Chapter 4 “Customs of the Tagalogs” by Juan de Plasencia

Juan de Plasencia

• Spanish Franciscan missionary who arrived in the Philippines in 1578.

• Lived among the natives and studied their way of life, customs, and language.

• Authored “Relacion de las Costumbres de los Tagalogs” (1589), one of the earliest written accounts of Tagalog society.

• His works serve as important primary sources in Philippine historiography.

Social Classes

• Nobles (Datu/Maharlika) – chiefs and ruling class.

• Timawa – free people.

• Alipin – dependents or slaves. Two kinds:

  • Aliping namamahay – lived in their own houses, had some freedom.

  • Aliping sagigilid – lived in master’s house, with limited freedom.

Nobles (Datu/Maharlika)

chiefs and the ruling class

Timawa

free people.

Alipin

dependents or slaves. Two kinds: (Aliping namamahay & Aliping sagigilid)

Aliping namamahay

lived in their own houses, had some freedom.

Aliping sagigilid

lived in master’s house, with limited freedom.

Justice System

• Disputes were settled by the datu.

• Laws were based on customary practices.

• Punishments included fines, servitude, or death.

Marriage Customs

• Dowries (bigay-kaya) given to the bride’s family.

• Divorce was allowed in certain cases.

Burial Practices

• Dead were placed in wooden coffins, sometimes buried under the house.

• Belief in the afterlife and offerings for the dead.

Religion and Beliefs

• Worshipped Bathala (supreme god).

• Belief in anitos (spirits/idols).

• Existence of priests/priestesses (babaylan or katalonan).

Bathala

Supreme God

Anitos

Spirits/Idols

Priests/priestesses

Babaylan or katalonan

Tala

morning star

Dian masalanta

patron of lovers and of generation

Lacapati and Idianale

patrons of the cultivated lands and of husbandry

Tigmamanuguin

Singing bird had to 2 different forms; evil omen and good omen

catolonan

officiating priest, male or female

mangagauay

or witches, who deceived by pretending to heal the sick. These priests even induced maladies by their charms, which in proportion to the strength and efficacy of the witchcraft, are capable of causing death

manyisalat

is the same as magagauay. These priests had the power of applying such remedies to lovers that they would abandon and despise their own wives, and in fact could prevent them from having intercourse with the latter.

mancocolam

whose duty it was to emit fire from himself at night, once or oftener each month. This fire could not be extinguished; nor could it be thus emitted except as the priest wallowed in the ordure and filth which falls from the houses; and he who lived in the house where the priest was wallowing in order to emit this fire from himself, fell ill and died.

hocloban

witch of greater efficacy than the mangagauay. Without the use of medicine, and by simply saluting or raising the hand, they killed whom they chose. But if they desired to heal those whom they had made ill by their charms, they did so by using other charms.

silagan

when they see anyone clothed in white, to tear out his liver and eat it, thus causing his death.

magtatangal

show himself at night to many persons, without his head or entrails

osuang

“sorcerer” they say that they have seen him fly, and that he murdered men and ate their flesh.

mangagayoma

made charms for lovers out of herbs, stones, and wood, which would infuse the heart with love.

sonat

“preacher.” It was his office to help one to die, at which time he predicted the salvation or condemnation of the soul.

pangatahojan

soothsayer, and predicted the future.

bayoguin

“cotquean,” a man whose nature inclined toward that of a woman.

Vibit

Ghost

Tigbalaang

Phantoms