Original Settlers of Lake Buhi & Their Story
maryan54 > albums > Slices of Life at Lake Buhi
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(DSC03449a) On January 4, 1641, at 1:00 o'clock in the afternoon, all the well known volcanoes in the Bicol region erupted simultaneously. The side of a high mountain in the Bicol valley (assumed to be Mt Iriga or Mt Asog) blew up and in the subsequent earthquake that followed, the valley on the eastern side of this mountain sank and a fine lake come into existence. Apparently, the waters of the small lake Buyok-Buyokan joined the waters of the new lake because this small lake disappeared. What only remained were the two sitios of Buyok-Buyokan & Sapa. Many of the inhabitants perished in this volcanic upheaval. The few of them who survived scampered to the northeastern highlands. Thus another hamlet was developed. On Feb. 1, 1814, Mayon volcano had its worst eruption. The thriving community of Cagsawa at the foot of the volcano was buried under lava and ashes. Only the upper portion of the frontage of the church and the belfry remained. It still can be seen up to this day. Many of the people living near the sides of the volcano fled with their lives. A story is told that two brothers who are survivors of a family that was exterminated by a venomous snake in a spring in Lingnion near old Albay and Cagsawa town trekked to Riquit. This is a forest near a clear pond currently known as Maydanao in Polangui. It was there that the refugees caught up with them. Because they were familiar with the place, the two brothers became the leaders of the caravan. They reached Macaangay and still pushed farther west until they reached Buraburan. Feeling still insecure, because they could still feel the tremors of Mayon, they continued northward until they saw a lake. Here on the shores of the lake they decided to stay because according to them it was "Maray na Raga" meaning "Good Earth". As the years rolled by, the phrase "Maray na Raga" was abbreviated to "Marayag" which is now the name of the place and a sitio of barangay San Buenaventura. After a few years the inhabitants of Marayag realized that the place has grown small for them. So they migrated westward by crossing a river. Here on the other side of the river they made a clearing for their homes in a dense forest. Thus, the stage was set for the founding of Buhi. For whenever the natives asked these migrants who they were, they would answer "nacabuhi" from Mayon, meaning that they were able to escape from the wrath of Mayon. Incidentally, the word "Buhi" is either an Albay or Visayan origin which means "escape". It is how BUHI got its name. (Taken from http://www.otopphilippines.gov.ph/micros ite.aspx?rid=6&provid=73&prodid=339&sec= 2)http://www.otopphilippines.gov.ph/micr osite.aspx?rid=6&provid=73&prodid=339&se c=2)
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1 comment
Thanks for this docu info. I would have guessed buhi meant life, rather than escape. I see that the resiliency of the Filipinos date back to those ages when calamities are frequent visitors up to the present time.
said fdguin
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