Chapter 7 : From the Kingdom of Tondo, the Dulay lineage emerged in the ancient Lakanate of Lawan (Laoang, Samar)

      David Dula y Goiti, un nieto de Lakan Dula con una madre española escapó la persecución de los descendientes de Lakan Dula colocando en Isla de Batag, Samar norteño y colocó en el Candawid ahora llamado colocado (Kan David). Debido al odio a los españoles, él cayó el Goiti en su apellido y adoptó un nuevo David conocido Dulay. El civil de Guardia lo cogió basado en Palapag y fue ejecutado eventual junto con siete seguidores. Fueron encargados de la planificación atacar la separación española.      

     Samar norteño es donde la rebelión de Sumuroy de 1649-1650 llevado por el Juan Ponce Sumuroy del héroe de Waray primero comenzó. Uno de los conspiradores confiados en del co de Sumuroy, David Dula y Goiti, sostuvo la búsqueda filipina para la patria en un mayor vigor. Lo sin embargo hirieron en una batalla, fueron capturado y ejecutado más adelante en Palapag, Samar norteño de los españoles junto con sus siete tenientes dominantes. Los acusaron de masterminding varios ataques contra separaciones españolas. El lugar de donde David vino fue nombrado más adelante como Candawid (Kan David) en Isla De Batag, Laoang, Samar norteño. Algunos de los descendientes de David cambiaron sus apellidos a Dulay para evitar procesamientos españoles. Algunos mantuvieron su apellido Dula, que hasta actualmente es la fuente de fricciones internas de menor importancia entre algunos descendientes de David Dula y Goiti en Laoang, Samar norteño que acusaba cada lado como " sigbinan", un folklore waray nativo que originó en Isla de Batag, que implica el " una familia que guarda secretamente llevar-como creatures", que se están alimentando con todas las clases de carne, a veces, incluyendo la carne de Guardia española muerta civil. Vario Samarenos norteño famoso está remontando su ascendencia entre los siete conspiradores del co ejecutados con David Dula y Goiti en Palapag, Samar norteño. Durante la guerra Filipino-Americana, el cerco de Catubig fue luchado en la ciudad Catubig.

        Martin de Goiti is a Spanish Basque conquistador who led the expedition sent by Legazpi in 1569 to conquer Manila; killed in the expedition that fought Limahong. He was one of the soldiers who accompanied the Spanish colonization of the East Indies and the Pacific, in 1565. From his main base in Mexico City, he was the leader of the expedition to Manila, ordered by Miguel López de Legazpi in 1569. There, he fought a number of battles against the Muslim, Tariq Suleiman (سليمان), the Hindu, Rajah Matanda (ऋअज ंअतन्द), and the Taoist, Lakan Dula (王 杜拉) of the kingdoms in Luzon; for control of the lands and its settlements. He is also known for his statesmanship by betrothing his Basque sister to Batang Dula, the eldest son and successor apparent of Lakan Dula of Tondo "東都" (Dongdu), the paramount ruler of Manila. Eventually their descendants unified the 3 royal houses of Tariq Suleiman, Rajah Matanda and Lakan Dula with the basque de Goiti family. The Dula y Goiti family eventually married with the Mendoza family who came over from Latin-America, who were Sephardic Hebrews that were practicing Catholics. Afterwards, the Dula y Goiti surname was shortened to Dulay. However, during the Spanish era, some descendants changed their surnames even further in order to avoid persecution and among which; the Salonga and Macapagal families are known descendants of these royal houses albeit only through a different family name (https://www.findagrave.com)

Genealogy of the Eldest Sons of the Lineage of Lakan Dula: Significance of the  Era

Lakan Banaw Dula (1503) is the King of Tondo which kingdom extends to Ilocos Region in Luzon and Northern Samar in the Visayas. But he has allies among native chieftains in most part of the Visayas and Mindanao as their paramount ruler.  Many names such as Samar, Samal, Ibabao, Tandaya were given to Samar Island prior to the coming of the Spaniards in 1596. An unknown community writer  from Las Navas, Samar said in jest that the name "Samar" was derived from the local language samad, meaning "wound" or "cut", out of a joke. Recent scholars however connect the name Samar to the ancient city of Samaria, the capital of the northern Kingdom of Israel. The early Datu of Samar, Hadi Iberein of Lawan Town, in the northern part of the island may have a Samaritan blood. This explains the presence of spotty Hebrew sounding words in the present Lawan dialect and why the Sephardi Jews settled in Northern Samar on later years and in line with the recent findings of the Jewish scholars that the territory of Datu Iberein which reigns extends to Butuan, Quezon Province, Albay and Mactan, could be the center of the the biblical Ophir which is now known in the books as the present Philippines. Datu Iberein may have the influence in officially naming the island as Samar, in honor of his homeland Samaria. Samar island was also named by the Spaniards as the original Filipinas, which was extended eventually to pertain to the whole Philippine archipelago. The influence of Datu Iberein is based on the fact that his territorial base covers the prosperous and historical Catubig-Laoang- Palapag  topography. Catubig was the Capital of the whole Samar Island, Palapag is the home of the ancient shipping industry which was later to become the shipping repair station of the Galleon Trade and is also known historically as the home of the Sumuroy Revolt; and Lawan (now Laoang) is the seat of the power of Datu Iberein which is a stronghold and gateway from the Pacific of the Kingdom of Tondo headed by a dynasty of Lakans, or "paramount rulers" of all native chieftains of the what is known now as the Philippine archipelago. Recent diggings in a place called Sawang of ancient jewelries, plates and martabana (ancient burial jar) points to the legendary prosperity and influence Datu Iberein. Quite incidentally, the Araw City and Sigbin legends of the Warays are also pointing in the direction of the prosperous topography of the Catubig-Laoang-Palapag naval grid. Is the Ophir and Araw City one and the same..

