The Legend Of Tinagong Dagat

Tinagong Dagat or Hidden Sea in English, a mini lake on top of a mountain

Love is so powerful that when it enters the heart of anyone, it can despise everything.

In the town of Lambunao, there loved a young man named Nagong who is mighty, strong, hardworking and kindhearted. Nagong is the pillar of his old parents.

One day, when the young man is going home from a whole day of work when he meets a lady who seems like a goddess in with her beauty. This lady was Agat.

The two creatures seems like they are having an illusion in their first encounter. In that instance, love springs up in their hearts but due to being conservative Agat immediately look down humbly.

The two who harbor pure affection for each other seems being brought closer by heaven. Soon, their hearts became one. The next few days witness of endless joy only to be cut short. One afternoon their sweet conversation was disturbed by violence of Agat's father. The father slapped his daughter and humiliated Nagong. Agat was imprisoned in their own home. Thus is the suffering felt by the lovers.

Until such Nagong thought of passing by the area just to have a glimpse of Agat. In the darkness of the night he was met by the mother of Agat who looks like in distress. She is looking for her daughter who disappeared. Nagong anxiously entered the forest to look for Agat. In the shores of the river of their rendezvous the lovers meet. They were so grateful to God after they meet.

Nagong and Agat decided to leave away from their families. The difficulties of life was bared by the two in the wilderness

However their blissful life together is just short-lived. Agat suffered a serious illness. It seems like the world has stopped for Nagong with the death of Agat. He watched the tomb of his love at all times. Day and night the young man weeps due to overwhelming grief. He was caught by sickness and death. The tears that springs from his eyes miraculously became a river which was the origin of TINAGONG DAGAT which was the burial site of Nagong and Agat. Indeed a great love cannot be faded with time, it will leave an imprint that will remain forever.


Photo Source:

https://www.facebook.com/menro.lambunao

The Legend Of Lambunao

Lambunao Church

Yamato International School

The town of Lambunao is lying in the verdant valley and hills of central Panay which is about 45 kilometers from Iloilo City.  The town of Lambunao is about 119 meters or 390.42 feet above sea level and is rich in music, story and tradition.

There are two narration about the origin of the name Lambunao. It was said that this area is inhabited by an Ati named Lambunao  and the place he settled is called "puro ni Lambunao".

Another story states that when the Spaniards went on a patrol from Laglag came to Sitio Balikatkatan, the foreigners asked a Malayan resident who is fishing in a mini lake about the name of the place. The Malay thought that the Spaniards is asking what he is doing, so he responded in Hiligaynon language saying "nagapanglambu sa linao." The Spaniards only remember the two syllables: lambu and nao, thus the town was baptized with the name Lambunao. The word Lambu means to put a fish hook in the water while Linao is a lake.


Photo Source:

www.exploreiloilo.com

The Town Of Janiuay

Janiuay is located at the central part of Iloilo province. It is surrounded by four towns - Cabatuan, Maasin, Mina and Lambunao. It has a distance of 32 kilometers from Iloilo City.

It was said that the name of the town was taken from the name of the ruling son of a datu, Han and "oway", tambo or "rattan" in English which is abundant in the area. The name of the place became Janiuay. There are some who believe that the name of this place came from the local word "hani" which means whisper, and "oway" combined and gives the equivalent of a whisper in the wilderness of tambo or rattan. Today's youth gives a new homophone term to their place by writing: "Honey, why?"


Photo Source:

www.myiloilo.net taken from Life Magazine

Barrio Barakang In Guimbal

This barrio is located at the southern part of the present Rizal Street of the town of Guimbal. This is situated west of the church and formerly densely populated during the Spanish occupation.

Long time ago, the town is always the center of frequent Moro raids. One morning of September, the Moro vintas were seen in the shores of Guimbal. The people were then busy for a fiesta celebration. They don't have a time to escape so they were compelled but to confront the enemies. Since they have no preparation in this struggle the people were compelled to fight. In avoiding a certain death or to be a slave of the Moros, the people flocked to the church to ask help from their patron saint, Saint Nicholas Tolentino to help them engage the invaders.

While the Moros with shining cutlass are chasing the natives defending the path towards the church, they were stopped by a giant figure of a beautiful lady with a long hair and a mighty man holding a staff that seems like clearing the path. The Moros were scared and immediately left.  Until now, the name was called "Barakang" which means barrier or barricade.


Photo Source:

www.exploreiloilo.com 

The Legend Of Guimbal

Guimbal Town Plaza 

Long time ago, the town is under the rule of the kingdom of a cruel and strict king. He has a beautiful daughter named Bal. One day, Moro arrived by the shores of the town. They launched at the shore without the knowledge of the king. The princess saw them but she never bothered to tell the king about what happened. Instead the princess went to the shores and meet the Moros. The princess ask the name of the leader of the Moros. Guimba they responded. The princess and Guimba met. They came close to each other and eventually they fell in love. One day, Guimba invited the princess to visit their families in their own town. The princess join them without asking permission from her father. They ride a vinta however during their voyage they encounter a storm and all of a sudden the weather became furious and one strong wind capsized their boat. Both of them were drowned. The next morning the king looked for her daughter. He found the princess dead in the shore along with the Moro chieftain. Since then the place was called Guimbal from the name Guim, the Moro chieftain, and Bal the name of the princess.

The following story is another version of the origin of the name Guimbal.

In the place where the Malay settles, the people enjoyed peace and prosperity. Nevertheless, the serenity they savor is suddenly shaken by the Moro pirates who plundered throughout the town. The people grouped together to defend the town.

There are guards assigned by the bay to watch for the vinta of the Moros. To warn the people with the coming of the pirates, the watchers beat the agong, that produces a thunder-like sound. By the sound of the agong people shouted Gimba as response. This word gives energy and courage to the people because they were never perturbed by the Moros and no part of the town were occupied by them.

Though the Moros failed to occupy the community yet they still frequent the town until the arrival of the Spaniards in 1705. The Spaniards discovered the use of the agong instrument by the people to warn the arrival of the Moros and the shout of Guimba by the people. This word is used to declare their aim to defend the community and their honor of not losing or defeated. The agong was named Guimba. The Spaniards eventually called it "cymbal" (pompiyang) that when people hear it they call it guimbal. This could probably the origin of the word Guimbal, from the word given to the agong in English "cymbal"  and the declaration of aim and honor of the citizen that were never defeated by the Moros.



Photo Sources:

www.exploreiloilo.com
www.flickriver.com  courtesy of JC General

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

The Pleasant Place Of Buenavista

With the arrival of the Spaniards in the island, they walked for quite sometime. They went up to the mountains to search for a resting place. They never expected to reach a hill and spent the night there. When the morning comes, the Spaniards decided when they saw a crystal clear ocean dressed by the rays of the sun, the verdant trees, and the white mountain that attracts swimming by the admiring eyes, that the place is ideal for pleasurable relaxation. The day when they have to leave the place, they wanted to name the place. They united in baptizing the place Buenavista which means "pleasurable view."

The following has a resemblance to the origin of the place.

Long time ago, Buenavista is called Tilad. How Tilad was replaced with Buenavista is just by chance only. Someone said that a Spanish governor of Iloilo came to the place because he attended the election of the first gobernadorcillo. When he reached the town center (called Poblacion), he saw a beautiful view from where he stands. He uttered "Buena Vista" or Good View in English. Since then Buenavista replaced the name Tilad.



Photo Source:

 www.bingapis.com