By the way, it is called so because it is located at Brgy Pescadores. Another one called "Balwarte Generosa" is located at Brgy. Generosa Cristobal-Colon, adjacent and to the north of Brgy. Pescadores. The third one is called Balwarte Rizal-Tuguisan at the Bantayan Beach Resort, located at, you guessed it, Brgy. Rizal-Tuguisan. All 3 barangays are side-by-side and of course coastal. This last one we could actually have visited while entering Guimbal (across Racso's Resort) after Southpark Grill.
Ito ang historic and historical! These such structures served our forebears well in the defense against pirates. Yes, these were their lookouts, generally at the vast sea, to see if moro pirates were coming. From what they see, and their analyses of what was seen, they alert the village, where decisions were quickly made if it will be a "fight or flight".
Aw ah, very nice to imagine, right? In fact, this is the very sense or essence of this town's "Bantayan Festival". Yes, Bantayan = Lookout! And the very same root word from which the towns Bantayan and Daan-Bantayan (in Cebu) are derived from.
Now now, let us become (pretend lang ba) to be more scholarly about this. The many spots, places, districts, barangays, towns, etc., named "bantayan" all over Visayas and Mindanao (even Luzon) all come from the same meaning - where you make "bantay"!
Interestingly kasi, that word "bantay" has incidentally fortunately the same meaning anywhere (all dialects) in this country! Sa panahon natin, these were "guard houses"!
Why the people of Guimbal call these "Balwarte" is even a similar linguistic twist! For those of you who went to college when Lengua Española was still compulsory, you would know - Balwarte is Baluarte - meaning "bastion", "stronghold" etc., until they even became figurative to mean "defense", "bulwark" or "fortification". All the same, right?!
Now for the most interesting "learningS"... (yes, plural)...
Aside from the descriptions and fast-facts, my tour guide also shared activities that our forebears did while making use of these 'bantayans'. He said that those who were "on duty" at these 'balwartes' would make fire to communicate to the other 'balwartes' and the community in general - when a group of bandits were coming.
Right on these watchtowers, during the day, they make fire that would create different kinds of smoke-thickness or smoke-color to send different kinds of messages. In the darkness of night, they create fire in various intensities to mean this or that.
And I said, "this was exactly what my tour guide at the Great Wall of China also told me"!
Hmm, maybe that was the "international language" at that time hahaha? And I added, the American Indians also did the same, right? My tour guide cum driver was a bit dumbfounded for a moment there. But I made him at ease by saying "that was probably the prevailing technology at that time"! Yeah, baka meron nang "The International Fire and Smoke Language Standards Policies Procedures and Protocols" at that time hahaha!
Ginoo ko! Kayo, what do you think?
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