Customs of the Tagalogs

1565

start of the Spanish colonization of the PH

Conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi

he became the first Spanish governor-general

colonial

the _ government had difficulty in running local politics (there was a limited number of Spaniards who wanted to live outside Intramuros)

gobernadorcillo

Spaniards allowed upper class natives to hold the position of _

gobernadorcillo

town mayor

friar missionaries

they constantly arrived in the PH after the establishment of a colony

parishes

friars were assigned in the _ to ensure monitor the activities of the gobernadorcillo

friars

only Spaniard in the towns

friars

influenced the administrative duties of local officials

friars

became the most knowledgeable and influential figure in the pueblo

pueblo

aka town

friars

supervised the election of gobernadorcillo, helped in the collection of taxes, acted as teachers of the youth

inform

friars who were assigned in mission territories were required periodically to _ their superiors of what was happening in their respective areas

experiences and observations

friars also reported their personal _ and _

Relacion de las Costumbres de Los Tagalogs

written by Plasencia which contains numerous information in reconstructing the political and sociocultural life in the Tagalog region

Customs of the Tagalogs

other name of Relacion de las Costumbres de Los Tagalogs

Customs of the Tagalogs

considered a primary source because Plasencia personally witnessed the events and his account contained his observations

Fray Juan De Plasencia

he is a member of the Franciscan Order who came together with the first batch of missionaries to the PH 1578

1578

year when the first batch of missionaries came to the PH

Fray Juan de Plasencia

he was assigned to do missionary works in the Southern Tagalog area

Fray Juan de Plasencia

helped in the foundation and organization of numerous towns in Quezon, Laguna, Rizal and Bulacan

Customs of the Tagalogs

written in 1589, described the political, social, economic, and cultural practices of the Filipinos before they were Christianized

Plasencia’s continuous interaction with the people he converted to _ enabled him to write Relacion de las Costumbres de Los Tagalogs

Catholicism

biggest challenge for missionaries was how to make _ comprehensible to the natives who have never heard of Christ or Catholic Church

Doctrina Christiana en Lengua Española y Tagala

Plasencia wrote this first printed book in the PH (published in 1593)

barangay

early tagalog community was known as this

balangay

barangay is derived from _, a type of sea vessel used by Austronesians during their migration

30 to 100

each barangay was composed of _ to _ houses (families)

riverbanks and coastlines

barangays started along _ and _

fishing, farming, trading

primary source of livelihood

bancas

people traveled using _ (boats)

independent

each barangay was _ from one another

barangay

earliest form of government during precolonial period

dato/datu

each barangay was governed by a chief called _

datu

_ was usually the richest or the most prominent warrior in the barangay

support and respect

everyone were required to _ and _ the datu

primary duty of the datu

to rule and govern his people justly and promote their welfare

executive, legislative, judiciary

the datu exercised the powers of _, _, and _

council of elders

_ served as advisors to the datu

privileges of the datu

his subjects served in times of war with other barangays and helped him in tilling and sowing the land for farming

privileges of the datu

subjects also paid the tribute (buwis) in form of agricultural products or goods

tribute or buwis

_ is in form of agricultural products or goods served as payment

privileges of the datu

datu’s relatives were exempted from paying tribute

maginoo

maharlica

aliping namamahay

aliping saguiguilid/r

social structure (highest to lowest)

maginoo

composed of the datu and his family

maginoo

they were the richest, most powerful, highly respected in their community

maginoo

they usally carried the title of Gat or Lakan (Lakandula, Gat Maitan, Gat Sailan)

maharlica

also known as freemen

maharlica

**middle** and **privileged** class composed of **warriors** and other **relatives of the datu.**

maharlica

They could own houses and other properties and were allowed to use communal lands for farming.

aliping namamahay (dependents/commoners)

**served** their master (datu or Maharlica). They were allowed to own houses and have family. 

aliping namamahay

served his master by planting and harvesting his master’s crops, by rowing the master’s boat, or by helping in the construction of his master’s house.

aliping saguiguilid/r (slaves)

had **no house** of his own, he lived with his master, and could not marry without his master’s consent. 

aliping saguiguilid/r (slaves)

Most were **captives of war**, those who were failed to settle debts, or purchased.

slavery

we practiced _ in our colonial times

marriage customs

in most cases, a woman of one class married into the same class, but not so strictly followed

dowry

a piece of land or gold given by the groom to the bride’s parents

marriage

when the parents accepted the man, the _ was then arranged

bathala

among many idols, they especially worship this

bathala

the title, seems to signify “all powerful,” or “maker of all things.”

sun

they worship the _, which, on account of its beauty, is almost universally respected and honored by the heathens

moon

they worshipped _, especially when it was new, at which time they had great rejoicings, adoring it and bidding it welcome

stars

some adored the _, although they did not know them by their names

tala

morning star

bathala

supreme being, all powerful and maker of all things

Dian Masalanta

god of lovers and of generation

Idianale

god of agriculture

animals and birds

they also venerated the _ and _ for they believed in the interconnectedness of the unseen with the visible

lic ha

tagalogs kept the memory of dead relatives alived by carving images (anito) made of gold, stone, or ivory

anito

carved images made of gold, stone, or ivory

catalonan/katalona

officiating priest, man or woman, of offerings (sacrific) and rituals

mangangauay

witches who deceived by pretending to heal the sick

mancocolam

emits fire from himself at night

mangagayoma

made charms for lovers

mangangauay

mancocolam

mangagayoma

priests of the devil

feast, devil

manner of offering sacrifice was to proclaim a _ and offer to the _ what they had to eat

catolonan

officiating priest, male or female

burial practices

when a relative died, he/she was placed in a coffin (shaped like a boat) and buried under his/her house

burial practices

living relatives place his/her cloth, gold, and other valuables in the coffin

MACA

tagalogs believed in _ or paradies (after life)

Maca

this place was for the valiant, just, and possessed moral virtues

Customs of the tagalogs

An important primary source detailing the **way of life** of the Tagalogs before Spanish and Christian influences.

Customs of the tagalogs

It contains useful information about the pre-colonial political structure, social classes, and religious beliefs that are **essential** for academicians.

Customs of the tagalogs

Most of the information we know about pre-colonial Philippines came from **Plasencia’s account.**

Plasencia’s account

preserves the unwritten customs, traditions, religious, superstitious beliefs of the Tagalogs.

Plasencia’s writings

disprove the claim of some Spaniards that when they arrived in the PH, the natives were still uncivilized and lacking in culture

Plasencia’s work

based on _, the natives were already politically, economically, and socially organized