Batang Dula (1535). Eldest son of Lakan Dula. Batag Island of Lawan Town in Samar is named after him. In 1569 Martin de Goiti arrived in Manila. Batang Dula was betrothed to a lady from the Goiti family, which is one of Spanish ways of pacifying the native aristocracy.

David Dula y Goiti  (1568). Due to intense Spanish persecution of the native aristocracy right at the heart of the Kingdom of Lakan Dula in Tondo and Intramuros, the eldest son of Batang Dula, David Goiti Dula was hidden in a far end of the kingdom within the Galleon Trade sea route. He changed the name of his children to Dulay, to hide their identity. The natives call the plantation in Batag Island, Samar where David Goiti Dula was hidden as Candawid (Kan David, meaning owned by David) even up to now. David eventually  married Julya,  granddaughter of Lawan datu Hadi Iberein.Historian William Henry Scott wrote that a “Samar datu by the name of Iberein was rowed out to a Spanish vessel anchored in his harbor in 1543 by oarsmen collared in gold; while wearing on his own person earrings and chains.”  This is a testament of the power and prosperity of the native pre-Hispanic aristocracy in Samar and Tondo. The name Iberein seem to connote a Sephardic Jewish ancestry from the Iberian Peninsula which has influenced the name of the island into Samar (from Samaria). David’s sisters, Daba Goiti Dula changed the surname of their children to Capulong, and Dola Goiti Dula made their children carry the surname of Lacandola.  They were hidden in some provinces in Luzon. Datu Hadi Iberein, following instructions from the Kingdom of Tondo, decided to live in peace with the Spaniards provided that they will not have military forces in the heart of the Lakanate of Lawan but will built them in either Catubig or Palapag. Years later, David Dula y Goiti received messages from the Lakanate of Tondo to secretly resist the Spanish occupation by instigating a revolt, and send trained warriors to  Cavite in the guise of shipyard workers because Cavite was decided by the Kingdom of Tondo to be the main force to overthrow the Spanish kingdom in Manila. David Dula y Goiti met secretly with the father of Sumuroy and several native chieftains to plan the insurrection. The insurrection will start in Palapag (Ibabao) be led by 'Sumuroy, Juan Ponce and Pedro Caamug. The son  of David Dula y Goiti by the name of David Dulay was also in the forefront as the logistics and finance officer of the military operation, using the link of his family to the Lakan of Tondo.

David Dulay (1602) is the eldest son of David Dula y Goiti. A younger brother of David retained the surname Dula on his children which explains that even today, Dulay and Dula surnames co – exists in Lawan but they consider themselves relatives. However, they tease each other as “sigbinan”. David was executed in Palapag Town, the ancient ship repair capital of the Galleon Trade, in 1652, together with his seven followers and a hunting dog named “sigbin”. He was married to a daughter of one native tribal chieftains in the Lakanate of  Lawan by the name of Carolina. The Sumuroy Revolt started and spread within the territories influence by the Lakanate of Lawan. When Sumuroy was killed, David Dulay was forced to lead and expand the rebellion but he was eventually wounded, captured and executed together with his men.   The Romualdez of Leyte is also part of the Sumuroy Revolt. In their official family history today, they thank David Dulay, for allowing their rebel ancestral patriarch to go home to attend to an ailing mother days before the rebels will be caught by the Guardia Civil after a fierce gun battle in Palapag, and were executed. The younger brother of David Dulay, a handsome caucasian looking guy name Francisco Dulay using a borrowed surname De la Cruz to avoid detection of the Guardia Civil, escaped back to Tondo after the execution of his eldest brother and met a beautiful lady from an ancient village in the north known in pre-colonial times as Alingay or Alinguey. The natives, several generations later, would call the place where this mysterious Dulay with his beautiful native wife settled, as Samara, knowing that the husband of the beautiful native is from Samar and Tondo. When Spanish colonizers arrived in the late 16th century, they found an enclave of ethnic Pangasinenses actively trading with their Ilocano and Ifugao neighbors and traders from China, Japan and Southeast Asia in the vicinity of Samara.

Datu Sava (1618) is the eldest son of David Dulay to a wife who is a daughter of one of a native tribe chieftains in the Lakanate of Lawan.  Sava was later anointed as the Datu of a native settlement in 1638 at the age of 20. Because, Sava grew up in the household of the native chieftain and his father David Dulay was executed by the Spaniards when he was young, his upbringing is influenced more by the household of the native chieftain. His loyalty is more on the natives and not on his Lakan Dula or Dulay ancestry. He seldom use the surname Dula or Dulay of his executed father to avoid persecution of the Spaniards.

Duma (1650). Son of Datu Sava. Took care of the settlement in Lawan. Describing the place of the settlement, Fr. Alzina, as a missionary in Samar and Leyte from 1634 to 1674, in his visit to the place in 1640 says, “On the opposite side of Rawis, on the Lawan Island, which is a sandbar there is a solid ridge of rock. It is fashioned by nature itself and it is so steep that it looks like a façade of a wall… It was a natural fortification, due to its great height of massive rock; it was also secured as if by a moat which encircled its three sides. The fourth side was blocked by a palisade of strong logs. Then too, nature also formed on one side of this rock something like a small cove with its little beach.”  Duma is only using the surname Dulay on special occasions.

Kahipus (1681).Son of Duma. The leadership system in Lakanate of Lawan weakened due to pressure of the Spanish government and Christianity. Kahipus expanded the settlement in another part of Lawan. He is slowly using the surname Dulay in several occasions.

