Etymology and Cultural History

Tukuran is derived from the word tukod meaning to build.  Other version states that tukod means to row a boat by the use of a bamboo pole.  Nevertheless, both contributed to the legend of Tukuran.

          It was believed that in olden time’s travelers and traders from far off lands, particularly Zamboanga City and the places of Lanao and Misamis Regions, used to land or pass this place because of its locations in the trade route.

          From Zamboanga city and other Southern Part of Mindanao, the shorter lands particularly Zamboanga City and the places of Lanao and Misamis Region is by the river.  When these merchants reach this river, and since the river is too shallow for their boat to pass, they started building a raft and boarded it.  They row the raft against the current by using a bamboo pole, and in their language they call it tukod.  When they reached the upper part of the river that is no longer passable by their raft, they dismantle the raft and continue their journey by walking because the place was a dense forest.  They call the place Baclay, which means walk.  The tukod- tukod system enabled them to call the place Tukuran.

          The other version stated that some merchant due to the long and tiresome journey often build temporary shelters on this place for a day or two and then shortly they dismantle their tents and proceeded to their destination.  These activities of the people who come and go from other places become a routine that they called the place Tukuran – a place where travelers and traders build temporary shelter or stop for a temporary rest.

          Then came the Spaniards wanting to control the trade route constructed the famous Fort Militar on the hill overlooking Tukuran and the Northern part of Illana Bay, particularly Pagadian Cove, and the so called Spanish Trocha that connects the place directly to the Lanao and Misamis Regions.  For a long time, the presence of the foreigners did not disturb the activity of the people.

          At the close of the century, a group of Muslim Filipinos who claimed to be of the Iranon Tribe founded a permanent settlement in the place.  The group was allegedly under the leadership of Sultan Amay Untad Panduma.  Since they were in large number, they divided themselves and settled elsewhere in the neighboring sitios.  Soon his son Sultan Mamaclay Ontong, who was succeded by Sultan Mamadra Panduma, Sr., succeded Sultan Amad Untad Panduma.

          Few years later, the first wave of Christian settlers came, allegedly led by Felix Ocampo and his family.  They were believed to have come from Sampaloc, Manila.  They settled along the shore where they later on established.

          In 1938 a group of Ilocanos from Pangasinan led by Tomas Sagun, Melchor Cabrales, Thomas Galay, Federico Padayhag and Quintin Cabrales together with their families arrived with their animals and farming equipments on board a boat that ducked in Tukuran.

          Thereafter, many of the “home seekers” started arriving.  Among these Christian settlers, only very few were still remembered.  These were Pedro Salon, Paulino Calusa, Francisco Sales, Pablo Bulawin, Leopoldo Pabing, Segundino Ramonal and many more.