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Kalesa

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Kalesa
Top:A karomata-type kalesa inBaywalk,Manila;
Bottom:A karitela-type kalesa inIntramuros,Manila
ApplicationTransportation
PoweredNo
Self-propelledNo
Wheels2

Akalesa(Philippine Spanish:calesa), is a two-wheeled horse-drawncarriageused in thePhilippines.[1][2]It is commonly vividly painted and decorated.[3]It was the primary mode ofpublicandprivate transportin the Philippines during theSpanishand theAmerican colonial period.Their use declined with the increasing use ofmotorized vehiclesin the 20th century, until the kalesas stopped being viable in the 1980s. In modern times, they largely only survive as tourist attractions, such as inVigan, Ilocos Sur.

Kalesas have other names based on the number of passengers they can seat. Small kalesas which can carry one or two passengers in front-facing seats are known askaromataorkarumata.Larger kalesas which carry freight or up to six or more passengers in side-facing seats are known askaritelaorkaretela(alsotartanillainCebu). However, these terms have become interchangeable over time. Four-wheeled carriages are differentiated askarwahe.

History

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Kalesa (from Spanishcalesa) were first introduced to the Philippines in the 1700s by theSpanish.They became the primary mode of public and private transportation in the islands.[1]They were manufactured by traditional workshops known askaroserya.[4]Thefodderused to feed the horses were known aszacate,the production of which was also its own significant industry due to the prevalence of kalesas.[5]

Kalesas in a street in Manila, circa pre-1900

Use of the kalesa continued during theAmerican colonial period of the Philippines(1898 to 1946), where they remained the main form of cheap public transport. The American colonial government attempted to introducerickshawsin 1902 to augment the public transport in Manila, but this was met with resistance by theunionizedkalesa drivers (thecocheros) who characterized rickshaws as “making beasts of human beings”. As a result, rickshaws never gained acceptance in the Philippines.[6][5][7]

The American colonial government also started the motorization of public transport in the early 20th century, introducingautomobileslikejeepneys( "auto calesas" ) andbuses( "autobuses" ) as well as the expansion of theTranviaelectrictramlines (operated byMeralco). These new motorized vehicles competed directly with the kalesas, and the motorized and horse-drawn sectors of public transport were often in conflict. New ordinances were created that restricted the movement of horse-drawn vehicles in favor of motorized transport. Despite this, the kalesas flourished well into the mid-20th century, due to their much more flexible routes, their cheapness, and the significant political power of thecocherounions. The political weight of thecocherounions was referred to in contemporary media as the "calesavote "and was regarded as synonymous to the voting power of the lower classes. It included the low-income working class and small businesses who relied on the kalesas for both personal transport and delivery of goods. The"calesavote "had a strong influence in elections, allowing kalesas to avoid most attempts at changing traffic regulations. In the late 1930s, there were still an estimated 7000 kalesas operating in Manila alone.[5][7]

Kalesas during "bicycle races" in theBacolodpublic plaza in 1901.

In 1939, the government proposed measures in a series of public hearings to abolish the kalesas to solve the worsening traffic problems they caused. The strongest proposal to emerge was the immediate buyout of thecocheros,with the possibility of retraining them as automobile drivers. This was met with mass protests from thecocherounions which led to the abandonment of these proposals. However, an increasing number of other measures were taken, including a ban on the creation of new kalesa terminals and bans on kalesas from entering certain busy streets or parking near markets.[5]

DuringWorld War II,from 1941 to 1945, kalesas survived and provided much-needed services during theJapanese occupation of the Philippines.They were also still in use in the postwar years, but they were already in decline and had lost their previous political clout. More restrictions to road access by kalesas were introduced by the 1960s, restricting them to side roads. A few kalesas survived up until the late 1980s before becoming effectively nonviable as a form of public transport.[5]

The kalesa in modern times are largely only used as tourist attractions. They are still preserved in some areas of the Philippines, such as in San Fernando, Pampanga,ViganandLaoag.[8]Kalesas can also be found inIntramuros,where they cater to tourists andBinondoin Manila, as well as inIligan,where decorated kalesas can be taken for a ride along a specific street. InCagayan,kalesas are common, especially inTuao,Tuguegarao,and other municipalities of the province.

