The Legend Of The Sampaguita Flower

The Sampaguita flower is a delight to everyone because of its pleasing fragrance. The Ilonggos has kept a legend about the origin of the national flower of the Philippines.

It was said during the early times, there was a king who was known for his wealth and cruelty. He has a daughter named Guita. Guita is known for her beauty, kindness and humility. Though she possess and experience beautiful things and admired by everyone she was not happy. Her father is not thoughtful and helpful to the poor and forbid Guia to socialize and mingle with them and even strolling in the garden is not allowed by her father.

One day when her father is away, the lady went to the garden. She was playing with the flowers when she heard the whistle of a young man. The young man is Sampa, son of a planter. Guita asked the young man what he needs who in turn responded that he only wants to befriend her. The two made a mutual understanding.

They are currently conversing or chatting when the king passed by and saw Sampa holding the hands of Guita. In the eruption of fury and anger of the king he instantly ordered the killing of the two and buried them together.

About three months had passed and one day the king passed by the tomb of the lovers. He was shocked to see on top of the soil the beautiful, attractive white flowers which possesses fragrance. Tears fell down his eyes in regret for what he has done before. He cried and cried while saying:

   "Ay Guita, ay Guita, Sampa and Guita. Where are you?"

In his grief, the King lost consciousness. When he regained his consciousness, he ordered to call Sampaguita the flower in remembrance of the unfortunate lovers.


Photo Source:

http://www.flowermeaning.com/sampaguita-flower-meaning/

The Legend Of Katao (Mermaid)

The sirena or mermaid of the Tagalog is equivalent to the katao of the Ilonggos. It is narrated in the following story the origin of the katao.

A maiden attempted to commit suicide because her lover married another woman. The broken-hearted woman in love jumped over the river from a cliff. In an unexplained phenomenon, when her feet touches the water she immediately got a tail just like a fish and she did not die.




Photo Source:

http://m4rl0.deviantart.com/art/Sirena-367131386

The Origin Of The Fairies Or Tamawo

Tagalog people has created some fairies called diwata or goddesses known as engkantada in haraya; the Ilonggos have what we call tamawo. The following stories was said to be the origin of these supernatural beings.

When Adam and Eve has not yet left the paradise, they were told by God.

"Go forth and never forget my order. Bore just three children and with the birth of the third child, bring them to me so I can baptize them."

Adam and Eve left the paradise and started a new life. However, they momentarily forgot what God had told them about having children. They were very happy with their seven children.

One day while strolling, the couple met God and asked: "Adam and Eve, I've been looking for you and your children for so long, where are they now?

The two was immovable after what they heard. They could not give an explanation to God. They forgot that they should only have three children because they now have seven children.

"Bring to me your three children at the soonest time so I can baptized them." And God left.

The tearful Eve asked Adam, "What will we do now? And continued with a shivering voice, "I'm scared, Adam. We did not obey the orders of God. What will happen to us?"

"Have peace, Eve, we will find ways to keep the truth from God."

The next day, Adam and Eve dressed their first three children to bring to God and hide the four in the wilderness of the forest so God will not see them.

"Where are your other kids? Why are they the only ones you brought to me? Where are the rest of your children? the gentle and soft speaking God asked the couple.

"Our beloved God, we only have three children. Isn't this what you told us?"  the continuing denial of the two.

"Don't lie to me. Where are your four children?" God inquires.

"Señor, nothing else. We only have three children."

"You both lied to me. You have seven children but you only showed me three. If you only brought them all here I could baptized them all. I will baptize the three you showed me but you will no longer see the four you hide. They are alive but you could no longer see them. You can only hear their voices. They will not show to you while the food they will eat will come from you," the final words of God.

 And the four children of Adam and Eve which they kept and hide became the ancestors of the fairies or tamawo. They are around in the surroundings but invisible while they freely observe the people.





Photo Source:

http://www.deviantart.com/morelikethis/5281773

The Legend Of Sta. Cruz

The Holy Cross in Arevalo District, Iloilo City

If there is an image honored, venerated and consecrated by the elders of Arevalo, it is the Santa Cruz. There are lots of peculiar stories which are mysteriously attractive to narrate about this.

Long time ago, it was said that, there is a mananguete, a person climbing a coconut tree who saw the cross. He observed that the said cross grows bigger everyday. He took the attention of the natives about this. They plan to build a chapel for the cross. According to the elders, the wooden cross never dried up. It's tree is always moistened by the juice or sap that came from the living tree.

According to a statement, this cross was planted or erected by the Spanish missionaries on their first landing in the shores of Panay. The mysterious cross continues to grow. Others believed that the cross emerge from the shores to stop the Mohammedans of the South which frequents the area and  ransack the town in those days.

