Gayon Tabaco

Gayon Tabaco
Mayon Volcano seen from San Miguel Island

Dagos tabi!

Legend has it that the first people of Tabaco were born from the earth pushed out of the womb of Mayon in one of her convulsions. Thus from terror and beauty, our ancestors walked this earth for centuries, torn by the enchantment and violence of nature. And from them, and this constant cycle of destruction and restoration, emerged people whose heritage is resilience, whose pride is the very beauty of their souls.

Tabaco is the land this proud community of dauntless, yet peaceful, sturdy, yet gentle, fishermen, farmers, weavers, and artisans, has called their home. A generous shelter, settled in warmth between the verdant foot of the revered fiery mother-goddess, Mayon, and the protective and nourishing embrace of the Lagonoy Gulf.

This is the home held in constant awe by Tabaqueños, as they instinctively revere that which graces them their life’s necessities, and protect the mysterious beauty that nourishes their spirit.

Physically enchanting, Tabaco occupies a strategic place endowed with the abundance of both marine and terrestrial wonders. From the conic heights and terrifying beauty of the Mayon volcano, tirelessly braved by both local and foreign mountaineers alike, to the underwater wonder of San Miguel Island fish sanctuary, breathlessly captivating divers with its corals and aquatic life which mysterious colors God alone can conceive--one is treated to a soaring and plunging experience unique only in this land.


Palacio Residencia

Historical Tabaco

The recorded history of Tabaco began in 1587 when Franciscan missionaries began converting the inhabitants of the town of Cagsawa to Catholicism. In 1616, the Rev. Fr. Pedro de Alcareso, became the first permanent minister of Tabaco. He built a stone church dedicated to Christ’s forerunner St. John the Baptist who since then became the patron saint of Tabaco.

Over the years, Tabaco became the largest and the most strategic settlement and in mid-17th century, the province of Albay was divided into two. The first was Partido de Tabaco which included the present-day towns of the First District of Albay, Legazpi, Daraga and Catanduanes. The other division, which was Partido de Iraya, included the towns currently making up the Third District and parts of Camarines Sur.

Known even then for being a town of great charm and character, Tabaco was in fact no stranger to natural calamities. In 1811, a powerful typhoon wreaked unimaginable destruction on Tabaco. Because the storm all but stripped the town bare, it earned the nickname Bagiong Oguis (white typhoon).

Three years later, in 1814, tragedy struck anew. Mayon Volcano erupted violently and rivers of molten lava rampaged down its slopes even as showers of white hot ash and burning boulders destroyed villages and completely buried Tabaco’s neighbor Cagsawa. The eruption claimed an unprecedented number of lives and took away much of the people’s livelihoods since rice fields were rendered completely unproductive for many years thereafter.

Tabaco was spared much of Mayon’s wrath but it took a full decade for it to recover from the damage.

The Americans arrived in Tabaco on February 9, 19 00 under the command of Col. Walter Howe. Despite the well-documented courage and patriotism of Tabaquenos, the superior armaments and well-trained soldiers of the American army hastened its conquest of Tabaco and adjoining towns.

With the restoration of peace after World War II, the residents of Tabaco started rebuilding their lives and their land. By the time the Philippines gained independence, Tabaco was once again a thriving town.


Ungman/Tawong-Lipod

OSIPON: The Folk Stories of Tabaco

A question, a beautiful maiden and a jealous father, according to one of the more popular legends, gave the city its name. The story goes that Spanish conquistadores, with their “Que lugar este? (What place is this?)” inquisition and thoughtless ignorance of other cultures, happened to stand dangerously close to a young woman who was the daughter of an overprotective father. The predicament was made even worse by the visitors’ and the locals’ incapability of understanding one another. So when the enraged father kept shouting “Tabak ko! Tabak ko! (My Bolo! My Bolo!)”, the clueless Spaniards mistook this excitement as jubilation at their arrival and took the words as the answer to their question. Thus, the frenzied screams of “Tabak ko!” of a father who only wanted to protect his daughter from harm, became the name of our city.

