Monday, April 6, 2009

Taonglangit in Tinuy-an Falls

Are you wondering why this Little Niagara Falls made it to the top of my list?

Siyempre, this is the pride of Bislig City, my very own hometown. Personal bias aside, I do think this is the most majestic falls I've ever seen and its definitely worth visiting.



For those of you who did not know that Bislig even existed, it is located at the southeastern coast of Mindanao facing the Pacific Ocean, Bislig is 158 kms south of Butuan, 152 kms south of Tandag City, and 208 kilometers northeast of Davao City.

Tinuy-an Falls is a spectacular multi-tiered falls, three levels of which can easily be seen while a fourth one is hidden from view. It rises majestically to a height of a four-story building and a breathtaking width of 95 meters - said to be the widest in the country. It is nestled in a tropical rainforest with towering, century-old trees and exotic flora and fauna surrounding it. Why do i know all these? Because my brother is doing his landscape architecture thesis on Tinuy-an Falls and the WHOLE family is involved. :)Now, let me show you the various facets of this Little Niagara.


Visitors can also lounge around this makeshift bridge and admire the beauty of Tinuy-an.



Folklore
Tinuyo-an or Tinuy-an is a native vernacular which means an intentional act or performance to attain an objective or goal. Legend revealed that long before, the Magdiwata Mountain settlers were enslaved by cruel tribesmen coming from hinterlands of Agusan. They were forced to hunt with their masters, construct barotos (small boats) and perform forced manual labor. Tired of being slaves, one day while rowing the barotos boarded by their cruel masters, they intentionally shoved the barotos towards the waterfalls killing all their cruel masters.
What a tragic story but maybe there's some truth to it. One can be easily engulfed by the downward pressure from the falls.
I think Tinuy-an or Tinuyoan is an appropriate name. Since its a secluded area, one has to exert herculean efforts (okay, that's an exaggeration) just to get to this place. One has to really intend it (tinuyoan). But once you get there, its all worth it. You can just gaze in awe and thank God for this beautiful creation.

No comments: