September 21, 2011

HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL LEGACIES OF MINDANAO

"In the days of those kings the God of Heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crash and put an end to all these Kingdoms, and itself will stand to time indefinite”   Daniel 2:44

NOW IT CAN BE TOLD THAT MINDANAO – the Land of Promise and the Holy Land-in Southern Philippines is the center of cultural and historical conflict in the region. Being the second largest island in the entire region, there is a need to promote and preserve the indigenous cultural legacies to preempt and  avert its consistent steady declination and ultimate destruction by the commercialization of man, by man in this third millennium for innovative and meaningful societal change.

What is needed now is for the ethnic groups to preserve their very own unique and historic cultures, indigenous songs, dances, instrumental music (gadgets), artifacts, the rituals of the ethnic groups of the entire Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan (Minsupala) and others.

It is now the mission of the Indigenous Peoples to “wrest from oblivion the centuries – old cultural and historical roots and heritage as well as the unique legacies of the people. Some of the historical-cultural treasures include indigenous songs, music, rituals, customs, chants and other practices and values for the succeeding generations to appreciate and enjoy. It is incumbent for all the indigenous peoples to save the vanishing cultural heritage of the ethnic groups- Maranao, Tausug, Samal. Lumads and other ethnic tribes.

In the context of the new millennium, foreigners and other visitors from the Philippine regions (Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao) and foreign countries come to this Holy Land to see for themselves the unique culture and legacies of the Indigenous Peoples-the old-remnants of the “Moro Wars” the Jihad battles between the Muslims, the Americans and Japanese the lantakas (brass canons) Krises, Kampilans. Other cultural items of interest for the visitors from local and foreign countries are pagoda-type unique mosques, the Maranao torogans (royal houses), musical instruments (kulintang type, kubing, ensemble, farm tools and implements, bird traps and other legacies of the vanishing ethnic tribes in the “Promised Land of Mindanao.”







MARIA CRISTINA FALLS

THE PRAYER OF MARIA CRISTINA

I had been silent for centuries: I run deep in the jungles that protect, that hold me for continues existence. My melody as I strike the rocks beneath me awakes and inspires the living creatures that inhabit my wonderful vicinity. I lie undisturbed, untouched and unmolested.

Now, behold me! I am gradually depleted everyday. Man´s cruelty to forest that provides shelter to Lake Lanao has threatened my existence.

I love the people. Yet, they don’t know it, they don’t hear it, they don’t feel it. And if they realize the profoundness of my love, they ignore it.

I am nearest to the point of my extinction. Soon, I will be gone. Soon, I will perish. Soon I will die. Could anyone help me?

To thee, why are you so cruel to me? I am the therapy of thirsty animals that drink me from day to day. I am your food for fishes, shrimps, crabs and shells live with me. I am your fresh air of Lanao, for that fresh air comes from me. I am your electricity, for I uncomplainingly run the wheels of your hydro-electric plant. I toil every moment for the continuity of industrialization.

I am your roads and bridges, for steel and cement factories exist when supply them electricity. I am your light when darkness falls upon the face of the earth. I am your electric fan on warm summer days. I am your bread and delicious food when run your electric stoves. I am the hot coffee of MSU scholars when they use me to heat their water. I am their light as they toil upward in the night. I beg you to love me. People of Lanao, please protect me, and the trees that nourish me, for I will build your civilization.

Maria Cristina Falls is the most Sacred Place
.
of the Island, Mindanao

This sacred place speaks for itself.  Meaning, Maria- Christ-Ina

Revelation 11:3-4  My Two Witness

And I will give unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks, standing before the Lord of the earth.

The Falls is the vessel of light and wisdom of God.   That is why the falls comes from Agus River meaning suga In English `flow of Light`.  And this  waterfalls give light and power to the entire island in the Land of Promise, Mindanao, which God promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob-Israel and  where God’s  Spirit hovers around its power to light up and give prosperity to the whole land and so as to  the servant shall be born.

The Agus River of the National Power Corporation was once owned by my grandparents Winceslao and Francisca Paradela Legaspi, whose profession is farming in supporting all of their seven children to live and educate.  In 1977, however,   NPC bought 500 hectares if not 1000 hectares of land where portions of the land, traverses the Agus River. Up to now, we still own some portion of the area.  In fact, my grandparents also donated a school named after her, Francisca Legaspi Elementary School. Right next to the school, is the water storage supply for the small village called Matampay, right next to Tinago Falls, which had been donated by my family, as well.  The rest of the land was divided among siblings and tenants.Note: This below was pull out from the Internet dated May 28, 2006. Maria Cristina Falls
Gender: Female
Location: Philippines 

About the Falls
Tawagin mo akong Maria Cristina Falls...Ako rin ang babae sa likod ng mga pangalang mithi, yumi, makahiya, Unexpected Guest, Unidentified Guest, Unwanted Guest, Uninvited Guest, windflower, passerby, Sampagitang Walang Bango, Pilipinas Pasan-Cruz,  Panauhing Walang Pangalan.The famous landmark of Iligan, located 8.5 kms away southwest of the city proper, is 320 ft. high and the veritable source of industrial life in the city. Its prestige beauty only seen today in old photographs has become a magical glow and an industrial lifeline through the turbines of the Maria Cristina Hydroelectric Plant, the first National Power Corporation's first of its six plants in the whole stretch of the Agus River. To see the falls in all its grandeur, arrangements should be made with the local NPC officials at its office in Ditucalan, 10 kms away.

WHITE CASTLE
The Most Holy Place of all!
Where the Holy Spirit of the Lord lived, the White castle,  as known as the beginning of God’s Kingdom and Temple.  The Upper house we used it for our Burnt offering sacrifice like Passover Celebrations and my sanctuary and prayer room.
 

