CHAPTER 1: KNOWING PHILIPPINE HISTORY

History
 The possession and transmission of a culture that man differs from other animals
 As culture is not merely a chronological reconstruction of the past events but process of creation or a
formation of culture specifically a national culture (Nick Joaquin).
 The study of past events, recording of analysis and branch of knowledge that recalls past events

Importance of History
1. Allows us to understand our past and present
2. It gives insights the culture we are less familiar
3. Teach us valuable perspective of our problem in our society
4. We have learned and observed the beginning and development of our own country
5. It strengthens our sense of nationalism
6. Help us to know who we are while molding our future

Source of History
1. Primary Source
 Witnessed the event that took place
 Directed written by individuals / original made from someone
 Contemporary accounts
 Recorded as original source (materials that captured the event, photography, video recording
etc.)
 Included written records such as narratives, manuscript, public documents, letters, and diaries.
Fossils, artifacts and testimony from living witnesses.
2. Secondary Source
 Not been part of the event
 Serves as interpretation or readings of primary source
 Usually formed as public works
 Coming from original source
 Can be combination of primary and secondary source

Theories in Understanding History

A. Challenge and response (Arnold Toynbee)
 Based on the idea that man respond to the situation placed before him
 Mankind’s approach in coping with challenges determines history
 He viewed the past as a succession of civilization to survive was the result of its inability to respond
challenges.
B. Exchange Theory (Alvin Scaff)
 Refers to the systematic statement of principles that govern the exchange of goods (tangible and
intangible) between individuals, groups, organization and nation.
 Alliances of people, communities as well as nations are rooted in the idea of interchange.
 Barter System – there was no currency
 Domestic trade and foreign trade

C. Role of History Man (Georg Wilhelm Hegel 1770-1831)

 Weltgiest or world spirit – patriotism, heroism and unity- since historical individuals are ideal and man
follows his ideal, this thought, which is guided by a particular ideal.
 Geisteswissenchaften or the world of spirit of thoughts
 Naturwissenchaften the antithesis or the complete opposite of the Geisteswissenchaften.
 Combination of the thesis and antithesis, man achieves the synthesis or historical reality.

D. Materialist Concept of History or Economic Theory (Karl Marx)

 Asserts that the prevailing economic systems determine the form of societal organization, political and
intellectual history of epoch which thus attributes actions and events in history to economic motives.
 God, Gold, and Glory the three primary motives.

Another Approach to Historical Studies

E. Method of Historiography
 Developed by Fernand Braudel (1902-1985)
 Father of historical structuralism.
 Human actions are not only based on human decisions but also on structures.
 To achieve total history is to integrate all aspects of man’s past.

F. Teodoro Agoncillo (1912-1985)

 Father of Filipino nationalist historiography

G. Renato Constantino
 Philippine history is a people’s history
 The recorded struggles of people
 Philippines history is a story of struggle
 History is not merely the works of heroes and great men
 History is not necessarily presenting a long unbroken chain of events
 History can serve as a guide to present and succeeding generations in facing the challenges of time
Archaeology
 Study and reconstruct the cultural events of the past through the material remains left by people.
(Artifacts and Fossils)
 Idea on how things might have looked like at a particular time

1) Alfred Marche
 Frenchman
 First major expedition in 1881
 Island of Marinduque and other sites in central Philippines
2) Feodor Jagor
 German traveler
 Reported having encounter a priest in Naga, Camarines Sur, who collected artifacts from ancient
graveyard
3) Dr. Antonio De Morga
 Sucesos De Las Islas Filipinas
 Described the ancient artifacts that were recovered by farmers of Ilocos, Pangasinan.
 Clay vessels with dark brown color and some marked with characters
4) Carl Guthe
 The second major archeological exploration
 Michigan archeological expedition (1922-1925)
 Conducted a dig with his team in Palawan, Bohol, Northern Mindanao
 The purpose of the expedition to collect Chinese ceramics exported in Philippines from China.
5) Henry Otley Beyer (1883-1966)
 Father of archeology
 The archeological site he discovered results the construction of a dam for Manila Water Supply
 Construction of a dam was his first archeological research in the country
 In 1947 published the “ONLINE REVIEW OF PHILIPPINES ARCHEOLOGY BY ISLANDS AND
PROVINCES”
6) Larry Wilson
 A mining prospector
 Assisted Beyer in the exploration of numerous Pleistocene site in the Northern Luzon

7) Wilhelm G. Solheim II
 First post war excavations in Masbate Island (1951-1953)
 Assisted by Alfedo Evangelista and Arsenio Manuel

8) Robert B. Fox and Alfredo Evangelista

 Both working for the National Museum of the Philippines
 Human fossils were found which classified as modern man of homo sapiens
  Tabon cave investigation

The Archipelago’s Name

Sung Dynasty
 Referred the island as “MA-YI”
Chau Ju – Kua
 Chinese trade officials who gave a detailed account of his travel.
 He called the island as “MA-I”
Ferdinand Magellan (1521)
 Named the island “ISLAS DE SAN LAZARO” or Archipelago of St. Lazarus
Ruy Lopez de Villalobos (1543)
 Named “Philippines“came from the word “Filipinas”
 Felipina was the first given by Villalobos’s men to refer to Leyte and Samar
Fr. Juan J. Delgado
 A Jesuit historian
 He called Manila as “Pearl of the Orient”
Dr. Jose Rizal
 Gave the name “Pearl of the Orient Seas” to his native land
 The Spanish Filipinas or Felipinas was later change to

Philippine Island Republic of the Philippines

American Colonial - after the recognition of Independence Day
Era

Artemio Ricarte
 Katipunan General
 Wanted to be called Philippines as “Rizaline Republic”
Former President Ferdinand Marcos
 Proposed the name “Maharlika”
Study Guides
A. Terms/Concepts to Understand Historical
structuralism Prehistoric archaeology
Primary and secondary sources
Answer:
Primary Source
 Witnessed the event that took place
 Directed written by individuals / original made from someone
 Contemporary accounts
 Recorded as original source (materials that captured the event, photography, video recording etc.)
 Included written records such as narratives, manuscript, public documents, letters, diarries. Fossils ,
artifacts and testimony from living withnesses.
Secondary Source
 Not been part of the event
 Serves as interpretation or readings of primary source
 Usually formed as public works
 Coming from original source
 Can be combination of primary and secondary source

B. Questions to Answer
1. Why did some civilizations fail to survive according to
Arnold Toynbee?
Because of its inabilityto respond to challenges.

