Title:
San Pablo Cattle
Description:
Augustinians in San Pablo, Laguna Province managed a good stock farm. From there their Manila convent got 500 head of cattle to replenish an old stock farm with no more animals. During Father Medina’s time, beef remained a favoured food for the Spanish. Perhaps dairy products were made still on a small scale for hospital patients and the Spanish. Cattle (cows, ox, bullocks) were also work animals. San Pablo grew fruit that were “drawn by cattle” to the town of Bay (Bae) on the lakeshore. Chinese and Japanese sampans sailed the fruits from there to Manila’s markets. Laguna also provided betelnut for the capital. Midway through the first century of hispanization, Manila was still the principal market for food products from nearby provinces. Waterway was still the major means of getting around. A typical mission pueblo had around 500 to 1,500 indio residents, 2-3 Spanish religious, and no other resident Spaniard. Although the image was made over 2 centuries after Medina’s era, it shows the lingering importance of watercraft for passenger and commercial transport.
Subjects:
Cattle Laguna Augustinians
Exhibition:
Juan Medina 50
Source:
Detail of light boats at Manila Port. Karuth Album, 1858. Ayala Museum.
Type:
Image;Still Image
Format:
image/jpeg
Source
Preferred Citation:
"San Pablo Cattle", Philippine Food History, Felice P. Sta. Maria
Reference Link:
felicepstamaria.net/items/coll105.html