The document discusses the history and development of Ternate Chavacano, an early Creole language that emerged in the Ternate Islands under Portuguese and Spanish influence. It explains that Ternate Chavacano initially merged with Cavite Chavacano in 1662 when the Spanish garrison in Ternate was recalled to Manila. Neither language made their way to Zamboanga until 1718. However, the Early Chavacano de Zamboanga may have influenced and contributed to the development of Cavite Chavacano during the 56 years between 1662-1718 when troops from Zamboanga were stationed there. The blending of Cavite Chavacano, Ternate Chavacano and

1. TERNATE CHAVACANO
Researched and written by: Zamboanga.com®
Ternate Chavacano (TC), which was a Creole of the region's then dominant
Portuguese language influence from traders and the local Castilian Spanish from the
Jesuit missionaries, will not play any role in establishing the Early Chavacano de
Zamboanga (ECDZ). TC was initially merged with the early Cavite Chavacano (CC)
when the Spanish garrison of the Ternate Island in the Moluccas was recalled by
Governor Sabiniano Manrique de Lara to help defend Manila from Koxinga's threat of
attack, when he signed a decree on May 6, 1662.
The Jesuit priests who were in charge of spreading the Spanish King's religion in the
Ternate, Moluccas area took with them a group of the locals whom they have already
converted, along with the garrison troops. Their destination was Manila, Philippines and
the Cavite naval base nearby is where they landed. The Cavite Chavacano was more
dominant at this time period inside the Cavite fort, with more speakers than the new
ship load of Ternateños, and will thus provide more influence on the Ternate
Chavacano.
Neither CC or TC will make their way to Zamboanga until 1718, when reinforcements
were called upon to reconstruct the demolished San José
Fort. Therefore, CC and TC will have their own independent history of Creolization
from 1662-1718.
However, unbeknownst to published historians and linguists until now,
the Early Chavacano de Zamboanga will provide a measurable role in
influencing the Cavite Chavacano and the Ternate Chavacano when the
hundreds of Zamboanga's recalled garrison troops, along with the
new Chavacanos, brought with them their twenty-seven (27) year old ECDZ,
and subsequently introduced it into the lexicon of the Cavite
fort. Consequently, the Early Chavacano de Zamboanga will thereby imbed its
distinctive footprint into the Cavite fort and its causal Ternate neighborhood
area's Chavacano Creole development and evolution for the next fifty-six (56)
years!

2. In an act of fruitful reversion, the ECDZ will make its triumphant return to its
birthplace in 1718, albeit as an integral part of a new Creolized language of
troops and helpers from Cavite (CC) and Ternate (TC) sent to help rebuild
Zamboanga's damaged San José Fort, which was eventually re-named Real Fuerza
de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragosa. The subsequent blending of these three
popular Philippine Creole languages has led to the further enrichment in the syntax
base of the influential Chavacano de Zamboanga (CDZ).
We will also provide herein a new hypothesis as to the possible makeup of these
Ternate transplants. We venture to say that some of them may be descendants, or the
actual slaves, who were taken by the Moro Pirates from the many islands in the Visayas
and sold as slaves, and were more than happy to return to their homeland. Their strong
ethnic origin and sense for "freedom" may have also influenced their desire to distance
themselves from the Cavite influence, thereby creating their own "home away from
home" and their form of Chavacano. Hence, there may be some influence provided by
the Visayan Chavacano early on.
Also, history notes that when the Spanish rulers from Manila conquered the Ternate
kingdom in 1606, the Spaniards took their king, crown prince, and other high nobles
back with them to Manila. Could it be possible that their descendants in Manila made
connection with the above Ternate transplants and invariably joined together their ethnic
similarity?
It was well known and historically documented that the Moro Pirates actively sold their
Visayan captives as slaves to the rulers of the Spice Islands, presumably to work on the
bountiful spice production and global trade of these vital islands. The Ternate Island
was the one controlled by the Spaniards, and the Jesuits again were the source of the
populace's religion and education. Sadly though, the so called linguistic experts who
have "researched " the history of Philippine Chavacano never have given the plausible
influence these worldly Jesuits may have provided in the creation and proliferation of
the Chavacano Language. Nevertheless, we will!
We will conclude for now that the Jesuits too can be historically considered
the creators of the "Ternate Chavacano."
Stay tuned. There's more to come...
1/22/2004
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