2. How do events happen in history according to AlvinScaff?

3. How can historical reality be achieved according toGeorg Hegel?

The combination of Geisteswissenchaften orthe world of Spirit of thoughtand Naturwissenchaften we can achieve the
synthesis or the historical reality.
4. What is the motivation for any human activity accordingto Karl Marx?

5. How can total history be achieved according to FernandBraudel?

To achieve "total history" is tointegrate all aspects of man's past. This involves the study of
history in its total view made possible by examining thecircumstances underlying such political, economic, social,
andcultural events.

6. Explain Renato Constantino's supposition that"Philippine history is a story of struggle."

7. Give the brief history of Philippine archaeology.

8. What made William Henry Scott to conclude thatMaragtas is not a prehispanic document?

Tinamad na ako hanapin sagot sa iba hahahahahahah

CHAPTER 2: GEOGRAPHICAL FOUNDATIONS (Physical Environment)

Geography is the science of the physical nature of the earth that interacts with the inhabitants. It includes land
and sea masses, their size and shape, as well as climate, and many other such as borders, specific landforms and
waterforms.
Topography The study or description of surface features of a place on maps or charts.

The Philippine archipelago is composed of about 7,107 islandsand islets. It has a total land area of
300,000 square kilometers, 92 percent of which is found on the 11 largest islands. The country can be grouped
geographically into the three major islands groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Accounting for 47 percent of
the total land area, Luzon is the largest island group and is situated in the north. It has an area of 141,395 square
kilometers. Mindanao is the second largest group is located in the south and occupies 34 percent of the total
land area. It has an area of 101,999 square kilometers, while the Visayas is a group of smaller islands between
Luzon and Mindanao comprising the remaining 19 percent of land area. It has an area of 56,606 square
kilometers. The northernmost point of the country is Y’ Ami Isle, which is 78 miles from Taiwan. The
southernmost point is Saluag Isle, only 34 miles east of Borneo.

1. LANDFORMS

Among the central plains, Luzon has the longest unbroken ranges in the Philippines

The three large mountain ranges:

 Sierra Madre Range –known as pacific coast, traverse from Baler (Quezon) to Isabel onward to Nueva
Vizcaya and Cagayan.
 Caraballo del Sur– forms the borders of Abra, Ilocos Norte and Cagayan.
 Caraballos Occidentales– is broken into the Cordillera Central and runs through the region west of the
Cagayan River.

Mindanao has four distinct ranges namely:

 Surigao Range flows down to the pacific coast.

 Butuan Range traverse towards the south of the Agusan River as its recipient on the east and Pulangi
River on the west.
 Central Western Rangeit has a 2,954 m that is 9692 ft.Mt. Apo is not only the highest of the central
western range but also the highest point in the Philippines.
 Western Rangestarts from the west of Iligan Bay and it ends in the shore of Basilan Strait.

Large lowland is called Valley of Mindanao. It is situated or found in Southwestern Mindanao.

In Visayas the most prominent mountain range is:

1. Negros range runs from northwest to southeast.

2. Panay range crosses from the north to south isolating Antique from Ilo-Ilo, Capiz and Aklan.

Philippines is one of the countries known for theirvolcanic origin.

Famous Volcanoes in the country:

1. Iraya can be found in Batanes.
2. Pinatubo can be found in Zambales.
3. Taal can be found in Batangas.
4. Bulusan can be found in Sorsogon
5. Kanlaon can be found in Negros.
6. Hibok-hibok can be found in Camiguin
7. Makaturing can be found Lanao
8. Apo can be found in Davao del Sur
9. Mayon can be found in Albay

Most active but eventually losing its world popularity as the most perfect cone-shaped volcano is Mt.
Mayon one of the most violent eruptions is in 1814 where the Cagsawa community is buried under hot Lava and
fire-burning rocks. A living proof of such terrible destruction was the fact that Cagsawa church got buried to the
ground that only its bell tower could be seen.

Taal Volcano, on January 1911 and September 1965 were considered to be the most destructive. Six
barrios were covered by boiling mud with thousands of nearby resident killed or died.
Mt. Pinatubo, a dormant volcano for about 600 years caught another world focus when it erupted, one
on July 12, 1991 and the other one is on June of 1992.

The Central Plain in Luzon traditionally known as the “rice granary” of the Philippines located in south
of Caraballo mountains.
Another broadplain in Northern Luzon is the Cagayan Valley found along the Cagayan River. It is
surrounded by the mountains of Sierra Madre (on east), Cordillera Central (on the west), and the Caraballo
Mountain on the south.

One of the most well known valleys in Southwestern Mindanaois the vast lowland area called Valley of
Mindanao
2. WATERFORMS

A. Rivers
 Rio Grande de Cagayan one of the most notable river system. It is thelongest river in Luzon and the
mightiest watercourse.
 Thelargest river system in the Philippines is found in Mindanao.The central basin of Mindanao is being
drained by Rio Grande de Mindanao(known in its upper course as the Pulangi).
 Second longest river isAgusan with the basin of Surigao as its subsidiary.
 Other important rivers of the Island include Chico River, Abra Grande, Rio Grande de Pampanga, Bicol
and Agno River in Pangasinan.
 St. Paul Underground Riveris located in Palawan. It is popular for being a tourist attraction it is consider
to be the world’s largest known underground river.

B. Lakes
Laguna Bay and Lake Lanaoare the country’s notable lakes. Laguna Bay is the largest lake in the
Philippines while Lake Lanao is the largest deep lake in the country. Other famous lakes: Taal Lake in Batangas,
Lake Naujan in Mindoro, andLake Bito in Leyte.

C. Waterfalls
Most of the country’s waterfalls are not only tourist attraction but also potent sources of hydroelectric
energy.

 Pagsanjan fallsis the most favorite tourist spot visited by both foreigners and local inhabitants.This
islocated or situated in Laguna it is popularly called “shooting rapids” because of the heavy or quick flow
of waters from its top.
 Botocan fallsother waterfalls, the largest waterfall in the country.
 Maria Cristina Fallsis an important source of power found in Lanao del Norte.
 Hinulugang Taktak is situated in Antipolo.
 Tamaraw Falls in OrientalMindoro.
 Darosdos Falls in Samar.

D. Springs
Springs are sources of geothermal power and valuable medicinal watersare the various springs in the
country.These are the most notable springs in the Philippines:

 In Laguna, most popular spring is Los Banos and Pansol

 In Bulacan, most popular spring is Pandi spring and Sibul spring
 Magsingal springin Ilocos
 Tiwi in Albay
E. Bays
Manila Bay is the largest bay in the Philippines and the finest harbor in Asia.

