Limasawa, Southern Leyte

Infobox Islands
name = Limasawa


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location = South East Asia
coordinates = coord|9|53|37|N|125|31|18|E|type:landmark_scale:25000_region:PH
archipelago = Visayas
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country = Philippines
country admin divisions title = Barangay
country admin divisions = Cabulihan, Lugsongan, Magallanes, San Agustin, San Bernardo, and Triana
population = 5,157 [cite web|url=http://www.census.gov.ph/census2000/p086400.html|title=Total Population, Household Population and Number of Households|date=May 1, 2000|publisher=National Statistics Office|accessdate=2008-04-07]
population as of = 2000
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Limasawa is a 6th class municipality and an island of the same name in the province of Southern Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 5,157 people in 1,108 households. It lies south of Leyte, in the Mindanao Sea. The island is about 10 km from north to south.

Barangays

Limasawa is politically subdivided into 6 barangays.

*Cabulihan
*Lugsongan
*Magallanes
*San Agustin(Tawid)
*San Bernardo(Tigib)
*Triana

History

The island was first visited by foreigners with the arrival of Chinese and perhaps Arabic tradesmen. In 1225, the Chinese merchant Chau Ju Kuo described the population as friendly and congenial to trade-relations. It was mistakenly believed that On 26 March 1521, the Limasawan ruler Rajah Kolambu was visited by Magellan and his fleet of three ships, passing through en route to the Spice Islands. The two leaders maintained very amicable relations, becoming "casicasi" or blood-brothers before the captain's departure. [Bergreen, Laurence. "Over the Edge of the World". New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 2003. Page 144.]

"Limasawa" is so named because it is not "Masawa" or "Masao", more precisely spelled Mazaua, the island where the first ever Mass in the Philippines was celebrated. See First mass in the Philippines.

The island may be the same island as Gatighan, though there is debate on the subject.

Notes

ee also

*Gatighan
*Mazaua
*First mass in the Philippines
*Dimasaua
*Ginés de Mafra
*Carlo Amoretti
*Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas

References

External links

* [http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/limasawa-sleyte/ ELGU Website of Limasawa]
* [http://members.tripod.com/philipppines/mazauatime.htm Possible provenance of the name 'Limasawa']
* [http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/default.asp Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
* [http://www.t-macs.com/kiso/local/ 2000 Philippine Census Information]