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http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20090114-183177/Humabons-conversion-wasnt-for-religion
LOOKING BACK

Looking Back : Humabons conversion wasnt for religion

By Ambeth Ocampo Columnist Philippine Daily Inquirer Posted date: January 14, 2009

Last Friday we had the annual feast of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo. We are told the image was brought to the Philippines from Mexico, and one wonders if it was originally black or became black with age and with the soot of candle smoke or incense. I dont know what type of wood was used to make the image. A detailed scientific study of a splinter can probably tell us the true age of the Nazareno and, perhaps, the place in Mexico it came from. January fiestas start with the Nazareno, an image of the suffering Christ bent and tired from carrying that heavy cross. Devotees are predominantly male and they do come in force on Jan. 9. The women prefer the off-fiesta season, when Quiapo Church is more approachable even when jam-packed on a Friday. As a boy, I remember seeing old ladies wearing different colors at appointed days: on Fridays, they wore purple with a golden sash like the Nazareno; on Tuesdays, they wore brown with a white tasseled belt with three or four knots dangling from their waists for the Franciscan San Antonio de Padua. There was a day for white with a blue sash for Our Lady of Lourdes. There must have been a particular costume and color to go with the saint of the day, but we seldom see devotees in costume these days. Mike Tan can probably explain why in January we start off with the fiesta of the Nazarene, the adult Christ for adult men, while all of the Sundays in January are dedicated to the Christ Child,or the Santo Nio, who is venerated in Cebu, Panay, Tondo, San Beda College on Mendiola Street, and all over the country. There are big fiestas dedicated to the Santo Nio like the Sinulog in Cebu, the Ati-atihan in Aklan and so many other places that take the fiesta as an excuse for noise, merriment and street-dancing. What is it in an image that we find comforting? Why do some pray to the Black Nazarene and others to the Santo Nio? Which Christ is easier to approach for favors, the suffering adult or the child that looks and is dressed up like a doll? No wonder the good archbishop of Manila tried in vain to purify the fiesta by reminding the deaf flock to see beyond the folk image and see Christ who should be our guide in life. Historically, the image of the Santo Nio venerated in Cebu is the oldest image in the Philippines, unless this is challenged by the image of the Virgin of Ermita that was also found or recovered in the islands by the Legaspi expedition in the 16th century. The image of the Santo Nio was presented to the wife of Rajah Humabon when she was baptized in 1521. She was shown a crucifix and an image of the Virgin Mary but the Queen of Cebu, who was baptized and given the name Juana, was attracted to the Santo Nio and asked for it. Magellan was happy to part with it and after the Battle of Mactan, the Santo Nio remained in Cebu and was found by one of Legazpis men in 1565. We will go into the historical details about the Santo Nio in a succeeding column because when I reread the account of the conversion of Humabon, as narrated by Antonio Pigafetta, chronicler of the Magellan expedition, I realized there was nothing religious about it at all. Magellan threatened the heathens who refused to be converted with bodily harm; on the other hand, he promised aid and power to the king so that the latter could subdue his enemies. The mass conversion was held on Sunday, April 14, 1521. The converted were given new names: Humabon became Carlos, in honor of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. (The same man who was Carlos I of Spain is the same Carlos Primero and Emperador we associate with brandy rather than history today.) His wife was christened Juana in honor of Charles Vs mother, who is better known in history as Juana la Loca or Joanna the Mad, and the poor queen of Cebu didnt know this bit of the story. Kolambu was named Juan and his wife, Isabel. Two others were named Fernando, one in honor of Ferdinand Magellan, the other in honor of Fernando, the son of

Charles V. Pigafetta described Magellan and Humabon embracing and later sitting on chairs of red and violet with chieftains and other notables on cushions: The captain told the king through the interpreter that he thanked God for inspiring him to become a Christian; and that (now) he would more easily conquer his enemies than before. The king replied that he wished to become a Christian, but that some of his chiefs did not wish to obey. Then our captain had all the chiefs of the king called, and told them that, unless they obeyed the king as their king, he would have them killed, and would give their possessions to the king. The captain told the king that he was going to Spain but that he would return again with so many forces, that he would make him the greatest king of those regions, as he had been the first to express a determination to become a Christian. Then a large cross was erected there and Magellan taught the king and the converts how to make the sign of the cross and venerate the cross. Everyone complied. Now what happened to these instant Christians after Magellan and his men were massacred by Lapu-lapu in Mactan? Rereading Pigafetta tells us how oversimplified this episode is in our history textbooks. To understand the complexity of history is to understand not just the past but the present as well. *** Comments are welcome at aocampo@ateneo.edu.
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