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
No comments:
Post a Comment