EARLY-PHILIPPINE-SOCIETY-AND-CULTURE.pptx

Oki

1. Early Philippine Society and Culture

2. Contents Introduction Excerpt from Labor Evangelica: Of the Government and Political Customs of these Peoples, by Francisco Colin, S.J.
Excerpt from Relacion de las Islas Filipinas by Miguel de Loarca Excerpt from Cronicas by Juan Francisco de San Antonio
Excerpt from the Boxer Codex
Excerpt from Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas by Antonio de Morga Chapter Summary

3. Early Philippine Society and Culture Before the advent of Spanish colonization, the barangay was the primary political, B economic, and sociocultural institution in the Philippines. Among other factors, the archipelagic nature of our country allowed these localized, independent, and decentralized communities to exist. A barangay can be composed of 30-100 families living in a not well-defined, but customarily agreed territory. A barangay can also form an alliance with other barangays to become powerful and prosperous. This can be achieved through marriage and blood compact. Meanwhile, the baranganic society can be divided into three socioeconomic clauses. First is the ruling class or nobility. They are known as maginoo in Tagalog and kadatoan in Visayan. Second are the commoners or freemen. They formed the majority of the people in the barangay. They are known as maharlika in Tagalog and timawa in Visayan. Last are the slaves. The slavery system in the Philippines was different from other societies since “slaves” were not considered property but a person becomes one through debt bondage, raids and wars, and punishment for a crime. While there are distinctions and differences in these social classes, social mobility was possible in this kind of society.

4. Members of the barangay, particularly the commoners, can even transfer to other barangay if they are against rule of the datu, the highest official of the barangay. As the most powerful person in the barangay, the datu must be from the ruling class because wealth, power, and influence were needed to maintain such position. With help of the elders and other lesser officials, the datu governs the barangay as its primary maker, executor, and adjudicator of laws. He was also responsible in providing protection for the barangay in times of raids and wars as the leader of the bagani , the warriors of the community.

5. Excerpt from Labor Evangelica: of the Government And Political Customs of these Peoples, by Francisco Colin, S.J.

6. The first document of this chapter is written by Francisco Colin (1592-1660), one of the most prominent Jesuit missionary and historian of the early colonial period. In his posthumously-published work Labor Evangelica (1663), Colin discusses the customs and traditions of the natives of the Philippines as well as people from other parts of Southeast Asia such as Sumatra and Moluccas. He also studied the local languages which was instrumental in the understanding of early Filipino culture and society. Colin’s Labor Evangelice was considered an attempt to expand Chirino’s Relacion thereby becoming Jesuit’s “official” account in their mission in the Philippines. Colin was a contemporary of other prominent Jesuit writers such as Francisco Combes (1620 1665) and Francisco Ignacio Alcina (1610-1674).

In his Labor Evangelica, the most studied groups are the Tagalogs and the Visayans wherein Colin discussed at length their physical appearance, clothing, marriage, eating patterns, songs and dances, and even their bathing habits. However, the excerpt below would focus on the social structure, government and political customs of these two groups of early Filipinos

7. There were no king or rulers worthy of mention throughout this archipelago but there were many chiefs who dominated others less powerful. Barangay is used to be their form of government. –The name barangay is originated from Balangay , a Malay word for sailboat. It may composed of about 30-100 families, and is ruled by either Datu, or Maginoo . Laws, .Their laws and policy which were not very barbarous for barbarians consisted wholly of traditions and customs.It may be written or Unwritten laws are spoken laws that is passed by of course the word of mouth, and may be passed through generations.Written laws are made by the Datu together with the council of the elders as his advisers. The Chief who the Visayans call “Datu” and the Tagalogs called “ Maginoo ”.the chieftain of the whole barangay and is the wealthiest person in the community.The Datu have many Power.In times of peace: Executive, Legislator and Chief Justice.In war: he is the commander in chief of the armed forcesForeign affairs: the datu enables treatise and truse ( sanduguan )

8. . How one can be a Datu? • It may be inherited, either by a man or a woman. (the eldest child)
• Or may be chosen by the community according to the following characteristics (bravest, wealthiest or the wisest)

The “ Timauas ” in the visayans and they called in Tagalog “maharlika”Intermediate class of men who had enough land, those who rendered services to the rulers and do not work on fields.They are the commoners. They can own their own land and don’t have to pay regular tribute.They called also a Freeman. The Slaves called “ Oripuen ” by the Visayans and “ Alipin ” by the Tagalog slavery is a system where humans are treated as property by forcing them to do work for their masters Slavery may be due to the ff :

1. Inherited status 2. Captured by the enemies in war
3. Those who cannot pay their debt
4. Punishment of the crime committed
5. Sold to become slave

