Customs of the Tagalogs Why was this written? 3.

SLAVES - Aliping Saguiguilid

(Servants in the corners of the
What we'll discuss  Juan de Plasencia wrote the Customs of master's house).
the Tagalog to see the continuous
 Background of the author progress of the Native culture in the If a Maharlica married a slave, the children will be
 Historical Background (WHY, HOW IT WAS Philippines. divided:
WRITTEN?)  It was written due to his missionary work
 Customs of the Tagalogs in the Philippines. Specifically, in Luzon.  First, third, and fifth child (whether male
 Analysis of the work or female) --- belonged to the father.
 Relevance How was it written?  Fourth and Sixth child --- belonged to the
mother.
 The Customs of the Tagalogs, was written  One child/Odd number --- half free and
through the eyes of a Spaniard. 880 half slave.
Background of the Author
Customs of the Tagalogs The slave or Saguiguilid could be sold, but not the
 Juan De Plasencia OSF (Order of St.
Maharlica and their children nor could they be
Francis), also known as Juan Portocarrero, Every society has their own customs and traditions
transferred.
was born in the early 16th century. He that they practice and hand down from generation
was one of the seven children of Pedro generation. After Marriage: the Maharlicas could not move
Portocarrero, a captain of a Spanish from one village or barangay to another without
 CHIEF
schooner. paying the fine in gold.
 He was a Spanish Friar of the Franciscan The people always had Chiefs, called by
Order. He was one of the Spanish When one married a woman from another village,
them Datos.
missionaries assigned to observe the the children will be equally divided between the
Customs of the Tagalogs in Luzon (arrived  BARANGAY two barangays where they belong in.
in Cavite on July 2, 1578).
Developed in the Philippines before the  Investigations made and sentences
 His life was characterized by zeal, prayers,
Spanish colonial era passed by the Datos must and always take
and dedicated service.
place with the presence of his people in
Historical Background  CASTE the barangay.
 There were laws which condemned a
 The account of Juan de Plasencia was The NOBLE, COMMONERS, and SLAVES.
person of low birth, witches, and others
written due to his missionary work in the Caste system with the same class to death if ill
Philippines. intentions were shown to the daughter or
 It was written when barangays were the 1. NOBLE - Also known as Maharlica. wife of the chief.
only form of governance in the  For loans, the debtor is condemned to a
Philippines. 2. COMMONERS - Aliping
life of toil or a life where they have to do
Namamahay.
 heavy labor everyday in order to pay their Also, they knew the "seven little goats" [THE Can emit fire from himself which cannot
debt. PLEIADES], and the change of season called be extinguished.
 Borrowers become slaves and after the MAPULON and BALATÍK, happens when the GREAT
death of the father, the children pay the BEAR [URSA MAJOR].  HOCLOBAN
debt.
They have many idols named LICHA, which comes Much more powerful than a
 When it comes to inheritance, the mangagauay in which they can kill
in many forms. They had another idol called DIAN
legitimate children of a father and mother anyone without the use of any
MASALANTA, who was the patron of lovers and of
inherited things equally. medicine. They can also heal those who
the generations. The called LACAPATI and
 DOWRIES are given by men to the are ill.
INDIANALE, patron of cultivation of land and
women's parents before marriage.
husbandry.
 SILIGAN
The Worship of the Tagalogs
BUAYA, they paid reverence to it, from fear of
They would tear out and eat the liver of
There were no temples for their idols, SIMBAHAN being harmed by them.
those they saw were wearing white.
means a place of adoration; because when they I
TIGMAMANUGUIN, a bird sings from the tree,
wish to do a feast, called PANDOTor WORSHIP in a  MAGTATANGAL
they consider a bad or good omen They don't have
large house of the chief.
established division of time, dates and years. They would go out at night without
There it's constructed to provide shelter, with their heads and put it back into their
The 12 distinguish kinds of devils priest:
sheds on both sides called SIBI which means roof. bodies before the sunrise.
On each post there's a small lamp called  CATOLONAN
'SORIHILE; in the center of three columns divided  OSUANG
for people to gather at a large lamp with leaves of Priest from a people of rank Officiates
Tribesmen reported that they saw the
white palms into many designs. the offering sacrifice for a feast and the
“osuang” who can fly and murdered a
food to be eaten being offered to the
The use of drums which beats the feast until it man and ate his flesh.
devil.
ends for usually four days. During this; the
 MANGAGAYOMA
barangay or family unite to worship which they  MANGAGAUAY
called NAGAANITOS. They would seduce their partners with
They pretend to heal the sick in order to
charms and other accessories so they
Among their many idols, there was named deceive others.
can deceive them.
BATHALA, means signify "all-powerful", or "maker
of all things", which they worship the most.  MANYISALAT
 SONAT

They also worship the sun, for its beauty. Also, They pretend to heal the sick in order to
This devil helped people to die. They
they worship the moon, especially when it sets to deceive others.
can also know if the soul they helped to
be new. Some of them adored the stars, knowing die can either be saved or not.
 MANCOCOLAM
it to be the morning star, which they called TALA.
  PANGATAHOJAN When they have a special request or when they
just want to worship, they celebrate it through a
They can predict the future. feast.
 BAYAGUM The God that they ultimately worshiped was
BATHALA, who for them was the maker of life.
These are men who are in the nature of
a woman. There's no system of organizing at that time. The
native have different kinds of priests, which are
Placencia’s referred to certain ‘devil-ish belief’s
the devils, according to Juan De Placencia.
e.g. the mangagauay and mangagayoma.
Relevance of the "Customs of the Tagalogs"
He regarded them both as “witches” who
performed deceitful healing procedures, a It showed us how our ancestors lived without the
judgment made by an outsider who knew nothing assistance of any major western governments. Our
about the complexity of indigenous psyche. ancestors had their own style of governing a group
of people known as Barangays. They are already
What he failed to realize is that in traditional
engaged with trading with neighboring countries.
cultures, these so-called “evil” practices were an
integral part of Filipino folk beliefs

Background and Analysis

The Philippines at that time was just a nation, and

there was no formal government present.

Juan De Placencia in his account based the pre-

colonial government of the Philippines on the
customs and practices.

During that time judicial system was also informal.

The Author stated that villages or barangays were

not related to each other.

The native people according to the friar were

'worshiping many idols and they also worship
nature.