Now we’re getting into some juicy deets! This chapter held an intertwining of details cited from an Italian supernumerary ship crew member, Antonio Pigafetta. Being a supernumerary meant Pigafetta didn't partake in shipboard responsibilities besides documenting/writing about our favorite antagonist on Ferdinand Magellan. But will we shift our thoughts on Magellan after this chapter? Thanks to Pigafetta and his famous piece, Magellan’s Voyage: A Narrative Account of the First Circumnavigation, another author Laurence Bergreen, who wrote, Over the Edge of the World, was able to translate Spain’s “first landings” in the Philippines.
Through this translation, Bergreen took us on a journey on and off the ship and the intriguing first stages of actually peaceful, friendly, and apparently ritualistically blood bonding interactions between 2 leaders: Magellan and an unidentified Filipino King from the island of Homonhon. It is said that this location was later to be named as Aquade for its water and first signs of gold, post-colonialism.
In addition, it is interesting that Philippine historian, Willian Henry Scott, teaches us that in the days of international trade, slaves were actually employed to be translators. Magellan having 2 separate Arabic and Malay speaking slaves, specifically worked with the Malay slave because Magellan was actually looking for spices that would be found in east Indonesia, but obviously ended up in the Philipines first. This soon-to-be well-known Malay slave, Enrique, seems to have quite the benevolent effect (“Enrique Effect”) because his translations cultivated what appears to be sincere trust between the filipino King and Magellan.
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End music written, produced and recorded by Dayana Capulong. (C) Dayana Capulong, 2022
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