Pre-Colonial Philippines Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, historical hypotheses, social structures, cultural practices, and religious concepts from pre-colonial Philippine history.

Mainland Origin Hypothesis

A hypothesis associated with Peter Bellwood proposing that Austronesian-speaking peoples moved from South China and Taiwan into the northern Philippines and farther south.

Island Origin Hypothesis

A hypothesis associated with Wilhelm Solheim II emphasizing maritime movement and cultural interaction within island Southeast Asia and the Nusantao network.

Nusantao

A maritime cultural interaction network in island Southeast Asia emphasized in Wilhelm Solheim II's Island Origin Hypothesis.

Paleolithic

The Old Stone Age, characterized by crude stone tools, hunting, gathering, fishing, and adaptation to local environments.

Neolithic

The New Stone Age, marked by polished stone tools, forest clearing, boat making, agriculture, pottery, and wider use of fire.

Manunggul Jar

A funerary vessel whose lid depicts figures in a boat, commonly interpreted as representing the journey of the dead to the afterlife.

Burnay

A practical and decorated pottery vessel made by early Filipinos.

Balangay

A pre-colonial vessel important for maritime transport, exchange, and trade with nearby island kingdoms.

Baybayin

A pre-colonial writing system consisting of 17 basic characters, including 3 vowels and 14 consonants.

Laguna Copperplate Inscription

A written artifact dated to about 900 A.D. that provides evidence of literacy and organized social relations before Spanish rule.

Shahada

The Islamic declaration of faith, listed as one of the Five Pillars and central practices of Islam.

Eid ul-Fitr

An Islamic religious holiday associated with the practice and traditions of Islam in the Philippines.

Barangay

The basic political and social unit in pre-colonial Philippine communities, varying in population size.

Datu / Rajah

The pre-colonial community leader belonging to the ruling class, responsible for administration, protection, law, dispute settlement, and communal affairs.

Maharlika

The pre-colonial aristocratic or warrior social class.

Timawa / Timagua

The pre-colonial free or common social class.

Alipin

The pre-colonial dependent social class, which included aliping namamahay and aliping sagigilid.

Umalohokan

The barangay crier whose job was to announce laws to the community.

Anito

A term associated with ancestral spirits, nature spirits, and supernatural beings in pre-colonial belief systems.

Diwata

A term associated with ancestral spirits, nature spirits, and supernatural beings in pre-colonial belief systems.

Bul-ul

Ifugao carved figures associated with rice and agricultural rituals.

Okir / Okkil

A distinctive Muslim Filipino artistic tradition, especially associated with Maranao culture.

Sarimanok

A distinctive Muslim Filipino artistic tradition and decorative bird motif associated with Maranao culture.

Talaro

A pre-colonial term for a weight or measurement system.

Tumunoh

A person in Ifugao society who tracked the passing days of their 13-month calendar using knots.

Bahay Kubo

An indigenous house adapted to local climate, terrain, available materials, and livelihood, featuring structures such as silong, hagdan, bulwagan, dulang, and batalan.

Tabon Cave

A cave complex in Palawan containing evidence of prehistoric human habitation and burial activity.

Sharif Muhammad Kabungsuwan

A historical figure who helped spread Islam in the Cotabato area and established the Sultanate of Maguindanao.

Kali / Arnis

A pre-colonial martial tradition involving weapons and skills in attack, defense, and parrying.