Yumanaw (1712).Son of Kahipus, the last datu of Lawang. He started a settlement in another part of Lawang Town. By the end of the 16th century, any claim to Filipino royalty, nobility, or hidalguía had disappeared into a homogenized, hispanized and Christianized nobility - the Principalía.[60] This remnant of the pre-colonial royal and noble families continued to rule their traditional domain until the end of the Spanish Regime. However, there were cases when succession in leadership was also done through election of new leaders (Cabezas de Barangay), especially in provinces near the central colonial government in Manila where the ancient ruling families lost their prestige and role. He seldom use the surname Dulay but he let his children use them.

Sebaste Dulay (1740).Son of Yumanaw. With the decline of the influence of the native nobility, and the Spanish practice of having a surname has been in full effect, he adopted back their native Dulay surname into his name. He is the great grandfather of Petre Dulay. A younger brother of Sebaste decided to use the surname Dula to openly challenge the Spanish authorities who are still very critical on the bloodline of the native aristocracy. He settled down in peace in a far territory of the ancient settlement which is now known as Lawaan. The influence of the hereditary leaders of Lawan was legally ended with the creation of Laoang town in 1768.

Benyamin Dulay (1772). Son of Sebaste. Grandfather of Petre who remained in Lawan settlement progressing in the “arastre” business.

Esteban Gatdula (1799).Son of Benyamin. Father of Petre Dulay. As the eldest son, Gat Esteban, inherited the ancestral plantation of David Goiti Dula in sitio Candawid, Barrio Marubay, Lawang, Northern Samar while Esteban's younger brother by the name of Santiago GatDula went back to Tondo and settled in the family inheritance in Calle Sande , while the rest of the members of the Dulay principalia family remained in Lawan main settlement. Several generations later, his great grandson who remained in Lawan, Hilario Dula Dulay, would become the municipal president of Lawan in 1929, and caused the survey and acquisition of the titles to the present market site and the lot across the creek at Little Venice. Years later, Hilario's son,   Mayor Eleuterio Dulay would become the longest serving undefeated mayor of the town.

Petre Dulay( 1843) is the eldest son of Esteban who eventually inherited the Candawid plantation from where the Dulay Mendoza Clan of Lawang and Marikina descended. The family of the eldest son of Petre, returned to their homeland Tondo and eventually decided to settle in Marikina Valley through the arrangements with the Cacho-Tuason family who owns the Hacienda Mariquina and with then Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal, another descendant of Lakan Dula of Tondo. The plantation of David Goiti Dula in Candawid was left to a youngest brother of the eldest Elpidio Dulay, Barangay Captain Macario Dulay. The eldest son of Elpidio, Ceferino Dulay headed the Dulay Mendoza Clan of Marikina Valley. Petre is the oldest brother of Agripina Dulay who married a Chinese merchant, from where Gov. Madeilene Dulay Cui Mendoza Ong descended. On 21 November 1849 the Spanish Governor General of the Philippine Islands, Narciso Clavería, decreed the systematic distribution of surnames and the implementation of the Spanish naming system for Filipinos and Filipinas, thereby producing the Catálogo Alfabético de Apellidos ("Alphabetical Catalogue of Surnames") listing Spanish, Filipino, and Hispanicised Chinese words, names, and numbers. The Dulay clan did not change their surname to Spanish – sounding surname as a defiance to the Spanish rule. Today, the lineage of Agripina Dulay, took over from their cousin Mayor Eleuterio Dulay in running the Lawan settlement, not as ancient datus like their forefathers, but as popularly elected mayors. As of this writing, the Agripina Dulay lineage (who got married with the Chinese Cui, Sephardi Jewish Mendoza and Chinese Ong from Binondo) is not only in control of the ancient Lawan settlement, but also the congressional district and the whole province of Northern Samar carrying the surname Ongchuan. The descendants of Lakan Dula of Tondo seem to be on its way of restoring the glorious past of the Philippine Islands.

The Lakanate (Kingdom) of Lawan (Ophir), an Ancient Civilization of Hebrew – blooded natives  Lequios (waray hadlok) that started the Migration of the natives in the Philippine archipelago and the Polynesians in the Pacific

Well - known historians all over the world, both in the past and  in the modern time proved the existence of an ancient civilization by studying their ruins, epic, artifacts, historical accounts and current articles of written in the standard history textbooks by well-known historians and archaeologists. They did that for the Ancient China 2100 – 221 BC, Ancient Egypt 3150 – 31 BC, Inca Civilization 1200 – 1542 AD (Modern day Peru), Ancient Greece 800 BC – 146 BC, Maya Civilization 2000 BC – early 16th Century (Modern day Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras), Osirian Civilization (Modern day Mediterranean) and, Rama Empire 10,000 – 2,500 BC (Modern day India and Pakistan).  The same rigid standard was being applied in the current study of the ancient Lakanate of Lawan where its existence was recently uncovered.

