Of the island of Mindanao
Of the island of Mindanao
Posted 00:55am (Mla time) Feb 15, 2005
By Bambi Harper
Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page A15 of the February 15, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
ACCORDING to Capt. Thomas Forrest of the East India Company, nothing much was known about the history of Mindanao prior to the 15th century, before the Arabs set foot on the island. He based his narrative on records that, he claimed, came from Fakymolano, older brother of Sultan Paharadine, the father of young Rajah Kybad Zachariel. It was written in the Maguindanao language and Arabic characters. Fakymolano is said to have dictated it in Malay, then the lingua franca of the traders of that era (remember the datus in Butuan and Enrique de Malacca?).
Before the arrival of Seris Alli, the first Moslem prince of the island, some form of monarchy or privileged class was already in existence. Based in the towns of Maguindanao, Selangan, Catibtuan and Semayanan, the members of the class assumed the right to claim whatever land that they wanted for themselves from the banks of the river Dano. Those from the towns of Malampyan and Lusuden were said to be the first to join Seris; those from the first four mentioned towns soon followed.
Seris married a daughter of the king of this privileged class and on this marriage established his right to the crown. Their son was Mohamet Kabantuan who sired Makallan, the father of Bankaio. Bankaio had two sons: Buissan, surnamed Capt Laut, who succeeded him, and Salicola.
About the time that Kabantuan reigned, a person named Budiman was Pangaran of Sulu (a title inferior to sultan or rajah and used in Sumatra as well). He was succeeded by his grandson, whose name was Bonsoo (Bunso?). He was related to the family that ruled Borneo; the family is said to have come from Mecca and its head was the brother of Seris Alli.
Bunso had two children, a daughter, Potely (meaning princess or lawful daughter by his official wife), and a son, Bakliol, by a concubine. Bakliol overthrew his sister, declared his independence from Maguindanao and assumed the title of sultan although his ancestors had only been pangarans.
Salicola married Bakliol's sister, Potely, and they had a daughter named Panianamby, who married Kudarat, son of Buissan, her first cousin. They had two sons, Dolidy and Tidoly. The latter succeeded his father and had two sons, Abdaraman and Kuddy.
Kuddy, the uncle of Mossat, son of Abdaraman, usurped his throne and invited the Suluanons to side with him against the lawful heir. The Suluanons however had smaller and faster vessels than the Maguindanaos. They sailed into the Semony River and, finding Kuddy there with only a small force, they killed him, raided his camp and, carrying off some pieces of cloth, declared scornfully, "Surely you won't grudge these to cover the body of your dead king?"
Mossat had two sons Fakymolano and Paharadine, the sultan. Fakymolano was obliged to leave Maguindanao and retire to the banks of the Tamantakka. After many years of war, Molenu fled to Boayn and Fakymolano took possession of all the lands in Maguindanao. Peace reigned for about 30 years. Molenu died a natural death, leaving behind two sons, Topang and Uku, and a daughter, Myong. Fakymolano gave up the sultanate in favor of his brother Paharadine on condition that his son Kybad Zachariel succeed him.
Paharadine married Myong, his sister. Topang inherited large possessions from his father, rivaling those of the Rajah Mura who fortified himself at Cota Intang within musket range from the sultan's palace and within cannon range from Topang's fort. He was now closely related to the Suluanons after his marriage with Galaludine, daughter of Bantillan, once sultan of Sulu.
Paharadine had no children by his legal consort Myong, but he had a son by a concubine, Chartow. Whether Myong favored Chartow or Topang is not known but she had strong influence over the sultan and was rumored to be the cause of the rift between the sultan and Rajah Mura.
When Forrest sailed into the river Pelangy in May 1775, he was met by a boat with Datu Enty, a son of Rajah Mura, on board. The datu invited the captain to go to Cota Intang first before calling on the sultan. Forrest replied that he could not decide where to go until the rajah arrived. That night, Datu Enty and one of his attendants slept on board the galley and were fed tea and sago bread.
The next morning the boat was within sight of Selangan where Forrest saw a white banner bordered with checkers of blue, yellow and red and hoisted on a flag staff in a wooden fort, situated in the fork where the river Melampy broke off to the right from the Pelangy. Datu Enty told him that it was his father's fort, and reiterated his invitation for Forrest to first go to Cota Intang before seeing the sultan.
At this point a man, whom Forrest had known in Alambangan as Noquedah, came on board bringing word from the sultan that Balambanga had been taken by the Sulus. He told Forrest that he better stop by the sultan's fort. As they sailed past the sultan's fort, Forrest anchored and saluted with five guns which salute was returned. He then proceeded to Cota Intang where he was greeted by Datu Bukkalyan, brother-in-law of Rajah Mura. In the fort, he found the rajah and his father, Fakymolano, seated on European chairs.
The rajah was a man of "good stature" with piercing eyes and an aquiline nose. Fakymolano was short, outgoing and had a smiling countenance.
Forrest informed them that he had a letter and a present from Balambangan for the sultan, which he proposed to deliver that day. The Rajah offered his brother-in-law as a guide. They met the sultan who spoke good Malay but chose to converse through the interpreter Noquedah.
