Customs of Filipino Pre-Hispanic Society and Culture

• Excerpt from Labor Evangelica: Of the Government and Political Customs of these Peoples by Fa. Francisco Colin S.J.

  Francisco Colin (1592-1660), one of the most prominent Jesuit missionary and historian of the early colonial period.
• What is the title of the documentation by Juan Francisco de San Antonio?

  Cronicas, or Philippine Chronicles
• What was the contribution of San Antonio's account to Filipino historiography?

  It greatly contributed to early Filipino historiography.
• What does the term "pasonor" refer to in the context of Visayan marriage customs?

  Pasonor refers to small gifts such as gold or cleared land given to the couple by the parents if a higher dowry is requested.
• What is the term for the sum that must be paid to the mother of the bride?

  Panhimuyat
• What happens to those who cannot afford the dowry in Visayan culture?

  They become legitimate concubinages for all time.
• How does the Visayan dowry system reflect socio-economic status?

  Cohabitation is still affected by socio-economic status.
• What are the key elements of the Visayan marriage rituals and ceremonies?

  • Dowry system
  • Pasonor, Panhimuyat, and Pasoso payments
  • Six days of feasting and celebration
  • Indecent ceremonies and blessings from the catalona
• Who was Fray Juan de Plasencia?


  One of the first Franciscan missionaries in the Philippines.
• What is the significance of the "Doctrina Christiana" written by Fray Juan de Plasencia?

  It is the first book printed in the Philippines.
• What is Bathala in Tagalog worship?

  Bathala is the supreme deity, ruler of all things.
• What types of sacrifices were offered in Tagalog worship?

  Decapitated animals and buyos were offered as sacrifices.
• What are the main themes in the excerpts from "Relacion de las Islas Filipinas" by Miguel de Loarca?

  • Creation myths of the Yligueynes
  • The story of Sicalac and Sicavay
  • The invention of the fishing net by Pandaguan
  • Themes of love, theft, and divine retribution
• What is the significance of the Baylanas in Filipino culture?

  Baylanas are priests or priestesses who perform ceremonies without a set time or place.
• What do the offerings prepared by the people during sacrifices typically include?

  They include killed hogs, wine, fruit, rice, and other food.
• How did Miguel de Loarca's observations reflect the cultural practices of Filipinos before Christianization?


  • Emphasis on ancient lore through songs
  • Beliefs in gods and sacrificial offerings
  • Connection to coastal life and fishing
  • Modern reliance on knowledge over sacrificial practices
• How has the practice of idolatry changed in modern Philippines according to the study material?

  Idolatry is rarely practiced due to the influence of the Roman Catholic Church.
• What was the primary political, economic, and sociocultural institution in the Philippines before Spanish colonization?

  The barangay
• What are the three socioeconomic classes that compose a barangay?

  The ruling class or nobility, commoners or freemen, and slaves
• Who leads the barangay?

  The datu
• How many families typically compose a barangay?

  30-100 families
• What factors allowed localized, independent, and decentralized communities like barangays to exist in the Philippines?

  The archipelagic nature of the country
• How could barangays become powerful and prosperous?

  Through alliances formed by marriage and blood compact
• What are the Tagalog and Visayan terms for the ruling class?

  Maginoo in Tagalog and kadatoan in Visayan
• What distinguishes the slavery system in the Philippines from other societies?

  Slaves were not considered property but became slaves through debt bondage, raids, and wars
• What was the role of the datu in the barangay?

  was the primary maker, executor, and adjudicator of laws, and provided protection
• How did social mobility occur in barangay society?

  Members could transfer to other barangays if they opposed the rule of the datu
• What was the significance of the Boxer Codex?


  It was one of the most important accounts describing early Filipino culture and society
• What did missionaries document during the late 16th to early 17th centuries?

  Pre-Hispanic traditions of early Filipinos
• Who wrote the *Labor Evangelica* and what was its focus?

  Francisco Colin wrote it, focusing on the customs and traditions of the natives of the Philippines
• What were the main subjects discussed by Colin in *Labor Evangelica*?


  Physical appearance, clothing, marriage, eating patterns, songs and dances, and bathing habits of the Tagalogs and Visayans
• How did the social structure of early Filipinos differ from other societies?

  There were no kings, only chiefs, and social mobility was possible
• What was the role of the chief in the barangay's legal system?

  The chief acted as the judge with the assistance of elders
• What were the three classes of people in early Filipino society?

  Chiefs, commoners (timawas), and slaves
• How did one become a chief in early Filipino society?

  Through bloodline or by gaining wealth and reputation
• What was the consequence of a chief being murdered in early Filipino society?

  His kinsmen would hunt for the murderer, leading to war
• What was the penalty for murder in early Filipino society?

  The penalty of death was imposed only if both the murderer and victim were commoners
• What were the Visayan and Tagalog terms for slaves?

  Oripuen in Visayan and alipin in Tagalog
• How did the social status of a chief's children affect their position?

  If they were capable, they maintained their status; if not, they could lose it
• What was the relationship between wealth and the position of the datu?

  Wealth was a requirement to become a datu