Narvacan, Ilocos Sur

Some say the early Ilokanos can trace their indigenous identity to the Tinggian or Itneg peoples. The town of Narvacan got its name when then Spanish came to western part of Luzon, and caught their ship on the reef. The natives saw the approaching ship, stood on a mountain that resembles an overturned boat, and yelled "narbakan, narbakan," or, you're sinking!

When the Spanish established themselves, they treated the natives like many exploring western Europeans at the time. They saw the native Ilokanos as heathens, and imposed Catholic religion upon them. The Spaniards saw the natives as souls that needed to be "saved." However, this view was just a reason to convince the natives to pay them tribute and work the land for them. Churches were set up as the center of the encomiendas, which were tracts of land where villages were located. The Spanish colonials imposed Spanish last names to natives and alphabetized the villages to keep record of tributes. Of course many Ilokanos resisted. But, the Spanish forces also had military weaponry and pitted tribes and villagers against one another.

The occupation of the Spanish on the Ilokos region was brutal. This is why many Ilokanos also resisted, like Diego and Gabriela Silang of Ilokos Norte. Their heroism strikes chords with many indigenous and "Third World" freedom fighters. Diego was a general who fought against the Spanish. But, when he was captured and executed, his wife Gabriela took over. Eventually, the Spanish used their weapons and brutal tactics of blocking food and water to her army, weakening the resistance forces. She eventually was captured and executed. But, today her memory lives on to remind us of the Ilokano women's strength, and Ilokano people's love for their people and lands.

During the times of the illustrados, Narvacan also had many underground Katipunan fighters. Vigan was a few miles away, a center of Spanish control in the Ilocos region. The Narvacan Katipunan was necessary, in order to keep alive ideas of resistance among the Ilokanos.

As the Philippine nation increasingly found itself controlled by western countries, the native people experienced more hardships and poverty. However, this happened with the assistance of elite natives, many of which were "mestizo," half Spanish, half Native. One famous Ilokano, who was also known for plundering the Philippines, is Ferdinand Marcos. He was the President of the Philippines in the 60s to 70s. Many say that he was a smart man, but because he was advised by bankers and bureaucrats that influenced him to develop the Philippines as an export-oriented country, he allowed the plundering and poverty to worsen during his regime.

Today, Narvacan and the Ilocos Region maintains its cultural practices, food, native and hispanic cultural mixtures, churches, and modern developments. Many Ilokanos have migrated out of their homeland, to work abroad. Many migrants say its because they are looking for better opportunities; there are no jobs. Their governments did not care for them.

I write this perspective on the history of Narvacan in order to highlight the issues of colonialism and outside occupation, as among the reasons for the Ilokos regions predicament.