Customs of the Tagalogs

KASPIL2 V24 MODULE2 GROUP2

CHO.ESPINA.IDIESCA.MACAPUGAY.SALITA.SEE
Background of the Author
 Background of the Author
JUAN DE PLASENCIA
  Spanish friar of the Franciscan Order

1.  Birth and Family Background

2.  Arrival in the Philippines
3.  Various Assignments in the Philippines
4.  Notable Contributions to the Mission
5.  Literary Works
6.  Death
 Background of the Author
JUAN DE PLASENCIA
1. Birth and Family Background
  Fray Juan was born to the illustrious family of the
Portocarreros in Plasencia in the region of
Extremadura, Spain in the early 16th century
  Juan de Plasencia grew up during the period known as
the Siglo de Oro, a Golden Age when arts and literature
flourished in many parts of Spain
 Background of the Author
JUAN DE PLASENCIA
2. Arrival in the Philippines
  Fray Juan de Plasencia came together with the
first batch of Franciscan missionaries in the
Philippines
  The ship with Fray Juan on board, arrived at a
port in Cavite on July 2, 1578.
 Background of the Author
JUAN DE PLASENCIA
3. Various Assignments in the Philippines
  Only two months after his arrival, he joined forces
with another missionary, Fray Diego de Oropesa
  Both were already preaching around Laguna de Bay area
and as far as Tayabas (present day Quezon Province)
converting souls to the Catholic fold
 Background of the Author
JUAN DE PLASENCIA
3. Various Assignments in the Philippines
  His untiring work and missionary zeal pushed him further
in the foundation and organization of several towns not
only in Laguna and Tayabas
  During the following years, they are also credited with the
foundation of a large number of towns in the provinces of
Bulacan and Rizal such as:
Tayabas, Caliraya, Lucban, Mahjayjay, Nagcarlan, Lilio, Pila,
Santa Cruz, Lumban, Pangil, Siniloan, Morong, Antipolo,
Taytay, and Meycauayan
 Background of the Author
JUAN DE PLASENCIA
3. Various Assignments in the Philippines
  His life was characterized by zeal, prayer, and
dedicated service
  He was also known to be:
  a defender of the native population, looking after the poor,
ill, or neglected, and standing up for their rights on
numerous occasions.
 Background of the Author
JUAN DE PLASENCIA
3. Various Assignments in the Phil.
  He was also very keen on creating
primary schools, and requested
official permission for the
creation of educational centers
  An initiative that was approved by
Domingo de Salazar, the first Bishop
of Manila
 Background of the Author
JUAN DE PLASENCIA
4. Notable Contributions to the Mission
  Fray Juan de Oliver, Fray Juan de Plasencia, Fray Miguel
de Talavera, Fray Diego de Asuncion, and Fray Geronimo
Mont
  wrote a grammar and dictionary of the native language
  translated the Christian doctrine into both Tagalog and
Bicolano.
 Background of the Author
JUAN DE PLASENCIA
5. Literary Works
  Juan de Plasencia wrote a number of books designed
primarily to promote the understanding of both the
Spanish language among the natives, and the local
languages among the missionaries, to facilitate the task
of spreading Christianity.
  "Arte de la lengua tagala"
  "Declaracion de toda la doctrina Cristiana"
  "Vocabulario”
 Background of the Author
JUAN DE PLASENCIA
5. Literary Works
  He is the author of the first book
printed in the Philippines, the
Doctrina Cristiana
  Printed in:
  Spanish, Tagalog, Latin Script,
Baybayin Script of the natives of
that time, Chinese
 Background of the Author
JUAN DE PLASENCIA
5. Literary Works
Relacion de las Costumbres de Los Tagalos (1589)
  helped understand and preserve many of the traditional
ways of the local population
  provided the first form of Civil Code used by local
governors to administer justice

