As in my last two History entries, "History of Mindanao,Part VII: Geography of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi Tawi Provinces at the Dawn of the 20th Century, Parts 1 and 2," this current entry relies on Dr.Najeeb Mitry Saleeby's "History of Sulu" (Manila:Bureau of Printing) (1908), Chapter I. While the previous two entries were absolutely boring, the reading begins to appeal to a wider audience. Saleeby focuses on Jolo City, then simply known as "Jolo."
Chapter I (continuation)
Buildings and Streets: Town of Jolo: General Plan, Buildings, and Streets:
Jolo is the Spanish representation (or rather misrepresentation) of the word Sulu, sometimes written Sooloo. The early Spaniards wrote it "Xolo," which later changed to Jolo. The complete form of the word is Sulug, as it is represented in Magindanao (MAGUINDANAO, THE LANGUAGE, NOT PLACE NAME NOR TRIBE). The Tausugs pronounce it and write it Sug. Sug means a sea current. The flow of the tide through the innumerable narrow channels separating the numerous islands of the Archipelago give rise to the unusually strong currents which figure prominently in the seafaring life of the people. Therefore the term is an appropriate designation for the Archipelago as a whole (IN FACT, A LARGE NUMBER OF HISTORIANS AND LINGUISTS BELIEVE THAT THE WORD "JOLO" IS ROOTED IN FUKIENESE, A DIALECT OF SOUTHERN CHINA, MEANING "LAND OF GOOD FORTUNE," GIVEN TO THE ISLAND BY CHINESE TRADERS AND MIGRANTS BETWEEN THE 13th AND 15th CENTURIES. SO, SALEEBY WAS CORRECT THAT IT WAS A SPANISH BASTARDISATION BUT WAS MISTAKEN IN ITS ETYMOLOGICAL PEDIGREE).
The rulers of the island state have changed their island capital four times. The most ancient capital was Maymbung (MAIMBUNG, I WILL USE ITS MODERN SPELLING FROM NOW ON), the second was Bwansa (BUANSA), which lies on the north coast of the island about 3 miles west of Jolo City. Here ruled Raja Baginda (RAJAH BAGUINDA, THE FIRST SULTAN OF SULU) and the first three sultans of Sulu. The fourth sultan moved to Sug (JOLO CITY), the third capital and the town remained the capital of the Sultunate until 1876, the date of the Spanish conquest and occupation. Sultan Jamalul A'lam then moved to Maimbung and the Spaniards occupied the town. Since the term Jolo has become so intimately associated with it, that it is deemed more preferable to use it as a name for the town, while the term. Sulu,which is more correct and commonly used,is retained in all other applications.
Jolo City has been so closely identified with the history of the Sultunate as to claim considerable attention. The Spanish buildings and improvements were sufficiently extensive to obscure the ancient landmarks of the town and to render a complete and intelligent understanding of the early history and traditions of the place impracticable. A few words describing the location of Jolo City, its ancient landmarks, and the Spanish improvements will therefore be of primary interest.
The town as it stands at present is divided into four distinct parts. The main or central part is Jolo City proper or the "walled town." This is known to the Moros (MUSLIMS) as Tiyangi Sug meaning the "shops or market of Jolo." The western half of this part bordering on Suba' Bawang (BAWANG RIVER) formerly was termed Luway. The second part, called San Remondo, lies back and south of the walled town and is separated from it by a little stream called Tubig Hasa'an. The third part is Tulay and lies on the west side; the fourth is Busbus, on the east side.
