How do you write the history of a community? That certainly must have been on the mind of Ambrosio Iturriaga, the curate of Jagna, Bohol during the last quarter of the 19th century
But the Augustinian Recollect priest had a big challenge: there were hardly any documents and other historical materials available. Precious records had vanished when the previous town church and convent burned down in 1808.
But despite the loss, Iturriaga persevered, recording the oral accounts transmitted to him by Jagna's elders and conferring with his confreres who were knowledgeable about the past. Thus, in 1897, he published Libro de Cosas Notables de Jagna, wherein Iturriaga states with certainty that the parish of San Miguel Arcangel of Jagna was established by the Jesuits in 1631.
The lack of records is what bedevils many heritage professionals and enthusiasts in writing the history of many old structures. While churches and public buildings have a good amount of documentation, other sites like cemeteries and watchtowers sometimes have murkier backgrounds.
In this post are pictures of Jagna's Spanish-era cemetery. Despite its current state, it is in some respects luckier than the town church, which underwent extensive renovation. Unlike the altered facade of the church, the cemetery gate and walls are still in their original state, giving the visitor ideas on the origins of a community.
One of the best ways to know a town's history is to check out its cemetery. More than being a repository of the remains of its residents, cemeteries are veritable time capsules showing how old--and thus heritage-worthy--some communities are.
Images courtesy of Joel Aldor / ProjectKisame.com
No comments:
Post a Comment