9. Excerpt from Relacion de las Islas Filipinas by Miguel de Loarca

10. As discussed in the previous chapter, Miguel de Loarca was one of the first conquistadores to arrive in the Philippines wherein he observed the traditions of the natives before they were converted to Catholic faith. As a loyal Spanish military officer, Loarca also became one of the cartest encomenderos in the country when Miguel Lopez de Legazpi granted him lands in Panay Island particularly in Oton . During his stay in the Visayas, Loarca widely observed and studied the Visayan customs, traditions, and languages. Thus, it is not surprising when Governor-General Ronquillo requested him to write an account of the colony to be sent to King Philip II. This led to the birth of Relacion de las Islas Filipinas (1582)
In his Relarien , Lourca documented the native cultural traditions of the early Filipinos. As one of the earliest accounts of the islands, Relacion became the foundation and basis of some succeeding accounts in the early colonial period. His work might be similar to other accounts of the late 16 th century but the advantage of this pinnerring narrative is its non-religious perspective which was quite different from its contemporaries. This excerpt from Relacion’s ninth chapter would talk about the laws of slavery in the Visayas.

11. Laws of Slavery: No Indian in this country is made of slave or is put to death for any crime which he commits, even if it be theft, adultery, or murder–except that for each crime there is an established fine, which they have to pay in jewels or gold, and if the culprit is unable to pay the fine he will borrow the money, and pledge himself to the man from whom he borrows. As a result, he becomes a slave, until he shall repay what was lent to him; after that, he is free again. Three Classes of Slave: ❖Ayuey
❖Tumaranpoc
❖Tomatabans

12. ➢These slaves works three days for the master and one day for themselves.
➢The ayueys women like their husbands work in the houses of the Master.
➢They lived in the house of the master and only the ayuey can receive food and clothing from their master. ➢If the ayuey die, the masters takes away their property. Ayuey Tumaranpoc Tomatabans ➢They live in their own houses and there are obligated to go to work for one day out of four days ( Having 3 days for themselves).
➢If they fail to work for their master, In order to cultivate their own fields, they give the master each year then chicubites of rice each chicubite being equal to one fanega .
➢The value of tumarapoques are the same in ayuey . ➢If the tumarapoques die the masters takes away their property. ➢These people hold in most respect ➢These work in the house of the master only when there is some banquette or revel. On such occasions they bring small gift and share in the drinking.
➢But when slave dies, the property left by the slave is share with his children by the master.
➢During their lifetime, these slaves are bound to work for there five days in a month or if they do not work they annually give the master five chicubites of rice. ➢The tumatabans are worth one tae or six pesos.

13. Value of the slave: The ayueys are worth among these people two gold taes of Labin sian , the equivalent of twelve pesos. The tumaranpoques are worth the same sum. The tumatabans are worth one tael , or six pesos. The ayuey women, like their husbands, works in the houses of hiefs . The tumaranpoque women, if they have children, serve half of the month in spinning and weaving cotton, which their masters supply; and during the other half of the month, they work for themselves. The tumataban women spin only one hank of cotton each month for their masters, who furnish to them the cotton in the boll. Only theayueysreceive food and clothing from their masters; to the others the masters give nothing. When these slaves die, the masters take away all their property, except from the tomatabans , as we have said above. Those whom these natives have sold as slaves to the Spaniards are mostlyayueys . The rules which they observe for punishing any one se severely as to enslave him are as follows: for murder, adultery, and theft; and for insulting any woman of rank or taking away her robe in public and leaving her naked or causing her to flee or defend herself so that if falls off, which is considered a great offense. Thieves : If a thief commits a great robbery, he and all his relatives (or at least his nearest kin) are fined. IF they are unable to pay the fine, they are made slaves. This law applies to all classes, and even to the chiefs themselves, accordingly, if a chief commit any crime, even against one of his own slaves ortimauas, he is fined in the same manner. But they are not reduced to slavery for lack of means to pay the fine; as, if they were not chiefs, they would be slaves. In case of a small theft, the punishment falls upon the thief alone and not on his relatives. In time of famine: When there is a famine, the poor who have not the means of sustenance, in order not to perish, go to the riche–and almost always they seek their relatives and surrender themselves to them as slaves–in order to be fed.

14. Excerpt from Cronicas by Juan Francisco de San Antonio

15. It was not usual for them to have more than one own wife, and one own husband; but those who were chiefs and wealthy were allowed to have some slaves as concubines, especially if their own wives did not prove fruitful. Only among the Visayans did the first religious ministers of the gospel find established the custom of one men having many legitimate wives, and that of large dowries, which was no small obstruction to the planting of the gospel. The general rule was for each man to have one legitimate wife; and they tried to obtain one who was of their own family, and even very closely related to them, barring out the first degree, for that was always a direct impediment to their marriage.