The Almuraya Fortress Ruins of Laoang

For 300 years, the Spaniards have been systematically marginalizing the native aristocracy of the Lakanate of Tondo and Lakanate of Lawan. Their strategy has always been the same: conquer the natives with religion. In Tondo, the seat of power of Lakan Dula was slowly erased by building the Sto. Nino Church right in his own ancestral home. The same tactics they did in  Lawan.  They build the church right in the seat of power of Datu Hadi Iberein and name the complex in Spanish so that the future generations will not remember it. They name it “Almuraya”. For 300 years, the Spaniards painstakingly remove all the vestiges of the ancient prosperous Hebrew lakanate.  They destroyed all the structures of  Almuraya by building their own structures like churches and bahay na bato houses,  destroyed the secret passages from “Almuraya” to the caves of Isla de Batag and the shipping ports of Kahayagan, Kalomotan and Palapag which they converted into the ship repair station of the Galleon Trade from the  Philippines to Mexico. They suppressed the siday, kandu, sorugmaton and other native folklores. They changed the surnames of the natives to Spaniards. They marginalized the native royal families who were forced to become businessmen (mostly in arastre and coconut plantations) and forget their ancient glorious past. Lawan, with its splendor as described in the “Bingi of Lawan” and "Laoang Twilight" epic was reduced into a hispanized ruins called even today as “almuraya fortress ruins of Laoang”. Fortunately, a small piece of the grandeur of the Lakanate of Lawan of Datu Hadi Iberein was described briefly by Fr. Ignatius Alzina in his book Historia de las Islas y Indios de Bisayas. The book said that the settlement was ruled by a monarch called Dato Karagrag, whose consort Bingi had an irresistible beauty that captivated other neighboring kings, especially the dato from Albay. (Fr. Alzina lived as missionary in Samar and Leyte for 38 years, from 1634 to 1674, working mostly in Palapag.) Describing the place of the settlement, Fr. Alzina in his visit to the place in 1640 says, “On the opposite side of Rawis, on the Lawang Island, which is a sandbar there is a solid ridge of rock. It is fashioned by nature itself and it is so steep that it looks like a façade of a wall… It was a natural fortification, due to its great height of massive rock; it was also secured as if by a moat which encircled its three sides. The fourth side was blocked by a palisade of strong logs. Then too, nature also formed on one side of this rock something like a small cove with its little beach.” It is this advanced stage of civilization, evidenced by the Dragon Jar of Laoang and many other artifacts found within the Lakanate of Lawan (Catubig-Laoang-Palapag) and their reign of influence like Albay, Surigao, Butuan, Quezon Province and Mactan, and combining the fact that the  some historians are pointing to the Hebrew - influenced Lakanate of Lawan of Datu Iberein as the seat of Ophir that started the intermigration of Polynesian people in the Pacific as pointed out by an Australian study on DNA – native historians conclude that for 300 years, the Spaniards have been successful in erasing the political existence of the Lakanate of Lawan in the memory of its people and the history of the country. Fortunately, the surge of the clamor for identity of the present generation of Filipinos is paving the way for the search for the real identity of the Filipinos.  One piece of artifacts that are subject to archeological analysis of some historians today is the ruins of the cobblestone watch tower of the Almuraya Fortress Ruins of Laoang. The use of cobblestone is very popular in ancient Egypt and Samaria of Israel. Is it possible that the ancient royalty of Lawan are the Hebrew – blooded people of Ophir that initiated the migration of Polynesian people into different islands in the Pacific?

                   The Laoang Dragon Jar (Inalasan nga Tadyaw)

One archeological artifact that provided the conclusive evidence today of the existence of the Lakanate (a native Kingdom) of Lawan as an advanced ancient civilization in the Pacific coast is a dragon jar which is now kept by the Samar Archeological Museum in Calbayog City, Western Samar.  Carl Bordeos, the curator of the museum said that the jar was found in Laoang, Northern Samar. It was carbon dated by foreign archeologists to have been used as a burial jar as early as 960 AD, as old as the Laguna Copperplate that provided the evidence for the existence of the Lakanate of Tondo. The jar is older than the coming of Islam in the Philippines. The dragon jar was discovered by a Polish Priest – historian by the name of Zdislaw Kobak. Historians said that the artifact is a secondary burial jar of a royal child, which indicate an existence of a long succession of monarch of a lakanate (a native kingdom). Historians believe that the Laoang Dragon Jar is one of the only three known dragon jars in Asia, and indication that the Lakanate of Lawan must have been a very prosperous kingdom to afford such kind of a jar for a burial of a minor member of the native royalty. Several other martabanas (burial jars), jewelries of gold and other precious stones, and some Hebrew artifacts have been excavated in an ancient burial ground in a place in Laoang now known as sawang, but they are kept by private collectors (businessmirror.com.ph). A dragon jar, also known as cloud-dragon jar, is a type of ceremonial porcelain vessel that became popular among the ruling classes of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910), China and in ancient Philippine royalty based in Lawan. They are decorated with large dragons against a background of stylized clouds, painted with under glaze pigments. In addition to being a generally auspicious symbol, the dragon represented the authority and beneficence of the ruler (Philadelphia Museum of Art). In 1754, King Yòngjo decreed that iron pigments were to be used exclusively, except for jars having a dragon design (Covell, p.74). Because of the scarcity of the traditional cobalt blue pigment, which was imported from Muslim Turkestan, and was also known as “Mohammedan blue”, an under glaze brown iron oxide pigment was also used between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries (Minneapolis Institute of Arts)

                 Bingi of Lawan

There lived in this place a chief called Karagrag, who was its lord and ruler. He was married to a lady of his rank called Bingi, a name which had been bestowed on her because of her chastity, as we shall see. (I was not able to find out if she came from the same town; most probably she was from upstream on the Catubig River, where she was the daughter of the chief there.) This lady, according to what they recount, was endowed with many fine virtues and greedy celebrated for her beauty among these natives, so much so that, moved by the fame of her beauty, the Datu, or ruler, of Albay got ready a hundred ships. This chief was called Dumaraug, which means the victor, and with all those ships he weighed anchor in his land, and within a short time came in view of the [Lawan Island] town of Makarato. 

