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- Title:
- Target: Manila
- Date Created:
- 2021-03-10
- Description:
- Rajahs and datus did not have scribes or visual artists recording food acquisitions or menus for banquets in Philippine precolonial times. No indios wrote recipes, cookbooks, menu cards, market receipts, food business or restaurant biographies during the first two centuries of the colonial era. The historical food narrative has to be pieced together using official documents and writings by government officials, missionaries, travellers and, as in this new series, even a pirate. Charles Swan was given command of the sailing ship Cygnet to trade British goods in the New World. Instead he joined up with a pirate and raided ships along the American coastline. While likely in the waters of Jalisco, he desired to head into Asia. But the Pacific crossing was notorious. The crew knew the extreme hunger and death from scurvy that Magellan and his men experienced in 1521. The Cygnet’s provisions would not last 60 days even with rations cut to half a pint of maiz daily. Salted jewfish (Atlantic goliath grouper) was the only other food on board. The big-bodied fish had sweet meat and fat. Jews in Jamaica ate them freely because the fish has scales and fins required by Levitical Law. Of all Swan’s arguments that which convinced the crew was his promise to cruise off Manila. The city’s wealth had become mythic. Ships with pieces of eight and silks could be captured. On March 31, 1686 Cygnet raised anchor. Swan increased the food ration from 8 spoonfuls of boiled maiz daily to 10 per man as they sailed with the trade winds. (To be continued on Saturday.)
- Subjects:
- Food -- Philippines -- History Charles Swan Cygnet Epinephelus itajara
- Exhibition:
- Dampier 1686
- Source:
- The skull with two crossed thigh bones was used on tombstones of the late Middle Ages. It became the symbol of pirates, sea robbers who attacked ships. Publicdomainpictures.
- Type:
- Image;Still Image
- Format:
- image/jpeg
Source
- Preferred Citation:
- "Target: Manila", Philippine Food History, Felice P. Sta. Maria
- Reference Link:
- felicepstamaria.net/items/coll192.html