At the head of the roadstead separating the Pueblo Nuevo (NEW TOWN, IN SPANISH) or Tulay from Jolo City proper or Luway is a small tidal stream formerly called Suba' Bawang. Some maps designate it as Rio del Sultan (THE SULTAN'S RIVER). This stream extends back into a swamp and divides into two branches. The main or direct branch extends in more or less southerly direction to a point about 700 meters from the mouth of the stream, where it rises in copius springs of fresh water at the edge of the swamp. The other branch is formed by the junction of the rivulet that rises in the springs of San Remondo with Tubig Hasa'an. The latter has its origin at the foot of the hills above the cemetery and Blockhouse No.2 (SPANISH FORTIFICATION BUILT IN MID-1870s). Hasa'an means grindstone,and the springs are said to have burst out of the spot where a grindstone was set for use. Another stream, terned Suba' Ligayan, drains the northern slopes of Buds Datu and Agad, and running north, passes by Fort Asturias (A SPANISH FORT) and through Tulay, and empties into the roadstead of Jolo City at a point about 250 meters west of the mouth of Suba'Bawang. A branch of this stream formerly issued at (FORT) Asturias and connnected with the main stream of Suba'Bawang. The land which thus lay between Suba' Bawang and Suba'Ligayan was a delta. It was called by the Moros U-laya (that is, the "Head of the Net") because of its triangular shaped net was mostly marshy, but it had a central longitudinal strip of dry land which practically connected Tulay with the base of the hills at Asturias. At the upper end of this strip there existed at one time a well defined, sandy spot, different in formation from the surrounding land, which was considered sacred and was supposed to be the first land that formed on the island. This spot was Sug proper, after it was named the whole settlement which was built along the banks of Suba' Bawang and at the head of the roadstead.
The Sultan's palace, termed istana, his kuta (fort), and stockades were built along the lower left bank of the stream Bawang; hence the name Rio of Sultan [SIC]. On the right bank lay the houses and stockades of the other datus of high rank. Two bridges connected one side of the stream with the other.
On the outskirts of the town lay various kuta belonging to subordinate datus, which defended the approaches to the town. The most famous of these kuta was Daniel's Fort, the best stronghold of Jolo Island. On the site of this fort was built in 1878 the fort or redoubt of Alfonso XIII, which was lately replaced by the present headquarters building of the military post of Jolo City. Another strong fort was built at the foot of the hills just above the head of the delta above described; it defended the inland approach to the town. This was Panglima Arabi's kuta, on the site of which Fort Asturias was erected. Another kuta (FORT, KNOWN AS KOTA IN MOST MAINLAND MINDANOWAN LANGUAGES) was located on Point Baylam.
The principal part of the town was formerly built over the shoal and beach at the head of the bay. Extensive rows of buildings stretched out into the roadstead and in front of the buildings now occupied as the clubhouse and military hospital. The present "Chinese Pier" is constructred on the same plan. This extensive row of houses and shops begins at the lower point of the Tulay delta and stretches straight out into the sea. The bay is very shallow here and appears to be fairly well protected from severe storms. A variety of fish called Tulay, after which the Moro (MUSLIM) town of Tulay is named, is caught in the bay. A swamp bounds the town on the south and west, affording it considerable protection from assault. However, it is open to attack from the sea and from the east. The land on the east is high and affords the only desireable site for residences. Here the strongest forts and defenses were erected .
The Spaniards built the central part of Jolo City first. They raised it considerably above sea level by extensive fillings, and surrounded it by a loop-holed wall, 8 feet high and 1 1/2 feet thick for protection from Moro assaults. The new town was beautifully laid out with broad, clean streets lined with double rows of arbol de fuego (fire trees), ylang-ylang, acacia, and other varieties of trees, some of which are large and magnificient. Three parks, each one block in size, added considerable picturesqueness to the place. Substantial quarters were built for the officers, all houses were painted white or whitewashed, and none of them had the nipa (THATCHED) roofs so common in the Archipelago. Business places, storehouses, a large market place, a church, a theater, two schoolhouses, and a hospital were erected and a public water supply provided. A stone pier was built extending 120 meters into the sea, and provided with a light-house at its outer end.
