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| The entry point going to the enchanting Tangke Salwater Pool safeguarded by the Colossal Turtle-like rock formation. |
The legend tells about the story of the
childless couple who endlessly asked for a child in a place called Punta
Bulakawe in the town of Carles. The couple was blessed with a son who grew up
too fast that all men were only as tall as his knees- the Giant was named
Higante Tay-og who decided to remain his adolescence life in a mountain known
as the Beheya Hill.
The folklore continues with Higante Tay-og falling
in love with a woman that came from an unknown foreign land with her grandmother;
the attractive lady was called Prinsesa Maganda. Later on, the two became
lovers and was about to get married on a full moon. However, on the day of
their wedding while Higante Tay-og was busy preparing at the top of the Beheya
Hill, a sailboat carrying pirates came aboard, went to the shanty and grabbed
the princess. The townsfolks engaged and battled the pirates with no
success. When Higante Tay-og came, one
pirate planted an arrow to Prinsesa Maganda’s heart which eventually killed her.
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| Another rock formation with a carnivorous dinosaur image. |
Higante Tay-og slowly brought the body of
Prinsesa Maganda to his home. With sadness, and anger of what had happened, he
picked up the wedding gifts, his stuff, and threw them one by one to the sea, these
became the Islands of Gigantes. Then, he hacked himself into two which later became
the Higante Norte and Higante Sur after kissing goodbye Prinsesa Maganda who eventually
became the Island of Higantuna.
Remnants from these stories can also be
followed by coffins found inside Bakwitan Cave that contained gigantic sets of
human bones wherein the name Gigantes was derived during the Spanish colonial
period. Gigantes was first called Sabuluag, or Salauag which is said to be the
name of a species of tree endemic to the islands.
THE BEYOND BELIEF EXPERIENCE
“Look at your right side, that is Tangke’s
location”, in non-verbatim, our guide pointed us the entry point of the
enchanted Tangke Saltwater Pool.
What was once a hidden part of the Gigantes
Sur has now been uncovered by risk and exposure. Oral tradition says that this part
was discovered by a local dweller who braved himself ascending to the rock-strewn,
and unfamiliar territory while witnessing beyond belief the mysterious attraction,
a natural pool or some sort that was later known as “Tangke”.
The name “tangke” which means a tank was
coined by this local, a representation to the appearance comparable to a tank.
Accordingly, when the tide is high, the seawater fills up the shape-like tank producing
a hole within the rock’s borders that serves as its pillars. The result of this
existence is the natural pool or others call it as a lagoon.
The acquaintance to this enchanting marvel
should somehow be experienced by ourselves, however time did not permit us to
do so, and an instruction was mandated by the local government for a temporary closure.
Meanwhile, as we continue our adventure, I was
still enthralled by the natural existing karst rocks of steep, and vertical
columns with lush flora and an avian species flying freely to the pillars that I
hardly noticed the mending disenchantment of the Tangke’s familiarity. These
sea stacks are said to be formed by the wind and water overtime, and is called the
process of coastal geomorphology.
The force of the sea crashing against these
rocks created spectacular forms that causes adventurers like me to interpret
random images of light and shadow- a term known as Pareidolia. Then I noticed a
Cavalier guarding the island boundaries, a turtle-like creature safeguarding
the entry point of Tangke Saltwater Pool, a carnivorous dinosaur among others,
or “the mythical Giant from the legend communicates to me through these cognitive
phenomenon”, then I thought “these geological landform are absolutely breathtaking!”
A moment later, we found ourselves at the
docking area with the welcoming warmth of the midday, traversing the tranquil seawater
of the South Gigantes Island while sighting on a distant the “bapor-bapor”, the
live rocks shaped like a ship and said to be the pirate’s vessel.
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More photos at:
GETTING THERE:
Tangke Saltwater Pool was closed during our visit but according to the locals, the natural pool was opened to visitors last November 01, 2018.
Tangke Salwater Pool is part of the official itinerary of the Islas de Gigantes Tour provided by Tour Operators.
NOTE:
Our Iloilo Trip was made possible by AirAsia Philippines, and part of its Iloilo Inaugural Flight from Cagayan de Oro City.
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