Another related tale, more romantic but less humorous, describes pre-Hispanic Tabaco, a self-sufficient, peaceful and prosperous town with the ancient name of Pagkamoot (Love) under the able leadership of the warrior Datu Maisog (Brave) who had an exceptional daughter, the Princess Nayoka or Magayon (Beautiful). Although the staple formula of miscommunication between the locals and foreigners and the expected clash of cultures is present, this version supposedly happened during the wedding feast of Princess Nayoka-Magayon to a distant cousin named Makusog (Strong). While everyone was preparing for the wedding, armed visitors of a strange race beached the shores of what is now Natunawan, and the natives, anticipating trouble, cried out “Tabak ko! Tabak ko!”. And like in the first version, the foreigners recorded this as the name of the place.

Funny or heroic, truth or mere myth, these different stories relate to us only one thing, Pagkamoot or Tabaco, as described by Congressman Edcel C. Lagman, is truly the home of a proud and gallant race. Although there is now nothing remotely warlike about Tabaco whose people are peace-loving, gentle and warm, the name never lost its ancient connotation. Just as the bolo, which is the premier product of a city renowned for its blacksmiths, is a balance of beauty, represented by the craftsmanship of its sheath and polo or handle and brutality, symbolized by the lukas or blade, Tabaquenos, are also of a dual nature. Their passionate nature and fiery disposition hide just beneath their calm and laid-back exterior and this altogether makes for a remarkable and unusual combination.

Folklore

Even before the dawn of history, the natives of Tabaco have kept an innate belief in a host of other-worldly creatures. These superstitious beliefs are so ingrained in our consciousness that stories of frightful aswangs (witches), cigar-smoking kapres (ogres) and mischievous duendes (elves) terrorized yet thrilled us as children even as these mythical beings restrained our natural naughtiness.

Among the pantheon of supernatural beings are the ungman or tawong lipod (unseen creatures), who in woody places and less trodden paths lurk. If they sense disrespect, they can lay a curse that can cause sickness or even death. This is why old people are quick to remind us to chant tabi po (excuse me) whenever we pass by a punso (a mound of soil believed to be the home of the tawong lipod).

It is not surprising then that in the early days, every village would have its own babaylan (priestess-healer) which was succeeded by the albularyo or magtatawas (folk doctors) who are adept at the rituals of santigwar (mystical healing).

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Tabaco's Saint John the Baptist Church


You know you are already in Tabaco when you see a domed and dark tower looming above the buildings in the horizon. The tower is the belfry of the St. John the Baptist Parish Church, or commonly known as Daculang Simbahan (Big Church).

According to the National Historical Institute (NHI), the church, a classic Earthquake Baroque structure was erected under the pastorship of Fr. Fermin Llorente who was a priest, an engineer, and a soldier. Built from 1864 to 1879, the Tabaco Church is made of adobe blocks held together by molasses and lime.

The NHI describes this classic architectural gem thus:

Broken pediment, arched windows and doors, balustrades outlining

the edges of the pediment and the corners of the bell tower, paired

pilasters, the scrolls topping columns, and spires terminating the two

edges of the triangular pediment - are its great architectural forms.

For an Earthquake Baroque the huge buttresses, blind windows,

and the visible belfry separated from the main church building are

characteristics of the said style in Philippine architecture.

Upon careful scrutiny, one will see mysterious insignias etched on the surface of most of the stones. It is believed that these initials, are the abbreviations of the names of the very artisan-masons who crafted the blocks.

Another interesting feature is the carving in the belfry of a person resembling that of a native royalty or datu, side by side with the likeness of the King of Spain. There are many speculations about what this image might mean A popular interpretation is that it symbolizes the Spaniards’ high regard toward the local pre-Hispanic government. Very rare in Philippine church embellishments, this makes the Tabaco church a national cultural treasure.

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