The town wall had five gates, two of which lay on the northwest or sea front, one at the foot of the pier, and the other close to it. Through the latter gate cargo was permitted from small boats, which can always come up to this point at high water. The three other gates lay on the land side, one at the south end of the town toward Tulay, another at the opposite extremity facing Busbus, and a third one at the southern end of Calle Buyon (BUYON STREET), directly facing San Remondo. This last is the only gate of the three kept open at present and is the only entrance into the town from the land side.A tower called Torre de la Farola (FAROLA TOWER)surmounts the gate facing the bay on the side of Busbus.At the extreme end of the wall beyond the barracks was the tower at the south gate was termed Torre Sur (SOUTH TOWER). At the intersection of the south wall and the beach line was a strong building called Cuartel Defensivo de las Victorias (GARRISON IN THE DEFENSE OF VICTORIES). The block lying diagonally between this cuartel and the market had eight buildings which were known to be Casas de la Colonia para Deportados (HOMES FOR COLONIAL DEPORTEES). Two roads and two bridges connected the south and southeast gates with San Remondo. The continuation of these roads formed the two main streets of this part of the town.San Remondo has six small town blocks, nearly all of which are on reclaimed swamp land. The buildings here are mere nipa huts and the streets are muddy and narrow, unlike those of the walled town. Back of the town lies a large coconut grove which extends to Blockhouse No.2 on one side and Asturias (FORT ASTURIAS) on the other. A straight and well laid out road directly connects these two latter points and marks the southern limit of the town.
A good road runs outside the wall connecting Busbus and Tulay. Latter usage has applied the term Tulay to all parts of the town lying west of Suba' Bawang (BAWANG RIVER, "SUBA" DENOTES A RIVER OR CREEK). Formerly the name Tulay was applied only to that part lying west of Suba'Ligayan, while the intermediate section was known as Pueblo Nuevo (NEW TOWN). The bridge across the mouth of Suba' Bawang was termed Puente del Sultan (THE SULTAN'S BRIDGE). On the other side of this bridge this street extends through Pueblo Nuevo and along the central strip of u-laya, or the delta, to Fort Asturias, thus separating the waters of Suba' Bawang from Suba' Ligayan. Midway between Tulay and (FORT) Asturias stands an obelisk-like monument erected by General Arolas and bearing the date 1892. Further fillings in Tulay have provided for several streets, the chief one of which is the direct street running to the Chinese Pier and then on to the blockhouse of the playa (BEACH) and the Ligayan River. A large bridge crosses this river to Tulay proper. The road ends at the beach a little beyond the bridge. In the central plaza at Tulay stands (ANOTHER) monument erected by General Arolas in 1891 in memory of the three renowned (SPANISH) conquerors of Jolo City. On one side the monument bears the inscription, "A gloria de los que con su esfuerzo hicieron esta tierra Espanola" (TO GLORIFY THOSE WHOSE SUFFERINGS MADE THIS A SPANISH LAND). The second side bears the inscription, "Corcuera, 17 de Abril de 1638" (CORCUERA, APRIL 17, 1638); the third side, "Urbistondo, 28 de Febrero de 1851) (URBISTONDO, FEBRUARY 28, 1851); the fourth side, "Malcampo, 29 de Febrero de 1876 (MALCAMPO, FEBRUARY 29, 1876). A straight road about three-fourths of a mile long called the Asturias Road directly connects (FORT) Asturias with the main entrance of the walled town. Another road starts at this latter part point and running along the right bank of Tubig Hasa'an reaches the cemetery on the opposite side of Blockhouse No.2. The old bridge connecting a branch of this road with the one running from (FORT) Asturias to Blockhouse No.2 was washed away by a severe freshet in 1904, thus breaking what had formerly been a complete circle of roads around the town.
Busbus is wholly occupied by Moros. Its houses are dilapidated nipa huts built on piles over the water. Back of the town is a marsh which extends a little way toward the base of the hills. The water from the marsh escapes into the bay by two rivulets, the first of which runs through the settlement and is known as the Tubig Uhang; the other is artificial, forms the outer limit of the town, and is called Buyung Canal. Persons convicted of capital crimes in the days of the independent sultunate were tied to a tree at this place and there their bodies were chopped to pieces; hence the name "Busbus" which means to "chop up" or "dress wood."
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Chapter I continues with a discussion of Sulu's resources, exports, and the like. As this chapter deals with boring, albeit truly valuable information I decided to include the rest in a future entry to be entitled, "History of Mindanao, Part VII: Sulu's Economy at the Turn of the 20th Century."
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