The dowry, which is called bigaycaya , was always given by the man (and it is even yet given), the parents of the girl determining the sum beforehand, at the time when they discussed the marriage. The parents of the bride received that dowry, and neither the bride nor her parents contributed any fund. The dowry was set according to the rank of the contracting parties; and if, perchance, the parents of the bride asked more than the ordinary sum, they were under obligations to bestow some gift to the married couple to suit the occasion as, for instance, a couple of slaves, some small gold jewel, or a bit of cleared land-for cultivation, as I have seen practiced even yet, and which they called pasonor . In this bigaycaya was included what they called panhimuyat , which was the sum that had to be paid to the mother of the bride in return for her care and labor in the rearing and education of her daughter. In it was also included the pasoso , or the sum that was to be paid to the chichiva , or nurse, who had reared her.

16. The general rule: Man, to have a legitimate wife and not to obtain one who was of their own family for it was always direct impediment to their marriage. The dowry or bigaycaya was always given by the man to the parents of the girl before marriage. At the time the marriage was discussed the parents of the bride determine the sum of the dowry given by the groom.
There’s no need for the bride nor the parents of the bride to contribute any fund for the groom.

17. Dowry was set according to the rank of contracting parties: Pasonor - refers to some small gift such as gold, jewel and/or a cleared land for cultivation. The parents should be under obligations to bestow if, perchance, they asked more than the ordinary sum of dowries.
It includes: Panhimuyat – a sum that had to be paid to the mother of the bride in return for the nurture and education she gave to her daughter. Pasoso – a sum that had to be paid to the chichiva , or nurse, who took care of the bride when she was young.
At present, if perhaps there is no bigaycaya in any marriage, for any reason, they never fail to collect these revenues from the groom. Under the title of Catipados – what they call those who are engaged for marriage. Catipados are some concubinages legitimate for all time they practice the keeping of mistresses, for which the bigaycaya is not necessary. Having given up the bigaycaya , the couple will be left without the basic necessities of life, penniless, for the parents of the bride take charge of everything.

18. Excerpt from the Boxer Codex

19. The Boxer Codex is a comprehensive account of the Philippines and other parts of Asia-Pacific in the late sixteenth century. Prominently acquired by the British scholar Charles R. Boxer in 1947, the martuscript was then translated by the National Artist Carlos Quirino , and scholars Ma. Luisa Garcia and Mauro Garcia. Anonymously- authored, this work is a significant source of early Filipino belief systems, customs, and tradition. More importantly, the detailed and colored illustrations found in this manuscript set this codex apart from other contemporary accounts which makes it highly important to Philippine historiography. The original manuscript of the Boxer Codex is presently housed by Indiana University in their Lilly Library, one of the largest rare book and manuscript libraries in the United States.

20. The Bisayans are accustomed to paint their bodies with some very elegant tattoos. They do this with iron or brass rods, the points of which are heated on a fire. They have artisans who are adept at this. They do this with such order, symmetry and coordination that they elicit admiration from those who see them. These are done in the manner of illuminations, painting all parts of the body, such as the chest, the stomach, legs, arms, shoulders, hands, muscles, and among some, the posteriors.

21. • Indigenous groups throughout the Philippine islands have been practicing the art of tattooing for centuries. But after the arrival of the Spanish, the Americans and the advent of Christianity, traditional practices such as tattooing were evidently on the verge of extinction. • When the Spaniards first arrived in the Visayan islands in 1521, they labeled the natives of this region as pintados , meaning painted people or painted ones, as most of their entre bodies were covered in tattoos leaving only their hands and feet bare. The three illustrations below are from the Boxer Codex depictng the tattoos of the ancient Visayans . Women were also tattooed; to enhance their beauty, for fertlity and to serve as means of clothing. First four images are the tattoos of Cordilleran women and the last two are leg tattoos of a Banwa -on tribeswoman from Mindanao. • Methods and tools used in ancient Filipino tattooing all differed between the groups throughout the regions. Some methods involved attaching a sharpened object such as metal, a thorn, wood or a bone to one end of a stck and was then either tapped or poked repeatedly into the skin to apply the ink. Another method involved cutting or pricking the skin prior to rubbing black powder into the wound. Vimages of Maria Whang -Od who is now aged in her late 90’s. She has dedicated most of her life to tattooing and is widely known as fithe last Kalinga tattoo artstfi .

