Eskaya

ethnic group
group=Eskaya


poptime= 3,000 (2000 census)
popplace= flagicon|Philippines Philippines: Bohol|
langs=Eskayan, Cebuano, Boholano
rels=Philippine Independent Church
related=Cebuano, other Visayan peoples, other Filipino peoples, other Austronesian peoplesThe Eskaya, less commonly known as the Visayan-Eskaya, is the collective name for the members of a cultural minority found in Bohol, Philippines. The Eskaya community is distinguished by its cultural heritage, particularly its literature and language, although many of its earlier traditional practices are no longer strictly observed.Zoë Bedford. "Maintaining Cultural Difference: An Insight into the Visaya-Eskaya of Bohol". 2003.] Reports indicate that Eskaya linguistic and cultural education has been in steady decline since the mid-1980s.Alberto A. Payot, Sr. "Bisayan Eskaya: Karaang Pinulongan sa Bohol?". "Bisaya." June 3 1981. 11, 55–6 ] Felicisimo B. Amparado. "Iniskaya: Karaang Pinulongan sa Bohol." "Bisaya." April 15, 1981. 12, 55 ] Stella Marie de los Santos Consul. "Iniskaya: A linear linguistic description." Cebu Normal University. September, 2005] Legally, the Eskaya are classified as an indigenous group under Republic Act or R.A. No. 8371 entitled "The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997. [ [http://www.chanrobles.com/republicactno8371.htm Republic Act. No. 8371] [http://www.chanrobles.com/index1.htm Chan Robles Virtual Law Library] Retrieved 13 December, 2006. ]

Area

Most members of the Eskaya community inhabit a mountainous area that intersects the municipalities of Duero, Guindulman, Pilar, and Sierra Bullones in the once-forested region of Bohol's southeast interior. The original Eskaya settlement of Biabas (Guindulman), was established in the early 20th century by Mariano Datahan who died in 1949.Cherry Policarpio. "The Eskaya Tribe: The Living Legacy of a Forgotten Language."Mabuhay 9."(September 1991) 24–7] In 1951, the second township of Taytay (municipality of Duero) was founded by Fabian Baja in accordance with Datahan's directions.Margarita T. Torralba. "The Eskaya Cult: Children of a Lost Language." "Who". 5 September, 1981. 22–7. ] Significant Eskaya populations are now also found in the nearby townships of Canta-ub, Lundag, Tambongan, Cadapdapan, and Fatimah. In 1996, the Eskaya community was awarded a certificate of Ancestral Domain Claim by President Fidel Ramos.Author unknown. "Ramos's Visit to Bohol". "Sun Star Daily." 7 February, 1996,] An official census of the Eskaya population has not yet been made. One report estimates that in 1991 there were 130 Eskaya families living in Bohol. [http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Temple/9845/tech.htm "Philippine Civilization and Technology"] . Retrieved 30 November, 2006.]

Language and script

The speech variety of the Eskaya is known as Eskayan, or Ineskaya in the local Cebuano language. Lexically, Eskayan shows no clear relationship with any known language although there is strong but inconsistent Spanish influence.Piers Kelly. 'The Classification of the Eskayan Language of Bohol: A research report submitted to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Bohol, The Philippines' July 2006.] A striking feature of the language is its unusual phonotactics, such as its patterns of consonant and vowel clusters. Hector Santos. [http://www.bibingka.com/dahon/mystery/eskaya.htm "Eskaya Script"] [http://www.bibingka.com The Philippine Leaf] . Accessed 9 August, 2005.]

The Eskayan writing system takes the form of a syllabary of over 1,000 characters, all modeled on parts of the human body including internal organs. This unique script has been compared variously to Phoenician,Jes B. Tirol. "Eskaya of Bohol: Traces of Hebrew Influence Paving the Way For Easy Christianization of Bohol", "Bohol’s Pride." July 1991. 50–51, 53] Etruscan, B. S. Abregana. "Eskaya: The Living Fossil Language in Bohol." "Focus Philippines." 28 July, 1984. 13–14 ] Abregana, B.S. "Escaya, the living fossil language in Bohol – a legacy from the Etruscans." "The Republic News." n.d., n.p.] Hebrew, and even the undeciphered script of the Butuan paleograph.Jes Tirol. "Butuan paleograph deciphered using the Eskaya script," "UB Update." October-December, 1990. 6, 14] While there are no mother-tongue speakers of Eskayan, it is taught to both adults and children in volunteer-run cultural schools. The Eskayan language and script has been the object of ongoing controversy.