Description

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A karomata in Manila (c. 1923)

The kalesa looks like a two-wheeled inclined cart, and is drawn by a single horse. It is made from wood, metal, or a combination of both. The kalesa driver commonly called askutsero(Spanishcochero) sits on the driver's seat in front.[9]Both the driver and the passengers are enclosed by a canopy originating from the back of the cab. Kalesa had specific terminology for drivers. When akutserowants the horse to turn right, he says "mano"while he says"silla"to make the horse turn left.[10]

Kalesas can be differentiated by the number of passengers they can seat. Small kalesas which can carry one or two passengers in front-facing seats are known as karomata or karumata (Philippine Spanish:carromata). Karomatas had the barest of conveniences and charged the lowest rates, which led to them being characterized as the "commoner's carriage".[11][5]Larger kalesas that carry freight or up to six passengers in side-facing seats are known as karitela or karetela (Philippine Spanish:carretela). Karitelas were widely used by small businesses for cheap cargo transport. These terms have become interchangeable over time.[11][5]InCebu,karitelas are known as tartanilla. In modern versions, they can seat eight to ten people. They remain an iconic form of transport inCebu City.[12][13]

Large four-wheeled versions of the kalesa were known as karwahe (Philippine Spanish:carruaje); whiledraysdrawn bycarabao(usually used to transport cargo) were known as garetas or kareton (Spanishcarretón).[4]

Legacy

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Two modern motorized public transport vehicles in the Philippines are named after the kalesa: thejeepney,which was originally known as the "autocalesa"(or" AC "for short) from the 1910s to the 1940s;[3][14]and themotorelaofNorthern Mindanao,a portmanteau of "motorized" and "carretela".[15]

The colorful decorations of the kalesa was also inherited by the post-World War IIjeepney.The horsehood ornamentof most jeepneys is also a tribute to its kalesa predecessor.[3]

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Composer Ambrosio Del Rosario composed the original music andNational Artist of the PhilippinesLevi Celériowrote the lyrics for a song entitledKalesa,in honor of the vehicle.[16]

An annual Kalesa Parade is held during the Binatbatan Festival of the Arts of Vigan City.[17]

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See also

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References

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  1. ^abMontefalcon, Moreen Ann M.; Cruz, Robin Lawrence I.; Inocencio, Marian Nicole J.; Portus, Alyssa Jean (2019). "An Ergonomic Assessment of the Philippine Kalesa". In Goonetilleke, Ravindra S.; Karwowski, Waldemar (eds.).Advances in Physical Ergonomics & Human Factors.Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing. Vol. 789. pp. 170–178.doi:10.1007/978-3-319-94484-5_18.ISBN978-3-319-94483-8.S2CID169516531.
  2. ^Smith, D.J.M. (1988).A Dictionary of Horse Drawn Vehicles.J. A. Allen & Co. Ltd. p. 33.ISBN0851314686.OL11597864M.Calesa. Two-wheeled passenger cart or heavy gig, used in the Philippines from the mid-19th century to the 1940's. The driver frequently sat in the rear part of the vehicle, as with an English farm or dairy float. Hung on sideways semi-elliptical springs. Drawn by a single horse.
  3. ^abcChiu, Imes (2008).The Evolution from Horse to Automobile: A Comparative International Study.Cambria Press. pp. 224–229.ISBN9781604975468.
  4. ^ab"The Last Calesa Maker: How A Proud Fernandino Kept A Fading Industry Alive".Capital Town Pampanga.March 28, 2019.RetrievedMarch 26,2020.
  5. ^abcdefgPante, Michael D. (2022)."The Calesa Vote: Street Politics and Local Governance in 1930s to 1940s Manila".Sojourn: Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia.37(2): 201–229.
  6. ^Pante, Michael D. (December 2014). "Rickshaws and Filipinos: Transnational Meanings of Technology and Labor in American-Occupied Manila".International Review of Social History.59(S22): 133–159.doi:10.1017/S0020859014000315.
  7. ^abHorn, Florence (1941).Orphans of the Pacific—the Philippines.New York, Reynal & Hitchcock. pp. 23–27.
  8. ^Kalesa.ArchivedNovember 11, 2007, at theWayback MachineVigan City Philippines – Unesco World Heritage City.
  9. ^Seaver, David (June 1, 1976)."The Calesa of the Philippine Islands".The Carriage Journal.14(1).Carriage Association of America:32–35.RetrievedJuly 31,2022.
  10. ^"Riding The Philippine 'Calesa' and Business".Archived fromthe originalon November 28, 2010.RetrievedNovember 28,2010.
  11. ^ab"KAROMATA".Tagalog Lang.RetrievedMarch 30,2024.
  12. ^"Tartanilla Cebu's fading chariots".CDN.August 17, 2018.RetrievedDecember 6,2020.
  13. ^Alegado, Ariel."Tartanilla: Cebu's King of the Road".Proud Bisaya Bai.RetrievedMarch 30,2024.
  14. ^Ragodon, Richard Wilhelm (December 21, 2017)."The jeepney's long farewell".Top Gear Philippines.RetrievedDecember 6,2020.
  15. ^"Raphael Floirendo – the Motorela Inventor".CDODev.Com.March 18, 2010.RetrievedNovember 11,2015.
  16. ^Kalesa – Video Watch, watch Youtube video, download Youtube video.[permanent dead link]
  17. ^Rivero, Imelda C."Vigan's enduring 'kalesas' help keep the city's air clean".Philippine Information Agency.RetrievedMarch 26,2020.


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  • Media related toCalesasat Wikimedia Commons
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