Hi again!
Yayyyyyyyy! And now I want to share something about my hometown, the "Pinagpalang bayan" of Gumaca. Gumaca was one of the earliest towns founded during the Spanish colonial era here in the southern part of the Philippines. As a result, it had gone various social and cultural transformations. One of the cultural gems here in Gumaca that fascinated me ever since I was a child was the kastilyo, as what we popularly call it, or the San Diego de Alcala Fortress (Kutang San Diego). To give you more background about it, I'm sharing this paper I have made for my archaeology class last year about linking history and archaeology or popularly known as Historical Archaeology. In this exercise we are asked to looked for valid historical documents about a historical site and verify these historical accounts through analyzing the archaeological context of the chosen site. And for that exercise, I looked into the fortifications established in Gumaca, Quezon during the Spanish colonial era. So here is it:
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Anthro 111 Paper
Historical Archaeology Exercise
Submitted: October 4, 2013
Integrating Historical Documents and Archaeological Sites:
Looking into Gumaca’s Spanish Colonial Fortifications
Gumaca, a town 11 years younger than
Manila and found at the southernmost part of the Province of Quezon, was known
to exhibit a wide array of rich cultural treasures dating to as far as the Spanish
colonial era. Gumaca is situated at the mount of what is known as Pipisik River
and within the foot of Sierra Madre mountain ranges. It was a settlement
founded at the southern bank of Palanas River in the 14th century by
a group of settlers from Borneo and Malay Peninsula. At present, it is dubbed
to be the center of commerce and trade and labeled as the melting pot of the southern
part of Quezon supporting the 3rd and 4th districts of
the province.
Being a town formed and molded during
the Spanish colonial era, it is known to house different historical and
cultural traces of a rich and highly valuable gems of the Philippine history.
According to Leaño (1973), Gumaca can trace its influential Spanish aura as far
as during the coming of the first apostles of the province of Tayabas (now
Quezon) which were the Franciscans (Provincia de San Gregorio Magno) during the
16th century. Gumaca was registered in the Franciscan annals in 1582
and this led to the assumption of acknowledging this year as the foundation
date of the first visita erected in this town. According to some historical
accounts, the most probable founder of the town could be Fr. Diego de Oropesa
or Fr. Esteban Ortiz, for they were the first Franciscan missionaries assigned
to evangelize the said area.
After being under the long colonial
influences of the Spanish government through the governing forces of the friars
assigned in Gumaca, several Spanish-influenced structures has been evident
throughout the town. And the ones that called my attention were the
fortifications established to surround the town during the late 18th
century, namely the San Diego, Santa Maria, San Rafael and San Miguel
Fortresses. This paper shall look into the authenticity of the historical and
cultural contexts of these fortresses as valuable archaeological sites. It will
look on the available writings that tell about the long and rich history of
these structures as a marker of an influential colonial era and prove
justifications on considering it as a potential archaeological site.
The Fortifications
It was 1751 when the erection of the
four stone fortresses (watch towers) which would defend the town began and in
1781 the last of those fortresses was finished (Castro et al., 1953). These
fortresses were made through the supervision of Franciscan Father Francisco
Coste. According to Guerra (1862), Gumaca must have been on a great fought of
pirates considering the situation that it occupies and the remnants of the
defenses that are still preserved. As
per written by Castro et al., these fortifications were made to defend the town
and serve as a watch tower to warn the people of any impeding attack from Moro
invaders and pirates. Being a town facing the vast water body of Lamon Bay,
Gumaca has been prone to attacks by the Moro pirates and invaders. In fact,
during the transfer of the town in a barrio called Silangan on Alabat Island,
Dutch invaders burned the town in 1665 destructing all the houses including the
church and the convent (Leaño, 1973). In this context, Fr. Francisco Corta when
he initiated the construction may have this arrangement in his mind of
establishing these fortifications to protect the town and its people.
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| Front view of Kutang San Diego (image from: en.wikipedia.org) |
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| These are some of the cannons inside the fortress. They are used as primary weapons during wars against pirates or invaders. |
According to Castro et al. (1953),
these fortifications were made of large brown stones and lumber with tiled
roofs throughout. As they had elaborated, lime with water which has been mixed
with pounded “puso-puso” and a little molasses from sugar cane was used for
cementing purposes. The first one to be erected, the Santa Maria Fortress was
constructed in 1751 and was finished in 1781. It was built on the southern end
of the wooden bridge over Gumaca River (Pipisik River). San Rafael which was
finished in 1769 was built on the south of the upper part of the Gumaca River
in line with Santa Maria. The San Miguel which construction began in 1751 and
finished in 1771 was built on the eastern part of the town to guard the shores
of northeastern side of Lamon Bay. And lastly, the only remaining fortress out
of the four, the San Diego Fortress was built on the northeastern part of the
town directly facing Lamon Bay on the southern bank of the mouth of the Gumaca
River. As what Castro et al. (1953) had expounded, Santa Maria was destroyed
back in 1905 when the bridge over the river was widened, San Rafael was
destroyed in 1889 while San Miguel was destroyed by the strong earthquake that
struck the town on 1882.
