Magellan did not discover first the Philippines as history claims to be. The 1st European to make reference of Philippine Archipelago is to have been made by Tome Pires (1512-1515) who writes, "The Luzons are about ten days' sail beyond Borneo. They are nearly all heathen; they have no king, but they are ruled by a group of elders. They are a robust people, little thought of in Moluccas. They have two or three junks at the most." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Europeans_in_the_Philippines). He called Luzon as Luções.
There were already inhabitants of the Philippines long before the Chinese (who were the 1st to do business with the Islands they called Mal as early as 2nd Century AD though the first recorded Chinese expedition to the Philippines was in AD 982 ) or Muslim, Thai, Bornoeans and Japanese traders who came over to the Philippines. Remember that the oldest human relic is the Tabon Man found in the cave in Palawan who lived at least 47,000 years ago and the Negritos from the theory that that much of modern-day Asia was linked by land bridges, this theory posits that around 250,000 years ago our earliest human ancestors simply walked over to what is now the Philippines.
Ferdinand Magellan could not be the 1st to circumnavigate the globe, because he died at the hands of Lapu-Lapu on April 27, 1521 unless his body could have been taken by the survivors back to Spain therefore he did not complete the voyage. If the honor belongs to him, the same honor should be accorded to his Filipino interpreter, Enrique. On board of Magellan voyage was an Italian named Antonio Pigafetta who chronicled the voyage of Magellan and was able to put together a list of about 140 Cebuano words, which makes this the oldest documented vocabulary of any of the Philippine languages.( http://www.tomandcathymarking.com/reviews/magellans_voyage.htm).
The honor of being the FIRST MAN TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE GLOBE should go also to ENRIQUE OF MALACCA not only to Ferdinand Magellan. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrique_of_Malacca).
ENRIQUE was once a slave of Magellan and Pigafetta wrote that Enrique is a native of Sumatra, an island in western Indonesia. Enrique appeared only in Pigafetta's writings having been baptized to Catholicism by his Portuguese captors and in Magellan's Last Will, and in official documents at the Casa de Contratación de las Indias of the Magellan expedition to the Philippines.
How in the earth could Enrique traveled to Spain or Portugal from his country of origin there is an absence of written accounts of him except that he may have been sold as a slave by the Muslim traders to Magellan when Magellan conquest the Malacca in 1511. But he is one of the recorded 280 men who set out on 5 ships to join Magellan voyage from Spain in 1519 on exploring the Spice Islands known now as the modern Maluku Islands in Indonesia but the target could not be Indonesia but the Philippines on the account of Enrique. It is on his account then that he came from an island full of richness of spices and minerals that may be instrumental in the search of Magellan to these "Spice Island". Remember that Enrique was bought by Magellan as a slave in Malacca in 1511 and brought him to Portugal the following year and baptized him to Catholicism. Through the years from 1512 to 1519, the master and the slave could develop a strong bond or a relationship where Magellan could have learn about the Philippines.
Is Enrique a Filipino? It is debatable at this time. A Sugbuanon or a Sumatran? If Enrique originally came from Malacca how could he have spoken to the Sugbuanons when Magellan landed in Cebu if he did not came from the same place? Pigafetta wrote in his one account that Enrique shouted a greeting in his native language to the natives of Homonhon island and they replied a language similar to what he spoken. Magellan was able to communicate to the natives of Cebu through his interpreter, Enrique. "They immediately understood him", writes Pigafetta on Enrique. If that is the case, then most probably He is a Filipino.
Could Enrique be a Cebuano for that matter, it may as it may seems does it make sense also that ENRIQUE could be the FIRST FILIPINO OFW . Or probably Enrique could have learnt the Visayan dialect among the Filipino slaves who were first sold during that time to Europe. He could be a Filipino in the sense that he speaks the same tonque and he knows the place where he came from. He maybe sold by the Muslim traders to Magellan. He could be instrumental in telling to Magellan that there are other island in the East Indies richer that Magellan have seen in India and Malaysia for that matter. He could be instrumental for Magellan proposal to the King of Spain, Charles V to finance the expedition that there is an island beneath Malaysia which is rich in spices, mineral and resources. (http://www.mazalien.com/voyages-of-discovery-circumnavigation-of-magellan.html)
It is said that Enrique was wounded when Magellan was killed and died also in Mactan along with his boss Ferdinand Magellan. Pigafetta also wrote into his account that a feast given by Rajah Humabon to the Spaniards, that all who went to the banquet were poisoned except Enrique. Enrique could be a Hero along the lines of Lapu-Lapu if he was acting on the interest of the Filipinos by that time and but through survivors account also tells us that he fought alongside with the Spaniards against his countrymen then he is to be considered as the First Filipino traitor and making him also the honor of being the first Filipino mercenary. If Enrique came to whatever place, either a Sugbuanon or a Sumatran.
If the feat of being the first man to circumnavigate the globe belongs to Ferdinand Magellan, the same should be accorded for this great Filipino OFW, Enrique. He also went to Europe from Asia alongside Magellan, to work with his master and became loyal to his master up to the end. Though both did not complete the voyage and only 1 ship was able to complete the voyage manned by Sebastian ElCano. He was to me the first Filipino OFW being recorded in history and was one of the first great men who circumnavigated the globe.
No comments:
Post a Comment