Religion

Under the direction of Mariano Datahan, the group converted "en masse" to the nascent Philippine Independent Church in about 1902.Martinez, Ma. Cristina J. "Gahum ug Gubat: A Study of Eskayan Texts, Symbolic Subversion and Cultural Constructivity." Unpublished manuscript, 1993. 67 ] Community members revere the entity Suno which is conflated with the Santo Niño,Proceso L Orcullo."The Eskaya Communities of Taytay, Duero Bohol: A Study of Change and Continuity". PhD Dissertation. Davao City: Ateneo de Davao University, 2004.] and in addition to weekly church services they are served by appointed spiritual leaders known as "biki" and "beriki". The "biki", or bishop, is responsible for performing harvest ceremonies and other rituals such as house blessing. Before a house can be constructed, a ritual is performed in which a spiritual leader asks the permission of the spirits. If permission is not granted, the builder must select a new site.Proceso L Orcullo."The Eskaya Communities of Taytay, Duero Bohol: A Study of Change and Continuity". PhD Dissertation. Davao City: Ateneo de Davao University, 2004.] The Eskaya also retain spiritual traditions once widespread in lowland Boholano rural communities. [ For discussion of lowland Boholano customs see Cecilio Putong. "Bohol and Its People." Manila: 1965. ]

Eskaya society

The teaching of Eskayan in the volunteer schools is one of the few remaining cultural practices of the Eskaya community.
Formerly, Eskaya men would wear shirts made of piña raffia with a Chinese-style collar, black breeches, and cotton berets. Women wore piña dresses with bulging sleeves similar to the Spanish-influenced Boholano style (mostly in Biabas) and covered their hair with cotton habits (mostly in Taytay).Proceso L Orcullo."The Eskaya Communities of Taytay, Duero Bohol: A Study of Change and Continuity". PhD Dissertation. Davao City: Ateneo de Davao University, 2004.] Traditionally, women were not permitted to cut their hair short nor wear trousers, and drinking and dancing were universally prohibited. For the most part these customs have been discontinued, however traditional dress is sometimes worn on Sundays and special occasions.

At weddings the parents of the bride offer the couple a glass of water and a comb. The comb is dipped in the water and run through the hair of both bride and groom. Rice is then showered on the couple, connoting plenty.Proceso L Orcullo."The Eskaya Communities of Taytay, Duero Bohol: A Study of Change and Continuity". PhD Dissertation. Davao City: Ateneo de Davao University, 2004.]

Until recently, the Eskaya practised a form of communal farming in which a portion of land was tilled for the benefit of the whole community.

Literature and mythology

The Old Books

The Eskaya literary canon is recorded in a series of texts comprising the "karaang mga libro" or "old books" and several secular writings. These texts are mostly written in Eskayan, although a few are in Cebuano and one is reported to be in Spanish. The Eskaya stories are fundamental to the community’s understanding of itself, particularly its origins, belief systems, and practices. One legend tells of how the group first arrived in Bohol from Sumatra. Their first leader, Dangko, had twelve children who settled near Antequera before moving east. Various other Eskayan legends recount the stories of Boholano kings and heroes; a few of these stories even make reference to actual historical figures such as Jesus of Nazareth, Datu Sikatuna, Ferdinand Magellan, and Francisco "Dagohoy" Sendrijas. Due to these intersections with recorded history, some commentators consider them to be historical texts while others argue that they function solely as mythologies Piers Kelly. "Visayan-Eskaya Secondary Source Materials: Survey and Review Part One:" 1980–1993. Produced for the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Bohol, Philippines. 2006 ]

As part of their cultural education, students must transcribe five stories from the Old Books into lined textbooks at the Eskaya schools.

