 

A beautiful grave with blind Justicia guarding the dead. 

This angel used to herald a trumpet. It is now lost. 

This art deco mausoleum was designed by sculptor Justo Abiertas.

This niche is lucky the angel is still in perfect shape. 

A closer look at the statue of an angel in one of the niches. 

The capilla , known to the locals as the kalbaryo is the resting place of infants. It has domed ceilings and it the altar stands the statue of Saint Augustine. Family members remember their dead infants by lighting a candle and saying a prayer before the saint. 

The mausoleum of the Fuentes family. 

A statue of a weeping lady is placed on the niche of Eleuterio Acuna, the grandfather of President Manuel A. Roxas. 


References

[1] Michaelangelo E. Dakudao (1992). THE DEVELOPMENT OF CEMETERIES IN MANILA BEFORE 1941.  Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society, 20, (2/3), 133-150. http://www.jstor.org/stable/29792084.

 [2]  E. Manuel Buzeta (1850). Diccionario Geografico, Estadistico, Historico de las islas Filipinas. Madrid. Book located at Harvard College Library, digital copy available at Google Books.

[3] R.Morales Maza (1987). The Augustinians in Panay. Iloilo City: University of San Agustin.

[4] Grace Barretto-Tesoro (2012). “Heritage Structures in Two Manila Cemeteries.” ACCU Nara International Correspondent The Ninth Regular Report, 33-36. Nara, Japan: Cultural Heritage Protection Cooperation Office, Asia Pacific Cultural Center for UNESCO (ACCU).

[5] Mary Helen Fee (1912). A Woman’s Impressions of the Philippines. Chicago: A.C. McClurg & Co.

The Mysterious Tree of Dumalag


Sometime in the early 1600s, in what is now the town of Dumalag, near the place where later stood a furnace used in making tiles, there was a tree named Maliao, where very many birds would perch and would make incredible noise with their shrieks. At this tree the natives used to commit a thousand superstitions because they believed it as the abode of their ancestors and the diwatas. Others thought that the birds “were demons or souls of the natives  in the town that would hold their meetings with the devil there.” This phenomenon caused discomfort and fear to the natives who lived in the area. Afraid, they never dared get near the tree, even refusing to cut the grasses surrounding it. 

An Agustinian friar assigned to the area, Fray Hernando de Morales, shunned the natives' superstitions.  He took a boat that traversed the river so he could go to tree where he intended to place a cross on the trunk. A native leader named Uubu, who joined him on the journey, tried to kill him.  In no time, a crocodile emerged from the depths of the river and devoured the indio. His lifeless body was later found armless and legless. Miraculously, nobody else in the boat was harmed by the scavenge.

Finally, Fray Morales reached the tree and placed the cross on the trunk. Immediately, the birds fled, seemingly disgusted by the presence of the Christian symbol.  Those who were with the minister spread words of the incident in awe. Since then, everyone from Dumalag forsook the superstition and embraced Christianity. (Image under Creative Commons license)

References

Gaspar de San Agustin (1998). Conquistas de las islas de Filipinas (1565-1615), translated by Luis Antonio Maneru. Manila: San Agustin Museum. 

Juan Fernandez . (1921, 1923). Monografias de los Pueblos de la Isla de Panay.

Isabelo de los Reyes (2014). Ang Diyablo sa Pilipinas ayon sa nasasabi sa mga casulatan luma sa Kastila, translated into English  with annotations by Benedict Anderson, Carlos Sardina Galache, Ramon Guillermo.Manila: Anvil. 


Red sails in the sunset

I love sunsets and I never miss capturing the sky when they're painted in their full glory. Here are some sunset shots I took during this pandemic. Enjoy! 

I took this while crossing the San Roque extension bridge, with the Capiz Bridge at a distance. Golden sunset last summer and the bougainvilleas are bursting in red, too. 

Lockdown afternoon view of the empty beach in Baybay. Pandemic or no pandemic, sunset by the beach is heaven!

No trace of humanity at the beach when Capiz was placed under lockdown. Clear skies and calm sea give you the best view of nearby Mantalinga islet and the not-so-distant Olotayan island, Roxas City's only island-barangay. 

On clear days, Sibuyan Island in Romblon is visible from Baybay Beach. Sea travel from Culasi Port takes 6 hours to reach Sibuyan. 

 

I see skies so blue

Every now and then, it does good to the spirit to explore outside the borders. Wanting to take a breath of fresh air and seeking divine inspiration amidst the inspiring things happening around, last Friday we decided to drive off to Agtalin Shrine on the frontier town of Pilar, some 45 minutes away from Roxas City. I took some pictures for posterity's sake, to form part of my COVID-19 stories.

