it was a sleepy coastal town, like its southern Quezon neighbors: Atimonan, Plaridel, Gumaca and Lopez.
legend has it that the town's name was derived from a giant female sea turtle which frequented its shores, especially during migration season -to mate or to lay its eggs. the turtle was fondly called Kala, meaning 'pawikan.'
it was in the olden times too that the townsfolk revered nature and every living thing, as respect to the anitos of the spirit-world, and vowed never to shed its blood in any part of the town, or tolerate those who may slaughter it for food.
however, their respect to Kala was unknown to foreigners, who cherished and savored its exotic meat as life-enhancing (sea turtles were known to live more than a hundred years old) and its soft-shelled eggs as aphrodisiac, so that upon sighting Kala while reconnoitering the coast of the town for their ship's anchorage site, the crew became agog with activity as boat after boat launched off towards the shore. they all wanted to butcher the giant sea turtle.
the town people were aghast when they saw Kala up-ended, tied in abaca ropes held fast from all sides and about to be killed by the foreigners.
the people saw this event as an affront to their hospitality, and they shouted in unison, "Huwag patayin ang Kala! Hwag!" in the belief that years of bad luck will ensue if the turtle is slaughtered.
too late. two men up in each side has begun to sever the edible part from its shell using ax, beginning from its tail and was already midway through its center. the people rose in arms and threatened war with the foreigners, who stopped the cutting operation. but the seamen already done great damage.
the townsfolk shooed the foreigners who withdrew to their boats and paddled away.
only then did the people saw the dangerous condition Kala was in. cobblers, tailors and dressmakers all toiled to mend and repair the damage done, and in due time, managed to return Kala to the sea.
it never returned even to this day, nor the place used as migratory place of sea turtles.
