Jed Patrick P.

Datu, Ma Luisa Pineda, Marnold Bautista, John Kenneth Velonta

Archaeo 2 THX - 1
Group 5 Wikipedia Article

Balangays of Butuan

For this project, the group will add the following information to the Wikipedia page on
Balangay.

1. Pigafettas account of the balangays during the first days of the Spaniards in the Philippines He was invited by Filipino royalties to a meal. This record is where the word balangay was
found.

When I reached shore, the king raised his hands toward the sky and then turned toward us two.
We did the same toward him as did all the others. The king took me by the hand; one of his chiefs took
my companion: and thus they led us under a bamboo covering, where there was a balanghai, as long as
eighty of my palm lengths and resembling a fusta (a small vessel with lateen sails). We sat down upon
the stern of that balanghai, constantly conversing with signs. The kings men stood about us in a circle
with swords, daggers, spears, and bucklers. The king had a pork brought in and a large jar filled with
wine. At every mouthful, we drank a cup of wine. The wine that was left (in the cup) at any time,
although that happened but rarely, was put into a jar by itself. The kings cup was always kept covered
and no one else drank from it but he and I.

It is also worth noting that in his writings, Pigafetta recorded the word both as balangai and as
balanghai, which, of course, he would have pronounced the same since Italian had no h-sound.

2. The role of the Balangay excavations in the 1970s in proving that Butuan was the location of
the first mass of the Philippines:

There was a confusion on where the first mass of the Philippines was really held. It was initially
thought that Limasawa was the location of the first mass. According to Pigaffettis accounts, the first
mass was held in an island called Manzaua, and there has been debate on whether Manzaua is present

day Limasawa or Butuan. This issue was cleared with the help of the nine ancient balangays discovered
in Butuan in the late 1970s along with Pigafettis journal account about the presence of balanghais
on Manzaua. Since Limasawa has no significant archaeological relics or balanghai tradition, the boats
were evidence that Butuan is indeed Mazaua and is therefore the birthplace of Christianity in the
Philippines.

3. 2012 mother boat balangay size illustration:

4. More detailed description of the balangays from the 1970s excavation:

Nine balangays were uncovered in Ambangan, Libertad within an older dried-up river channel,
perhaps a former tributary of the Masao River. According to Pigafetta, the balangays were large boats
and resembled a Spanish fusta measuring up to fifty feet. The boats were made out of dongon wood
planks which were fitted together by wooden pegs and the seams were plastered with tree to keep out
water seepage.

5. Diwata ng Lahi is the name of the balangay constructed for the The Balangay Voyage
project.

Sources:
Books:
1. Butuan: The First Kingdom by the Butuan City Historical and Cultural Foundation. 1990.
2. Philippine History By M.c.Halili. 2004.

Web:
1. Massive Balangay Mother Boat Unearthed in Butuan by GMA Network. August 9, 2013.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/321334/scitech/science/massive-balangay-mother-boatunearthed-in-butuan

2. About the Balangay by Kaya ng Pinoy Inc.

http://www.balangay-voyage.com/index.php?pg=about-the-balangay

3. The word BARANGAY or BALANGAY by the Butuanon Yahoo group. November 30,
2009.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Butuanon/conversations/messages/52658