HISTORYA NIN BANUAAN

"The History of the Town of Irosin"

 By
Sabiniano Gacias and Elias Cuadro

 

CHAPTER XVIII

The Barrios

 

233 – I will cite next, that it would be known,

a number of barrios, without missing one;

one by one, I shall recite,

twenty barrios, that they may be introduced.

 

234 – Those twenty barrios outside of the poblacion,

which are all classified;

some were large, others were small,

one by one, I will now recite.

 

A.     Gabao

 

235 – The first barrio was named Gabao,

it was a rich and productive barrio;

in olden times, when it was yet a sitio,

water would submerge it during floods.

 

236 – There was a great flood that occurred,

piles of sand gathered in moles;

guavas would grow here,

and they would be abundant in fruits.

 

237 – Several people built houses,

Gabao was the name given;

for the waters would submerge it then,

now its ground had risen and is now a large barrio.

 

B.    Monbon

 

238 – The second barrio was named Monbon,

this name came from the word “balonbon;”

this was a marshland, along time ago,

which was an effect of the volcano’s eruption.

 

239 – When the ground has risen, houses were built,

first it was named “Balonbon;”

people increased, and the name was changed,

now it is Monbon, a livable barrio.

 

C.    Buenavista

 

240 – Third barrio was Buenavista,

which was called by a different name, in olden times;

a bishop named Gainza,

was the one who called this Buenavista.

 

241 – For as he came from Bulan,

going around for a pastoral visit;

carried in a canopy, there he rested,

a descending scene, he marveled.

 

242 – The sceneries revealed ricefields and forests,

to the eyes enhancing, akin to the sea;

the bishop at once pronounced,

Buenavista should be the name.

 

D.    Patag

 

243 – The next barrio was named Patag,

a mountain’s wonder that it was plain;

big rocks, in it were placed,

when houses were built, a fortunate barrio it became.

 

E.     Carriedo

 

244 – The next was Carriedo,

only two kilometers away from the poblacion;

the one who named this was an haciendero,

Don Jose Martin, a long time ago.

 

F.     Omagom

 

245 – The next one was Omagom,

Alegre’s fuedal estate in olden times;

those who lived here were couples,

who were not married, merely living in together.

 

246 –  So it was called the barrio of Omagom,

for everybody was coupled;

those who were reached by the Mission,

they all contracted matrimony.

 

G.    Bolos

 

247 – The one which followed was named Bolos,

for its two rivers united;

lagoon below and river above,

continous were their flows.

 

248 – The lagoon below was really wide,

and it was deep, a canoe could travel through it;

they met here with the river above,

those who resided here called it Bolos.

 

H.    Gulang-Gulang

 

249 – There was a newly declared barrio,

a recognized one, named Gulang-Gulang;

beside the river of Binorabodan,

no one could pass through it when it would be flooded.

 

250 – And since this river,

flowed from the mountain, it was placid;

rocks would bounce,

thus, the people named it Gulang-Gulang.

 

251 – The rocks would roll over,

they couldn’t be gathered by whosoever;

for it was a danger that one may be hit,

and his life would come to a waste.

 

I.        Lamboon

 

252 – There was a small barrio named Lamboon,

it was thus called during those times;

near the poblacion, and if you would travel by foot,

about two kilometers and you would reach it.

 

253 – Since it was abundant with foods,

jackfruit, pilinut and bamboo roots;

they couldn’t ripe since the neighbors,

would gather them at once.

 

254 – Since they were eaten unripe,

just like an unripe bamboo;

at once they called it,

Lamboon, it was thus called.

 

J.      Sanbenon

 

255 – The barrio of Sanbenon I would cite next,

amid the muds in earlier times;

never a hard part along the path of man,

it was mud everywhere, be it left or right.

 

256 – There was a hard part and it was plain,

houses with good foundation were built on it;

when the children would go to the poblacion,

they would be wrapped in clothes by their parents.

 

257 – Several families would thus go together,

back and forth, they would be wrapped in clothes;

they agreed to make it,

and christen it as the barrio of Sanbenon.

 

K.    Batang

 

258 – The origin of the barrio of Batang,

by the riverside and which was muddy;

since it was a curve in ages past,

when the river would be flooded, waters would settle here.

 

259 – Wood, rock, sand and timber,

here, they would gather and settle;

time came and this had risen,

houses were built, now the barrio of Batang.

