The Historic Siete Islas de Peccado

Siete Islas de Peccado or Seven Isles of Sin - These isles are found a few miles from the mouth of Batiano river, clustered through the stretch of the Guimaras Strait. There is a beautiful lesson told by this beautiful legend in Seven Isles, most especially to the maiden of the modern times. Balagtas had said:

"In the term of young, twisted love,
 The child brings forth something that had came from
Others from negligence
The one who should teach are the lazy parents."

In one isle that was called "Dapithapon" (dusk) in one of the shores of Dagat Bisaya (Visayan Sea),  seven siblings can often be seen competing for beauty. At the dawn of a beautiful sunrise, those seven ladies who seems like nymph of the forest, happily spent the time at the shores, playing the small waves crashing against the rocks, singing, laughing and chasing each other. They are snobbish to their fellow people, vain and boastful, snooty or despising. That is the effect of too much pampering and spoiling by their parents. They don't desire to have callous on the thin palms of their children so they take responsibilities of heavy tasks and even in making a living and inside their home. Days has passed and the indulgence and following continues without rational reasoning. They don't teach their children proper ways and living rather making these ladies more spoiled and vain. Indeed destiny became so cruel to the couple. One day, both of the doting and spoiling parents got sick. Their condition got worse and when they could not even stand, no one cares to help and offer them food. "Give us some porridge," the moaning of the starving couple.

Instead, the siblings pointed at each other and no one moves because they were all making the excuses of laziness and envy.

In a fit of anger of the couple to their children, they made a grievance of great curse and regret. However, its too late. They could not change the bad manners of their children until they met their sad untimely death.

The strong curse of the parents took effect affecting the rebellious scoundrels. Destiny was furious at them and one afternoon while they are happily playing in the shores of the isle of "Dapithapon" they were just surprised by the coming of an old man carrying a long staff. They wanted to escape but once the old man spoke, seems like their white feet were stuck in the rocks and they could not walk or move.

"The curse to you by your parents reached heaven, and here, as your punishment, you will become seven isles in the shores of Visayan sea," and after saying those they were just touched by the staff and in an instant the old man disappear.

At the breaking of dawn, people were just amazed and those who were sailing when they saw the seven large isles spread nearby Dapit-hapon (Dusk) Island.

Since then residents in the area seems to hear sad moaning on a midnight that came from the seven beautiful isles they considered those from seven ladies who became rebellious and scoundrels to their parents.

It's very rare for an Ilonggo to never know the story of  the seven isles. Young and old are ready and enthusiastic to tell the origin of the islands. Though there were slight differences in some stories, in general they are all similar and almost the same thing.

There are three more stories about the origin of the islands.

There are seven siblings who wish to attend a festive occasion. They asked consent from their mother but they were not allowed to go. Despite of this, the siblings insist on going and they ride a bangka boat or canoe though the weather is bad and nature is hostile. Unfortunately, the boat capsized and they were drowned. After a few year, the seven isles emerges. It was thought that these were the siblings who defy their mother.

There's a similar story to this.

Long time ago there were seven siblings children of a fisherman. One day they ask for permission from their parents to attend the fiesta celebration of Pulao, a barrio in Dumangas. They were not permitted to go yet they still went to Pulao. It's already night time when they went home riding a dibila or a boat. They were met by an inclement weather and their boat capsized and all of them were drowned. Their parents waited for their return. A week after, some residents near the shore saw some seven isles emerged from the sea. Thus it was called Siete Pecados as a reminder to the rebellious, defiant siblings.

According to others, seven siblings from Nabalas are going across the shore of the sea to gather some humay (rice grains). They rode a boat. They were caught by a bad weather mid sea and they were all perished. Seven isles emerge. The biggest island is regarded as the oldest among the siblings and smallest island is the equivalent to the youngest of the siblings.



Photo Source:

Nurse Wanderer thru www.pinterest.com