'It was hard being a nation..
I battled against too many countries
Europeans trying to kill my people to get my land
My mother killed before my very eyes
I wanted to kill myself for all of these things that happened to me
I wanted to die in war
But I can't.
I am a country
I have no choice,
And my death would be a burden
I sacrificed so much but
My quest is not over yet'
As the Europeans searched high and low for new lands to conquer, the pearl of the orient seas was just a normal dot in a giant continent. The country was called "Ma-i" by the Chinese. It meant "country of the Blacks" (according to Wikipedia) or "country of the river people" (according to my social studies teacher). The country had many trading partners and the country didn't have much unity because they were all separated by tribes.
Maharlika was carrying one of her sons, Liu-sung (Luzon later in history) as Yao calls him, in her arms and a pair of little brown twins was following her closely, carrying a basket of herbs she collected when she went out earlier that day. "Maharlika, nihao," a Chinese man greeted the mother. "Yao, ahh.. It's been a while right?" She smiled kindly. "Did Romulus (Great Roman Empire) return for his... grandchildren?" Maharlika frowned and was silent for a few minutes before opening her mouth again. "He never will, Yao. Those white people from the West are dangerous." "Lilong (Grandfather) won't come back?" Ma-i almost cried at the thought which made Tondo comfort her. "He will come back, di ba (right?)," he said as he hugged his sister. "A great empire collapses shortly after its peak of its victorious rule, mga anak (my children)," Maharlika answered.
Maharlika was the first representation of the Philippines, but she'll vanish soon and be replaced by both of her twins, Ma-i and Tondo. She, along with the other ancient nations, knew this. Once this land would be taken over by any colonizer, she might die in battle. "Anyways, Maharlika, do you have some herbs, aru?" Maharlika lightly nodded. "Of course."
Days would always go smoothly but then a letter arrived Maharlika's home, found in the Kingdom of Tondo. "A meeting in Cebu huh..." Maharlika sighed. "Inang! (Mother) Inang! Can I go?" Ma-i's eyes sparkled in excitement as she approached her mother. Tondo was watching over Liu-sung that time. "What if the Europeans will try to get you?" "No! I am a strong girl, Inang!" The child pouted. Obviously, she won't back down easily on this. "Alright, when I go to the meeting, just stay behind and watch over Srivijaya." Srivijaya, said by some scholars, is the origin for the name of the 2nd group of islands, Visayas. "Alright, Inang."
Mactan, Cebu
"My... You've grown a lot, Ma-i!" Lapu-lapu lifted Ma-i into the air that made the girl giggle. "Wapu-wapu, I missed you!" "How about me?" Tondo pouted. "You've grown into a fine man, Tondo," the datu smiled at the boy. "So, Datu Lapu-lapu, there were Spaniards..?" Maharlika interrogated. "Ahh... Oo (Yes), Maharlika. Rajah Kulambu said his name was Magellan." "Tsk.. If they.." "They already managed to convert him and his tribe to their religion. And Rajah Humabon wanted all the datus near Cebu to meet him." "So what time?" "When the sun sets." "I'll come."
The brown eyes of the young girl focused on the two adults while her brother was playing with the baby. 'Spaniards...' "Anak (My child), stay here and watch over Srivijaya with Tondo," the mother said before leaving with Lapu-lapu. "You heard that, boys?" Ma-i looked at her brothers. Srivijaya just giggled and Tondo narrowed his eyes at her. "Heard what, Ma-i?" He asked. "Spaniards!" Ma-i clasped her hands as she jump into the bamboo bed. "One of our trading partners! But Inang said Spain is in Europe where all the wolves lurk!" Ma-i explained, trying to look smart. Tondo just rolled his eyes. "I'm sure not all Europeans are wolves." "Maybe, maybe not, Tondo."
Tondo carried Srivijaya into the bamboo bed where Ma-i was sitting. Ma-i took some leaves as paper and used juice as ink to write baybayin, the way Filipinos used to write before the Spaniards came to teach them Roman letters. "You know, Tondo, Europeans may seem nice and all to you but they might try to get us," she said. "That's true but they've been trading with us for so long, you know Miguel?" "Oh that colony of Spain's." "His country has been trading with us for a long time and he never helped the Europeans conquer us." "I guess you are right."
