Customs_of_the_Tagalogs_Marriage_Updated_Presentation.pptx

All about the customs of tagalogs

1. Customs of the Tagalogs By Juan de Plasencia, 1589

2. Introduction Juan de Plasencia was a Spanish friar and missionary who documented the customs of indigenous Filipinos. The document was written in 1589 to help understand and govern the Tagalog people.

3. Social Structure of the Tagalogs 1. Datu (chieftain or leader) 2. Maharlika (nobles or free people) 3. Timawa (freemen) 4. Aliping Namamahay (household serfs) 5. Aliping Saguiguilid (slaves with fewer rights)

4. Political System and Leadership The Tagalogs followed a Barangay System, each led by a Datu. The Council of Elders assisted the Datu in governance, who acted as protector, judge, and leader in warfare.

5. Customs and Beliefs 1. Religious Practices: Worship of Anitos (spirits) and Bathala (supreme deity), with rituals led by a Babaylan or Katalonan. 2. Burial Practices: Complex rituals were performed depending on the social class of the deceased.

6. Priests of the Devil and Their Distinctions 1. Babaylan or Katalonan: Medium between the people and spirits. 2. Mangagauay: Sorcerers believed to cause illness or death. 3. Manyisalat: Makers of potions to sow discord among couples. 4. Hocloban: Could kill by their greeting alone. 5. Silagan: Feared for eating the liver of living people. 6. Magtatangal: Separated head and body at night to scare people. 7. Osuang: Equivalent to the aswang, known to eat human flesh. 8. Mangagayoma: Created charms for lovers. 9. Sonat: Preacher who could predict death. 10. Pangatahojan: Soothsayer or fortune teller. 11. Bayoguin: Male priests who took on female roles. In addition, there were supernatural entities: - *Vibit*: Ghosts that haunted the living. - *Tigbalaang*: Phantoms or shape-shifting spirits that could take the form of animals or humans to deceive people.

7. Marriage and Family Customs Marriage arrangements in pre-colonial Tagalog society were complex and involved several steps: - **Courtship and Agreement:** The man would seek the approval of the woman’s parents, and a dowry (bigay-kaya) would be agreed upon. - **Types of Dowries:** Other dowries included bigay-suso (breast-giving fee to the mother) and himaraw (reimbursement to the bride’s family for raising her). - **Marriage Ceremony:** Ceremonies were elaborate, with feasts and rituals led by the village priest or a babaylan. **Rules for Marriage:** - Marriage between close relatives (e.g., first cousins) was generally not permitted. - Polygamy was allowed for *datus* or noblemen but not for lower classes. - Divorce was acceptable, but only for serious reasons like cruelty or infertility. - Women had the right to demand separation if mistreated or if their husband failed to provide support.

8. Economic Activities The Tagalogs engaged in agriculture, cultivating rice, coconuts, and sugarcane. They also practiced trade, bartering with neighboring communities. Fishing and hunting were common economic activities.

9. Legal System and Punishments Justice was based on the Umalohokan's announcements (town crier). Some cases used 'trial by ordeal,' and punishments ranged from fines to death, depending on the crime and social status.

10. Decline and Transformation under Spanish Rule Spanish colonization altered the social and political systems of the Tagalogs. Christianity replaced traditional beliefs, and local governance structures were transformed under Spanish rule.

11. Conclusion Plasencia’s work is crucial for understanding pre-colonial Philippine society. It provides a detailed record of the Tagalogs' way of life and is still used as a reference for historians and cultural researchers.