everybody is welcome...: TIBAW PA TAM-AWAN VILLAGE

Friday, October 28, 2011

TIBAW PA TAM-AWAN VILLAGE

Neldy Jolo

Reminiscing the time when I was roaming to visit beautiful places in the north of Sulu Archipelago. I went to Baguio City on 11^th November 2006 and posted in the blog on the 13^th- the first blog I ever made – the y-i-lead-diwa. This was my first visit. It is maybe hard for me to visit the place again. Read my short story about the Tam-Awan Village. Here I reposted for us:

I was enchanted with the artistry of Tam-Awan Village. Tam-Awan (Tandawan in Tausug – Bahasa Sug) Village can be located at north-western part of Baguio City - the summer capital of the Philippines. Ride taxi for easy access to reach the village. Found in there are the Igorot huts that challenged me to have my own in my province (country) - Sulu.

I was guided by someone visiting the village. She brought me to the village where I found an abode of peace that could relax my bad emotions for the long day of work in the office.

Trip to the village is just like making new home in my life. I happened to lodge into one of the huts - the Dukligan or fertility hut. Tam-Awan Village is the home for artists. I was rewarded with the panoramic view seen from the village. It was a wonderful experience.

The huts were brought from the different villages of Ifugao and reconstructed for preservation and lodging by not using nails and hardware. The simplicity of the huts is where its beauty found. If you happen to visit the village, you can consider yourself as one of the wonderful persons in the world.

The art works are exotic and beautiful. The work of one artist I really like is the painting, which you think is just a simple drawing of the rice terraces. If you are not keen you cannot discover what are being drawn and sketched inside the painting, it is actually a sleeping woman.

While enjoying the breeze of the wind, the artists are offering a portrait sketch as a souvenir but you have to donate some amount you want. Unfortunately, I did not able to ask them to sketch me. So sad baby!

Please visit it with yourself to discover one of the wonderful things in the Philippines that you cannot forget in your life. You won’t regret baby! Promise!

Don’t forget to bring thick jacket and hiking shoes and of course extra MONEY because the artistic thing might seduce you there. See you when you get there!

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Sulu Nation!

Neldy Jolo

“Tau” broadly means as “Nation” not just as “People” identical with the word “Bangsa” and “Sug” as "Sulu" thus Tausug is Sulu Nation not a single tribe or ethnic.

Simply people do not understand the wisdom and national concept of the word “Tausug” because of the effect of the colonial tactic of divide-and-rule by the enemies that reshaped the mind setting of the people living in Sulu – Sulu not just a single province it is country or nation-state.

People tend to think that there tribe is greater than the others – that is ethnocentrism. The truth is Sulu country or nation-state is composed of many different ethnic tribes living in its dominion.

Ethnocentrism is the result of the successful intervention of the enemies to topple down the strong force of Sulu to put barriers to its people.

The time to revisit the historical, cultural, political and legal dome is coming – so people are no longer unaware to the incident that curtains their vision to fulfill their mission to achieve their self worth and identity of their Bangsa.

The Tausug [Bangsa Sug or Bangsa Sulu] has three groups based upon their residing places in Sulu Archipelago [Zamboanga, Sulu, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and Sabah]; the Tau-Higad, the Tau-ha Gimba and the Tau-Pu’.

First, The Tau-Higad people inhabited the city or town.

Second, the Tau-ha Gimba people who dwell the hinterlands of Sulu, the farmers.

The third one, the Tau-Pu’ [islander], are those who are living in the islets and their main source of income is fishing. This is what we called the Tausug Nation of the Sulu country.

Tausug Nation composed of different ethnic tribes that include Buranun [now known as Tausug because of their dominant personalities], Sama-Bangingi-Badjao [sea expert], Yakan [Taguima], Dampuans, Banjar, Baklaya Kalibugan [agriculturists] and others that had inhabited Sulu Archipelago including Ilanun.

Sulu located at?

Neldy Jolo

Sulu archipelago, the capital is Buansa then, now Jolo is located at southwestern of the Philippines, between Mindanao and Borneo and between the Celebes and Sulu seas. A double island chains, extends from Basilan to Tawi-Tawi, 170 mi (270 km), includes around 970 islands, more than 400 named islands and more than 500 unnamed ones; they cover an area of 4,015sqkm (1,550sqmi).

