Etymology The name
Singhapala comes from
Sanskrit word
Singama (சிங்கம்) which became
Singa in
Old Malay which means (
Lion), and
Puram (புரம்) (Town or a
City) which become
Pura in
Old Malay and then
Pala in
Philippine languages, it's variation of the
sanskritized Singa-Puram,
Singapura literally means "Lion city" from
Singapur (சிங்கப்பூர்), the same root name of the country of
Singapore.
Location The location of ancient Singhapala was said to be in what is now the currently part of the Northern district in modern-day barangay Mabolo in
Cebu City,
As a trading center During
Rajah Humabon's reign, the region had since become an important trading center where agricultural products were bartered. From Japan,
perfume and
glass utensils were usually traded for native goods.
Ivory products, leather, precious and semi-precious stones and
śarkarā (Sarkarai in
Tamil) sugar mostly came from
India traders and
Burmese people traders. The harbors of Sugbu and the capital Singhapala became known colloquially as
sinibuayng hingpit ("the place for trading"), shortened to
sibu or
sibo ("to trade"), from which the modern
Castilian name "Cebú" originates. It was also during Humabon's reign that
Lapu-Lapu arrived from
Borneo, and was granted by Humabon the region of Mandawili (now
Mandaue), including the island known as Opong or Opon (later known as
Mactan). First contact with the Spanish also occurred during Humabon's reign, resulting in the death of
Ferdinand Magellan. ==Foundation==