THE ENIGMATIC LAGUNA (A Prelude)
Laguna is a mysterious place that holds unknown legends and unwritten history yet to be revealed. This province of the Philippines in Luzon Island has intrigued me for some time now –
An ancient volcanic caldera? Was this the area where a Spanish priest burned the written annals of pre-Spanish Philippines? Who was the culprit? Are there any records of him?
Is this, where legend says, lies a Muslim city that was annihilated and totally erased on the map and history? Was Rizal a Muslim royalty? – So many questions on my book, really.
This is how I see Laguna on Luzon Island. It has so many secrets the Filipinos do not know or choose not to know. This area is one of the Philippines' cradles of civilization and holds the secrets of the true history of the Filipinos.
I know that my readers are expecting a tongue-in-cheek travelogue and a couple of misadventures on this 7-day trip. After all, this is how Laguna is to most Filipinos – a tourist destination. Don’t worry; I’ll feature some of ‘em.
Here’s Pisanu, on a trip to the mysterious and enchanting place called Laguna.
An ancient volcanic caldera? Was this the area where a Spanish priest burned the written annals of pre-Spanish Philippines? Who was the culprit? Are there any records of him?
Is this, where legend says, lies a Muslim city that was annihilated and totally erased on the map and history? Was Rizal a Muslim royalty? – So many questions on my book, really.
This is how I see Laguna on Luzon Island. It has so many secrets the Filipinos do not know or choose not to know. This area is one of the Philippines' cradles of civilization and holds the secrets of the true history of the Filipinos.I know that my readers are expecting a tongue-in-cheek travelogue and a couple of misadventures on this 7-day trip. After all, this is how Laguna is to most Filipinos – a tourist destination. Don’t worry; I’ll feature some of ‘em.
Here’s Pisanu, on a trip to the mysterious and enchanting place called Laguna.
--Pisanu in San Pablo City, Laguna
04 Feb 2009
04 Feb 2009
16 Comments:
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Why do I always have the feeling you know something that we dont? Where are you getting these questions and innuendos? I agree, the history of my country needs to be re-written. But where are we going to start?
Hi Pisanu,
I have always admired your ingenuity and the depth of your thought. I am glad you're giving us Filipinos a favor, helping us rediscover our real identity as a people and not as what our colonizers would like it to be. I am looking forward to reading your next entries especially on those ancient written texts from the Siniloan-Mabitac areas.
me too---I sometimes think you know more about my country than I do-----hope you enjoy your stay. I have never seen Laguna as a tourist destination---maybe I need to explore it more.
I hope you had come across the LCI (Laguna Copperplate Inscription). It was dated 900CE and offers a glimpse to the pre-hispanic Philippines.
Filipinos are made to believe that the Magellan discovered the Philippines and that our country had nothing but small communities of barangays, when in fact, kingdoms existed and a great Luzon Empire existed. I've realized just recently (thanks to the Laguna Copperplate Inscription) that the Spaniards destroyed much of the evidence of Filipino history. They want to claim glory for themselves.
The Laguna Copperplate Inscription tells much about how rich the Philippines' culture was even before the Spaniards arrived. It even shows how interconnected the cultures of Indonesia and the Philippines were even from way back then. Who knows, it's possible the Philippines had great temples or castles from way before and that the Spaniards only destroyed them all?
We seriously need to rewrite Philippine history. But too bad, much of the story have already been destroyed.
Well, if Laguna is an enigma then Pisanu you have found your spiritual home! :)
I personally think that rewriting history is a waste of time...
It really doesn't matter where a people come from but rather where they are going...thus Filipinos might be better off getting together and writing a plan for the future rather than attempting to decode the past.
Leave rewriting history to the conservatives in the United States....look where it got them!
They got an economy now that is back in the 70's and 80's....so if you are constantly looking back that is usually where you find yourself.
I never knew anything about those copperplate inscriptions. I always thought that the Tagalogs of Laguna have been there for a long time. But about those ancient writings? I never would have thought about it.
Now, you blow me down dude. Reading your post make me guilty of not knowing my country deeply.
I'm intrigued. :)
I studied about that in my Ecology class. That Laguna is a caldera something.
Anyway, you could visit the Rizal Shrine in Calamba and have a little chat with the friendly curator. Maybe you could squeeze her off with that muslim royalty thing.
Besides, you said Rizal is your ancestor. It's about time you visit your ancestor's birthplace. hehe.
Hello everyone and thanks for the comments!
I havent been replying much because its hard to find wifi around and the internet shops are a bit too hot for me to stay in more than 15 mins haha
"Due to unrecoverable data of pre-historic Philippines, it is imperative to refer to the preserved written annals of its neighboring countries like Malaysia, Thailand (?!) and Indonesia. -- Mr.O.Beyer
This guy found something in the 1930s which the American government of the Philippines repressed.
@ danyhael..hey dude! yeah, i've tried it already. i was "fed" too much of it i had to make an excuse to go to the loo haha
@ Matt, anony, Pusang-gala, Tsinito, Lawrence, JK and Jake...I'm working on it! You wont believe the trouble I get in to when I try to "pretend" I'm a local.
I tanned myself too dark, dyed my hair jet-black and wear hiphop clothes. hahaha! I was always challeged to a basketbal match in just about every street corner. fun though.
@ TAO/Carl...uhm...cool analogy. but my spiritual home is Maharashtra and Chennai in India. =)
@ Allen...I'm on top of it. But I forgot the photocopied records I found in Borneo...too bad. It would blow them away. But i wont show it to a caretaker...I want scholars and challenge them!
No, I never said he was my ancestor. Its still a mystery.
fuck,,, what's happening???.... i've been waiting for the new entry since i noticed you guys are here in RP,, i only read an entry dated february05 YESTERDAY, feb08... seems like something is wrong...
>>> if you really want to know pre-colonial RP, better go to Antique in Western Panay,, the Cradle of the Philippine Civilization... there you will find the Golden Salakot given by the Indonesian Datus, riding the balanggay, to the local dwellers... never heard of LCI...
take that
dude, try the mild one in muffin form then drink ginger tea right after.
hi pisanu,
I really enjoy reading your blog. your in depth views on the Philippines and Filipinos in general are refreshing. It only reflects how great a person you must be. Hope you can also visit western visayas, particularly, negros and iloilo.
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