His unexpected arrival excited the town, but since it was well-fortified by its natural location and it was the season of the Vendavales (the best time for going there from Albay) when the force of the sea and its waves were strong and turbulent, he did not venture to go straight in but took shelter instead near the beach which Rawis Point makes with very fine sand and free of shoals, where, became of an islet across the entrance from the sea, the surf is less obstructive and the sea milder and calm. From there he sent a small boat with a sign of peace to announce the purpose of his coming, which was simply to carry Bingi away as his wife, the fame of whose beauty alone had left him love struck and with only this would he then return to his land without making any attack and always afterward remain their friend and protector, since he think that he is more powerful than they, he could do it to their advantage. Karagrag, rather than making reply, showed them how well prepared he was by entertaining them, and when his wife was informed of Dumaraug’s intentions, she responded at once that she was greatly surprised that for something of such little worth he: had made such a demonstration and launched so many ships, that she was content with the husband she had and did not care to exchange him for any other, even to the most powerful man in the world, and that so long as he was alive, she could not think of leaving him; and if it should be her unlucky fate to fall into his hands captive, he should understand that though he might carry her off and command her as his slave, that to make her his wife, she would never consent and was ready to give her life first. Encouraged by so bold a response, her husband Karagrag simply added that he was there waiting with his men deployed, and that although they were not many, they were very good men, and that the place where they were was very secure and their arms are advanced, and if he came to try his arms in battle, they would do their duty; and if he should defeat them, he would be lord of his wife and property, but if not, he would return to his land empty-handed, if indeed he escaped from there with his life.

With this reply, and in view of the superior strength and impregnability of the place for them, with no more arms than spears and shields or at most some arrows, the chief reconsidered and hesitated a bit but not for long, and without attempting anything more and risking his men, he returned home just as he had come, leaving both the chief and his wife Bingi happy.

This happened a few years before the Spaniards came, and is still fresh in the memory of the natives of the Lawan town, who today are their descendants. Not many years ago, I buried a chief of the said island, who was more than seventy years old, whose parent had been alive when this raid took place; and a son of his who had heard it many times, related it to me with all the aforesaid details (Alcina 1668a, 4:20-23).

A bingi or bingil was a virgin or a woman who had been faithful to one man all her life. It must therefore have been bestowed on the heroine of this romance sometime after the Albay raid, the first step in an historic event’s becoming a legend. The quotation of her and her husband’s noble words indicates that the poetic process had already had its effect by the time Father Alcina heard the story. Perhaps with retelling over the centuries and the accumulation of apocryphal embellishments, the tale might have grown into a full-fledged kandu. Indeed, had ancient Visayan culture not succumbed to colonial acculturation, some Waray bard might now be singing the Epic of Bingi (William Henry Scott).

                 Laoang Twilight: The Lost Garden of Glory

The cradles of the Filipino civilization. The place of light, charm, beauty and harmony with its proud, insightful people stemming from enlightened culture originated before the chronicles of the Garden of Eden.

          I have looked back on my life and recorded everything about my place, hence, I would like to share the wonder, glory and majesty of my beloved town—Laoang. Just imagine what it looks like before our time. The glorious name Laoang, the nature, lands, brackish and sea waters, legends, mythology's, epic of heroism and the first people in their quest through the epochs of time. This is my personal journey through my candid readings and research. I will not twist its history but I will carve up an expedition to its grandeur.

          We must leave two things to our descendants when we die. One is tradition and culture and, the other is our golden history. A person without tradition and culture will fail—it is a soul that guides us to wonder in this world, our survival and the practices of our civilization. Through our history, people acquire knowledge and wisdom for living. To open up new future, we need, on the other hand, to pass on to our descendants the tradition, culture and history that has been handed down to us over thousands of years. Colorful as it is, we must continue to educate our successors especially the love for their native land, heroism, harmony and Glory.

          Before our time, our ancestors worked for peace, harmony and love of our native land. People these days are raised by the picture of a hopeless society that they could not stop and suspend the perils of the forthcoming "human calamity". The present practices of "denial" to our good ancient culture, and tradition of love and harmony would lead us to our destruction, thus, developing sensitivities for our past communities and 'silvery-water history' can truly revive the resonance of a true character and proud Nortehanon-Laoanganon--the tribe of pintados-Lawagnon. Our ancestors, shed their blood and tears to make us free and happy, they didn't even fight each other rather shared their everything for 'common good', for their families, neighbors, and love of their native land.

          In my expedition, in prehispanic centuries, my town was garlanded with so many names; 'Garden of Eden', 'Dawn of the Traders', 'Haven of Sailors', 'Land of Princess and Harmony', 'Gems of the East', 'Shining Islet of the Pacific', 'Port of Gold', 'Twilight of the Fishermen', 'City of Angels' and 'Land of Mystics and Miracles'. Spending time to recall its beauty will gives me pleasure and a smile. Ah, the splendor of my hometown! At bedtime, I would close my eyes, saying… I wish I have been there to see and observe the real story far from the current books of history where interest’s people were eluded inclined to their respected dimensions but not its true accounts. I could not sleep with the sounds of leaves rustling in the wind, the sound of the blowing wind through the reeds that keeps my imagination alive.

          I have immersed myself in understanding the questions and finding their answers. Where did i came from? My ancestors? As I went through, my town was once known as the 'great port' of the Far East—"Pantalan-Sinirakan". The whole island was called "Sirac-an" popularly known as "Lawagan" which means "crystal torch" or something that can be associated with a fishing boat that uses light as a bait to catch fish. Sirac-an was named and called by the people living in hinterlands while Lawagan named by the people living in the plains and sea shores. Native people were known as "Lawagnon", "Lawodnon", "Sirakan", "Batacnon", "Anoron", and "Rawisnon" but most of the natives were called Lawagnon. They spoke four major dialects; Kawi, Waray, Lao and Baybayin. Batag Island used Kawi due to David Dula's influence; Waray was the native dialect of most Lawagnon and Sirakan while Lao and Baybayin were used for trading and business with the other people.