F. Gulfs
Three famous gulfs in the Philippines:
 Lingayen Gulf
 Leyte Gulf
 Davao Gulf

G. Straits
The narrowest strait in the world is San Juanico Strait. It is located between in Samar and Leyte.

H. Deep/Trench
Philippine deep has won recognition as the deepest point in the world with the depth of 37,732 ft.
below the sea level.

Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, and Zamboanga are among the numerous sea ports and busiest in the country. These
contribute greatly to the country’s economy due to theirgood harbors and rich fishing grounds.

3. NATURALRESOURCES
A. Agricultural Resources– the Central Plain of Luzon is trying take a last hold for being the Rice Granary or food
basket of the Philippines. It is still the largest producer of rice, the country’s staple crop. However, the Pinatubo
eruption and the continuous growth of as exploding population offset the total production of rice wills the level
of sufficiency.

Other major forms of production are coconut, tobacco, sugarcane, hemp or abaka, coffee, rubber, pineapple,
cacao, sweet potatoes, cassava and many others.

B. Forest Resources
Mindanao is blessed for having the largest forestry production. Palawan is the most heavily forested
province almost 90% of each area is forested.

B.1 Plants
Flora and fauna varieties of palm, rubber trees, indigenous hardwood trees such as Kamagong tree,
Yakal tree, Apitong tree, Ipil tree and Red Narra.

 Narra is not only the country’snational tree it is known as the world’s best hardwood.
 Abaka or Manila hemp is the most valuable indigenous plant in the Philippines.
 Sampaguita (Queen of flowers) – country’s national flower
 Pungapung – the largest flower in the world and also wild flower that grows in Mindanao
  Rafflesia – stinky flower

Another example of flower is milky white camia, cadena de amor, dama de noche and bougainvillea.

The Philippines is worldly known of being the Land of Flowers.

B.2 Animals
The most useful animal in the Philippines is “carabao”. Carabao is the most reliable and considered as
farmers best friend.

Other important animals are:

 Tamaraw - can be found in Mindoro
 Tarsier (Bohol) - the smallest monkey in the world
 Philippine mouse-deer – smallest deer in the world can be found in Palawan
 Zebronkey – half zebra and half donkey

B.3 Birds
 Katala/ Kalaw – is called the “clock of the mountains” because it makes a loud call every noontime.
 Palawan Peacock – known as the dancing bird
 Timbas – is unique for its scream as it glides into the sky
 Philippine falconet – world’s smallest falcon

B.4 Insect
 Giant Moth – largest Philippine insect with a wingspan of 1 foot.

C. Marine Life

Philippine rivers, seas, lakes are filled with fish, shell, pearl, coral, sea weeds and other marine wealth.

 Bangus – National fish

 Other famous fish is pating bulik(Rhineodon Typus), a huge whale is theworld’s largest fish. it is
estimated 50 ft. or more in length and weighs several tons when fully grown.
 Pandaca Pygmaea or dwarf pygmy the world’s smallest fish its average length is 9.66millimeters that is
0.38 inches smaller than the famous sinarapan or tabyos, the smallest commercial fish.

C.1 Shells and Pearls

 The Philippine Glory of the Sea known as Conus Gloriamaris. The world’s rarest and most expensive shell.
 Tridacna Gigas - world’s largest shell, its length is 1meter and weight 600 pounds
 Pisidum – world’ssmallest shell
 Philippine pearl of Allah – largest pearl with a weight of 14 pounds
D. Mineral Resources

The country’s rich deposits of gold, iron, silver, copper lead, manganese, zinc, salt, chromite, marbleand
coal.
Other minerals found in the country includemercury, limestone, petroleum, nickel, sand, gravel, rock, asphalt,
manganese, and uranium.

E. Scenic/Tourist Spot

The Philippines is one of the world’s most beautiful countriesembellished with scenic and natural
wonders.

 Ifugao Rice Terraces – found in massive mountain slopes of northern Luzon

 Baguio - Summer capital
 Mt. Mayon in Albay – crowning glory of the natural wonders
 Taal Volcano - the smallest, found in the central of the Taal lake
 Mt. Apo – highest mountain
 Mt. Banahaw
 Mt. Makiling – woman lying flat with a long stretch and breast protruding.

CHAPTER 3: HISTORICAL FOUNDATION (Social environment)

Theories of the Philippine Origin

Origin of the Philippines is one of the land masses that capable to changes to places or its surface, its origin
is most explained by other theories of earth’s evolution.

 Land bridge theory – the earth was made up of huge landmasses that connected each piece of land to
one another through land bridges located above big bodies of water. When the earth experienced global
warming, the ice melted and the land bridges were all destroyed. Thus, the broken pieces of landmasses
floated on water and gradually scattered elsewhere.
 Big bang theory –expounded by a Belgian astronomer-priest states that all matters in the universe had
been condensed into one large mass. As a result of the atmospheric changes, a graduated but increasing
gravitational force occurred immediately followed by a massive explosion for within the landmass.
 Biblical Theory – theory states that God created heaven and earth, after which the first man and woman
called Adam and Eve.
  Darwinian Theory – this theory traces man’s origin from apes. For several million of years, the ancestors
of man (Homo erectus) left Africa – cradle of man’s remote past – and scattered throughout the world
crossing the land bridges.
 Continental Drift Theory, Pacific Theory, and Asiatic Theory had slight differences to the above
mentioned theories drawing out similar conclusion on the evolution of the earth as caused by natural
forces.

Prehistoric Ancestral Lineage

Ancestral Lineage likewise made a further branching out leading to new specie called Homo Sapiens,
modern man’s direct ancestors. It is believed that from the sapiens the various racial groups sprang out. The
Filipino ancestry traces its roots to three groups of people: Negritos (commonly called aetas or pygmies),
followed by the two waves of Indonesian migrants and Malay’s being the last.

The Negritos were presumed to have reached the Philippines using land bridges. It is believed that this
group was one of the first primitive nomads, who wandered beyond the far reaches of Asia. They were short
(typically five feet –feet tall), round-headed with kinky hair, small flat nose with thick lips and dark complexion .
Using crude stone tools, they managed to survive through hunting and fishing. The new waves of migrants
eventually pushed them to the hinterlands. The descendants of the Negritos presently live in the mountains and
forest of Bataan, Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan and Pampanga. Other Negritos settlers are Mindoro, Palawan,
Negros, Panay, and some remote places in Mindanao.

