Naming places is a human invention not only to have a reference in locating a particular place or for knowing direction, but also in promoting identity, culture, and history that distinguishes one place from another.
This is how I found the anthropological relevance of the book of the late Caridad Aldecoa-Rodriguez titled Negros Oriental and Siquijor Island: Legends, Beliefs and Folkways (2000). I am sharing what she had documented:
Anthropologists have categorized the themes that people used for naming places to systematically study it as a cultural phenomenon. These include the use of descriptions or names of historical and political events, patron saints, entitlements, natural objects and features, folk heroes and mythical figures.
I am employing here this categorization using the towns and cities in Negros Oriental as cases.Let me start with Negros Island and Dumaguete with reference to historical events behind their names.
Negros was named by the Spaniards after its earliest known inhabitants — the Negritos, while the name of Dumaguete may have come from the Visayan word dagit which means to kidnap or to attract; although historians and folklorists have different perspectives for telling the story behind this name.
A nicer version has emphasized the diversity of people who came and stayed in Dumaguete — a cultural convergence which the Sandurot Festival attempts to highlight.
There are also evidences supporting the claim that the name Dumaguete reflects the threats of kidnapping in the past. Since it is partly facing Mindanao, it was susceptible to piratical attacks linked to slave trade in the past.
The old bell tower in front of the present-day Cathedral Church is a witness to that. In the past, this also served as a tower for lookouts to warn residents of the attacks of pirates.
Similarly, the adjacent town of Bacong got this name from the calls of lookouts to get up or bákun during piratical raids.
The violent historical event behind a name was also noted in the case of Bayawan which, according to one version, was coined from the killing of a Spanish priest by a Magahat while hoisting (bayaw) the chalice.
Meanwhile, an example of a name with political background is that of La Libertad, which means “the liberty” because the place was furiously defended from intruders by its residents.
The use of names of saints was also popular, but only after Catholicism was introduced, and now is noted in the towns of Santa Catalina and San Jose.
In the same vein but honoring a particular person who did something that benefitted the community is true to the town of Bindoy, which actually was the nickname of the late governor Hermenigildo Villanueva.
Another case is Pamplona, named after Fr. Santiago Pamplona, who served as parish priest of Tanjay.
In the same light, Basay got its name from Fernando Basay who made significant contributions for the improvement of the town.
Valencia was named not from the name of its popular parish priest, Fr. Matias Villamayor, but from where he came from — Valencia, Spain.
Natural objects or features are also popular references for naming places. Bais got its name from river eels that were abundant and famous foods of the locals in the past.
A variety of herbaceous plant called tiyas, popularly grown around houses of locals, was the source of the name of Tayasan.
It was from a rare fleshy guava locally called amblan that Amlan derived its name.
Meanwhile, Jimalalud derived its name from a hambabalud tree that grew at the mouth of the river; while the name Ayungon was coined from the name of a person, Ayung, and a tree, dungon.
The name Guihulngan connotes something dropped (gihulugan), and this referred to the several waterfalls in the place.
Sibulan was called by a Spanish priest by this name because he found several springs nearby.
Meanwhile, the present big river in Tanjay has added evidence to one of the versions how it got its name, believed to have been coined from taytay or bridge.
It is the location of Zamboanguita which faces Mindanao that gives more credence why it is called “little Zamboanga”, which is actually located in western Mindanao.
In the case of Vallehermoso, which means “beautiful valley”, the name was given by a revolutionary leader and hero Don Diego de la Viňa who was captivated by the scenery of the place.
Finally, there are names of places derived from mythical figures and folk heroes believed to have extraordinary powers. For example, Dauin, according to one version, was coined from the word dawende (dwarf); while Canlaon was named after the legendary volcano, Mt. Kanlaon.
On the other hand, Mabinay was named after Binay, a famous priestess from far off interior of the place; which is a similar story with that of Manjuyod, whose name came from a man of gigantic build and superior strength among all its earliest settlers.
A similar version is noted in the case of Siaton, whose name came from Aton, an old man who was believed to have a talisman (anting-anting).
Now we realize how these names actually tell us what we may have lost which we need to revive, or what we naturally have and only need to enhance.
We can also make use of the stories behind the names as references for the benefit of our communities socially, economically, politically, ecologically or spiritually.
For example, is Dumaguete still an attractive place to live in? Or does Negros Oriental continue to care for the well-being of the Negritos as part of its development agenda?