Whatever is the truth, each story strengthens and fortify the belief of the people in the sacred symbol. The elderly has kept attractive stories about the mysterious cross.

Many years had passed, they said that if the feast of the Holy Cross could not be celebrated properly or appropriately because there is no Queen Helena and King Constantine in the holy procession, the cross could not stand upright strongly no matter how tough is its nailing. In the whole duration of the procession, it moves as if it will fall from the decorated crate. It will only stand strongly if there is a complete colorful pageantry by the next day. According to the rumors, when the town attempted to abandon and forget  the celebration, a deafening thunder and a terrifying line of a lightning hit the place. This continued until the people decided to celebrate the feast of the Holy Cross.

In the celebration where the colorful pageantry or presentation lacks the presence of a king and princesses, a great fire or conflagration mysteriously took place which engulfs several houses while the procession is continuously happening.  

The men and women who were chosen to participate in the procession to portray the characters in the colorful presentation or pageantry could not refuse in the fear that they will meet misfortunes or bad omen. According to the rumors of the elders, if a beautiful young lady dared to refuse to be dressed as Queen Helena or Reyna Elena, she became insane, crazy or mentally ill, sometimes becoming blind some others are crippled. while others met an unfortunate accident.



Photo Source:

http://localphilippines.com/attractions/santa-cruz

The Crown Of Arevalo

Crown Monument in Arevalo District, Iloilo City

The big crown sitting distinctively atop a tower in the plaza beside the church is a one of a kind marker of Arevalo. According to Father James Mansfield who served in the parish, this crown has a hidden history.

Many years had passed before the spread of Christianity in Arevalo, there is a group of Jesuits who were looking for a place to stay in a place now called as Santa Cruz. They built a chapel here and evangelize the natives. Nobody knows for whatever reason or event happened but the natives were infuriated with the Jesuits and they were driven away.

One day, a farmer unearthed a beautiful crown. In an untoward incident, a scepter and a big black cross was found nearby where the crown was found. The crown and scepter which were made out of expensive metals were just average in size. The cross which is now kept under the custody of the church is more than 15 feet tall and made out of hard and unusual kind of wood.

In 1854 during the incumbency of Domingo de Guzman as captain of the pueblo or town, the crown was made bigger in Fundidor, Molo. It was placed in the plaza or town square. This is gaining attention on top of the district of Arevalo as a statue of missionary purpose of the Spaniards in town.

The present day name of the former Jesuit missionary settlement is Santa Cruz. It was in this place where the crown, scepter and cross was found.





Photo Source:

http://www.iloilocity.org/places.html

The Origin Of Places Names According To G. Loreto Angayen

Ajuy - came from the name of a tree
Alimodian - came from the old local name of the puyas plant thriving and abundant in the area
Badiangan - came from the Badiang (Alocasia Macrorrhizos or the Elephant Ear taro plant) tree
Banate - came from Banate tree
Balasan - came from balas or sand
Batad - came from the batad plant
Concepcion - came from the name of the daughter of the last Spanish garrison commander of the town
Dueñas - named by Father Florencio Martin in remembrance of his beloved hometown in Spain
Estancia - a word which means a ranch of fish in the mountains
Igbaras - from the combined words of ig which means community and baras which means sand - so if combined the name would mean a sandy community.
Nueva Valencia - came from a city in Spain
Pavia - came from the name of a Spanish colonel
San Enrique - came from the name of a saint
San Dionisio - came from the name of a patron saint
San Miguel  - came from the name of an archangel

The History Of Zarraga

Zarraga Parish Church

Zarraga Plaza Basketball Court 

Gamot Cogon Waldorf School in Barangay Libongcogon

The town of Zarraga before is a thick forest with the abundance of grasses growing in the area. Tigbao, cogon (Imperata cylindrica) and other grasses are tall and thick. Only the hunters dare to live in the area without any fear. This forest has no name and was said as "no man's land".

This place is formerly a forest but thanks to the pioneers of Pototan that includes Marcelino Penuela, Fulgencio Penuela, Damian Penuela, Eugenio Sollesta and Marcelino Poblador. They discovered and founded the town in 1853.

The town of Zarraga was named after Pedro Zarraga  who became the Alkalde Mayor or City Mayor of Irong-Irong (present-day Iloilo City).





Photo Source:

http://www.zamboanga.com/z/index.php?title=Zarraga,_Iloilo,_Philippines

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/29437813   - courtesy of Boxxer "jAz" Rose

http://www.gamotcogon.org/school