Most islands are hilly and rugged, thickly forested areas in the southern part of Basilan, mainland Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. Standing facing the Sulu Sea with the essence of nostalgia when the Tausug arrived and departed Sulu is the highest mountain, Bud Tumantangis in Indanan; others are Bud Sinumaan, Bud Dahu, Bud Bagsak in Patikul, Bud Kaha, Bud Datu also in Indanan, Bud Tukay in Parang and Bud Bongao (sleeping elephant-like) in Tawi-Tawi Island.

According to Mr. Streeter quoted by Michael Schück Montemayor that, “The sweeping tides of the Sulu Archipelago and the vast amount of living reef make the Sooloo waters so favorable for the growth of the mother-of-pearl oysters” . Also found in the book of Michael Schück Montemayor, American Commander of USS Vincennes, Charles Wilkes wrote in his journal, Manila and Sulu in 1842 during the reign of Sulu Sultan Muhammad Fadl Pulalun:

“…Weighing anchor, we were shortly wafted by the westerly tide in a light air towards that beautiful Island, which lay in the midst of its little archipelago; and as we were brought nearer and nearer, we came to the conclusion that in our many wanderings, we have seen nothing compared to this enchanting spot. It appeared to be well cultivated with gentle slopes rising here and there into eminences from one to two thousand feet high. One or two of these might be dignified with the name of mountains, and we were sufficiently high to arrest the passing clouds; on thr afternoon of our arrival, we had a singular example in the dissipation of a thunderstorm…”

According to Dr. Filemon G. Romero, Professor of Oceanography and Environmental Science, MSU - Tawi-Tawi in his article “Why Fertilize the Sulu Sea?” that “Sulu Archipelago Reef Complex is one of the most ecologically important reef systems…Marine Scientist know that the Sulu Archipelago Reef Complex has a much higher marine biodiversity and therefore more globally important biodiversity wise”.

Excerpt from the manuscript: Sulu Archipelago: The Islands of Pearls and the Wisdom Behind It written by Neldy Jolo and edited by Yazz Abdurajim.

they do appreciate!

1. “I appreciate the labour you have put in developing this blog. Nice and informative. You can visit budget hotel in Delhi in Hotel Suncity.”

Rahul
July 11, 2009 2:28 AM
http://www.hotelsuncity.co.in/

2. “Nice stuff! This is my seventh visit to this blog and every time I find something stimulative.”

Vietnam Travel
July 15, 2009 9:26 PM
Vietnam travel destinations
Vietnam hotels and resorts

3. “Even after reading the blogs and all the things written there, way nalawa’ ha pikilan ku how grateful I am na once in my life I’ve known someone like you...your effort was amazing to the Tausug people. We must thank u and your colleagues for bringing back the beauty of Sulu. I admit even me; I haven’t travel and explore Sulu that much. I and my wife were planning to go to Palawan for a stress-removing vacation but with what I read yesterday I would say that it is better to go visit, explore Sulu.”

Hadz Jaji
mailhadz@yahoo.com
Monday, August 10, 2009 5:33 PM
Manila, Philippines

they said so..

1. "Flying towards Bongao was a completely different experience, although no less magical. The early morning hour was the best time to fly across the more than 200 islands between the Sulu archipelago and the center of the Tawi-Tawi.

The cloud formations were a sight to behold; one of the most beautiful I have ever seen in my life.

The plane traversed the different layers of the cloud formations and as the Sulu Sea on the west and the Celebes Sea on the east seemed like mirrors from above, images of the clouds one sees above is reflected on the surface of the sea hundreds of feet below.

I was transported to a magical place that almost seemed so unbelievable; I thought: these are images one sees only in fantasy films!

The trip to Bongao alone up in the clouds while seeing the stillness of the vast sea down below was in itself not just a magical experience; it was also a mystical one."

Karl M. Gaspar, CSsR
Davao City, Philippines
A SOJOURNER'S VIEW: Aparri to Jolo
http://www.mindanews.com/

2. “Mike told us while we took our seats at Kumaun Kita, is Tausug, and the dishes they serve are staples of Tausug cooking...While we didn’t get to visit Sulu or Jolo...we did get a glimpse of Tausug culture and ways, through the wonderful medium of their cuisine.”

Rina Jimenez-David
Manila, Philippines
One day’s food adventure
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:58:00 06/10/2009
http://opinion.inquirer.net/

3. "The Peace Corps stopped placing volunteers in southern Muslim areas, which includes a broad swath of islands that connects Mindanao to Borneo, the Sulu Archipelago.