          According to legend, without the crystal torch you could not find the island. Native people are 'naturists', they believed in the power of nature and spirits, they can heal wounds, they can summon good spirits to protect their land and hide them with a glow of a 'crystal torch' that evaded them from the attack of different pirates, calamities and evil spirits.

          So majestic is Laoang before, native people in the different areas of the Lawagan land pray to good spirits. One day, their faith was challenged by a "great tidal wave", as tall as a 50-story building but it was easily subsided when a good spirits rubble the wave with his mighty shield and sword. Native people, young and old, saw this picture with their eyes and believed the power of their prayer. It was not Saint Michael the Archangel, not until the Spaniards and Jesuits established its mission in the area. Our ancestors believed that they be can be saved by their faith and prayer to the good spirits. This is also the light when people celebrate its feast to the good spirits that save their lives that eventually evolved to the Fiesta Celebration of St Michael the Archangel on the 29th day of September but before it was celebrated on the 8th day of August following the 'animists calendar'--It is the Feast of thanksgiving where people solemnly pray for their lives and fortune.

          The land was once inhabited by the "Great Chieftains"," Princesses" and "Warriors of Virtues" whose majesty, beauty and charm were known to the world. Neighboring tribes would always visit the land; for friendship and trade, to marry their lovely women, to train as "spirit warriors" against invaders and pirates enlightened by good spirits.

          The land was divided into three territories and constituencies but harmony existed in every person living in the land, they were united by one blood and honor to their sole ancestor—pintados-Lawagnon—a great family of Lawagan land who stand 15 feet tall who defended Lawagnon people many times against invaders and pirates. According to "surmatanons" (epic of Lawagnon) Pintados-Lawagnon family threw big stones to invaders that echoed Lawagnon and earned the description of "the unconquered land". Since then, people will come for trade not for war and invasions. This was our hallmark that we should remember day by day. Our hospitality has reached to the whole islands of the country then to Spain then to mexico and other parts of the world.

          Moreover, the first territory was under Dato Karawton and his consort Princess Bangipa , he ruled and managed the "region of Anadanod" now the "poblacion of the town" extending Baybay to Mualbual then to Calomotan. These areas were also known as the "golden port of the pacific". The "port of Baybay" was used by different wealthy foreign citizens and Spanish royal blood who were honorable by the kingdom of Spain. They stayed in the area for a month to rest and treasured the island. The "port of Calomotan" was used by Spanish friars, officers and soldiers while the "port of Mualbual" was used to shuttle slaves going to other areas under Spain colony to perform "polo y servicio".

          In other reign, the second territory was under Dato Sankayon who has lovely Princesses named Rawis and Talisay who were abducted by moro pirates in the fiercest battles in the shore of Rawis (now Titong beach). Dato Sankayon was a bitter brother of the Palapag ruler. He ruled the "Region of Rayang" extending from Rawis to Vigo to Oleras up to Pambujan (now Pambujan municipality). Dato Sankayon named the two barangays after his daughter's name. The port of Rawis was used as the Spanish elite trading capital of the pacific and "the great indies" route together with the galleon trade from Mexico then Rawis before going to Manila and Cavite.

          The last kingdom, the third territory was under Dato Batac with his consort Princess Rayandayan, the land is presently named the Batag Island. He rules the "Region of Lawod" where most of his people were fishermen. People from different places in Asia, Europe and Oceania went to the place for "fish business" that's the reason why the "port of Kahagyan" now Brgy Cahayagan was made for fish market. Most people called themselves Lawodnon and Batacnon. Batacnon believed with the "Lady of the sea" (Senora de Salvacion) a good spirit who performs miracles for sick people from fishing, voyage and expeditions. The Lawodnon people were once lead by "David Dula" grandson of Lakan Dula, the great king of Tondo, Manila. When Lakan Dula's forces were defeated by the Spaniards, he sent a mission to keep his bloodline thus, his grandson David Dula was hidden at Kandawid, now Brgy Candawid in the Island of Batag, in the decree of Spanish high officials that all of Lakan Dula's heir and bloodline would be killed if found out by the Spanish soldiers. David rose to power and led "Lawagnon" side by side with a Palapag hero Juan Ponce Sumuroy against the Spanish conquistadors.

          The old Lawagan regions were God's creation and His gift to presently Laoanganons. I intend to introduce the details of the history and the accounts of great men who contributed much in building Laoang. In these venues people would rather ask for a copy of its book rather than reading here. This is just a short story that is inclined to the forgotten jewel of the east but not as a complete elements of history but just to remind other about our past glories and true character.

          To my constituents, we must work together to awaken our fellow Laoanganon of the preciousness of our true character, history, tradition, culture and, the urgent need to regain them the rich minds of our generation which can offer lessons from our true identity from the time of the "crystal torch" up today. We cannot allow our rich past to saddle in vain and to be damaged any further.

          Laoang or Lawagan is one of humanity's treasure troves, where majesty and wonderful people and its colorful history live. The flora and fauna seem to exist as they might have on the first morning of Creation.The riverbanks used to have pineapples, banana and mango trees. Rice grows so well that it is possible to have three harvests in a year, even without irrigated fields. That's how rich the soil was. Crops such as corn and US beans could be grown just by spreading the seeds over the valley. Very little human labor is need. Farmer who lived there did not experience to be hungry; they went into the fields and dug up sweet potato and "agikway". Potatoes could be harvested without annual planting which can feed even the barrio folks. Laoang provides plenty of economic benefits just in its agricultural lands and marine wealth. The area has vast tracts of virgin hardwood forest. But now? Why?