Indonesians are the next groups of Ancient Migrants. The first wave came from southeastern Asia. They
were the first people to reach the archipelago by sailboats. Indonesians are tall (the shortest being five feet in
height), slenderin physique, light complexion, thin lips, and high aquiline nose. The second wave of Indonesian
migrants in contrast with the Negritos the two groups of Indonesian migrants has a far advance culture because
they belong to New Stone Age. Their major economic activity was agriculture. Although hunting and fishing were
still employed. They both cooked foods in bamboo tubes. Indonesian built houses made of wooden or bamboo
frame with grass roof. (Nipa Hut)

Malays or brown raise were the last of the original that settled in many islands of archipelago they came
from Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java and Borneo. They board on sailing boat called “Balangay”. The Malays
were of medium height, slim but well built, brown skin and with black hair and dark brown eyes.

When clusters of loosely independent settlements were placed under one leadership, the
Spanishcolonizers began to coin term to identity all the subjugated natives. The term Indiofirst coined by the
Spaniardsreferred to all colonized natives both in the Americas and in the Philippines . The term also referred to
the Christianized natives.

The America natives soon came to be called Creoles. After gaining great political and economic
influences, these minority groups (referring to those born in the Philippines of Spanish or Chinese descent are
called Insulares or Ilustrados.
Presently, the Filipinos divided into many group:

 Visayan – living primarily in the middle section of the Archipelago. They are lighthearted folks.
 Tagalog – living in Central Luzon. They are pragmatic people.
 Ilokanos – The third most important group, live mainly in Cagayan Valley. They frugal and hardworking
people from Northern Luzon.
 Bicolanos – from Southern Luzon, nature lovers.

The two Muslim groups: Moro and Samal are concentrated in the southern portion of the archipelago
particularly in Western Mindanao, the Sulu archipelago, and Southern Palawan Island.

Those Spanish and Chinese descents comprised the chief and non-Malay inhabitants of the country.

RACIAL ORIGINS AND MAJOR GROUPS OF INHABITANTS

In Luzon, there are 28 identified ethnic groups with respective sub-branches. Living on purely highland
areas, they inherited from their ancestors.

 Apayao groups – they are riverine-oriented and practice a slash-and-burn type of cultivation.Kalinga and
Itawit live in peaceful coexistence with the Apayaos.
 Kalingas – in the provinces of Kalinga and Apayao came to be called the “Peacocks of the North”.
Because of their weaknesses on dress and personal ornamentation.
 Ilokanos – live inflat lands.
 Bontocs – live in Cordillera mountain ranges in the upper Chico River. Their culture can easily be
distinguished by the stone-walled rice terracing technology. The distinctive material culture of the group
is the customary use ofpocket hatsamong the males and they preferred to use ax instead of the bolo.
 Ibalois – large group inhabiting the Benguet Province, they are well known for celebrations on numerous
tribal rituals.
 Ga’dangs - inhabiting in the middle of Cagayan Valley, use numerous types of beads made of semi-
precious stones as part of their attire.
 Ifugao ethnic groups–famous in oral literature such as “Hudhud” and “Alim”, experts in wood carving.
 Ivatan/Itbyat – live in Batanes-Babuyan. Their houses are strongly built with thick walls of stones and
mortar. One unique product of their creativity is the “so-ot”, the all-weather hat.
 Sambals – occupy the northwestern flank of Zambales Mountain Ranges as well as the Western tip of
Pangasinan. This Sambal language is closest to a variety of Tagalog vernaculars known as Sinaunang
Tagalog which is spoken in Tanay, Rizal.
 Negrito – various names such as Aeta, Ati, Eta, Ito, Batak, live in small groups. They are the masters of
life in tropical rainforest being most proficient in the use of bow and arrow. They survive the thick
forested areas on High Mountain. They are expert hunters and gatherers. Having knowledge of the
 forested terrain, they are the mostly favored guide regularly hired by the US Army. They teach American
soldier on how to survive in the jungle. Because of Mt. Pinatubo volcanic eruption the Negritos must had
been displaced.
 The Mangyans of Mindoro are made up of several tribes. They are expert weavers particularly of “sturdy
cloth”.

There three major groups in Palawan:

 Bataks – found in several areas of Palawan, are like the Negritos who are small dark and kinky-haired
people. The distinguishing feature of this group is their culture of sleeping in treetops or in hearths to
ward off mosquitoes. Men wear “g-strings” and women wear only “skirts”. They are fond of
ornamentals placed from head to foot.
 Tagbanuas – are straight-haired people, slender in physique with brown skin. Tagbanuas like to wear
attractive colored dresses and ornaments. This group believes in fairies called “diwata” in shaping their
life.
 Palawans - have slight differences in physique with the Tagbanuas. They employ “Kaingin cultivation”.
And use bamboo, saplings, and other longitudinal material in the creation of grids for the field use a
support for vine-like crop plants.

Mindanao has various ethnic groups in both rural and urban areas

Muslim of the South are considered the largest cultural minority. Muslims are still expert political and
economic influences. The distinct Muslim groups in the region form the main bulk of the Tausug, Maranao,
Maguindanao, Samal, Badjao, and Yakan. The non-Muslim tribe such as T’Boli, Tiruray, Bagobo, Subanon,
Bukidnon, Mandaya, and Manobo live on the mountainous areas of Mindanao.

 The Badjaos are known as sea gypsies and called due to similarity of their culture with the boat people
of Borneo. This ethnic group lives in house boats called “iepa” and their culture is closely linked with the
sea.
 The Tausug lives in Jolo, Siasi and Patikul. The name was supposed to mean “people of the current”
although some say these interpretations came from the terms: “tau” which means aperson and “suug” –
the traditional name of Jolo.
 The Maranao people of the Lake Maranao the largest ethnic groups in the country they give their
settlement in the Lake Lanao and economically associated with Market trade,
 One of the most non-Muslim group in the region are the Manobos they are known as the most
numerous of the ethnic group in the Philippines is on the ethnicityto the family of languagesthey are
concentrated on the areas fromSarangani Islands to the Mindanao Mainlandparticularly the province of
Agusan del Sur, Davao, Bukidnon, North and South Cotabato.
 Tasadays is a very small ethnic group is. One of the many Manobos sub group. They are hunters and
gatherers. The live to practice the “earliest primitive culture”.
CHAPTER 4: LIFE OF EARLY FILIPINOS (Pre-colonial Philippines)
1. SOCIO-RELIGIOUS FACETS OF THE ANCIENT FILIPINO SOCIETY

