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A WEALTH
of gold, aristocratic blood and the guts of high-sea
adventurers—this is the heritage of every Filipino.
Discover your true self. You need only go to Butuan to
find proof.
Butuan
has yielded its treasures: a golden figurine of Buddha’s
sensuous consort, known as the Tara; a glittering array
of the most intricate gilded jewelries, a priceless
collection delicate ceramics from the Sung Dynasty, and
several hulking remains of balanghai—ships more ancient
and sophisticated than any Viking longboat—found intact
after hundreds of years on what was once a bustling port
frequented by traders from the far corners of the globe.
Butuan’s most precious finds can now be found far and
wide: the Tara of Agusan is in safekeeping at the Field
Museum of Chicago; many of the fine Chinese celadon and
the largest of the restored balanghai are on display at
the National Museum; and Butuan’s incomparable specimens
of gold jewelry comprise the grandest collection of the
Metropolitan Museum of Manila.
According to Greg Hontiveros, author of Butuan of a
Thousand Years, the true sight for the first Mass in the
Philippines
may be even near the Agusan River. Ferdinand Magellan
did drop anchor by the mouth of
Agusan River
in 1521 and held Mass to commemorate the event. Antonio
Pigafetta, Magellan’s chronicler, records that the first
Mass was held at a place called “Mazaua,” which some
contend, because of his description and its distance
from Homonhon, is Masao, Butuan.
A BALANGHAI(clock wise)
boat recovered in 1976. PHOTO BY THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF
THE PHILIPPINES, FROM THE BOOK BUTUAN OF A THOUSAND
YEARS BY GREG HONTIVEROS. THE Golden Tara of Butuan at
the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. FROM THE
BOOK BUTUAN OF A THOUSAND YEARS BY GREG HONTIVEROS.
SUNG Dynasty
porcelain recovered in Butuan on display at the National
Museum. BUTUAN gold at the Central Bank Museum of the
Philippines. FROM THE BOOK BUTUAN OF A THOUSAND YEARS BY
GREG HONTIVEROS
Butuan
still retains many beautiful artifacts in its museum,
its archaeological sites and historical places. One can
witness the ongoing restoration of unearthed balanghai
and precolonial implements, as well as the burial
remains of nobles (distinguished by slopping foreheads
purposely shaped in infancy), as well as a replica of
the Tara. And Butuan will soon yield another treasure,
this time one that relives the ancient adventure of our
seafaring ancestors.
The
Department of Tourism (DOT), in partnership with the
local government of Butuan and the
National
Museum,
will soon unveil balanghai tours through some of the
most picturesque stretches of the Agusan River.
Famous
as a sanctuary for exotic migratory birds, lush mangrove
forests and emerald waters, the
Agusan River is also
home to many quaint riverside villages and historical
sites. Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano reveals
that the Agusan Balanghai Tour will touch upon 21
barangays that will benefit by providing genuine
handicrafts, native cuisine and cultural entertainment
to tourists. Manobo culture, in particular, would make
for a truly authentic attraction.
Secretary Durano assures the authenticity of the
balanghai recreation. He compares the experience they
envision to that of the Luboc River Ride in Bohol, or
the Firefly Mangrove Boat Tour in Donsol, where boatmen
no longer use noisy motors that ruin the romance of the
experience. He envisions the ride to employ local and
indigenous folk in authentic costumes to further
heighten the experience. The boat ride will follow a
historical narrative as it cruises up the river,
enriching the experience.
“We will
never sell it alone. It is part of a total package,”
explains Durano. The Agusan Balanghai Tour will be part
of an adventure-tourism campaign of the DOT for the
Caraga region, composed of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del
Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del
Sur. Packaged with the world-class surfing of Surigao,
as well as other ecotourism sites, Butuan promises to
draw more tourists. Durano further notes that they will
initially target local tourists.
Leonides
Theresa Plaza,
regional tourism council chairman, reveals that this
September Butuan celebrates the Balanghai Festival, as
well as a boat-rowing competition. Other attractions in
Butuan include the 500-year-old “Centennial Tree” in
Caloc-an, Magallanes, a tree so huge that a dozen
persons with their arms linked still cannot encompass
its trunk, and on certain nights turns into a living
Christmas tree with millions of fireflies.
Plaza
reveals that the DOT is partly funding the endeavor with
P2.5 million, with the local government of Butuan
providing the bulk of the remainder of the P7.5-million
total to make the balanghai recreation a reality in six
months. “Eventually, we will privatize it,” she says.
But, of
course, all this is up in the air. At present, the
historical and museum sites of Butuan sorely need
improvement. At the Balangay Shrine Museum, the
facilities are weathered, knackered and
termite-infested. This is a shame, as the balanghai, the
only artifacts of its kind in
Asia, have been carbon-dated to 320 A.D. and possess a unique and
ingenious lash construction system. The treasures
deserve better care and respect.
With the
refurbishment of these facilities and the Balanghai
River Tour, Butuan promises to be an adventure and an
attraction that will make us proud. |
