Mabuhay! or in Kapampangan, Luid Kayu!
Today's video is actually about one of my most requested topics.
"Kuya Kirby, can you make a video about the Battles of La Naval?"
Between the year 1600 and 1646, there has been numerous Dutch invasions of the Philippines.
I mean there were five, five naval battles in 1646 alone.
During this time, the small number of Spanish forces in the Philippines couldn’t really keep up with all the foreign invasions and internal revolts.
Despite being colonized, the Kapampangan kingdoms of Luzon were able to maintain and retain their maritime influence, they were able to keep their naval fleet.
And many of them, also known as the Luzones , were still able to trade independently across the seas of East and Southeast Asia.
And Spain utilized the Kapampangan forces to their advantage throughout the centuries, leading to their victories in the Cinco Batallas de La Naval (Five Battles of La Naval)
And the final defeat of the Dutch on October 4, 1646.
So during the fifth and final battle of La Naval
The invading Dutch forces had a force of eight hundred armed soldiers
Aboard sixteen galleons, three fire ships, and sixteen “lanchas”
Against three Spanish Galleons.
But is often forgotten and ignored
Is the unknown number of the smaller Kapampangan war boats called Birái/Viray
And the over four hundred Kapampangan Bayánî or warriors who fought valiantly in this battle.
So how were they able to defeat the Dutch?
How were they able to defeat a much larger Dutch Armada?
The Kapampangans had bigger warships like the Karakoa
But they prefered to use the smaller Birái/Viray against the larger European battleships.
They use the smaller Birái/Viray to intimidate and to initiate assault
To lure the bigger Dutch warships into a trap.
And when the smaller Birái/Viray had surrounded the Dutch warships, they will start bombarding them endlessly.
And once the smoke settles, the smaller Birái/Viray would actually come closer to the Dutch Galleons
And use an indigenous tactic called Sampang.
They’ll seize and pounce upon the Dutch galleons to finish them off.
So if you are a Kapampangan with a last name "Viray" or "Sampang" it is most likely that your ancestors were important figures in this indigenous war tactic.
And it was an astonishing victory!
500 were killed out of the 800 Dutch soldiers
While only 15 out of the 400 Kapampangans died.
The Dutch had far more war ships, far more guns, and soldiers
Yet they were stilll embarrassingly defeated.
And because of their astonishing victory, the Spaniards rewarded the Kapampangans with favors and privileges.
Including the restorations of their lands, their titles, and certain protections against Spanish colonial abuses.
And because of ther valor in this war that the Kapampangan nobility were “restored” and were officially recognized as part of the Spanish Hidalguía (nobility).
This is why the majority of Kapampangan families were able to retain our indigenous last names
Especially the Máppiâng Súgî (Kapampángan Nobility), like my lineage from the Royal Houses of Táyag, Pábalan, and Umáli
And many other noble and warrior clans
Such as the houses of Viray, Sampang, Salunga/Salonga, Pamintuan, Pangilinan, Punzalan/Punsalan, Macapagal, Laxamana/Lacsamana, and many others.
And because of their victory, the Spanish King himself exempted the Kapampangans from paying colonial taxes and tributes, “for all eternity”
Until the Americans took over the islands.
This was also not the first time nor the only time that Europeans relied on Kapampangan forces to help defend their colonies.
But more on that in future videos.
And it wasn't always glorious.
The Kapampangans were not just called upon to fight off foreign invaders
But also to quell local rebellions throughout the islands.
The Spaniards practically abused the Kapampangans to maximize their divide and conquer strategy to conquer the islands and stay in power.
Spain pitted brown people against one another to maintain their supremacy.
But we also have to remember that during this time, this nationalist idea of one united Philippines with one Filipino identity
Did not yet exist.
Which is why the colonizers were able to take advantage and exploit our people.
Sadly, it is also this reliance on the Kapampangan forces to defend these islands
Is also the reason that led to the drastic loss of Kapampangan people, or the vanishing of the Kapampangan nation.
The Kapampangans were once the largest nation (ethnicity) when the Spaniards arrived on our islands.
But after centuries of sending them off to fight wars after wars
The population of Indûng Kapampángan (the motherland) shrunk dramatically.
Even our once lush jungles were deforested to make more and more galleons and other ships for the Spanish navy, to benefit the Spanish empire.
Despite the rewards and privileges, the Spaniards still minimized the aid and victory of the Kapampangans.
In fact, they attributed the victory to the prayers of Catholic Spain against the Dutch Protestants.
The Spaniards gave credit to the patron of the navy, the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary
for this miraculous victory.
Which is why the Fiesta of Nuestra Señora de la Naval remains a big celebration
In places like Manila (Intramuros and Quezon City), in Bacolor, and in my hometown, Angeles City.
Over the centuries, the heroic Kapampangans and their victories were gradually erased and forgotten in the dominant narrative.
Despite surviving records and praises from both the Dutch and the Spaniards
The majority of the Filipino people today don’t know much about it.
They probably never heard of it.
Nevertheless, it is still remembered by many Kapampangans today
And we continue to pass it down through oral traditions, religious devotions, and scholarly work.
So now what?
The fact that we don’t remember this war, the fact that we don’t remember anything from it
Reveals that we really don't know much about our own histories
Beyond what has been taught to us by the colonial miseducation of our people.
We really need to dig deeper and uphold the forgotten histories of our people, beyond colonialism.
Our indigenous roots and the legacies of our ancestors were erased from our memories to advance imperialism.
And if we do not know our own roots, then how can we truly serve our people?
Then how can we build a brighter future for our motherland?
This is why we always say “Know Your Roots” and “Know History Know Self”
So if you want to learn more, I’m actually working on a new book project.
About the forgotten and untold histories of the Luzones
Both at home in the motherland and abroad in the New World.
So stay tuned!
Or you can also visit Sínúpan Singsing in Angeles City to learn more from our scholars and beloved elders.
Or you can also invite me to come out and give a talk,
And that is it for me today
If you like this video and learned a thing or two, don't forget to like, share, and subscribe.
And if you want to help me make more videos like this, show your support and please be my patron or get a copy of my book.
Dacal pung salámat!
See you next time, or in Tagalog, "Kitakits!" and in Kapampangan, "Mikitiks!"