CALVO, JHOANNE C.

CALVO, JHOANNE C.

BSA 1-1
Activity 3: FILM ANALYSIS: Raiders of the Sulu Sea. Make an Essay showing about:
• Background of the author
The Raiders of the Sulu Sea is produced by the OAK3 Films with the key
informants, namely Icelle Gloria B. Estrada, Doctor Samuel Kong Tan, Margarita
Cohuangco, and other historians. To provide a background regarding OAK3 films,
they are founded by Zaihirat Banu Codelli, Lim Suat Yen, and Jason Lai. They
were formed in 1996, which has the objective to create original and high-quality
content among different countries. Now, they are broadcasted across around
thirty channels producing movies with a variety of genres.
Meanwhile, the three contributors made the success of film. Icelle Estrada
is an art historian who was born in Zamboanga City. She is a descendent of
Vicente Alvarez, the hero of Zamboanga city during the war between Spaniards
and Americans. She is currently a research associate in National Museum. The
other informant, Dr. Samuel Kong Tan, is a Sama-Tausug-Chinese Filipino who
was born in Slazi, Sulu. Essentially, he is authorized in the issue about Moro
History. Similar to any other historian, he believed that "slave-raiding" portrays
the armed resistance to colonial rule. Lastly, Margarita Cohuangco is a politician
and socialite. She was a former Chairman of Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino
(KaMPi). She is also known for her works such as Kris of Valor: The Samal
Balangingi's Defiance and Diaspora, The Samals in History and Legend, and
Tarlac: Prehistory to World War II.
• Historical Background of the film

The Raiders of Sulu Sea is a Historiography Documentary film about
Zamboanga City that depicts how the Spaniards defended the city with Fort Pilar
as Spain's final stronghold and bulwark of defense and commercial growth in the
southern part of the Philippines. It shows how the Southeast Asia's is thriving for
free trade in the region, as well as the negative impacts and ramifications when
Europeans wanted to control, colonize and christianize our country.
Moreover, the film centers on slave-raiding as a form of revenge against
colonizers the intricate ancient maritime vessels — Lanong, Garay, and the
Salisipan, and weapons used in war such as the Barong, Kris, and Kampilan, and
the well-organized troops who tried to launch for slave infiltrating the coasts of
Mindanao, Visayas, and Luzon around July and October, known as the Pirate
wind “Pirate monsoon.”
• Contribution to the historical narrative
In terms of the film’s contribution to the historical narrative, the film
showcased relevant events and objects in our history. First is one of the slave-
raiding vessels, Garay. Garay refers to “scattered” or “a wanderer” in the Sama
language of the Banguingui people. The ships are used for piracy by Banguingui
people and Iranun to go against unarmed merchant ships and coastal towns
during the 18th to 19th century. Moreover, the film showed that maritime
civilization is inclined with the archaeological findings of Butuan in 1977. The sea
vessels navigated by sailors are used to barter bird nests and pearls. This
situation proved that the international trade in history includes slave-raiding,
which also indicates a labor-intensive economy.
Consequently, The Raiders of the Sulu Sea demonstrates the situation of

Sulu in the Spanish colonization. The Island of Jolo was the slave market.
Panglima Taupan was known to be the disreputable slave raider. During that
time, Spaniards also control maritime time wherein money is used as a basis to
complete a mission. Another significant event was the destruction of the
Balanguingui settlement in 1848. The event signifies the challenge of attaining
freedom against oppression and conquest. As Spain acquired vessels and
weapons from Britain, they succeed in ending the slave-raiding. To this extent,
they destroyed the settlements in Tongkil Island. Indeed, since the events were
clearly presented in the film, it will allow the viewers to visualize the history that
happened.
• Relevance to the contemporary times
The Raiders of the Sulu Sea highlighted slave-raiding of the tribes as they
battled against the colonizer, and the rest is history. I believe that the film is
relevant even in contemporary times. Although it is from the past, the events that
happened remarked how Filipinos fight for their country. Especially for the
learning, it will allow one to see the changes and influences on what we have in
the present. For instance, if the Moro tribes won, the Philippines could be
controlled by Muslims.
The film is also relevant to remind our fellow Filipinos that we own our
Islands within the scope of our country. One issue that is related to the film is the
territorial dispute between countries, especially in the Philippines and China.
Based on the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR), the Philippines originally
owns the islands, yet countries argued. Henceforth, this situation would make the
Filipino be alarmed on the events similar to what happened in the Raiders of the
Sulu Sea. As a result, Filipinos may form a unification to claim what is ought.

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CALVO, JHOANNE C.

• Background of the author

• Historical Background of the film

Consequently, The Raiders of the Sulu Sea demonstrates the situation of

• Relevance to the contemporary times

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