          Laoang provides a perfect environment for a Garden of Eden by its people's glory. It is not just birds and fish that are plentiful in the area but our true identity of love, harmony and glory. Lawagnon people must lead the way in the effort to save our precious nature, culture, tradition and history.

          Simple words such as beautiful, wonderful and fantastic can begin to describe its value.We were once great people who lived in the "Garden of Eden".Sirac Laoang!!! (Mongas).

        The Songs of the Ancient People of the Lakanate of Lawan

There is something in the nature of the Warays in the Lakanate of Lawan that made them capable of sending people to faraway places over thousand years, namely: their Hebrew - influenced civilization, their personal adventurous character and the romantic closeness of the bonds of their people.

Recent findings would point to the Lakanate of Lawan as the center of biblical Ophir that became the ancestral homeland of the Polynesians. This is evidenced by the Almuraya Ruins of Laoang, the Hebrew – blooded Datu Iberein, the Dragon Jar of Laoang, their siday (local epic) such as the Bingi of Lawan and the name of the  territory itself, Samar, which was named after the ancestral homeland of the ruling Lakans (paramount rulers) of the Lakanate,  Samaria in the ancient Israel..

The personal characteristics of Warays have a great influence on their tendency to sail to faraway places. The ancient Waray tribal folk of Samar, Leyte, and Pintuyan Island were masters of the sea. Many of whom became pirates who attacked and raided coastal villages of present day Bohol, Bool, Cebu, the Luzon coasts and Mindanao. They utilized a form of indentured servitude to those who they captured in their raids and forced them in agricultural slavery even in forming ranks of their war parties. The ancient Waray tribal folk hold similar semblance to the Vikings of Northern Europe (Visayas: Remaining Treasures of the Indigenous People). Warays are also describe even today as brave and principled. The Waray-speaking people of Leyte (Leyteños) and Samar (Samareños) are a strong and proud group (Ethnic Groups of the Philippines). Waray are known in the country for their suicidal courage. The Balangiga victory is done by Warays, so with Catubig Siege victory. The Sumuroy Revolt has sparked the early efforts of the natives against the Spain. The Waray descendants who were transported from Palapag to Cavite shipyards became the main forces of the Cavite rebellion which bloomed into the Philippine Republic.

The ancient songs of the Lakanate of Lawan will show their mastery and feeling at ease with sea as well as their propensity to settle in different places while being faithful to their homeland. One of the songs you can still hear today in the Isla de Batag in the ancient Lawan is this folk song (portion):

 Makapira ka na, makapira ka na

Balentong baliskad,

Sini nga baloto, nga ginsasakyan mo. 

    (How many times, how many times

    Have you fall and capsize

    In this boat that you are riding now) 

One of their songs speaks of the slaves enjoying too much their stay in the Lakanate and are reluctant to leave even if they are already freemen:

                    Diri ko gad ginhuhunaan an pagbaya dinhi

           Kay naaawil man ak, san iyo kustombre

           Labi na gud an sipyat ngan hiyum….

                  (author's note: sorry, forgotten the next line, future researchers may just complete it)

           Baman, an akon higugma, tyempo in mamingaw,

           Matangis na man la.

                         (Never in my mind would I think of leaving this place

                         Because I really enjoy your customs

                         Specially those fleeting glances and stolen smiles

                         But whatever happens, if this flaming love

                         Becomes so lonesome

                         I will just cry)

This next folk song is mysteriously in Tagalog, but is being sung in Candawid in Batag Island even today, especially among old folks. Efforts have been made to search for the origin of the song in Manila and in the Tagalog provinces but to no avail. Local historians are saying that this song is the favorite of the widow of David Dulay. The widow is the granddaughter of Datu Iberein while the David is the son of David Dula y Goiti, a grandson of Lakan Dula of Tondo. The widow thought that David has left her to go back to Tondo. Years later, she came to know that David was executed by the Spaniards in Palapag. 

Awit ni Iday Iberein

Giliw ko, nasaan ang awa mo.

Ang puso, na sadyang nagmamahal sa yo.

Walang bukas, at walang anu ano.

Nilimot mo ang lahat, nang kaligayahan.

Mamahalin din kita kahit nilisan mo hirang.

Susuyuin din kita magpahanggang libing tunay.

Mamahalin din kita ikaw lang ang tanging mahal.

Nilimot mo ang lahat.

Ng kaligayahan. 

       (My love, where is you mercy

       This heart of mine which is loving you truly

       No warning, no signs -- you have left me.

       Forgetting all the happiness we shared.

       I will still love you even though you have forsaken me

       This love of mine I will carry through my grave.

       I will love you and you will always be my one and only love

       Even if you have forgotten all the happy moments we shared together.) 

This romantic closeness of people in the prosperous ancient civilization, the natural tendency of its people to sail and their feeling homey to the sea made this Hebrew – blooded natives, over thousand years -- send people through boats in the different islands in the Pacific and in the Philippine archipelago.

      Timeline of the Pre - Hispanic Philippines

Based on the Principalia Theory of Austronesian Inter Migration, the Rhinoceros man, Dawn man and Callao man existed in the ancient Philippines (Ophir) as early as 709, 000; 250,000 and 65,000 years ago respectively.

