If you’re a native Kagay-anon, you have probably heard of the “giant fish” tale of the Cagayan de Oro River. Some say it’s just a myth, a legend, a tale from the old age carried over the years. Based on the story, the giant fish even ate a priest from nearby St. Augustine Cathedral. Meanwhile, there was once a large tablet in one of the walls around the said church depicting the Bible story of the prophet Jonah who was swallowed by a giant fish. Of course, those who love legends would say otherwise. Photos taken in 2011.
If we follow the legend, only few locals know of an old tablet carved from stone depicting that so-called “incident involving the priest and the giant fish”. Many years before, this tablet was originally located somewhere on the southwest concrete fence of what is now St. Joseph’s Garden of St. Augustine Cathedral. This tablet was then transferred right at the back of the Archbishop’s Palace (shown above), away from the public view. A closer view of the tablet shows a helpless foreign-looking person being caught by the giant fish. The tablet is believed to be very old. We do not know if this tablet still exists today (photos taken in 2011).
But if you’re not into myths and legends, the tablet would be that of the prophet Jonah in the Old Testament who was swallowed by a whale as written in the Bible. The water spout from the animal’s head indicated it’s a whale.
Until recently, the largest freshwater fish in Southeast Asia is the Giant Mekong Catfish which measured 2.7 meters from head to tail and weighed 293kg (SOURCE).
Now, this giant fish tale is often depicted in the floats during the city annual fiesta….now you know why!