 

L.     Cawayan

 

260 – There was a sitio in a mountaintop,

grasses were akin to a bamboo’s;

residents then grew in number,

barrio of Cawayan it is now called.

 

M.    Casini

 

261 – There was a plain, another sitio,

beside the highway during those times;

indeed, it teemed with trees,

Casini weeds were aplenty.

 

262 – For before, boyo leaves were scant,

which were chewed, vice of the people;

the casini weed were all that sustained,

to be chewed, a long time ago.

 

263 – When they began to farm, people increased,

one question was, where is your farm?;

accordingly, in Casini I reside,

corn and camote were my plants.

 

264 – And so, accordingly,

people increased in that place;

when it became a barrio, it was named Casini,

from then on.

 

N.    Tabon-tabon

 

265 – There was another place, made into a barrio,

up in a mountain about three kilometers away;

the bird called Tabon, during those times,

those kind of animals would lay eggs there.

 

266 – Houses were built and the place was farmed,

barrio of  Tabon-tabon, it was thus named;

in the people’s mind, it wouldn’t leave,

this name would be hard to forget.

 

O.    Liang

 

267 – There was another barrio near poblacion,

with two rivers in it;

it was located on a hilltop,

it was named Liang by everyone.

 

P. Macawayan

 

268 – Amid the farms,

its place was a mound;

it was filled with bamboos,

when it became a barrio, it became Macawayan.

 

Q.    Togos

 

269 – There was a small barrio named Togos,

far from the poblacion, atop a mountain;

with a small river, abundant with Tagos,

akin to a shrimp, smaller than the rest.

 

270 – When it became a barrio, it was called Togos,

from the small shrimp-like stuffs;

called tagos, which was delicious to eat,

served as food for the whole day.

 

R.    Bulawan

 

271 – Then too, the barrio of Bulawan,

which was worthy of its name;

for the stones in this place,

would glitter like gold.

 

S.     Bagsangan

 

272 – The barrio of Bagsangan, I will now cite,

during a period of hunger, along time ago;

this place teemed with plants called oraro,

which would be boiled, food sustenance for all.

 

273 – Then, too, the hagol wood,

they would be boiled by the neighbors;

with plenty of flour and plenty of boiled fibers,

Bagsangan now, they would call it.

 

T.     Gogon

 

274 – Once, when Bulusan erupted,

the landslide was tremendous, the ground shook;

there was one sitio and there were dropped,

rocks and sand which were indeed vast.

 

275 – Later on, houses were built,

those innocent people in early days;

made it into a barrio for it was filled with vines,

and from this, they called it Gogon.

 

U.    Salvacion

 

276 – The last barrio which was quite new,

was not very far, in fact it was near the poblacion;

its name was Salvacion, for it was its Patroness,

so lovely to look at on a cart.

 

V.     The Other Barios

 

277 – Here it is ended, those twenty barrios,

and I’d like to add all the sitios;

Burabod, Anira and Calian, too,

Camonohan, Camolbog and Bariw also.

 

278 – Tolong Pansod, Mapaso, and Talistison,

Maraot Banua, Mapapac, Banco and Solihan;

down to Danao, named Camambugan,

Binalabagan, Sangat, through Cawayan.

 

279 – Dasal, Linan-linan, down to Banco,

Caracdacan, Caagsaman, Bulala, Palogtoc;

Gotos, Panarang, through Cococ,

Atipolhan, Gumapia, Tongdol and Maraog.

 

280 – Cabigohan, Mor-ong, Hinonocan including,

Capantatan, Solangan, until Tubtuban;

Codong, Canila, Calpi, down to Basiao,

Cabigaan, Pocdol and Caticulan.

 

281 – Mapaso, Hologan, Camang-batangan,

Bahicao, Tiniguib, till Silaodan;

then, too, the sitio of Hormaan,

a high mountain like a volcano.

 

282 – Near the volcano was a small mountain,

named Mayong-payong, it was thus called;

Cabicalan, Pagnolocan, and calaay indeed,

Pili, Cabugawan, and one called canila.

 

CHAPTER XIX

The Rivers

 

283 – These are only the ones that are known,

and are always mentioned by all;

rivers and springs I shall now recite,

for they give the people sustenance.

 

284 – The big river in the town,

second was the river of bagsangan;

there are several rivers in the barrio of Gabao,

Tongdol, Hinonocan, including Bulawa.