. Clothing

To the men, these paintng serve as clothing and this they look alright although they usually go around naked and wear nothing on the body except a cotton cloth two fathom (six feet-approximately 1.8cm)around the waist and between the legs so as to cover their private parts.this cloth they called it “ Bahaque ”.
• They have another type of clothing, which consists of the cotton blankets that they used it into morning wear. They called it kanggan (sleeveless jacket

• Their head some very fine mult colored head scarfs. They called it “ Purones ”. They wear a strips of Gold.

22. The garments and dresses of Bisayan women consist of some blankets with diverse colored stripes made of cotton and other are made from a plant. They have some wear plain tafetta and damask that come from china, female attire consisted of baro ( peseialo ) or camisa chemise) (jacket with sleeves) and saya or patadyong (a long skirt), some women wore a piece of red or white cloth on top of their skirt called tapi . The women wear crown and garlands on their head made of tinsel imported from China.

23. Excerpt from Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas by Antonio de Morga

24. Antonio de Morga’s massive Sucesos de las islas Filipinas (1609) was one of the most important account of the Philippines in the early colonial period. This account was made possible because of Morga’s access to government documents as a member of the Royal Audiencia . Thus, it is not surprising that numerous aspects of the cultural traditions of early Filipinos were documented in the Sucesos . However, as stated in the last chapter, some of Morga’s statements were prominently annotated by Rizal in 1889. Some of the annotations focused on the early Filipino warring traditions and advancement in weaponry, native boatbuilding tradition, tattooing, adornments, weaving, and gastronomy. One of the more famous of Rizal’s annotation was regarding the eating of bagoong or fish paste by the Filipinos. Morga stated in Sucesos that Filipinos were fond of eating decayed fish. Rizal, however, correctly argued that when it comes to food, people are easily repulsed with what they are not used to eat especially if it comes from foreign countries. Rizal added that this kind of prejudice is common among all nations even in Europe.

25. Tugbuk and Sakra Early Filipino and some Southeast Asian societies had a cultural and sexual practice that shocked the Spaniards such as Pigafetta , Loarca , and Morga due to its peculiarity. It was the usage of tugbuk or penis pin and sakra or penis ring by men in the community. They must be used simultaneously because the pin holds the ring in place According to studies, the tugbuk and sakra was used to give women sexual pleasure. It is also highly symbolic representation of the egalitarianism and autonomy of women in Southeast Asian communities.

26. Buyo , a traditional drink from the islands and mainland regions, is made from a tree with a mulberry-shaped leaf and a white fruit called bonga . The fruit is cut into strips and placed in an envelope made from the leaf. Quick lime powder is added to the bonga , which is then chewed. The strong mixture induces sleep and intoxication, while those not used to it may become smart. The saliva and mouth are red as blood, but it does not taste bad.

After chewing, the juice is spit out, called çapa , which is considered beneficial for strengthening the stomach and preventing various diseases. Buyos also strengthen and preserve teeth and gums from inflammations, decay, and aches. Natives and Spaniards use buyos for various purposes, including at parties, visits, and alone in their homes. They often consume poison, leading to death from the poison.

Natives, especially chiefs, take boxes of buyos ( buccetas ) and the leaf, bonga , and quick lime separately for show and entertainment. They use these boxes and tools to make buyos neatly and cleanly. Buyos are sold ready-made and in bazars, where they are sold with the necessary outfits.

27. Chapter Summary As opposed to colonial perception, early Filipinos already had their own rich and complex traditions and customs before the coming of the Spaniards in late sixteenth century These cultural patterns varied throughout the archipelago due to social, geographic, and linguistic differences.

The barangay was the primary political, economic, and sociocultural institution in the Philippines before Spanish colonization. The baranganic society can be divided into three socioeconomic classes namely: Ruling class ( maginoo in Tagalog and kadatoan in Visayas). Commoners ( maharlika in Tagalog and timawa in Visayas), and Slaves ( alipin in Tagalog and oripun in Visayas) The system of slavery in the Philippines was different from other societies since the slaves are not properties. One can become a slave through unpaid debts, punishment, and raids. Another characteristic of this kind of slavery is that there was a high possibility of becoming a freeman.

Early Filipinos had a highly complex marriage customs as well as tattooing tradition and body ornamentation. Meanwhile, the betel chew as a staple dainty was not just consumed by the Filipinos but also by the Chinese and the Spaniards.

Various accounts demonstrate different perspectives as exemplified by the excerpts of this chapter. The religious ( eg , friars) may portray early Filipino customs as pagan and barbaric while laymen such as Morga and Loarca can be more objective in their accounts. Nonetheless, one must always be aware of the biases of the accounts.

28. The team Gerald Gamboa Aiza Mae Pinili Frenalyn Abulencia

29. Thank you