Lost in Clear Waters

Lost in Clear Waters
2025

Story goes that the origins of the image of the Sto. Niño came to the islands as a gift from the Magellan expedition to Sri Humamay (Humabon’s wife) upon her conversion. Decades later, on the de Legazpi expedition, the image of the Niño was then again found by crewmen, burnt and black and venerated by the locals, who have said that this image of the child has been with them since “time immemorial” (R. Mojares, Feast of the Sto. Niño, 2018).

Say we consider this - that it has been with us since time immemorial - how would the Niño look like if it indeed traveled towards these waters through a land route via the silk trade? What route would it have taken, and how long?