 

285 – A large river in the barrio of Tabon-tabon,

then another in Sangat and in Liang, its neighbor;

there is a lake in Tulay on way to Monbon,

the one in Gulang-gulang flows to Omagom.

 

286 – The river in Bolos and Binorabodan,

it freely flows, at day and at night;

this cuts through the barrio of Gulang-gulang,

and settles in the town of Juban.

 

287 – Aside from these, there are several springs,

some are hot, some are tepid;

some are saline,some are starchy,

all of these were created by God.

 

CHAPTER XX

The Legend of the Large River in the Town

 

288 – The large river in the town,

her tale is now a legend;

that even when times she would erode the town,

still, bounty would come from her.

 

289 – For she was the strength,

she would give the ricefields waters;

to the plants and to the gardens,

a cold water, giver of life.

 

290 – T’was a great blessing from the loving God,

for He gave the town a river;

for without it the town would suffer,

great thirst and hunger.

 

291 – Legend of this river I shall narrate,

which came from the mouths of our forebears;

those founders of this our town,

they beheld great wonders.

 

292 – That accordingly, there was one day,

the river was flooded due to heavy rains;

they saw an ogre,

swimming with the tides.

 

293 – This they say,according to history,

his ogre came out;

to test his own force,

with other animals, he would contest.

 

294 – If he would win over all the other animals,

the depths of the sea, the vastness of the place;

here, he would reign with no other,

and for him would all the abundance be.

 

295 – He would now be king of the place,

his kingdom being the vastness of the sea;

all other animals would be his subjects,

he would be filled with foods and his joy complete.

 

296 – One thing more, according to a tale,

a gnomic tale of yore;

one day it was raining hard,

the river was flooded, waters gushed.

 

297 – The gushed of the river was amazing,

the flows of the waters were clamorous;

a wonder to behold,

for the people of the barrios and of the town.

 

298 – They saw and beheld,

a large white vessel;

sailing fastly against the waters,

cutting through the river.

 

299 – It was sailing fastly, stopping at nowhere,

filled with baggages, so lovely to see;

installed with glittering lights,

glows of its lights were a marvel.

 

300 – Then, suddenly, the vessel vanished,

this vessel, carrier for the gnomes;

in a blink of an eye, before those people,

it suddenly vanished like a thin mist.

 

CHAPTER XXI

Irosin: A Final Description

 

301 – The inhabitants of this town,

Christianity, they all profess;

other sects never proper,

for the faith was strong and lasting.

 

302 – Said town had no monopoly,

even small families had their own works;

things they own and manage,

serfs were in lack and people were gentle.

 

303 – The rich have their subjects,

from other towns, foreigners all;

some of them were in farming,

for the forest were yet vast.

 

304 – The town of Irosin lives in bounty,

if one was industrious in his works;

one with formally will gain many friends,

they help each other in good deeds.

 

CHAPTER XXII

Ending

 

305 – Thus, what came to pass is now ended,

and the things to be narrated have now been emptied;

if ever there were errors,

those with a good mind, I urge them to add.

 

306 – Pray the loving God,

this borrowed life, still be lent to us;

that goodwill be made to last,

now that the world is still alive.

 

EPILOGUE

My Song-Offering for the Town of Irosin, Sorsogon

(by Sabiniano G. Gacias)

 

Town of Irosin in the south

of Mount Bulusan, queen of the mounts;

thou art adorned with plains and peaks,

that are all filled with thy riches.

 

Thou art our citadel in this our lot.

we thy children, thy favored ones;

in thy wealth we take refuge,

at all times,be it day or night.

 

Ah, thy glory and joy,

plains, waters, mountains, of bounties full;

the waters that flow freely,

they all adorn thy beauty.

 

To thee we give thanks,

our beautiful town, filled with sympathy;

for this your gift, your generous blessings,

to this our life, our one and only.

 

This wealth to us offered,

which was testified by our forebears;

Irosin accordingly, is one happy town,

for bounties are with her.

 

So if ever thou art a man of poverty,

a widow, an orphan, who’s being deprived;

reach out for her, ask her at once,

and thou shalt be taken in with all joy.

 

Irosin town, we long to live,

cradle of life, thy famous name;

for that to us is a privilege and covenant,

that we shall bring to our grave.