The Eskaya writings mentioned by researchers are as follows: "Abedeja", "Ang Alpabeto sa Katsila", "Ang Damgo ni Hurayhaber", "Ang Lingganay na Ugís", "Ang mga hiyas ug Caague ni Mariano Datahan", "Ang pagtulun-an sa Bisayas", "Aritmetica", "Askormos Meneme", "Atekeses", "Bisayan Declarado", "Daylinda", "Grinada", "Kwadra", "Pamatasan", "Pinay", "Pinulungan", "Rangnan", "Simplet", "Suno", "Tumao" and "Unang Tao sa Bisaya sa Bohol". Identical texts sometimes go by different names and larger texts may subsume smaller ones. Brenda Abregana, a former curator of the Bohol Museum, has mentioned a folded book of esoteric knowledge written in Spanish but its existence has not been established.

Oral stories

The Eskaya oral stories are often oriented towards the future as millenarian prophecies.Alberto A. Payot, Sr. "Bisayan Eskaya: Karaang Pinulongan sa Bohol?". "Bisaya." June 3 1981. 11, 55–6 ] Other tales concern relatively recent occurrences such as the Japanese occupation of Bohol in World War II.

History

, 1984. 13–14. ] Local journalists and researchers have since suggested various theories on the origins of the Eskaya but there is still no broad consensus on the subject.

As far as documented evidence is concerned, genealogies attest that many of the predecessors of those living in the communities today originally came from the town of Loon on Bohol’s western coast; [ Genealogy archives, Office of the President of the Philippines National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Bohol ] Mariano Datahan is reported to have arrived at the site of present-day Biabas at the turn of the nineteenth century; The Philippine Independent Church in Biabas was established in 1902; Datahan wrote a letter to President Manuel Quezon in 1937; and the resistance hero Col. Esteban Bernido records a meeting with Datahan in Biabas in 1944. Col. Esteban Bernido. "People’s Plight," Wartime Recollections. Quezon City: Allied Printing, 1981] Simplicio M. Apalisok. "Soldiers Start Showing Noses," "Bohol Without Tears: Bohol’s Wartime Years," 1937–1947. Quezon City: Surigao BB Press, 1992. 43–47.]

Theories and controversies

The Eskaya community has been the object of ongoing controversy, particularly with regards to its status as an indigenous group and the classification of the Eskayan language. Intense speculation in the 1980s and 1990s on the part of journalists and lay historians generated a number of theories that continue to be elaborated without resolution.

It has been argued variously that the Eskaya are a remnant of the original indigenous settlers on Bohol; that they migrated to Bohol from Sumatra in the seventh century A.D.; [Jes B. Tirol. "Bohol and Its System of Writing." "UB Update." July–September 1990. 4, 7. ] that they are descendants of the resistance groups that fought under Francisco Dagohoy; [ Perseus Echeminada. "Ancient Tribe in Bohol Draws Savants, Psychics." "The Philippine Star". 1 March, 1989. 3 ] that they are a cult [ Logarta, Margarita Torralba. "The Eskaya Cult: Children of a Lost Language." Who. 5 September, 1981. 22–27.] or secret society; or that they are a conscious reconstruction of an imagined pre-colonial society.

Some of the more unusual proposals are that the Eskaya people are a Semitic proto-Christian tribe; [ Jes B. Tirol. "Eskaya of Bohol: Traces of Hebrew Influence Paving the Way For Easy Christianization of Bohol," "Bohol’s Pride." July 1991. 50–51, 53 ] that they possess the lost book of Enoch; [ Brenda S. Abregana. Open letter to Governor Rolando Butalid G. 12 March, 1985.] that they are descended from the builders of King Solomon’s temple; that their existence proves the imminence of a second Messiah in Bohol; or that they guard esoteric secrets.

Likewise, the Eskayan speech variety has been associated with languages as disparate as Hebrew, Greek, and Etruscan. Recent studies have revealed that the syntax of Eskayan is identical to that of Cebuano, Stella Marie de los Santos Consul. "Iniskaya: A linear linguistic description." Cebu Normal University. September, 2005] Piers Kelly. "The Classification of the Eskayan Language of Bohol: A research report submitted to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Bohol, The Philippines," July 2006.] lending weight to the theory that Eskayan is actually an elaborate form of Cebuano coding.Margarita T. Torralba. "The Eskaya Cult: Children of a Lost Language." "Who". 5 September, 1981. 22–7. ] Piers Kelly. "The Classification of the Eskayan Language of Bohol: A research report submitted to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Bohol, The Philippines," July 2006.]