A. Pre-Colonial Setting

 Ancient literature of the land describes how our ancestors live. Ancient poem, epics, and riddles put in
vivid delineation the day-to-day activities of our ancestors and their lighthearted world view as they
struggle for survival.
 Blending fantasy with reality, heroism was seen through fierce battle fought by heroes against the force
of their enemies including the nature of God and Goddesses.
 Moral laws of the society had been ingrained in the minds of the children through songs and folktales.
 The present ethnic group from the remote rural of the Philippines became the most important source of
knowledge of the ancient times.
 Rituals, creed, songs and ancient myths aided the present day urban dwellers and researchers.
 Today’s typical barrio or village gives one a rough picture of Baranganic Community.
 Accounts written by Spanish historians, every barangay was inhabited by an estimate of fifty families.
 Every family was allowed to own as many areas they can cultivate.
 Houses best fitted the tropical climate. Materials used were bamboo for the structure of the house as
well as for the flooring. The sides and roof were covered with palm leaves. (Nipa hut)
 Malay influence is seen in houses built above the ground.
 The lower part of the house is for storage and enclosed by the thin pieces of bamboo. There is also a
detachable bamboo stair to the bamboo door leading to the house. It was usually drawn at night for
protection from bad elements either man or beast.
 The floor is made up pieces of polished bamboo. Nipa palm, kogon or sticks of bamboo were made as
walls of the house. These provide enough air to ventilate the house.
 The inner part is a spacious one big room for all purpose (sleeping, dining and reception quarter).
 Cooking and dishwashing were done in an extended part called “batalan”.
 Cooking utensils: knives, bolo, and wooden ladle
 Clay pots and stove were placed on a built bamboo ledge.
 A native dining table is set for approximately eight to ten persons. It is three feet high with length and
width enough for big family.
 This kind of dining table was very popular among the Tagalogs and came to be known as “dulang”.
 Our ancestors eat with bare hands. After every meal, dulang was placed in the corner of the room.
 The house of those lowland people was uniquely built being on top of the trees. It was Indonesian
influence. It was built for defense against warlike neighboring tribes and also against wild animals.
 Another unique dwelling is those Badjaos of Mindanao. They build their house on boat. They are
considered as the ancient counterpart of today’s Chinese boat people.
 During ancient time, people kept abreast with what was deemed a popular trend. Our ancestors were at
par with other civilized ancient people because they were found by the Spaniards with a distinct mode
of life defined by what was deemed in line with primitive fashion elsewhere.
 Our ancestors are fond of wearing colorful clothes. A colorless jacket with short sleeves called “kanggan”
is the common upper attire of the men. The lower part of their body is covered by a strip of cloth called
“bahag” it is a piece of cloth wrapped around the waist and down area between the legs.
 A headgear called “putong” a piece of cloth wrapped around the head is another indispensable part of
men’s attire.
 The color of kanggan and putong is associated with status symbol. The chief wore the red kanggan while
the rest below his rank wore either blue or black. The red putong signified that the wearer had killed an
enemy at war. Embroidered putting was worn by those who had killed at least seven. The color of the
putong worn by the men was both status symbol and war heroic record.
 The native women’s dress was made up of a semi-loose blouse with sleeves commonly called “baro” or
“camisa”. The skirt is semi-fitted and was called “saya” by the Tagalog and “patadyong” by the Visayans.
A piece of cloth wrapped about the waist called “tapis” had always been part of the women’s attire.
With long hair gracefully knotted at their heads.
 Native women can comfortably do household chores and gather fruits from the deepest forested areas.
 Filipino ancestors were very conscious of their personal hygiene, a quality which has been carried over
to the present generation.
 They frequently bathed in lakes and streams. To soften their hair they used “gogo”, a dried bark sliced
into pieces.
 Aside from knowledge on proper hygiene and carrying one’s self, they also know how to look beautiful.
 Personal adornment was an inseparable pan of grooming for both men and women.
 They wore adornments mostly of solid gold and precious stones heavily trapped from their head to foot.
Among these are kalumbiga (armlets), pendants, bracelets, rings, earrings and leglets.
 To adorn their teeth, they used gold fillings inserted in between each tooth.
 Tattoo is one of the most important part of our ancestor’s personal adornment. It is drawn on the body
and face of both men and women.
 Other purpose of tattoo for men is it shows the heroism they had scored in a battle. Tattoo signified a
man’s war medals acknowledge by all the natives as another status symbol. The more a man covered a
tattoo, the higher he gained respect in the society.
 Filipino ancestors were generally nature lovers.
 Being closed to the nature made them passionately romantic and artistic. Ancient Filipino epic poems as
well as songs on courtship and love signified the romantic fervor of the time.
 Their artistic inclination is evidently seen in the numerous wood crafts of idols and woven pieces of cloth
with bright colors from the people of north and south.
 In contrast to other societies, women were given due respect and recognition.
 The Baranganic community upheld the political and social rights of women never enjoyed by their
contemporaries.
 Given the highest status is Asia, the eldest daughter by birthright can inherit the position of "datu”
 In public, men out of due respect had to walk a little farther behind the women.
 Our ancestors produced many kinds of wine from our trees. Tuba, made from coconut palms, most
popular wine particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao.
 “pongasi” and “tapuy” wine both made from rice.
  “basi” wine that was made from sugarcane.
 Filipinos (past and present) are heavy drinkers.
 Filipino ancestors being expert makers of native wine enjoyed drinking in excess.
 Since wine dissipates body heat, they oftentimes plunge into the river after drinking or in between the
drinking session.
 In spite of being drowned in the spirit of alcohol, native Filipinos never lose their senses. They still
managed to find their way home or far under daylight or darkness of the night.