Travel to Sulu was expressly prohibited; any PCV who did so would be immediately expelled. That’s why I was determined to go there. We pushed our way aboard. The boat soon left

We spent island-hopping and exploring this stunningly beautiful place. Everywhere, white-trimmed coral islands lay like beads from a broken necklace, scattered in the lime-green waters. Pods of dolphins frolicked as our boat plied the deeper, purple channels.

For hours, we watched colorful ships sail into and out of the picturesque harbour.

The next morning we boarded a twin-engine Cessna. In the copilot's seat sat the Governor, a worldly, affable Tausug. The bejeweled waters below glistened in the brilliant sun."

Mike McQuestion
USA
Philippines 74-77
Tales from the Sulu Archipelago
June 14, 2006
http://peacecorpswriters.blogs.com/blog/2006/06/tales_from_the_.html

4. "Visiting Sulu is not ordinary thing. Every visit you feel different experiences and wisdom, the beauty of culture, the pure tongue, the fresh air, the delicious fruits, the fresh fish…There is something different in Sulu. I shout loudly when reached the port of unconquered Sulu just to express the happiness deep inside."

Nur Danial
Zamboana City
http://altaufik.blogspot.com/2009/03/tulay-minaret-symbol-of-endless-hope.html

5. “Sulu may sound dangerous and a forbidden island to visit but whoever can resist this sight? The waters of Sulu have different hues of blue I wanted to jump in right then and there. Houses on stilts create a dramatic reflection on the calm waters of Jolo as a tweak of daylight rushes in for another glorious morning for Tausug. We rented a fish boat to go to other islands of Sulu, namely, Siasi & Pandami. It was a peaceful sight”

Maej
http://www.mindanao.com/

6. “Tawi-Tawi [Sulu] is really a nice place. The people living here add up more to its beauty. Hope you can personally visit the real paradise island..!”

Glitter
http://www.pbase.com/van9338/jolobasilantawitawi

7. “This blog is beautiful. So our brothers may know and having no doubt if to visit Lupah Sug [Sulu Archipelago]...”

Moh Syahrizan
Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia

8. “The archipelago of Sulu is…composed of about a couple of hundred of islands, Sulu stretches from Basilan island in the northeast to the province of Tawi-Tawi in the southwest…Sulu which probably has the least explored and least inhabited cluster of islands... Teeming with inhospitably thick hardwood forest, wild snakes and boars, they are largely left untouched by man. Like jewels, they are a treasure from above and beyond…Flying over the southernmost islands… always took my breath away. The next island is as fantastic as the next. Pearl white beaches compete in ringing each of the islets that show no sign of humanity. ”

Farl
http://www.colloidfarl.blogspot.com/
Saturday, July 19, 2008

9. “...The island of Sulu one of the most-talked-of places on the map of our new possessions…Sulu, being better known by its name of Jolo, this being pronounced with the accent on the last syllable, so that it sounds not unlike that vulgar salutation of our Western World, “Hello!” As first seen from our quarter-deck the village of Sulu was a thing of beauty, with its vivid tints of green and gold and amethyst, its red-sailed boats on the sunlit bay, and over all the strongly blue sky. Nor was this enchantment due entirely to distance, for ongoing ashore in the late afternoon, we found the town even more attractive than we had thought it from the sea…the breeze in their crimson sails, dotted the flushed bay; and to the north and east small, detached islands, tinged with a translucent purple like the skin of a grape, faded into the horizon."

Florence Kimball Russel
A Woman’s Journey Through The Philippines, 1907
http://www.kellscraft.com/

10. “Sulu’s supremacy as a market center and regional power depended on expansive trade. The archipelago’s location and natural resources fit perfectly with the requirements of Europe’s trade with China.”

Sulu: The Heart of a Trading Zone
http://chinabusinessphilippines.com/

11.“The appearance of the Sooloo Islands from sea-wards is extremely beautiful; there are several extinct volcanoes of considerable height and the very extensive clearings extinct volcanoes of considerable height, and the very extensive clearings which have been made for the cultivation of hill-paddy (rice), give a charming park-like appearance to the landscape.”

Mr. Edwin W. Streeter
“Pearls and Pearling Life”, 1886
http://www.farlang.com/gemstones/streeter_pearls_and_pearling/

Friday, October 28, 2011

TIBAW PA TAM-AWAN VILLAGE

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