Posted 00:55am (Mla time) Feb 15, 2005
By Bambi Harper
Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page A15 of the February 15, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
ACCORDING to Capt. Thomas Forrest of the East India Company, nothing much was known about the history of Mindanao prior to the 15th century, before the Arabs set foot on the island. He based his narrative on records that, he claimed, came from Fakymolano, older brother of Sultan Paharadine, the father of young Rajah Kybad Zachariel. It was written in the Maguindanao language and Arabic characters. Fakymolano is said to have dictated it in Malay, then the lingua franca of the traders of that era (remember the datus in Butuan and Enrique de Malacca?).
Before the arrival of Seris Alli, the first Moslem prince of the island, some form of monarchy or privileged class was already in existence. Based in the towns of Maguindanao, Selangan, Catibtuan and Semayanan, the members of the class assumed the right to claim whatever land that they wanted for themselves from the banks of the river Dano. Those from the towns of Malampyan and Lusuden were said to be the first to join Seris; those from the first four mentioned towns soon followed.
Seris married a daughter of the king of this privileged class and on this marriage established his right to the crown. Their son was Mohamet Kabantuan who sired Makallan, the father of Bankaio. Bankaio had two sons: Buissan, surnamed Capt Laut, who succeeded him, and Salicola.
About the time that Kabantuan reigned, a person named Budiman was Pangaran of Sulu (a title inferior to sultan or rajah and used in Sumatra as well). He was succeeded by his grandson, whose name was Bonsoo (Bunso?). He was related to the family that ruled Borneo; the family is said to have come from Mecca and its head was the brother of Seris Alli.
Bunso had two children, a daughter, Potely (meaning princess or lawful daughter by his official wife), and a son, Bakliol, by a concubine. Bakliol overthrew his sister, declared his independence from Maguindanao and assumed the title of sultan although his ancestors had only been pangarans.
Salicola married Bakliol's sister, Potely, and they had a daughter named Panianamby, who married Kudarat, son of Buissan, her first cousin. They had two sons, Dolidy and Tidoly. The latter succeeded his father and had two sons, Abdaraman and Kuddy.
Kuddy, the uncle of Mossat, son of Abdaraman, usurped his throne and invited the Suluanons to side with him against the lawful heir. The Suluanons however had smaller and faster vessels than the Maguindanaos. They sailed into the Semony River and, finding Kuddy there with only a small force, they killed him, raided his camp and, carrying off some pieces of cloth, declared scornfully, "Surely you won't grudge these to cover the body of your dead king?"
Mossat had two sons Fakymolano and Paharadine, the sultan. Fakymolano was obliged to leave Maguindanao and retire to the banks of the Tamantakka. After many years of war, Molenu fled to Boayn and Fakymolano took possession of all the lands in Maguindanao. Peace reigned for about 30 years. Molenu died a natural death, leaving behind two sons, Topang and Uku, and a daughter, Myong. Fakymolano gave up the sultanate in favor of his brother Paharadine on condition that his son Kybad Zachariel succeed him.
Paharadine married Myong, his sister. Topang inherited large possessions from his father, rivaling those of the Rajah Mura who fortified himself at Cota Intang within musket range from the sultan's palace and within cannon range from Topang's fort. He was now closely related to the Suluanons after his marriage with Galaludine, daughter of Bantillan, once sultan of Sulu.
Paharadine had no children by his legal consort Myong, but he had a son by a concubine, Chartow. Whether Myong favored Chartow or Topang is not known but she had strong influence over the sultan and was rumored to be the cause of the rift between the sultan and Rajah Mura.
When Forrest sailed into the river Pelangy in May 1775, he was met by a boat with Datu Enty, a son of Rajah Mura, on board. The datu invited the captain to go to Cota Intang first before calling on the sultan. Forrest replied that he could not decide where to go until the rajah arrived. That night, Datu Enty and one of his attendants slept on board the galley and were fed tea and sago bread.
The next morning the boat was within sight of Selangan where Forrest saw a white banner bordered with checkers of blue, yellow and red and hoisted on a flag staff in a wooden fort, situated in the fork where the river Melampy broke off to the right from the Pelangy. Datu Enty told him that it was his father's fort, and reiterated his invitation for Forrest to first go to Cota Intang before seeing the sultan.
At this point a man, whom Forrest had known in Alambangan as Noquedah, came on board bringing word from the sultan that Balambanga had been taken by the Sulus. He told Forrest that he better stop by the sultan's fort. As they sailed past the sultan's fort, Forrest anchored and saluted with five guns which salute was returned. He then proceeded to Cota Intang where he was greeted by Datu Bukkalyan, brother-in-law of Rajah Mura. In the fort, he found the rajah and his father, Fakymolano, seated on European chairs.
The rajah was a man of "good stature" with piercing eyes and an aquiline nose. Fakymolano was short, outgoing and had a smiling countenance.
Forrest informed them that he had a letter and a present from Balambangan for the sultan, which he proposed to deliver that day. The Rajah offered his brother-in-law as a guide. They met the sultan who spoke good Malay but chose to converse through the interpreter Noquedah.
posted by Dante at 7:13 PM
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