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| the much-anticipated tribal dance competition that highlights the Moro raids, photo by Vincent Angelo Gefes |
Now on its 11th year, the theatrical dance
presentation of Guimbal’s Bantayan Festival re-enacts the battle between the
Guimbalanons and the Muslim pirates. Series of activities are set on its 5-day
celebration that will open on April 2 (Tuesday) Opening Parade, Float and
Street Dancing Competition at 2:30 p.m. and Drum Beat Competition at 4 p.m.;
April 3 (Wednesday) 1st Guimbal Cross Country Fun Ride at 5:30 a.m. and the
Search for Miss Bantayan Festival at 7 p.m.; April 4 (Thursday) Bat Racing,
Porma Balas and Pinta Lawas at 8 a.m., Fluvial Parade at 1:30 p.m. and the
Re-enactment of the Moro Raids at 3 p.m. at Bantayan Beach Resort; April 5
(Friday) Art Workshop at 8 a.m. and Musical Concert with Manila Artists at 7
p.m.; April 6 (Saturday) Tribal Dance Competition at 3 p.m., Merry-Making at 5
p.m. and Awards Night and Fireworks Display at 9:30 p.m.
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| photo by Vincent Angelo Gefes |
The much-anticipated tribal performances highlights
with the guimba---ancient instrument of the Spanish Panayanons that resembled
a drum and is beaten by hand to send messages from tower to tower to warn the
community of an incoming raid. The construction of a Bantayan or watchtower is another
important scene to look forward to. Adding more drama to the presentation is
the intercession of St. Nicolas of Tolentine, the town’s patron saint and the
Blessed Virgin Mary in driving the pirates away from their land. The Bantayan
has become instrumental in securing the area for defense and to protect their
peaceful community from Muslim.
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| one of the remaining Bantayans or Watchtowers of Guimbal situated in the shores of Bantayan Beach, photo by Vincent Angelo Gefes |
Watchtowers, locally known as Bantayan, have stood
vigil over the southern coast protecting the population from pirate raids. The
main local threat to the southern coast of Iloilo was from pirates who were
based in Sulu. The pirates found the sheltered bays along this part of the
southern coast to be favorable spots to come ashore for fresh water and
provisions and to capture prisoners to sell as slaves. These incursions posed
not only a personal threat to locals, but also played a part in destabilizing
an already fragile economy.
Guimbal is dotted with watchtowers along Barangays
Tuguisan, C. Colon and Pescadores. The history of these fortified walls tells
of an eventful and troubled past. Three survived, their ruins silently maintain
vigil over sun-worshippers.
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| photo by Vincent Angelo Gefes |
A Bantayan is a small sheltered tower serving as
look out posts to warn against pirates. Some watchtowers in Guimbal were more
to become permanent and lasted for generations and are increasingly rare.
The towers were generally built using a circular
base, between four and five meters in diameter and up to eight to ten meters
tall. For security, they had only one entrance gate located at medium height of
the structure that could be accessed only by rope or wooden ladder. Many of the
constructions still remain, though in a varied state of conservation.
The watchtower would be manned by a small team of
lookouts and they needed a quick and reliable way to communicate with each
other if they were going to be effective. Some devised a simple communication
system that involved the watch men building a number of bonfires. They would
light them when pirate ships were sighted and while smoky fires would be used in
daylight, blazing fires would be used at night. Each tower would pass on the
signal, either on a clockwise or counter clockwise direction around the town.
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| The St. Nicolas of Tolentine Parish, photo by Vincent Angelo Gefes |
The locals also depend on their church to protect
them, often sleeping in them if pirate ships have been sighted. Many of the
ancient churches in the Iloilo still resemble small fortresses, with few
windows and a bell tower to warn of danger. If the villagers were lucky, the
pirates would take everything of value before torching the buildings. If they were
unlucky, they would be killed or taken to their ships to be ransomed for money
or sold as slaves.
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| photo by Vincent Angelo Gefes |
The heritage of such brave spirits has left the
coastline with a legacy of historic monuments that, today, are part of the
character and cultural landscape of the annual celebration of Bantayan
Festival.
For more information, please contact Mrs. Karen
Gayanilo-Felicio, Municipal Tourism Officer at 09177222477 or (033) 3155277/
3155288.
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