Author Topic: Sandugo Was Not Really in Loay, Bohol?  (Read 1031 times)

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Sandugo Was Not Really in Loay, Bohol?
« on: August 04, 2008, 03:25:25 AM »
By Joe Espiritu
Columnist, Sunday Post

 The Sandugo celebration is over but every time we commute between Jagna and Tagbilaran, we see two Sandugo monuments. One is in Hinawanan, in the town of Loay and the other is in Bool, Tagbilaran City. Until local historians agree on one location, there will be two monuments. If our researcher, Sr Gaudencio L Patulilik was on the right track, the monument should have been in the Chocolate Hills. But that was another story.

 According to the findings of Antonio Salas Madera, he came upon the information, a translation of the Legaspi chronicles, that his flotilla dropped anchor in Jagna cove after failing to reach Masao, Butuan. His square rigged vessels could not sail close hauled against the northeast trade winds, blowing from the general direction of Masao. The winds could have been blowing from the general direction of east by northeast

 Whether Jagna was named Jagna at that time, no one knows but perhaps this name appeared only after the map of Bohol was drawn and the vicinity was identified after finding the place in accordance with the topography. When the natives refused water to Legaspi, the ships sailed westward. The nearest body of freshwater in that direction was the Manaba River. Perhaps they sailed farther offshore to notice it but they should have noticed the break in the mountain ridge to indicate the possible presence of a river.

 The travel time from Jagna to the next water source would give a clue to the place of the meeting between Legaspi and Sikatuna. The time lapse between the moment they weighed anchor in Jagna to the moment the anchor dropped at the Sandugo site plus the description of the topography of the area would give a clue to the place.

 Then, the meeting place should be near a settlement. Since there were no roads at that time people could have commuted between settlements and villages by boats. Or they could walk through jungle paths. There were no horses in Bohol at that time and carabaos are too slow.

 The problem is: the ancient local culture did not build permanent structures. The erected stone fences to delineate property boundaries but the stones have been used lately and traces of them are no longer found. The only evidence of their past existence are the graveyards. Ancient people practiced secondary burial; that is they bury their dead in one place then after a time dig up the bones and store them in another place in dugout coffins.

 Coastal towns of southern Bohol had reported only three burial grounds; one in Bas Dio, Anda, in Canupao, Jagna and the westernmost is in Bool, near the ancient balite tree in the vicinity of Englewood hospital. If the Blood Compact was in Loay, there should have been an ancient village nearby. Sikatuna and his men could have lived near the water source.

 If the Sandugo was done in Bool, Sikatuna could have been from Tagbilaran or Baclayon or even Dauis. Ancient villages are found there. If the Blood Compact was in Loay as claimed, Sikatuna could have been from the nearest barrio of Alburquerque, or Loay or Loboc. However those towns have not reported presence of pre Spanish settlements.

 Sikatuna appeared in history only once and that was during the Sandugo. After that he faded back into obscurity. It is not known if he was a powerful chieftain of a large part of Bohol or only a headman of a small settlement. It is not known if Loay River is under his domain – that is if the Sandugo was in Loay - or he was only there for some other reason. It would be illogical to assume that they had agreed to meet in a certain place. Theirs had been a chance meeting.

 Since the local ancients left no written records, we will never know anything about Sikatuna. The only viable proof the Sandugo site would be the logbook of the Legaspi flagship/ if it still exists. 

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