The town of Pilar lies 51 kilometers away from the provincial capital. It is also located in the northwestern-most part of Capiz.  Pilar was once named Sibala, after the river that flows through the coastal village. The Spaniards later named this town Pilar after La Nuestra Señora del Pilar (Our Lady of the Pillar). In the 18th century, a wooden image of the Holy Trinity was found ashore. The folks believed  that the image belonged to a Spanish galleon that was sunk by the British en route to Mexico. The town eventually adopted La Santisima Trinidad as its patron saint and the wooden image now hangs on the left side of the church’s altar. Pilar's flora and fauna is enchanting. While climbing the hill that leads to the shrine, I took this picture of a green expanse. The Pilar Cave is within sight. It has a 200ft-tall grayish black rock cliff  that hosts caves and seem inviting for cavers.
 

Extensive sugarcane plantations provide a relaxing sight to behold. The silver lining is a sliver of the Panay River. 

Hectares upon hectares of sugarcane estates are within view as one reaches the top of the Agtalin Hill. 

Cows graze along the way.

This is the path walk that leads to the Marian shrine on Agtalin Hill. Candles are offered along the way, reason why the burnt side walk. 

The Marian Statue in Agtalin is 80 feel tall. It is considered as the tallest of its kind in Asia. The International Marian Research Institute listed the Agtalin Shrine as a premier pilgrimage site and it welcomes hundreds of devotees every month. The first Saturday mass attracts hundreds of pilgrims from nearby towns and provinces.  

Tired pilgrims  take a deep breath of COVID-free air after the long trek.

Boracay Before COVID-19

Just two weeks before the Philippines plunged into the COVID-19 outbreak, I decided to take the annual break to Boracay island.  Summer was just around the corner so before the island gets flocked by local and foreign tourists, I decided to go ahead and enjoy the country's summer paradise while hotels are cheaper. Little did I know that it would be my last out-of-Capiz trip until now. As of this writing, it's been eight months since I crossed the borders and I don't know when will I ever make another holiday outside the province. Meanwhile, I'm relishing myself with these beautiful memories and I'm sharing them with you. Have fun! 

Nothing compares to Boracay's white sand and cerulean waters. No wonder it is the country's top tourist destination, especially every summer. 

This is the view on the way to Caticlan Port. Towering coconut trees line the golden shores.  Boracay belongs to the town of Malay, which is the northernmost town in the Province of Aklan. It takes approximately three hours to travel from Roxas City, where I live, to reach the port at Caticlan. I took an L300 van to Kalibo, the capital of Aklan. I then transferred to another L300 van bound for Caticlan jetty port.   

Fishing communities still thrive along the coastlines of Malay and you pass by these small fishing boats resting on the white sand before reaching the port in the neighborhood of Caticlan. 

Welcome to Boracay! The crystal clear water is breathtaking.  From Caticlan Jetty Port, it takes 10 minutes for the boat to reach Boracay island. 

One of Boracay's most famous landmark is D'Mall. This is an outdoor shopping center where tourists could find restaurants, cafes and bars. It's also go-to place for  souvenir shopping.

Foreign tourists like to bask under the mid-day sun and they love the tan.  

The COVID-19 scare was already felt by the end of February and the near-empty shoreline is proof. 

Boracay is usually populous but since travel restrictions from China were already imposed by this time, fewer people are seen enjoying the white sand beach. 

The white sand stands out especially on midday. 

 It was good to see the white beach in this pristine setting, the sea was cerulean and clear, the shoreline half empty even in the midday.

Mindful of the need to avoid crowded places, I chose a charming hotel tucked on a hill and pretty isolated from the crowded coastal stations in the island.  Hotel Soffia Boracay  is a Mediterranean-style accommodation overlooking the sea.

I got my own cabana at the Hotel Soffia Boracay. Aside from the Mediterranean feel that takes me away from the scary world outside, I like the lush greenery and flowering perennials and annuals planted around the cabanas and in the gardens surrounding the property. 

My room has a view that overlooks the sea. Rooms are spacious  and relaxing, with hardwood floors and furnishings.

The Soffia Hotel is a 10-minute drive from the beach. A free shuttle for hotel guests is available to and from D'Mall, plus this green view to enjoy while waiting for the vehicle to fetch you. 

Palms and bougainvilleas are planted on the hotel ground. 

The outdoor pool has sweeping views of the ocean and the hill. 

The best time to indulge on the pool side is in the late afternoon. 

Not to miss when in Boracay is the sun set. 

I made sure I'm at the white sand when dusk settles because sunsets at the paradise island are really spectacular. 

The sky bursts with red-orange when the sun finally rests for the night. 

Life is exciting at night when in D'Mall. The boutiques and stores have friendly staff, but the prices aren't. 

Boracay has been reopened to local tourists but the Interagency Taskforce against COVID-19 has implemented strict measures to ensure that the island remains safe despite the pandemic. You can read the guide for tourists here

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