It is also interesting to know that
these fortifications were constructed in a stage by stage process and just
until the half of the 19th century that the Franciscan friars had so
fortified the town. As per Guerra’s (1862) description of the fortresses which
said as follows:
…a solid wall runs across the beach, beginning at the river which gives
the town its name. Over this is a wooden bridge, which links the town to the
bulwark of Santa María. Over the portal
of the fortification, which opens to the road leading to Atimonan, are
preserved carved in stone the imperial eagle of the house of Austria
(Hapsburg), a coat of arms also displayed at the ruinous walls of the casa
tribunal. A wall encloses the settlement on the seaward side with its castle of
San Diego (de Alcala). The construction
of this fortification demonstrates a competent hand and the solidity of its
construction have maintained the fortification in good condition after so many
years. On its platform is a heavy iron
cannon. With these two fortifications
and two others named San Rafael and San Miguel is defined a quadrilateral. (p.
97)
These movements made by the friars were part
of the mechanisms planned by the Spanish colonizers to establish a
“ministerio”, a “vicariato” and “Pueblo Civil.” Evidence that might support
this argument is the construction of a palisade of molave and other hard wood
built around the town claimed to protect the town from the southwest monsoon in
1787.
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| San Diego de Alcala Fortress (image from: www.choosephilippine.com) |
Archaeological
Context of the Fortresses
Upon looking into these historical
accounts telling about the long history of these fortresses, we can see the
distinct and valuable role of these structures in building the cultural and
historical heritage of Gumaca. Its traces which can be dated as far as the
early Spanish colonial times can provide a clear context that might establish
an argument of accepting this legitimate historical site as a possible
archaeological site. Each fortress was supplied with small cannons (Castro et
al., 1953) and these facilities can justify the persistence of a conflict or
war that might have occurred during instances of the attack of Moro pirates and
invaders. Another important feature of San Diego was the tunnel which used to
be between the said fortress and the San Diego de Alcala Cathedral, the town’s
Catholic Church. This tunnel can be an area where artifacts that might serve as
a time marker can be found. The relative position of San Diego which is on the
Northeastern part of the town directly facing Lamon Bay can be a supporting
claim on the feasible existence of artifacts that might resemble economic
activities like exchange and trade among these coastal towns during the early
times.
Another factor that can give a cause
in considering the fortresses’ sites as an area of archaeological research is
the potential excavation of the used to be locations of the Santa Maria, San
Rafael and San Miguel Fortresses in order to effectively assess the
architectural form of these fortifications. It’s also good way to look into the
functions of the different facilities and features of the fortresses. Through
these processes, reconstruction of the deconstructed fortresses might also be
feasible through the results of the archaeological research and excavation.
Through History and Archaeology
Through the power of history and
archaeology, these fortifications’ role in establishing the rich cultural
heritage of Gumaca can be well understood. It can cater to community members a
feasible archaeological exploration and research that might be able to deepen
their knowledge and awareness on the real essence and importance of these
fortresses in building a credible account of Gumaca’s past.
In the end, the most important thing
is that through archaeology community members might be able to appreciate these
historical sites more than just a physical structure but also a structure
comprising Gumaca’s identity. I hope that the San Diego, Santa Maria, San
Rafael and San Miguel Fortresses will not just remain as a physical structure
considered part of the past but will also remain a symbol of Gumaca’s rich
heritage that can provide a deeper sense of a continuous pride and honor in the
future. I do really hope that everything in the past will be immortalized; so
that in the end, we might be able to see the present as a continuation of the
past through the integration of history and archaeology.
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References
Castro, L., Mendoza, A., Tañada, S.,
Davila, L., Guinto, F., Tañafranca, L. & Arganda, L. (1953). Other
important historical events and public improvements in Gumaca. In Yap-Diangco,
R. (Ed.), Political history of Gumaca:
Province of Quezon (pp. 176-178). Makati City: Keystone Printers.
Guerra,
J.A. (1887). Viajes por Filipinas: de
Manila á Tayabas. Madrid: Imprenta de Fortanet.
Leaño, E. (1973). Appendix I. In
Yap-Diangco, R. (Ed.), Political history
of Gumaca: Province of Quezon (p. 175). Makati City: Keystone Printers.
Yap-Diangco, R. (1982.), Political history of Gumaca: Province of
Quezon. Makati City: Keystone Printers.
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