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Vasco Nunez de Balboa, the famous 16th century Spanish leader
credited with first citing the Pacific Ocean and the first Spaniard to set foot
on the small dot of land he named the Island of San Pedro. The name Taboga was
later adopted from the Indian term aboga, meaning "many fish." Nearly
450 years after its founding, the island still maintains the simplicity and
flavor of bygone days. |
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An old church at the center of town. Typical of the Spanish
colonial settlements in the New World, the little town of San Pedro sprang up
around the church of the same name. Iglesia San Pedro is claimed to be the
second oldest church in the hemisphere. The early settlers of Isla Taboga were
from Venezuela and Nicaragua. They were enslaved indigenous Indians who had
been brought to the island to serve the needs of the Spanish
Conquistadors. |
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The village of San Pedro was founded in
1524 by Padre Hernando de Luque, dean of the Panama
cathedral. He built a comfortable house on the island and remained there most
of the time. It was Padre Luque who provided funds and blessed Francisco
Pizarro and Diego de Almagro before they set off from Taboga on their conquest
of the flourishing Inca Empire. Isla Taboga still has ruins from these by-gone
days of conquistadors and the first settlements of explorers of the New
World. |
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Pineapples flourish on Isla Taboga. In addition to his church
duties, Padre Luque raised fruits and vegetables on his plantation. The Padre's
pineapples could well be the progenitors of the pineapple patches that pepper
the island today, and some say the Hawaiian pineapple was developed through
cross pollination with the Taboga pineapple. Taboganos still recall the
venerable priest by referring to a crystalline pool in the folds of Picacho del
Vigia, the highest point on the island, as the "Bishop's
Pool." |
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Santa Rosa de Lima was conceived on Isla Taboga. The first saint
of this hemisphere, was born on Isla Taboga. According to Taboga historians,
the parents of the young girl who was later to be canonized lived in a charming
house on the beach near Playa Hondo on the northern side of the island. The
house still exists today, although somewhat modernized. Later, the family moved
to Peru where Peruvians refer to the saint as Santa Rosa de Lima de Taboga. She
was known best for her humility and kindness to those in need. Her caring
nature spread quickly, and the sick, the lame, and the suffering came to her for
comfort and guidance for their salvation. She is also known in many other parts
of South America and in Mexico and also in the
Philippines. |
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Welsh Buccaneer Henry Morgan plundered Isla Taboga. Beginning in
the latter part of the 16th century, many came to the shores of Isla Taboga in a
search of gold, pearls, and other riches of the seas. Pirates were among them.
In 1671, Morgan, after sacking Panama City, sent his pirates to the island with
instructions to burn everything to the ground and bring back all the gold,
silver, and merchandise worth its salt. Hawkins is said to have turned the
island into a trading center for his plundered goods. More pirates came to Isla
Taboga, and logic says buried treasure must abound. In 1998, that logic panned
out when workers preparing to set the foundation for the island's new Health
Clinic unearthed 1000 pieces of silver dating back to the 17th
century. |
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romantic myths have been woven into the traditions and folklore of the island.
"... One who did make it to the beach was even more mortified when he learned
that there was no such army, much less a beautiful woman leading
it." |
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The Virgen del Carmen battles pirates. According to Taboga lore,
a pirate ship attempted an attack on the island. When the pirates reached the
shores of Isla Taboga, they met an enormous army face to face that was headed by
a beautiful woman. The pirates were terrorized by the vision and fled back to
their boat. To this day, Taboganos are convinced that it was the Virgin del
Carmen who saved them, and each year on July 16th the patron saint blesses the
fleet in Taboga Bay. |
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El Morro, the little island you can walk to. Linked to the
island at low tide by a sandbar, is El Morro, a small rocky islet, where at the
end of the 17th century the Spaniards established a fort to defend Taboga.