B. Social Classes
 In the Philippine setting, every community was made up of natives belonging to any of the three social
classes.
 Their way of life was dictated by social stratification and assumed a distinct role I n the society
depending on their position in the social hierarchy.
 “Maharlika” or nobles in English term was the highest than any members in the lower strata. Granted
with more rights. They held social, economic, and political influences. Nobility was acquired through
inheritance out of being a member of datu’s kinship. Even the succession to the position of datu was
chosen in maharlikas.
 “Timawa” a Visaya term for freemen. They had all rights and privileges in the community except that of
political power which was exclusively enjoyed by the noble class. They lived in a comfortable life within
their means given the right to own and cultivate lands. They are required to give a part of their harvest
to the datu as form of tribute.
 “Alipin” a Tagalog term for dependents were the prisoners captured in wars or acquired social position
by virtue of inheritance. Most often, timawa lost his position and was demoted to an alipin because of
nonpayment of debt or punishment for a serious crime.
 Alipin fall on two kinds: first is “aliping namamahay” they’re granted with limited rights. They’re allowed
to build their own house. Their obligation was to render service during planting and harvesting season.
They were also called in the construction of their master’s house and in household chores. Second is
“aliping sagigilid” lived with his master. Totally under the disposition of his master, he was not allowed
to marry without the consent of his master, he was not entitled to own a property.
 The ancestors of the Filipino adhered to the belief that each of the forces of the nature was caused by
their gods.
 The bounties of harvest and even good health were but the workings of their gods as a prize of their
good deed.
 Natural catastrophes were considered as punishment for wrong doings, from this mindset, the natives
had been conditioned to act and react according to what they believed. They performed their respective
roles in the community so as not to offend their gods.
 The datu was duty-bound to be a good ruler to his people.
 The members of maharlika and timawa had to treat well the alipin.
 Social mobility from one class to another was made possible regardless of the rigidity of social
stratification.
 Lost of one’s status was primarily caused by a wrong deed done to a fellow native.
  The natives soon developed the idea of a free life. Related to the concept of freedom id the idea of
restricted liberalism. Anyone was given the chance to raise his position in the social ladder.
 “Intermarriages” meant that a noble could marry a freeman and a freeman to a dependent and vice
versa.

C. Family
 It assumes a very important in the process of socialization and moral formation.
 The character and outlook of an individual are molded first in the family.
 Being the simplest social unit and correspondingly has been translated into a bigger social group
called the “community”.
 Ancient family being patriarchal in nature highlighted the father as a figure head. He took the charge
of the family sustenance and his word was the law of the house to be obeyed by all members.
 Deeply implanted in the primitive society, the members of the family normally stayed intact and
worked together
 The wife along with other children helped the father in the clearing of the land, planting, and
harvesting. Older son usually stays longer with their father in the field and most often do heavy
household chores such as drawing water from streams or springs and gathering woods from cooking
purposes.
 Older daughters helped the mother do household chores and in cloth weaving.
 Additional members outside from the immediate household lived together in one big house. This
came to be called an extended family composed of father, mother, children and the others who
were either grandparents, single uncles and aunts or relatives up to third degree.
 Ancient Filipino was significantly matriarchal. The mother most of the time exerted great influence
in managing almost all affairs of the house. Mandated by the social norms, they were given the right
to give names to their offspring as both a privilege and a prerogative.
 Daughters had equal rights with their brothers in the inheritance of properties.
 Marital relationship was strong and binding promiscuous native men secretly indulged in affairs with
another woman.
 Among Tagalogs, the term “asawa” referred to the legitimate wife while “ka-i-bi-gan” to the other
woman.
 Community had strict rules on property inheritances by claimants. Legitimate child (referring to the
children of the wife) were the legal heirs.

D. Education
 Education by then was informal and an all free time activity.
 Native mother taught their daughters on household chores and how to weave.
 Fathers took charge of teaching their sons to hunt in thickly forested areas and also to catch fish.
 All males were duty bound to defend and protect their community can hostile tribes. Part of the training
was that on the excellent acquisition of the hunting and fishing skills. To get a good catch was the
primary objective so as to develop speed and accuracy. Test of strength and endurance was undertaken
through running, swimming and mountain or tree climbing races.
  Role of the elders is the moral upbringing of the children. They were vivid storytellers of various myths
and other oral literatures of the tribe.
 Tribal rituals led by the priest and priestess and jointly participated by both young and adults assumed
another form of education.

E. Marriage Customs
 The natives of Luzon had marriage customs that underwent several stages.
 First, the young man had to undergo a pre courtship stage called “pamamalae”. Under this stage, the
man had to prove his sincerity and also of being a responsible husband. He was compelled to render two
obligations namely: servitude and dowry.
 Courtship stage. Parents of both sides are down to discuss other conditions to be met. To please the
parent of the bride, there were several gifts that had to be offered by the groom’s parent.
 “Bigay kaya” dowry in the form of land, gold or even dependents.
 “Himaraw” parents of the groom dole out an amount of money as payment for the expenses incurred in
feeding the future bride during her infancy.
 “Panghihimuyat” certain money given by the parents of the groom. It is the payment for taking care of
the girl since childhood.
 “Bigay suso” girl’s wet nurse gift. This is for having breast fed her during her infancy.
 Marriage ceremony. The most exciting stage with its observance varying from one tribe to another and
from among the social classes.
 Before and after the rituals, the father of the groom hat to be well-prepared with another set of gifts in
case the bride showed signs of shyness and aloofness.

F. Mourning Customs
 Filipino ancestors believed that when a man dies, his soul leaves his body and undergoes a long journey
to another world.
 They also considered the spirits of the dead are now members of their big constellations of their gods
and goddesses and deities.
 Native Filipinos have various forms of rituals to honor their dead.
 In Negritos, ashes were thrown around the bed of a dying man. The belief that once he leaves his body,
footprints marked on the ashes belonged to the dead man on set for the north to bury their dead along
with his clothes and other valuable personal belongings.
 Early Filipinos had developed the art of embalming. They used herbs to keep the body from total decay
and perfumed it with oil made from fragrant leaves and flowers.
 Some buried their dead under or near the house, in a cave, in the forest or at a certain elevated land
facing the sea.
 The mourning for men called “maglahe”, for women – “moratal”, and for the datu – “laraw”.
 In some tribes, the mourners wore white shirts or skirts while people in other group wore rattan bands
around their arms, legs, and necks.
 Formal ceremony was held for a dead chief.
  “Pasiyam” celebration held for nine days and attended by the immediate relatives as well as almost all
of the neighborhood im the community.
 “Tibawan” play in honor of the dead. This said play was the origin of the literature such as karagatan,
duplo and karilyo by the Spanish period.

G. Religious beliefs
 Our ancestor’s sense of spiritually had been evidently manifested in their worship of numerous gods
and goddesses, deities and soul spirit.
 Bathalang Maykapal - the supreme god believed to be the creator of earth and man.
 Idiyanale – god of agriculture
 Lalahon – goddess of harvest
 Balanghaw – god of rainbow
 Diyan Masalanta – god of love
 Sidapa – god of death
 Mandarangan – war god
 Sisiburanin – goddess of the underworld
 Agni – god of fire
 Barangao – god of rainbow
 Siginarugan – god of hell
 Ancient Filipino ancestors recognized the existence of soul spirits, a counterpart of the modern day
saints.
 Anitos – Tagalog term; soul spirits
 Diwata – Visayan term for soul spirits; the one who controlled their lives.
 Animism – the worship of nature. The sun, moon, bodies of water, animals, mountains and trees were
considered sacred and believed to have great powers to destroy or preserve.
 Misfortune, natural calamities, sickness or even death were treated as punishments to them.
 In fruit gathering or forested areas, they made it appoint to ask permission first from the nature gods.
 Before planting, they pray to their god of harvests for bountiful graces.
 In course of fighting with other tribes, rituals were performed to seek the intervention of the god of war
for their warrior’s victory.
 Some tribes captured natives from another tribe and offered them as human sacrifices.