2Samuel -13 God’s Promise to David

The  Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you:  When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise  up your offspring  to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom.  He is the one who will build a house for my Name; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.  I will be his father, and he will be my son.
 
Luke   The last Super

Jesus replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you.  Follow him to the house, The teacher asks:  where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?  He showed you a large upper room, all furnished.  Make preparations there.

1Chronicles 17:4:6 God’s promise to David

Go and tell my servant David, This is what the Lord says:  You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in.  I have not dwell in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day.  I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another.  Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders whom I commanded to shepherd my people,  “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” 

TIPANOY CAVE

Year 2004 of August, I was with some of the spiritual organizations from Manila, and we visited the place at TipanoyCave which was known to be the cave, which Adam and Eve had lived in the time before the Garden of Eden existed as I had been told.  At this point in time, it is now the haven for bats.

The natives asked me for assistance to mine the fertilizer but I was at the moment searching for my existence and purpose in life.  It was indeed a breath-taking place and a real paradise rich in natural resources, a stark contrast to the object poverty of the settlers those who as a consequence for not a few are indoctrinated to join the subversive insurgents criss-crossing the area.

The people in the area need assistance for a decent living.  A road I have never experienced in the countryside so bad if not the worst of its kind. No normal human can adopt if given an option. Living in this area you must have a lot of patience and endurance to survived, in a very depressed situation such as this.  The place certainly needs urgent help!



Mindanao is the second largest island in the Philippines and one of the three island groups in the country, with Luzon the largest and Visayas being the other two. The region first came in contact with Spain in the late 16th to early 17th century through Spanish soldiers and friars who discovered the country in 1521 and began its colonization in 1571 with the establishment of a Spanish settlement in the island of Cebu in the Visayas by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi.

As an island in the southern part of the country, Mindanao is considered the second largest part of the country at 94,630 square kilometers, only about 10,000 km² smaller than Luzon. The island is mountainous, and is home to Mount Apo, (MT. of ALPHA PHILIPPINE OMEGA) the highest mountain in the country. To the west of Mindanao island is the Sulu Sea, to the east is the Philippine Sea, and to the south is the Celebes Sea.

The island group of islands encompasses Mindanao island itself, plus the Sulu Archipelago to the southwest. The island group is divided into six regions, which are further subdivided into 25 provinces.

The island group of Mindanao is an arbitrary grouping of islands in the southern Philippines which encompasses six administrative regions. These regions are further subdivided into 25 provinces, of which only four are not on Mindanao island itself. The island group includes the Sulu Archipelago to the southwest, which consists of the major islands of BasilanJolo, and Tawi-Tawi, plus outlying islands in other areas such as CamiguinDinagatSiargaoSamal, and the Sarangani Islands.

The six regions are the following:

1.    Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX)
2.    Northern Mindanao (Region X)
3.    Davao Region (Region XI)
4.    SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII)
5.    Caraga (Region XIII) and the
6.    Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)


Northern Mindanao (Region X) consists of the provinces of BukidnonCamiguinLanao del NorteMisamis OccidentalMisamis Oriental, plus Cagayan de Oro City. The province of Camiguin is also an island just off the northern coast. The administrative center and capital of the region is Cagayan de Oro City.

Davao Region (Region IX), formerly Southern Mindanao, is located in the southeastern portion of Mindanao. The region is divided into the provinces of Davao OrientalDavaoDavao del Sur, and Compostela Valley; plus Davao City. The region encloses the Davao Gulf to the south and includes the island of Samal in the gulf, and the Sarangani Islands further to the south. Davao City is the region's administrative center.

SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII), formerly Central Mindanao, is located in the south-central portion of the island. It consists of the provinces of CotabatoSaranganiSouth Cotabato (which used to be a part of Region XI), and Sultan Kudarat, plus Cotabato City. The names of the provinces together with General Santos City spell the name of the region which is an acronym. Cotabato City, geographically located in, but not part of Maguindanao province, is the region's former administrative center. Koronadal City, in South Cotabato, is the new administrative center of the newly formed region.

Caraga (Region XII) is located in the northwestern part of Mindano. It is composed of the provinces are Agusan del NorteAgusan del SurSurigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur. The administrative center is Butuan City in Agusan del Norte. The region also covers the outlying islands of Surigao del Norte such as Dinagat IslandSiargao Island, and Bucas Grande Island.

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is a special region which covers the territories predominantly populated by Muslims. ARMM has its own government unlike most of the other regions in the country. It consists of almost the whole of the Sulu Archipelago (Isabela City of Basilan is part of the Zamboanga Peninsula region) and two provinces in the mainland. The provinces located in the Sulu Archipelago are BasilanSulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

Basilan and Tawi-Tawi are themselves the main islands of their respective provinces, while the main island of Sulu is Jolo Island. The mainland provinces are Lanao del Sur and MaguindanaoCotabato City, which is not part of the ARMM, is the region's administrative center.Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX), formerly Western Mindanao, is located in the landform of the same name. It consists of the provinces of Zamboanga del NorteZamboanga del SurZamboanga Sibugay, and two cities—Zamboanga City and Isabela City—which are independent of any province. Isabela City is the only territory not In Mindanao island itself and is located on Basilan. The region's new administrative capital is Pagadian City and the whole region used to be a single province named Zamboanga.
A cluster of eight caves, big entrances and beautifully formed stalactites and stalagmites inside the chamber 36 kms. away from the City.
Other sacred places in the Kingdom or the Holy Land in Iligan City are the Maria Cristina Falls, the Tipanoy Cave, the Royal Castle.