across Mindanao sea towards mom’s birthland

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boarding princess of the earth at ~2am in Jagna Seaport, Bohol

On the way to see the balanghai, ancient boats, i was escorted by Sir Coy to Butuan City. In In Jagna Port, Bohol, we boarded a barco, called Princess of the Earth, via Sulpicio Lines for an overnight ride over Mindanao Sea to Nasipit Port in Mindanao, Philippines. We were dropped off by my parents to Jagna before 9pm, long wait. Pasalubongs (gifts) brought by Sir Coy included the heavy weight of the calamay and the smell-so-good and won the best of Loon, Bohol, torta. We boarded Princess of the Earth finally by 2am although it was 1 hour behind schedule. Later on, Sir Coy shared with me that he was awakened by the rocking of the ship. Afraid that I would be scared, he glanced towards my direction and relieved to hear me snoring! 🙂 I planned to walk about, relish in the sea air and reminisce about childhood boatrides, but instead I slept, cradled by the Mindanao sea waves. (My mom was born in Bukidnon, Mindanao, 5-7 hours drive from where we would land.) It ended up that Sir Coy could not go back to sleep. We arrived after 6am at Nasipit Seaport in Mindanao. As I was waiting in line to dock off, I glanced downwards towards the water and saw an empty bangka. The bangka was nestled between the barco and very close to the dock. No Bajaus in sight.

On my return trip, I took a plane ride from Butuan City to Cebu, Philippines and then caught another ship, the Super Cat Ferry, to Tagbilaran, Bohol. The schedule of the barco back to Jagna, Bohol, was limited to once a week only and I needed to return earlier in the week.

 

different faces of the Bajaus

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Last year at the first Filipino American International Book Festivalheld in San Francisco during Filipino American History month (October), the book Songs of Salanda (photo enclosed above) by H. Arlo Nimmo was highly recommended. It was the first book I read from the festival – easy and fun read.

when i was younger, the family would take an overnight barco (a large boat) ride from maynila to visit our lolas, aunties, uncles and cousins in cebu and bohol. i treasure those childhood memories – sleeping in cots not just with active children but also along with live animals such as chickens and pigs. our families are from poor origins but not an unhappy one. life is not easy but close family ties made it easier. my early encounters and memories of badjaus or ‘sea gypsies’ was during the barco rides. little badjaus waded in the water for passengers to drop coins from the barco into the water. the sun-bleached youth dove masterfully to catch the glistening coins underwater and place the treasures between their teeth. Growing up in maynila, i would see about 2-3 tattered-clothed, sun-bleached little ones in the street, together coming up on the car passenger window with outstretched hands. Recently in Baclayon, Bohol, I met up with a local teacher who continues to share internationally her work about local bajaus, seafarers sea nomads in bohol related to water based indigenous people’s issues. Click on links to read and learn more: Otherizing the Badjao: A Spatial Imagery of State Exclusion and Societal Otherization  (in pdf) and from a feminist perspective,

retrieved from a beautiful bajau WWF site (En)countering Exclusion in Policy and Lived Experience. Today, I found this blogsite that share different faces of the beautiful bajaus. I encourage you to view the photos of the beautiful bajaus. I especially love the photo (on the right), retrieved from the Beautiful Bajaus WWF site, with a description that ‘Canoes are like bicycles to every Bajau kid and adult.’