The Bisaya Eskaya or Eskaya is an indigenous cultural community in Bohol, Philippines. [http://www.neda7.net.ph/RA21/Ecosystems%20Situationer%20and%20Action%20Agenda.htm Central Visayas' Sustainable Development Agenda for the 21st century] . Retrieved 1 December, 2006.] They are noted for their own system of writing, language, and literature although they look like the contemporary Boholanos and can speak Cebuano.Estorba, Regina, [http://www.hnu.edu.ph/main/publication/kinaadman/0320061714.pdf Scribbling the Voice of a Tende: An Ethnography of the Women of Escaya] . Retrieved 1 December, 2006.] Today, the Eskaya continue to teach the children their script and traditions. But there are no mother-tongue speakers. Their own alphabet and dialect are fast disappearing from use. Scholars and linguists are studying the Eskaya language and script in hopes of obtaining clues as to the ancestor of the modern Visayan languages.

Area

The Eskaya live in forest areas in central Bohol. They are found in the hinterlands of the towns of Duero, [http://www.duero.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21&Itemid=37 Official Website of the Municipality of Duero, Bohol] . Retrieved 1 December, 2006.] Sierra Bullones, Candijay, Pilar, and Guindulman.

In 1996, the Eskaya were given their ancestral domain by virtue of Certificate of Ancestral Domain Claim (CADC) No. R7-CADC-14 awarded to Eskaya by then President Fidel Ramos. The said area covers 3,173 hectares in Taytay, Duero; Biabas, Guindulman; Lundag, Pilar; Cantaub, Sierra Bullones; and Cadapdapan, Candijay.Obidencio, Ric V. [http://vgo.bohol.gov.ph/news.php?action=fullnews&showcomments=1&id=83 Candijay blocks Eskaya’s claim for ancestral domain] . Retrieved 1 December, 2006.]

Language

The Eskayan language used by the Eskaya is unrelated to the Boholano or Cebuano dialects. This minority Eskayan language is still taught in community schools in Biabas (Guindulman), Taytay (Duero) and Lundag (Pilar) but there are no mother-tongue speakers.

Number system

There is nothing extraordinary about the Eskaya number system. It is the same decimal system that we use. What is unusual is that they have symbols for the numbers, something missing from the classic Philippine scripts. They have a symbol but not a name for zero (0) and use a positional system for notation.

Their names for the numbers (0=no name, 1=oy, 2=tre, 3=koy, 4=pan, 5=sing, 6=nom, 7=pin, 8=wal, 9=sem and 10=pon), except for wal and pon, are not close to the names used in other Philippine languages. They have unique names corresponding to twenty (kaw), thirty (krat), hundred (ten), and thousand (man). Their names for the other numbers are formed from a combination of these unique names so that eleven is pon oy (ten=pon plus one=oy) and twenty-two is kaw tre (twenty=kaw plus two=tre).

Calendar system

Whereas the names for the numbers are very different in Eskaya from other languages, their names for the days of the week and the months are not very different from Spanish names.

Eskaya books

The Eskaya consider the official record of their civilization the contents of a few books or notebooks which include: "Unang Katawhan sa Bohol" (First People of Bohol) known as "Pinay"; "Rangman" an encyclopedia; "Simplet", a dictionary; "Abadeha" (Origin of the Alphabet); "Cuadra" (Mechanics of the Alphabet); "Atekesis" (Botanical Knowledge); "Daylinda" (Romantic story of one chief), and "Aritmetica" (Arithmetic). The books are not dated so they could be anywhere from a few decades to a few centuries old.

History

The Eskaya claim to have come originally from Western Sumatra, from where they sailed to Bohol in 677 A.D. The first Eskaya to settle in Bohol was a certain soldier-king named Dangko. He was originally from Sumatra-Manselis. Dangko, his followers and his twelve children (eleven boys and one girl) left Sumatra for unknown reasons. They first settled in Hindangan, Lanao, which is now Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte. Eventually, they moved to Tambo, Talibon, Bohol. Succeeding generations settled in other parts of Bohol. The only daughter of Dangko married a chieftain of Butuan and spread Eskaya influence in that region according to their accounts.

No dates are given for any of these important Eskaya milestones. Whenever dates are mentioned, it is not clear what calendrical system they are referring to because the dates are inconsistent with any other calendar that we know of.

