Bon Voyage, Balangay! Be part of this historic event!
(The Voyage of the Balangay Presentation by Art Valdez.)
The Balangay is ready to set sail. Be part of this historic event entitled "Salinlahi: The Heirloom of Our Generation Easing of the Balangay into the Sea" on June 27, 2009, Saturday, 10 am at CCP Grounds (Harbor Side).
We recently visited the Balangay with the entire family and Aidan's classmates to be part of the history unfolding before us.
A few more finishing touches on the Balangay....
Aidan and his classmates visited the Balangay last Friday...
Himalaya, Joshua, Aidan, Ainsley, Sabine can be proud that they were able to play on board the Balangay :)
Finally, we were able to bring Joshua to see the Balangay for himself.
The entire family is excited to bid the Balangay farewell on her maiden voyage....
Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2009.
blog: www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
prof. blog: AntonDiaz.com
mobile: +63917-LOVEOAP (5683627)
email: anton@diaz.ph
P.S. They will reveal the name of the Balangay on Saturday as well :)
I thought the balangay was built using ancient, traditional methods, but that guy in the photo is using a power tool.
Posted by: Katrina | Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at 01:49 PM
yay! glad to be home right before it set sail :) thanks for the info as always!
Posted by: kate | Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at 10:36 PM
Eye of the Tiger?.... cliche.
Posted by: enzo | Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 12:34 AM
yey! will be there to cover. our company will be one of the sponsors :D
Posted by: maver | Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 10:45 AM
I'll be there Anton, hope to bump into you. My dad is one of the captains sailing the Balanggay. :)
Posted by: Vyan Del Prado | Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 10:47 AM
Great idea, great efforts, no doubt! Bon courage to all the crew! because it's a long, dangerous way to Madagascar, I know it well by my own experience. Since I was one of the crew of the famous "Sarimanok", a 60 foot outrigger canoe, entirely built by natural materials and with traditional tools by Tawi Tawi craftsmen in 1984 right there in Languayan (Tawi Tawi). In 1985 we achieved the success of having reached Madagascar crossing the Indian Ocean from Indonesia within 55 days. No radio, no support vessel, navigated only by the stars, sun and moon, with the trade winds in palm woven sails and the ocean current as energy source. Unfortunately the only Filipino crew left the expedition before the ocean crossing, so the crew of nine "gringos" (NZ, AUS, USA, GB, Scotland and Germany) under captain Bob H. Hobman and star navigator Bill McGrath took off to the Austronesian voyage. (We lived only on "austronesian" diet, bravely prepared by British nutritionist Sally Crook, the only female crew member.)
"Sarimanok" is still well known and famous in Madagascar and respective literature these days. I am surprised and a bit disappointed that in all the information I read about “Diwata ng Lahi” no single word is mentioned about "Sarimanok" the first great sea adventure between the Philippines and Madagascar in modern times. Although among the very few sponsors - at that time sponsors were hardly to be found - were the Philippine government, the then ruling governor of Tawi Tawi and Philippine Airlines.
Nevertheless - all my best wishes!!
Albrecht Schaefer, Germany
Posted by: Albrecht G. Schaefer | Sunday, July 19, 2009 at 05:52 PM
Thanks for sharing your adventure! I'll read up on the Sarimanok voyage. Is there an online site which have more detail about that voyage?
anton
Posted by: Anton | Monday, July 20, 2009 at 05:48 PM