REFLECTIVE ESSAY

 Magindanao Pearls: A Reflection on Society

Introduction

           Magindanao Pearls is a Philippine folktale written by Isidro L. Reztizos.
This story has been passed down to generation with this story discussing treachery, envy, dislikes and regrets. Because of jealousy, Lakambini made false report, Sinag-tala was accused of stealing Lakambini's precious pearls although she did not steal nor touch anything. Then Sinag-tala died, Lakambini was repentant and realizing everything she have done. It was very sad personally due to Sinag-tala’s death, but it was also good because it made the folklore more exciting and interesting.

This blog will discuss the relevance of folklore in everyday events, civilizations, and traditions. This comprises my interpretations and reactions to folklore.

BODY

This folklore made mention of where tribes would make basket weaving which was used for food

gathering, storage, and preparation. Lakambini asked her to gather bamban seeds and young bamboo joints for basket weaving, according to the narrative. After parting the bushes, she scratched her delicate cheeks and realized she'd lose her balance if she leaned farther over the river. They also developed their own cultural identity. Basket weaving had numerous applications in the past, including catching fish in rivers, gathering shellfish from the sea, and scooping up fish or eggs from bird and duck nests. Baskets can also be used to carry  babies, in addition to transporting food.  This explains why in the folklore basket weaving was an important thing to them.

The part where they also mentioned her grandmother gave Sinag-tala a fresh lily and in the other a

small pallid pearl. After so that as she grows she shall grow soft and delicate like a lily. Maguindanao was rich in pearls yet is hard to find. Pearls were used for ladies to look elegant and beautiful, That's why Sinag-tala's grandmother gave her them. The whole village admired pearls so Sinag-tala cared it. The Philippines are a traditional source of natural pearls and shells. The Badjao people are well known for their diving skills and the search for rare natural pearls. At present, cultured pearl farming is important. The Philippines are known as an important source of golden South Sea pearls. Philippine pearls have a special orient so that the inner glow of the pearl.

 

The Village of Maynilad is the setting of the folklore, accordingly a presentiment of evil in the morning

air happend, The village of Maynilad was not happy and skies were overcast and clouds were beginning to gather after knowing that Lakambini's pearls were lost. They put the blame on Sinag-tala when the two slaves were the one who stole. Is the capital city of the Philippines. It is the city with the densest population in the world. It was the first city to be recognized under Philippine Commission Act 183 passed on July 13, 1901 and became autonomous when Republic Act No. 409 or the "Revised Charter of the City of

Manila" on 18 June 1949. After the defeat of the polity's last indigenous Rajah, Sulayman III, in the Battle of Bangkusay, a fortified Spanish city called Intramuros was built directly on top of the site of old Maynilà. Manila was the seat of power for most of the country's colonial rulers. Today, it is home to many historic sites, some of which were built during the 16th century. Many of the Philippines' "firsts" are in Manila.

In the folktale slavery was mentioned,  The Philippines were more seen as servants than as genuine slaves, but many were still treated as slaves, of course. Even before to the arrival of the Spanish, slaves were in Filipino society - alipin and oripun are the words used for them. In the pre-civil war age, they were not true "chattel slaves," but were certainly slaves to the majority of the globe. The landlords, like Jose Rizal, were mainly Filipinos and enslaved themselves. Kasamas' being nice doesn't mean they're not slaves. They are not free to disregard the debts of their parent. And paying them usually takes a lifetime.  As people as Hebrews and Africans who were sold like animals, the Filipinos were not slaves. It is because they were enslaved by their fellow Philippines. The Roman slaves cannot be called because every Roman senator had Roman slaves. The Filipinos were not people-Slaves but most Philippines worked for masters or amo of the Philippines. Because of the ban, the slave trade in the Philippines has never been equivalent to that of Africans. Although throughout the Spanish colonial era the Philippines faced many trials and pain, our forefathers were not regarded as a slave. Slavery was widespread in the Philippine islands before the archipelago was integrated into the Spanish Empire. Policies banning slavery that the Spanish crown established for its empire in the Americas were extended to its colony in the Philippines. They were included in the Spanish Empire as free citizens. In the Philippine archipelago the Royal edict of the Spanish Empire in 1594 officially banished slavery.

The viceroyalty of New Spain oversaw the Philippine administratively, and the terminus of the Manila galleon in Acapulco  sometimes saw the importation of Philippine slaves, who were labeled chinos. Crown policies regarding the favorable treatment of indigenous populations and prohibition of slavery were enforced in the Americas since the early 16th century. These were initially not always adhered to, though with time and following the spread of Christianity. slavery was completely abolished. Spaniards considered it legitimate to enslave non-Christian captives from wars and trade them legally in the past. This is

because they did not consider this as an uncivilized and unchristian act because they believed that men were not created equal and the inferior men may be ruled by the superior ones. Christians, however, were anticipated to show sympathy to the people suffering and this made some masters free their slaves. A lot of them apprenticed their slaves so they could still work under their supervision once they were freed. There were two major types of slaves: the esclavos negros who were Africans purchased from Portugal, and the esclavos blancos who were Moros taken from wars. They were usually sold in public auctions. People from both the middle and the upper classes bought them, as well as the clergy. 

In the folktale you can see that the judges wants Sinag-tala to dip her hands onto the boiling pot to see if she is guilty or not. Trial by ordeal was an ancient judicial practice by which the guilt or innocence of the accused was 

determined by subjecting them to a painful, or at least an unpleasant, usually dangerous experience. In medieval Europe, like trial by combat, trial by ordeal, such as cruentation, was considered a "judgement of God" (Latin : judicium Dei): a procedure based on the premise that God would help the innocent by performing a miracle on his behalf. The practice has much earlier roots, attested to as far back as the Code of Hammurabi and the Code of Ur-Nammu.

Rajah The Father of Lakambini, A royal title used for Indian Monarchs, The title is equivalent to king or

princely ruler in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast asia. He is a ruler of the Landlord, In the folktale you can tell because they were well respected because of their positions. People in the village always grant there orders because if not you know your consequence for not respecting Rajah and his daughter Lakambini. Like what happened to Sinag-tala, Lakambini ordered her to get the materials for basket weaving that she will make, However after Sinag-tala left Lakambini felt jealousy because of how perfect Sinag-tala is while she does not have those but just those precious pearls.

In the folktale you can see that all of the chaos happened when Sinag-tala was by the riverside getting basket weaving supplies, suddenly Magiting was there to help Sinag-tala and they both did not know that they were slaves watching them and they told everything to Lakambini and she was so mad to Sinag-tala that she made a false statement and accused Sinag-tala for stealing her pearls. Magiting was engaged with Lakambini but he could not take away his feelings for Sinag-tala.

CONCLUSION:

I have come to my realization that to be who you are makes you beautiful. We do not need precious accessories in order to be beautiful. Believe in your own kind of beauty along with do not be jealous because of what others have and you do not instead be thankful for what you have. Appreciate and embrace you flaws and insecurities. Also that in love we need to do sacrificing, and also remember to be kind to unkind people and learn to forgive just because that one person made a mistake that means she is bad. Don’t let your emotions carry you away and think before you do something bad because regretting always happen at last. 

REFERENCES:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Manilahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_by_ordeal#Hot_watehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Spanish_Slavery_in_the_Philippinesrhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Spanish_Slavery_in_the_Philippineshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_of_the_Orient

https://www.quora.com/Were-Filipinos-slaveshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Spanish_slavery_in_the_Philippines

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila