Discovering the Ancient Kingdom of Butuan

Being an active member of JCI Zugbuana, an all-female Jaycees chapter, I am assigned for 2009 to build a pool of trainers for the chapter. Thus, one rainy weekend in January, a Cebu delegation from JCI Zugbuana headed off to Butuan City to attend a Jaycees train-the-trainer program being offered there.

During the last day of our three-day training, our group finished early so we were able to go around Butuan for a quick city tour (it helped that there was virtually no traffic wherever we went!). Our unofficial tour guide, Vice Mayor Dino Sanchez, shared that they have recently packaged Butuan to tourists as an “ancient kingdom” due to the fact that as early as the 10th century, Butuan chieftains had already been trading with Chinese merchants, and Butuan was a major trading port.

The city of Butuan, the regional administrative center of Caraga strategically linking the intra and inter-regional centers/areas of northern and southern Mindanao, is located at the northeastern part of Agusan Valley sprawling across the mighty Agusan River. “Butuan” is a term believed to have originated from the sour fruit “batuan”. Natives claim that it came from a certain Datu Buntuan, a chieftain who once ruled Butuan. Scholars believed that it came from the Visayan word “but-an”, which means a person who has sound and discerning disposition. Butuan’s history, culture, arts and people date back to the 4th century as showcased in several museums around the city which makes Butuan an exciting source of cultural artifacts in Mindanao.

Our first stop was the New Magsaysay Bridge crossing the powerful Agusan River. Also called a Lover’s Bridge due to the place being a popular date spot, it gave us a glimpse of surrounding territories of Butuan. The Agusan River is the biggest and longest river in Mindanao. A cruise along the river barangays reveals so much of Butuan‘s history, culture, art, and people, and as a tribute to the Patroness of the Agusan River Sta. Ana – the Abayan Festival was born, a day-long celebration of baroto races and fluvial procession at the Agusan River.

 Our next stop was the BOOD Promontory 1st Easter Mass Eco Park. This historic site is where Magellan and his men erected a cross and celebrated the 1st Mass on Philippine Soil on March 31, 1521. It is the highest elevation and promontory overlooking the whole of Butuan bay then. Today, the indigenous “Hadlayati tree” still abounds, lording over a Clonal nursery and tree park, and the serpentine Masao River (El Rio de Butuan) amidst fishponds and archaeological treasures.

Next we proceeded to the Balangay Shrine Museum. Just 5 kilometers from the city proper lies the graveyard of the Balangay tribe dated 320 A.D. or 1678 years old. This wooden plank-built and edge-pegged boat averages 15 meters in length and 3 meters wide across the beam. To date, nine balangays have already been discovered in Ambangan, Libertad sites. Three have been excavated and others are still in situ.

Another museum we checked out was the Butuan National Museum. This museum is the repository of historical and cultural materials and artifacts that proves Butuan’s prehistoric existence and rich cultural heritage. There are two exhibit galleries. The Archaeological Hall and Ethnological Hall Specimens hold the exhibits of stone crafts, metal crafts, woodcrafts, potteries, goldsmithing, burial coffins, and other archaeological diggings. At the Ethnological Hall is the exhibit of contemporary cultural materials the Butuanon uses for daily living. 

We didn’t have time to visit these places, but we were told these are must places to drop by while in Butuan for their history and culture:

Mount Mayapay – Looming southwest of the Agusan Valley is this majestic mountain plateau located 2,214 feet above sea level. Mount Mayapay obtained its name from the ancient Madjapahit Empire. The history behind the Sri-Vishaya period bears much meaning and influence of Butuan’s pre-historic and archeological discoveries.

Banza Church Ruins – This site was an old poblacion. The church built here in 1625 by the Recollect Friars was reduced into ashes in 1753 by Moro pirates. What remains of this church is its bell tower beside a banyan (balete) tree. Today, it is the oldest ruin of a stone church in the entire island of Mindanao.

Magellan’s Landing Site – Every year on March 31, the city celebrates “MAZAUA DISCOVERY DAY” to commemorate a historic milestone, the 1st Easter Mass on Philippines Soil celebrated with Ferdinand Magellan on March 31,1521. The Butuanons proclaim with pride that such a historic event took place in Butuan, not in Limasawa.

Nipa Wine Distillery – “Laksoy” is a local wine made out of indigenous Nipa palm that abounds in Butuan. It goes through the process of fermentation from a crudely made vat only a native Butuanon can ingenuously produce. “Laksoy” is definitely one of the best tasting local wines in the island.

During our stay in Butuan, we were also able to drop in at popular local establishments for good food and drinks, such as Margie’s (great pasta and desserts), Weegol’s (famous for its lechon manok), Uncle Sam’s (great bulalo, gives Abuhan in Cebu some competition!) Woodstock (well-known bar with live bands and DJs; also try their local Gigolo drink, the best!). We also highly recommend the hotel we stayed in, the well-appointed Balanghai Hotel & Convention Center. It has a Filipiniana theme, with spacious guest rooms; a fantastic room therapeutic massage service; and costs only PHP1, 000 per night.

To our pleasant surprise, we ended up having a great time in Butuan City, enriched by the lessons from our trainings, the beauty of the places we visited, and the warm friendships we made during out stay.

Daghang salamat, JCI Butuan Frontier!