It wasn't Ma-i's fault she didn't trust Europeans. She heard so many things about being a colony and she didn't like it. Especially being one of the Spanish colonies. Spain ruled with a metal fist and was only kind to South Italy. She learned those things from tagging along with Maharlika, picking up so much wisdom and knowledge about weaponry and defense to herbs and medicine to international relations and trading. She wondered why she wasn't permitted to come. As for Tondo, he didn't want to know about all that. He was busy with his own kingdom, he'll just spend time with his family when he can and usually, he's the one babysitting Liu-Sung.
Meanwhile...
"He will benefit us, Maharlika." Humabon tried to explain. "No, sorry, Datu Humabon, but no." Maharlika shook her head. She resented Europeans, she wanted no possibility of them waging war against her country and colonizing and westernizing their culture. She wanted no part of it, especially that she knows all the pain colonies go through, and Portugal and Spain trying to be the most powerful country in the world. "His country might try to colonize us, Datu," she reasoned out. "Don't you think he's just fooling you? He's one of those white men after all," Lapu-lapu said. "Trust me, don't you think you're concluding something you don't have any knowledge of?" Humabon looked at Lapu-lapu. "Señor, if you'll just supply us with some necessities, we can share our religion to you," Ferdinand Magellan suddenly talked. "Ha, like I'll be a fool to believe that?" Lapu-lapu stood up. "Aren't you already a fool?" The other Spaniard in the room said with such arrogance.
Lapu-lapu just mouthed a "sorry" at Maharlika and stormed out of Datu Humabon's home. "Señor Antonio, didn't the king tell you to behave?" Magellan lightly tapped the Spaniard's lap. "It's just an old lady." "She has a daughter and 4 sons." "Are they-" "Tondo and Ma-i." "We need this place as a base in Asia." Magellan nodded.
"I will be going now, Lapu-lapu might do something he'll regret if I don't calm him down. Datu Humabon, thank you for sharing this information with us but I just don't want to risk the freedom of all my people," Maharlika said before she left. "Don't worry, we can force him, dear sir." Humabon faced the two.
Lapu-lapu pierced his spear into the trunk of a nearby tree. "Tch... That Humabon has a sharp tongue. He's always such a fool, doesn't he see he's being used as a puppet?" When Maharlika saw him, she took hold of the spear. "Calm down, kaibigan (friend). You shouldn't harm your mother land because of this rage. Spaniards won't easily get us," Maharlika reassured him but the datu just sighed as a reply.
A few days later, Ma-i was visiting Humabon's tribe because she always played with the tribe children. And when she was already tired, she rested under a tree and found a new hut. "Ha?" She whispered to herself, slowly sneaking near it. "Humabon.. What are you implying?" A Spanish voice was heard by the child that she quickly hid in the nearby bushes. "Lapu-lapu is being a fool, Manong (Sir) Magellan," Zula, the other datu of Cebu, said as he lead the way into the hut. "We should use force," another Spaniard said. "If he doesn't want to solve this with talking, we can use strength in this," Antonio Carriedo clasped his hands and his eyes lusted for blood.
Ma-i heard their conversation. "Let's kill him if he doesn't want to cooperate," Humabon suggested. The child gasped that lead to the 4 men's silence. "Who was that?" Magellan asked. Antonio took his sword and walked towards the entrance of the hut. "I'll check." He said before going out. Ma-i covered her mouth with her hands and tried to keep silent and not move. 'Bathala, rescue me please...' She repeated in her mind. "Come out, trespasser..." Antonio's voice got louder and now, Ma-i saw his legs in front of the bush.
Antonio looked around. He tried to look into the other bushes, one by one, nearing to Ma-i's location. When Antonio was about to discover where Ma-i was, Magellan went out of the hut. "Maybe it was just an animal, amigo. Let's continue the conversation," Magellan suggested. Antonio just nodded and went in the hut.
Ma-i then ran as fast as she could away from the hut and towards Lapu-lapu's barangay. This was something serious, Lapu-lapu might die if she didn't tell him. She tripped a few times before reaching her destination.