H. Superstitious Beliefs and Auguries

 Our forefathers adhered to supernatural beliefs such as superstitions, auguries and charms. They were
very keen to natural signs and interpreted this either as good or bad luck.
 Old folks warmed marrying someone with a mole near the eye. It was believed that a woman or man
bears a mole exactly where tears flow will become a widow/widower in the near future.
 Mother usually forbid their daughter to sing in front of a stove out of fear that she will an old man.
 For newlywed couple, a son for a first born child is a sign of luck.
  Disabled child was believed to bring fortunes in the family.
 Twins was believed to bring prosperity in the family in the near future.
 Sickness, ill fortune and death were gauged through the howling of a dog and carrying of a crow in the
middle of the night. This corresponded to a black butterfly resting inside the house.
 A bird called “salaksak” is a sign for warriors on their way to the battlefield grew confident feeling
victory at hand.
 When a cat continuously rubs its face or a lizard is making an unbroken sound, it meant the coming of an
unexpected visitor.
 House cleaning at night is strictly prohibited because this meant throwing away good luck.
 Our ancestors believed on the existence of aswang, tikbalang, mangkukulam, tianak, and manananggal.
 Aswang is a counterpart of the European “poltergeist”, was a being who has a power to transform itself
into a dog, pig, horse, carabao, or any kind of animals using sick people or pregnant women as their
prey.
 Tikbalang could take any form of disguise to frighten passersby.
 Mangkukulam had the magic power to inflict or harm anyone.
 Tianak was blood sucker of newly born babies.
 Charms were believed to be a supernatural

2. ANCIENT POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SETTING

A. Political System
A.1 Early Laws
 Ethnic group’s rituals bespeak of the political culture that prevailed during the remote past.
 Some of them mention sets of codified laws such as the “Maragtas and Kalantiyaw Code”
 The first organized political community was believed to have been established in the Malay settlement
of Panay.
 Ten Bornean datu left Borneo to escape from the despotic rule of Datu Makatunaw: Puti, Bangkaya,
Dumalugdog, Sumakwel, Lubay, Paiburong, Dumangsil, Balensula, Paduhing and Dumangsol. They are
clusters of Malay that had successfully established throughout the archipelago.
 The Confederation of Madyaas was built in Panay by Datu Sumakwel. The first political confederation
aimed to extend assistance to its members in terms of protection from hostile non-Malay groups.
 Sumakwel Code – set of rules that guided the “The Confederation of Madyaas”. The said code was
overshadowed in obscurity and its existence was only kept alive through legendary tales.
 Kalantiyaw Code – it was believed to have been introduced in 1453. The promulgator of the code is
Datu Kalantiyaw, the third chief of Panay and a descendant of Datu Sumakwel. It was presumed that the
Kalantiyaw Code was a revised or modified form of the former code.
 It is from the confederation that the settlements were eventually transformed into a new political
organization known as “barangay”.

A.2 Unit of Government

  The unit of government during the time of our forefathers was called “barangay” derived from the
Tagalog word Balangay meaning “sailboat”.
 Each barangay which consisted of 50 – 100 families was established near a river or a sea.
 The leader called “datu” had immense political power to rule and govern his subjects. He is the chief
executor, legislator and judge. All his subjects were bound to obey him and mandated to pay an
attribute or buwis.
 With various confederations that sprang out, the desire for power and expansion became the primary
cause of wars. In preparation for an attack, all male members of the community from adolescence to
manhood were given rigid military training.
 The family and relatives of datu were exempted from the payment of tributes and service rendering
 Baranganic clashes were unavoidable. Wars between barangays were caused by atrocities such as
maltreatment, insult, murder and woman kidnapping. To protect the barangay, these communities
joined another much stronger confederation for mutual defense and trade partnership.

A.3 Laws
 Although the datu had an absolute authority to rule, he sought the assistance of the council of
elders on matters pertaining to community affairs.
 They helped the datu on settlement of disputes within the community and neighboring barangays.
 Once a new law had been made, it was immediately announced by a town crier called
“umalohokan”.
 The first written laws relied upon by the scholars of the present time were drawn out from oral
literatures attested by elders from various existing ethnic groups in the country.
 “Maragtas Code” other written law formulated by the Muslims. Considered major crimes were rape,
incest, murder, witchcraft, insult, trespassing, sacrilegious acts, and larceny. Minor crimes are
adultery, cheating, petty, theft, perjury, singing aloud at night and destroying documents owned.

A.4 Trial by Ordeal

 Our forefather’s full reliance on providential guidance went to a greater extent of using signs from
Bathala as gauge to determine the guilt of a person accused of a certain crime.
 It was just by then considered fair and just out of the belief that god was the best judge of human
atrocities.
 Our ancestor’s judicial process was called “trial by ordeal” went in similar pattern to those practiced in
other ancient lands such as Egypt, Babylon, and Greece.
 There were various ways adopted by the Filipino ancestors to identify the real culprit. First, was the
boiling water test. The suspects were asked to dip their hands into a big clay kettle filed with boiling
water to take out a stone. Anyone from the suspects who refused to do so was pronounced guilty.
 The candle test was a matter of luck for anyone. The culprit was easily identified when the candle of
anyone from the accused died out first.
 The water diving test compelled the accused men under trial to dive into the water for as long as they
could hold on to their breath.
  Other form of trial by ordeal: race test, mountain climbing test, and duel fight test, the lower – the
perpetuator.
 The kind of punishment imposed was based on the nature of the crime committed. Major crimes
punished by death. Minor crimes were exposed to the ants, exacted with fire, flogged or finger cut.

