Showing posts with label badjao. Show all posts

Tillah: Badjao woman who works with dignity

By Apolinario Villalobos

On my way to the bus terminal of Tacurong city where I was to take a van for Davao, I saw a Badjao woman who was carefully covering the seat of a motorbike with a piece of corrugated cartoon, supposedly to protect it from the scorching heat of the sun and a sudden downpour. I talked to the woman and asked for her name which she gave as “Tillah”. She told me that she has four children who has the same “job” and that they are positioned in strategic corners of the city. By strategic, it means where motorbikes park. Even car owners concede to have the hood of their cars covered with a piece of cartoon.

The cartoons are the dismantled corrugated boxes that the Badjaos ask from store owners and had seen good old days as containers of milk, sachets of instant noodles, etc. The collection of dismantled boxes become precious belongings of these boat and stilt house-dwelling Filipinos. They are paid Php5 for their “service”. In the evening, the cartons become their sleeping mats that cover the cold pavement of a sidewalk where they could spend the night.

Further asked about her family, she told me that she is a widow with four children. Having no source of income in Zamboanga, except begging, they ventured inland, trying their luck in any town along the way, as they seek a “greener pasture”. They are lucky to have stayed longer in Tacurong because of the benevolence of the residents.

Hopefully, I would be able to meet the children of Tillah….perhaps, when I come back to the City of Goodwill.

Sta. Cruz…”Pink Island” of Zamboanga

by Apolinario Villalobos

Sta. Cruz Island, noted for its pinkish beach is a mere fifteen minutes from Zamboanga City. Samals, Tausugs and Badjaos consider it a sacred island where they bury their dead in a small cemetery not far from the shores. The locals believe that the island is a live coral rock once under the sea and surfaced out of Basilan Strait. The pinkish color of the beach can be attributed to the granules of red corals that abound around the island and got mixed with the white sands.

According to a local legend, the big Santa Cruz Island and its twin island nearby were once desperate lovers, a Badjao and a Samal maiden who unfortunately belonged to two warring tribes. Having thought of no other way to escape, they took a narrow houseboat and paddled their way towards the raging sea. As the storm abated the following day, their parents searched for them to no avail. Instead, they found two islets connected to each other by a submerged land bridge.

The cemetery of the Badjaos, Samals and Tausugs communities on the island is conspicuous with the different markers made of stones and woods that indicate the gender or age of the one lying in state. The “okir” design dominates the different symbols on the markers. The carved image virtually represents the dead, so that it is easily known if it’s a boy, girl, old man or woman. Sometimes, even the cause of death is depicted.

As they believe that the spirit of the dead has to make a voyage to the “other world”, a carving representing a boat, a bird, horse or a crocodile is also added to the grave marker, to symbolize means of travel. The grave markers are composed of two parts, such as, the upright form known as the “sundok” and the rectangular frame on which the “sunduk” rests, called “kubul”. The “sunduk” may be simply carved or elaborately designed, depending on the fancy of the bereaved family. It does not necessarily represent the social status of the family. The “sunduk” represents the age and sex of the departed, hence, each grave marker is distinctively different from each other.

For the men, the “sunduk” is usually cylindrical with either a round or pointed top. Sometimes the marker takes the form of a man simply done, similar to that of a paper cutout. It usually rests on another carving in the form of an animal or just a simple box within the “kubul”.

For the women, the marker is flat and wide, sometimes with a leaf and scroll designs, or incised with the comb motif on top or bottom. It is directly set on the ground or board, while securely fixed to the “kubul”.

The “sunduk” for the adults is higher than that of the children’s. It is usually three feet high as compared to the six to fifteen inches high of that of the children.

Jult like the “sunduk”, the “kubul” may be simply or elaborately designed. The simplest form being the plain, rectangular frame of wood. The most elaborate ones are with scroll or leaf designs carved on the four sides and with okir or naga motif on the edges. The “kubul” may rest on top of a mound of earth and in the case of a particularly important person, a canopy or shed, usually of wood, is built over it.

There are some “kubul” over which are built concrete shed. Some are even painted with primary colors such as green, red, blue or just plain white. The same is also done to the “sunduk” on which a line from the Koran and the name of the dead are inscribed.

The Samal and the Badjao usually bury their dead within just one “kubul”. It is not unsual therefore, to see in their graveyards several “sunduk” within a “kubul”. As a custom, a white cloth is tied around the “sunduk” representing the dead for whom members of the family offer prayers. White flags that hang from the ceiling of the “kubul’s” canopy indicate that prayers have been said by the family members.

The “pink” Sta. Cruz  island has been the pride of Zamboanga aside from the vintas with their colorful sails. As a bit of caution, however, it is necessary to first check with local authorities if a trip to the island is planned by those who would like to visit Zamboanga.