During the wars of Independence in Latin America, it was the three cannons on El
Morro, manned by 10 Spanish soldiers, that fought off the attacks of Englishman
John Illingworth, the Chilean warship Rosa de los Andes, and the Peruvian
Frigate Pichincha. |
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The Three Crosses. In a later attack by John Illingworth, the
invaders took Taboga, the inhabitants fleeing to the hills. Three of the
invaders were killed and buried by the villagers, who marked the graves with
wooden crosses. With the passing of the years, cast iron crosses embedded in a
mortar base replaced the wooden markers. To this day, Taboganos in the vicinity
of "Las Tres Cruces" never fail to light a candle in memory of the three who
dared to disturb the peace of their little
island. |
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The Pacific Steamship Navigation Co. Around 150 years ago,
Taboga became the port of choice for Panama City and the mainland because the
island's northern shore has waters deep enough to accommodate larger ships.
Thus, Taboga came to play an important role in shipping. The Pacific Steamship
Navigation Co. built workshops, a ship repair facility, supply stores and a
coaling station, and brought over hundreds of Irishmen to work in the supply
base. It was at about this time, too, that the gold seeking 49'ers discovered
Isla Taboga, and many stayed on the island enroute to California. A trace of
Anglo-Saxon names can still be seen on sparkling white tombstones in the
island's cemetery. |
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Post-impressionist painter Paul Gauguin. In 1887, after working
a short stint for the French effort to build a canal, the French
Post-impressionist painter Paul Gauguin came to Isla Taboga looking for a place
to paint far from parisian fanfare and conventionalities. Some say he tried to
buy a house on the island using his Peruvian grandmother's money. Perhaps we
can say the island life wetted his appetite for the simpler things in life, as
reflected in his use of bright colors and flat perspective. From Isla Taboga,
Gauguin went to French Martinique before moving on to Tahiti where the subjects
for his paintings later brought him fame and glory. His colorful paintings that
were later to reflect his eye for beauty most certainly were first conceived on
Isla Taboga, the Island of
Flowers. |
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Isla Taboga and the Panama Canal. The island also played an
important role in the construction of the Panama Canal. In the 1880s, the
French constructed a 50 bed, $400,000 retreat for their canal workers attempting
to build a canal. This same building was taken over by the United States in
1905 and used as a rest and recuperation center for Panama Canal construction
workers. It served this purpose until January 1915, when it became a vacation
resort for employees and their families and was known as Hotel Aspinwall.
During World War I, Aspinwall became an internment camp for German prisoners.
After the war it was once again the hub of Taboga's social life until 1945.
Aspinwall is gone but many still recall this hotel and the part it played in
social activities of that by-gone
era. |
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PT Boats in World War II. During World War II, the U.S. Navy had
a "mosquito boat" training base on the tiny island of El Morro just off Isla
Taboga's northern shore. The heroic record of these boats in the Pacific
Theater of War proved the efficiency of the officers and sailors on El Morro.
Isla Taboga was also the site of attempted Japanese espionage when spy Yoshitaro
Amana, head of a Japanese spy ring, tried to set up a commercial business on
Isla Taboga so that the Japanese could ascertain what ships were transiting the
Panama Canal. He was discovered in a sting operation and deported back to
Japan. As well, gun emplacements at strategic points on Isla Taboga and lookout
points atop El Morro made it possible to increase the security of the Panama
Canal. |
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The US presence on Isla Taboga in recent Panamanian history is a
treasured past for the island and for Taboganos. Military and Civilian
personnel integrated themselves with island life and performed many services for
Isla Taboga which included improving its infrastructures and providing medical
assistance. They brought entertainment to the island as well by creating an
outdoor cinema, participating in sports, and constructing the island pier to
serve visitors. Taboganos old enough to remember recall with enthusiasm the
days of US Military presence on the
island. |
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Isla Taboga's wholesome, healthy
atmosphere has been recognized since colonial days when Panama
City residents flocked to the island for a respite from the city heat. On
several occasions throughout its history, Isla Taboga has been un-officially the
summer capital of Panama City. Each weekend, people from many parts of the
world visit its tranquil environs, swim in its tropical waters, stop to smell
the roses.www.realty-dejavu.com |
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