B. Economic Activities
 In the land called today Philippines, the early migrants took the necessary measures to survive using
instinct, creativity, and ingenuity.
 Our hunting and fishing ancestors shifted to agriculture that went side by side with the domestication of
animals
 Waves of other settlers and traders came into our land, the simple day-to-day means of survival of our
ancestors was enriched with added technological know-how.
 Nomadic life ended and a new economic order was set into pace.
 Our ancestors had much freedom and opportunity to own as many lands as he could cultivate. The only
condition set for him was to give the datu a share of his harvest.
 Blessed with fertility of soil, various crops were planted that went beyond sufficiency level. Rice, sugar
cane, coconuts, cotton, hemp and many species of fruits and vegetables were produced for local
consumption and also for primary trade goods.
 Early Filipinos mined gold deposits in great quantity. Its abundance was evidently manifested in the use
of the said mineral as part of the ancient personal adornment.
 Aside from using the rich forest resources for house building, lumbering was one of the important trade
goods of our ancestors.
 Our ancestors used fishing nets, bows and arrows, fishing spears, and other primitive tools to exploit
water resources.
 Pearl diving thrive in Sulu, the richest pearl bed in the archipelago. This made Mindanaons world famous
as excellent sea divers ever since.
 Barter trade was employed. Barter, the exchange of one good to another. The archipelago became one
of the centers of Asian trade when merchants from neighboring lands beyond the seas came to
exchange their goods with those of our natives.
 Ancient pottery made of clay had been one of the trade products greatly demanded inside and outside
of the archipelago.

Trade Partners
A. Inter-baranganic Relations
- Trade was the lifeblood of our forefathers.
- Inter-baranganic alliances were not only based on friendship but also on trade partnership.
- Sanduguan- a symbolic treaty of blood compact between the contracting parties. Both parties drew
blood from their arms and mixed it with wine. They drank in the same cup as a sign of being “blood
brothers”
B. Orang Dampuans
- Trade was carried out with the neighboring barangays, as well as other groups of people across the
seas.
- “Orang Dampuans” or “Men from Champa”- group of immigrants from Southern Annam, first known
trade partner of our ancestors, between 900 and 1200 A.D.
- Established trading posts in Sulu. When their settlements began to prosper, the “Buranuns,” natives
of Sulu grew unfriendly. Feared of being overpowered, the Buranuns attacked the migrant
settlements and massacred the Orang Dampuans.
- The Orang Dampuans burned the native’s villages in revenge, then sailed back to their native land.
- They returned to Sulu in the 13th Century.
C. Men of Banjars
- Came from two of the important sub-states of the Shri-Vijaya Empire, Banjarmasin and Brunei.
- They entered into trade agreements with the Buranuns and eventually became friends
- Banjars succeeded to win the hearts of the natives through gift giving.
- The best gift offered to the Buranuns was their beautiful princess as wife to the datu of Sulu.
- They succeeded to acquire not only economic dominance but political as well.
- It was during the supremacy of the Banjars that Sulu became an important trading center in the
region.
D. Sri-Vijaya
- The greatest maritime empire in the vast area of ancient land today known as Southeast Asia was
the Sri Vijaya Empire (Mahayana Tantric Buddhist kingdom).
- Arose from the city of Palembang located at the south-eastern coast of Sumatra in the beginning of
the 7th century
- Grew in military strength and extended over the entire Malay Peninsula.
- The commercial influence of the empire reached the Philippines.
- Under the Sri Vijayas, Sulu was a prosperous trading center in the region. Maritime trading activities
fell under the control of the empire for more than 500 years.
- Sri Vijayas succeeded to monopolize the trade centers in China and India, leading to direct contact
between the Filipino ancestors and the ancient Chinese and Indians traders
- The empire gradually crumbled when the Cholas from India attacked one after another the Shri
Vijaya headquarters
- In early 10th century, the empire collapsed following the rise of new powerful Southeast Asian
neighbor.
E. Majapahit Empire
 - The greatest Javanese empire ever built in the ancient history of today’s Southeast Asian regions.
- Founded in 1293 by Raden Vijaya (reigned 1293-1309), a ruler of Java. He repulsed the forces of the
invading Mongols.
- The Majapahits came from southeast of Singosari (now Java).
- The empire reached its zenith power under Hayam Wuruk (reigned 1350-1359).
- Like the Sri-Vijaya Empire, it was Hindu Indian in culture. The difference lay in its adherence to
Brahmanism.
- In the Philippines, the empire’s political and economic influence reached as far north of the Manila
Bay region.
- Through the chief minister, Gajah Mada, the empire covered much of Indonesia and some parts of
Malaya. When Mada died, the empire soon weakened control over its territories.
- By the early 16th century, the Muslim-converted merchant princes from north Java successfully
monopolized the trade between Malacca and the eastern archipelago. They turned to the
Majapahits which lead to the Majapahit empire’s total disintegration.
F. Arab Traders
- In late 13th century, the Arab Muslims emerged as the most powerful trade partners of the Malay
states and neighboring island groups that extended to Southeast Asia.
- They were also missionaries of the Islamic faith.
- The Sultanate of Malacca was the 1 st Muslim political unit in the Malay Archipelago. Commercially, it
became the major emporium on the trade route between Moluccas (or Spice Islands) and the West.
Religiously, it became a major diffusion center for Islam.
- Mudum- and Arab scholar who succeeded to establish a strong foundation of Islam in Malaysia in
middle of the 14th century.
- From Malaysia, Mudum proceeded to Sulu at about 1380 to spread the Islamic faith.
- In 1390, Raja Baginda, one of the petty rulers of Menangbakaw, Sumatra arrived in Sulu and carried
on the native conversion to Islam.
- At 1450, Abu Bakr left Palembang for Sulu. He married Paramisuli, the daughter of Raja Baginda.
- Abu Bakr took over when Raja Baginda died and patterned his government after that of the
Caliphate of Arabia.
- With full conversion to Islam, Sulu became the first Sultanate. Sulu became the main base for the
spread of Islam to other areas of the region.
- The conversion of the whole Mindanao as an Islamic region was attributed to Serif Kabungsuan, a
native of Johore. He was also credited as the first sultan of Mindanao.
- Islam spread rapidly from Mindanao to Visayas and Luzon, making the archipelago, once upon a
time, a Muslim land, until the Spaniards came during the second half of the 16 th century. Spanish
conquerors’ propagation of Christianity drove by force the Muslims back to the south.
Early Relations with India
- The trade relations of the Filipino ancestors and the Arab Muslims was that with the Hindus, the
major populace of India.
- Toward the 2nd century A.D., commercial and political expansion was undertaken by India through
the efforts of the Pallava Kingdom. It succeeded to build Indian Colonies that served as trading posts
and seats of Hindu civilization.
- The Pallava Kingdom eventually disintegrated due to attacks from warlike Indian tribes. The civil
strife further drove the Hindus to leave India. They outpoured in many Southeast Asian lands and
intermarried with the natives who gradually adopted Hindu names, culture, ways of life.
- In the Philippines, Hindu influenced various fields of art works, mode of dressing, and vernaculars.