  A mystical work which he entitled La Santina was an

Opus number on prayer and contemplation entirely
done in the Tagalog language
 Background of the Author
JUAN DE PLASENCIA
6. Death
  Juan de Plasencia died in Liliw, Laguna in 1590.
Historical Background
of the Document
 Historical Background of the Document
Manila in 1578
By the numbers
  57 years after Magellan’s Expedition
  35 years after Ruy López de Villalobos named
Las Islas Filipinas (after Philip II of Spain) to
the islands of Samar and Leyte
  7 years after Spanish Occupation of Manila
and Tondo
 Historical Background of the Document
Manila long before Plasencia’s arrival
 Historical Background of the Document
Arrival of the Spanish
  Compact of friendship made between Martin de
Goiti, master-of-camp of the Spanish fleet, and the
Raja Sulayman (1570)
  Compact broken by misunderstanding
  Miguel Lopez de Legazpi treated the Rajas and their
relatives with deference. He gave them privileges such
as exemption to the tribute.
 Historical Background of the Document
Arrival of the Spanish
  The first missionaries who attempted to convert the natives
were the Augustinians who came with the Legazpi expedition
  Much needed assistance was supplied with the arrival of
the Franciscans (Plasencia was one of them) in 1678
  Knowing that they should take into account the geographical
and cultural contexts of the natives which was much
different with Europeans, friar missionaries studied the
culture of the natives
  Fray Juan de Plasencia addressed this letter to his
superiors in the order to help plan evangelization of the
natives
 Historical Background of the Document
Arrival of the Spanish
  It is considered as his most important work, being
quoted, cited and even sometimes copied in its entirely
by many later contemporary historians and writers
  The original text can be found in General Archive of the
Indies (Archivo General de Indias), Seville
  This letter made an impact to the early legal system of
the country, preserving the formerly unwritten customs,
traditions and beliefs of the natives, and gave the
Philippines its first Civil Code, used by the alcaldes-
mayores in their administration of justice
 Historical Background of the Document
Arrival of the Spanish
  Franciscans were known for defending Filipino’s
rights and tradition
  When the Dominican Bishop Domingo Salazar
called a council to address the issue of the
emancipation of the Filipino slaves, the
Franciscan superiors (Palencia was one of them) were
present to support him
 Historical Background of the Document
Arrival of the Spanish
  The report described the government of the Tagalog,
their administration of justice, slavery, inheritance,
social system, and marriages
  It also explained the relation between the different
social classes and the origin of each
  Stating three ways of how a man may become a slave:
birth, debt, and captivity in war. It tells, as well, of the
king and of the duties he rendered to his subjects
Analysis of the Important
Historical Information
Found in the Document
 Analysis of Important Data
ANALYSIS:
1.  Community
2.  Property
3.  Adoration
4.  12 Priests of the Devil
5.  Superstition
6.  Burying the Dead
 Analysis of Important Data
Community
Status/Caste System
  A leader of a certain tribe along the Visayas and
Mindanao region is called a datu
  Even before the Spaniards came, it is prevalent that
there is some sort of governance among the different
groups wherein there are certain rules or laws that
one needs to follow
Datu – the chiefs of the village; they governed the
people as captains even in wars, were obeyed, and
revered; any subject who committed any offense
against them, or spoke to their wives and children,
were severely punished
 Analysis of Important Data
Community
Status/Caste System
  Barangay – tribal gathering ruled by chiefs
  It is called a “barangay” because they associate
themselves with the “Malay” who are one of the first
people to arrive in the Philippines through a boat in
which they call “barangay”. Some consisted of around
30 - 100 houses
  Barangays also have some sort of diplomacy
  All barangays were equal in terms of status.
 Analysis of Important Data
Community
Status/Caste System
  There are three status/castes within a barangay:
Maharlica, Aliping Namamahay, Aliping sa Guiguilir.
Maharlica are those who are born free
Aliping Namamahay are those who serve their masters
however, they can have their own properties
Aliping sa Guiguilir are those considered to be slaves
who serve their masters or can be sold off
 Analysis of Important Data
Maharlica (nobles) ● People who are born free
● Do not need to pay taxes
● Must accompany the datos in war
Aliping Namamahay ● They have their own properties but has to serve their own
(commoners) masters
● Children belonging to this caste inherit the status of their
parents
● Cannot be treated as a slave nor can be sold off.
Aliping sa Guiguilir ● They serve their master in their houses and lands
(slaves) ● Can be sold off
● The master can reward his/her slaves by giving them a portion
of the harvest so that the slaves would be faithful to him/her
A Maharlica would keep their status for a lifetime however, this can
be taken if he/she marries a slave. In this case, the kids would be
divided and they would inherit the status of their mother or father.
Analysis of Important Data

Alipin Maharlica
 Analysis of Important Data
Property
  The land area was divided among the whole barangay,
especially the irrigated portions.
  No one from a different barangay could cultivate land
unless they inherit or buy the land
  The lands on the tingues, or mountain ridges, are not
divided but owned by the barangay as a whole.
  At the time of rice harvest, any individual (regardless
of their barangay) that starts to clear any land area
may sow in it.
 Analysis of Important Data
Property
  Fisheries of chiefs had established limits, and sections of
the rivers for markets
  Unless you were a member of the chief’s barangay, you had
to pay for the privilege of fishing or selling in the chiefs’
fisheries
  In the case of a divorce, if the wife would leave her
husband for the sake of marrying another man, all her
belongings plus a certain amount would be given to her
former husband however, if she chooses to leave and do
not have any plans to marry, then all of her dowry will be
returned to her.
 Analysis of Important Data
Property
  In the case of an adoption, the children would receive
double the value of how much they were bought to be
adopted
  Investigations and sentences for the accused shall be
presented and read in front of the tribe
 Analysis of Important Data
Adoration
  There were no temples or sacred places in which Filipinos
would worship
  The word simbahan means a place to worship which is
constructed at a large house of the chief where people of
the tribe go to celebrate festivals (aka pandot or worship)
  they beat large and small drums successively during the
feast which usually lasted 4 days
nagaanitos - worship; (anito - soul or spirit of ancestors)
sibi - a temporary shed, made on each side of the
chief’s house, for the assembled people
 Analysis of Important Data
Adoration
 Analysis of Important Data
Adoration
Badhala, one of their many idols, was the “all
powerful”, or “maker of all things” for the Tagalogs
  They worshipped the sun, the moon, and some, even
the stars or a particular dead man with special
capability that fought bravely or protected them in
their time of need
 Analysis of Important Data
Adoration
  sun - almost universally respected and honored because of its beauty;
  moon - they would rejoice, especially when new
  stars - they did not name them except for the morning star, which
they called Tala
  “Seven little goats” - the Pleiades; a star cluster
Balatic - the Greater Bear constellation
Mapolon - the change of seasons
lic-ha - idols; images with different shapes;
  Dian masalanta - an idol; patron of lovers and generation
Lacapati and Idianale - idols; patrons of the cultivated lands and
husbandry;
buaya - crocodiles; were respected by the Tagalogs due to their fear of
being harmed by them; they offered a portion of what they carried
in their boats to them
 Analysis of Important Data
12 Priests of the Devil
Catolonan ● Priest from a people of rank
● Officiates the offering sacrifice for a feast and the food to be eaten being
offered to the devil

