Roaming around Tawi-tawi

During my stay in Tawi-tawi, I was warmly welcomed by a tausug family and even treated me as one of their own. Some people might say its a scary experience but to me it was a blessing. That afternoon when I arrived in Bongao town, my foster family and I went to a nearby island or islet near Bongao town. One of their family member was buried there a week ago. It was my first time to experience what a tausug burial would be.

We rode a small boat to the island. I was surprised that the residents of the islands were mainly their relatives and all their ancestors are buried there. A typical burial for them is just concrete on the side and plain soil on the center. Maybe a belief perhaps that someday their families will emerge from the grave [just a thought]. 

 A sound of splashing caught my attention. I saw bunch of kids probably of 2 years of age swimming in the sea and they were really good in diving. My friend told me that these kids after they were born, their parents threw them in the water and then naturally they submerge in water and thats the secret why these kids can swim and dive so good. In the city, kids will have to enroll in swimming lessons but here, these kids can get on the action and learn by their own. Maybe someday, these kids will be our representative to international sporting events if they will be properly trained. 

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