The Eskaya also claim that Sikatuna and Dagohoy were from the Eskaya tribe. They have many legends concerning their own culture hero who is known as Tamblot.

This group of minorities claim to be direct descendants of the people of the ancient kingdoms of Butuan, Sumatra, and the Middle East.Santos, Hector, [http://www.bibingka.com/dahon/mystery/eskaya.htm "The Eskaya Scipt" in a Philippine Leaf] . Retrieved 30 November, 2006.] Sometimes referred to as a secret organization on the island of Bohol, their ancestors claimed to have arrived on the island in 677 AD from Sumatra. [http://www.smart.com.ph/SmartSchools/SmartTools/CTSHistory1.htm Balik tanaw: “Glimpses of the Past for the Young Generation of Filipinos and the Guiding Hand behind their Learning”] . Retrieved 1 December, 2006.] The Eskaya tribe, who are sparsely found in the interior hinterlands of some northern towns of Bohol, are the object of international archeological studies considering their distinct culture, language and alphabet not found elsewhere in the world. They have also been declared national heroes, having fought in many wars against foreign invaders from the Spanish period up to the Japanese occupation in the last World War. [Amora, Fred C., Highway to link Eskaya communities. Retrieved 1 December, 2006.]

Researches on the Eskaya

# "An anthropological study of the Eskaya cultural minority group from the island of Bohol, Philippines" by Zoe Bomford, 2004. One of the collaborative projects undertaken with support from the Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development Program through AusAid. This is in line with the "Bohol, the Philippines Collaborative Conservation projects with the Diocese of Tagbilaran and the Provincial Government of Bohol" which is an important part of the Centre's international program to build long term, mutually supportive partnerships with overseas institutions. Since 1999, the Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation has been working with the Diocese of Tagbilaran and the Provincial Government of Bohol, to engage the local community in the preservation of cultural heritage according to conservation projects identified in their Bohol Arts and Cultural Heritage (BACH) Code. Much of the cultural material is ecclesiastical. [http://www.culturalconservation.unimelb.edu.au/research/intpartnerships.html The Center for Cultural Materials Conservation] . Retrieved 3 December, 2006.]
# "Scribbling the Voice of a Tende: An Ethnography of the Women of Escaya" by Regina Estorba, faculty member of the Holy Name University in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines.

References

Additional reading

*Estorba, Regina. [http://www.hnu.edu.ph/main/publication/kinaadman/0320061714.pdf Scribbling the Voice of a Tende] : An Ethnography of the Women of Escaya. Kinaadman.
*Santos, Hector. " [http://www.bibingka.com/dahon/mystery/eskaya.htm The Eskaya Script] " in A Philippine Leaf. US, January 25, 1997.
*Santos, Hector. " [http://www.bibingka.com/dahon/mystery/silver2.htm Butuan Silver Strip Deciphered?] " in A Philippine Leaf. US, October 28, 1996.
*Tirol, Jes. [http://www.boholchronicle.com/2006/oct/15/opinion2.htm The strange value of zero] The Bohol Chronicle October 15, 2006.
*Tirol, J.B. Eskaya of Bohol: Its Writing System, The Bohol Chronicle XL, Number 9, July 4, 1993
* [http://www.peacefdn.org/st_project4.php PEF List of Projects 2001 - 2005]
* [http://www.boholtimes.com/daan2003/may182003/around8.htm Aumentado vows support to Eskaya road network] The Bohol Times May 18, 2003.
* [http://www.amol.org.au/craft/amf/dispmes.asp?mesid=24836&source=date Cultural Heritage positions in the Philippines]
* [http://www.delphl.ec.europa.eu/publications/newsletterjune2006.pdf Promoting Sustainable Development] EU News June 2006.
* [http://www.sgpptf.org/projects.asp?PageID=242 Strengthening Integrated Natural Resource Management and Income Generation in Eskaya Communities of Bohol, Philippines]
* [http://syllabary.sourceforge.net/FAQ.html Syllabary]
* [http://www.communityforestryinternational.org/publications/working_papers/cb_dialog_on_natural_resource_mgmt_bohol.pdf Community-based dialogue on Natural Resource Management with Local Government Candijay Municipality, Bohol, Philippines]
* [http://www.bisayaexpats.com BisayaExpats.com - Bisaya Expat Forum]