Mangagauay ● They pretend to heal the sick in order to deceive others

Manyisalat ● They can cast remedies to couples for them to abandon one another

Mancocolam ● Can emit fire from himself which cannot be extinguished

Hocloban ● Much more powerful than a mangagauay in which they can kill anyone
without the use of any medicine. They can also heal those who are ill.

Silagan ● They would tear out and eat the liver of those they saw were wearing white
 Analysis of Important Data
12 Priests of the Devil
Magtatangal ● They would go out at night without their heads and put it back into their
bodies before the sun rise

Osuang ● Tribesmen reported that they saw the “osuang” who can fly and murdered
a man and ate his flesh.

Mangagayoma ● They would seduce their partners with charms and other accessories so
they can deceive them.

Sonat ● This devil helped people to die. They can also know if the soul they helped
to die can either be saved or not.

Pangatahojan ● They can predict the future.

Bayoguin ● These are men who are in the nature of a woman.

 Analysis of Important Data
Superstition
  They find omens in events they witness
  (i.e. when someone sneezed, met on their way a rat or
serpent, or the Tigmamanuguin bird sang they would go
home in fear that evil would befall them if they
continued their journey)
  The Tigmamanuguin bird’s (a blue bird as large as a
turtle-dove) song had two forms: a good omen, and a
bad omen
 Analysis of Important Data
Burying the Dead
  In burying the dead, the corpse would be placed beside its
house and be mourned at for 4 days.
  It will then be laid on a boat which serves as a coffin
which is guarded by a slave.
  The grief of the relatives of the deceased is followed by
eating and drinking.
 Contribution and Relevance of
the Document in Understanding
the Grand Narrative of
Philippine History
 Contribution & Relevance in Understanding
  The Philippines is a civilized country even before the
Spanish occupation. It is not true that the country does
not practice any religious activity.
  These traditions built the country's distinct identity from
other countries.
  The country possess a social hierarchy that is why a sense
of authority was established.
  It strengthens the culture of Filipinos because it signifies
that even before these occupations the country has this
distinct culture and belief system of its own. The country
is not solely dependent on other nations and it can
actually stood up on its own.
Relevance of the Document
 Relevance of the Document
  The relevance of the document in the present time is that
we still use/believe in some of this norms.
  It informed us that the Natives (Filipinos) in some degree
had classifications way back as to where you belong in the
society.
  In today’s time, we still use “barangays” pertaining to the
smallest division or unit of a city.
  It also shows that even before the Spanish came, we had a
system in which we could trade with other countries and
be independent.
 REFERENCE:
Barrantes, Vicente (1875). Narraciones extremeñas. Madrid: Imp. de J. Peña. p. 197.

  Felix de Huerta, OFM. Estado, geografico, topografico, Estadistico, Historico-Religioso de la Santa y

apostolica provincia de San Gregorio Magno,. Binondo, Manila: 1885 p. 71

  Guerrero, Milagros C. (1966). "The Chinese in the Philippines, 1570–1770". In Alfonso Felix Jr. The Chinese
in the Philippines. Manila: Solidaridad

Nakpil, Carmen Guerrero (29 October 2003)., CARMEN NAKPIL: MANILA UNDER THE MUSLIMS,
Malaya

  OMF Archives (2015). Life and Works of Fray Juan de Plasencia

  Pablo Fernandez, History of the Church in the Philippines (1521-1898), Manila 1979, pp. 157-164

  Santiago, Luciano P.R (1990)., The Houses of Lakandula, Matanda, and Soliman [1571-1898]: Genealogy and
Group Identity, Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society 18

Storch, T. (2006). Religions and Missionaries Around the Pacific, 1500-1900: (p. 37): Ashgate Publishing,
Ltd.

Hislop, Stephen K. (n.d.). Anitism: A Survey of Religious Beliefs Native to the Philippines (p. 147). Retrieved
September 21, 2015 from
http://www.asj.upd.edu.ph/mediabox/archive/ASJ-09-02-1971/hislop-anitism-survey-religious%20beliefs-
native-philippines.pdf