            1800 BC – Ancient Lawan Pacific Settlement (Ophir, the homeland of                                              Asians,  Polynesians and Austronesian peoples)

1000 BC - Igorot Society (CAR)

601 AD - Chiefdoms of Zabag and Wak-Wak (Pampanga and Aparri

800 AD - Namayan (Mandaluyong, Sta. Ana Manila)

900 AD - Tondo (Tondo, Manila)

971 AD - Huangdom of Ma-i

1176 AD - Kingdom of Tondo

1200 AD - Rajahnate of Cebu, Madjas-as Confederation, Dapitan, Butuan

1252 AD - Lupah Sug (Sulu)

1376 AD - Bruneian Empire

1408 AD - Caboloan Vassal State of Ming China (Pangasinan)

1430 AD - Sultanate of Sulu

1450 AD - Kingdom of Tondo reached its peak with the largest territory in the archipelago

1470 AD - Namayan became a vassal state of Tondo

1492 AD - Kingdom of Taytay (Palawan)1499 AD - Brunei conquered Ma-i and Sulu

1500 AD - Brunei conquered Tondo's Manila territory and established the puppet Kingdom of Maynila

1501 AD - Maguindanao established

1502 AD - Brunei totally took-over Tondo which lost its territories up north of Luzon.

1521 AD - Magellan reaches the Philippines & is killed by Lapu-Lapu in the battle of Mactan

1522 AD - Maranao established

1532 AD - Lanao established

1564 AD - Sultanate of Ternate established, Spain conquered Cebu

1567 AD - Datu Pagbuaya established

1573 AD - Spain conquered Madjas-As and Tondo

1577 AD - Spain conquered Caboloan

and the rest is history...

The Descendants of Lakan Dula of Tondo are united, their unassuming secretive patriarch does not rule, he reigns privately

Sam Jezrel Moran kamahalan.. pinag mamalaki ko po na akoy pilipino.. kau po pala ang prinsipe ng tondo si Prince. Sofronio Cerbito Dulay I.

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The Pre Hispanic Native Royal Houses and Principalia Families of the Republic of the Philippines

The Principalia families  of the Philippines are the descendants of the prehispanic  lakan, sultan, datu, rajah, hadi of the different ancient prosperous native settlements all over the country that were eventually recognized by the Kingdom of Spain as part of the their royal administration in the country. 

This could be a result of the informal alliance between Lakan Bunao Dula of the Lakanate of Tondo with the Kingdom of Spain. Among the agreement of the Lakanate of Tondo and the Kingdom of Spain are : there will be no more armed conflict between the two kingdoms, the native hereditary leaders will be allowed to use their ancient surnames, they will be free  from paying taxes, and  they will be appointed as gobernadorcillos of their  own settlements. As a gesture of this diplomatic alliance between the Kingdom of Spain and the Lakanate of Tondo, Batang Dula, the eldest son and heir apparent of Lakan Bunao Dula and Senorita Goiti were betrothed and the palace of Lakan Bunao Dula, will be under the protection and maintenance of the Kingdom of Spain. Later, the palace was converted into a dormitory and eventually, a church was built on it.

A circle of advocates on specialized fields were involved in the projects: Pastor Jay Enage, founder of Baybayin Buhayin, Inc., Samuel Bambit Dulay for arnis, Arjhay Laurea for Kundiman and the family of the late national artist Lang Dulay for tinalak. The leader of the descendants of Lakan Dula had been interviewed by bloggers, I - Juander of GMA, different students and I -Witness of GMA; and the House of Dulay Mendoza has been a favorite venue for films and documentaries. One of those who took notice of the activities of the descendants of Lakan Dula was a Fil American from New York representing the Wangdom of Ma-I in Bulalacao Mindoro. He wrote a letter to the head of the House of Dula and an informal alliance between the Lakanate of Tondo and Wangdom of Ma-I was discussed in principle to support the existing projects and advocacies. The alliance embarked on a US Mission to Recover Doctrina Cristiana now kept by the US Library of Congress which was coordinated with the Office of the President, National Historical Commission and the Department of Foreign Affairs. The people behind the God's Culture in YouTube visited the House of Dula for a Dine with the Ancestors Ritual Havilah Version. A principalia who is a high ranking Filipino priest and papal official based in Vatican City in Rome later participated in the visioning of an organization of the principalia families in the Philippines which in essence became the foundation of the council. In a meeting between the patriarch of the House of Dula and the parish priest of the Sto. Nino de Tondo, a pilgrimage of Lakan Dula descendants to Tondo was discussed and the necessity of formalizing the Principalia Council was deemed as historical priority.

References

Covell, Jon Carter & Alan Covell, The World of Korean Ceramics, Seoul, Si-sa Yong-o-sa, 1986, p. 74

Ethnic Groups of the Philippines. http://www.ethnicgroupsphilippines.com/people/ethnic-groups-in-the-philippines/waray/.. Retrieved  May 26, 2018.

Gallery label, Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Gallery label, Philadelphia Museum of Art

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/149231314/martin-de_goiti. Retrieved  August 7, 2020)

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_Origin_of_the_Dulay_Clan#ixzz1OHgEDaVp

http://www.enciclopediaespana.com/Rajah_Lakandula.html  

Noel Acedera Mongas. Tribute to Laoang Fiesta 2013: First Edition

Visayas: Remaining Treasures of the Indigenous People. https://sites.google.com/ site/humanities2visayas2015/home/c-eastern-visayas/waray. Retrieved May 26, 2018.

William Henry Scott. https://archive.org/stream/ BarangaySixteenthCenturyPhilippineCultureAndSociety/ Barangay+-+Sixteenth+Century+Philippine+Culture+and+Society_djvu.txt. Retrieved April 4, 2018.