Thursday, May 1, 2008

IS LAPU-LAPU A SHAM HERO IN THE BATTLE OF MACTAN?

Thanks to Manny Pacquiao's performance as Lapu-Lapu - our first hero is again questioned by gullible sectors in our country.

They said Lapu-Lapu is a fraud and didn't kill Magellan personally. Therefore, he shouldn't be a hero. My say is whoever leads his men in battle is given the credit in victory. Besides, I was only in grade school when my dad told me there is a possibility Lapu-Lapu didn't kill Magellan by himself but it never really disturbed me. He is a hero because he stood up against the Spanish forces.


The account of Pigafetta differs greatly from the one taught in school. Of course, Pigafetta won't say anything nice to Lapu-Lapu as the Italian works for the Spanish Royal Government and Magellan's PR guy. His job is to make the Spanish look good. Some historians has cited Pigafetta for gross exaggeration (like 1,000 natives vs.49 spaniards and some Cebuano reinforcement). I mean Magellan is no dummy - he has battle experience in Malacca. I think what happened was the Portuguese fought toe -to-toe with the natives but was embarrased and got killed in the process. Pigafetta seeing his boss killed in battle probably tampered some facts to belittle the victory of the Filipino warriors. It has happened during the Spanish-Dutch wars the historical records of Spanish and Dutch chroniclers greatly blow up the death toll of the enemy (when Oliver Van Noort was pestering the Spanish navy in our country). I believe Pigafetta also tampered his.

Renato Constantino said Philippine history started in 1872 before that it was the history of the Spaniards in the Philippines. Another Filipino warrior getting some dirt is Sultan Kudarat - Morga attacked and vilified him. Our national hero stood up to defend the Sultan.

Lapu-Lapu is a hero and no white man with hidden agenda will ever change my mind.

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1 comment:

sonofaditch said...

hehehe actually there are some revisionist views on lapu-lapu's role in the battle of mactan. some even go as far as saying that lapulapu is NOT a nationalist because he never had a concept of a nation when he fought the spaniards. pigafetta writes that the death of magellan is something like a free-for-all for the natives on the hapless Magellan. The actual person who dealt the deathblow was never identified and it seems to be uncertain if even Lapu-lapu made an appearance during the fight...

BTW, I have Rizal's annotation of Morga but I didn't have the time to read it until the part of resistance to Spaniards. Tiempuhan ko gid and I'll let you know what I think. Though from what I've read, Morga's views on the Filipinos -- especially the natives -- were the prevalent academic view during that time. Rizal's annotations were an early attempt to shed new light and introduce a new perspective -- a Filipino perspective -- on our history...