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The Geological Foundation and The Beginnings of The Filipino Society and Culture During The Pre-Spanish Period in The Philippines
The Geological Foundation and The Beginnings of The Filipino Society and Culture During The Pre-Spanish Period in The Philippines
3.7
4. Mesozoic Period
5. Cenozoic Period
2. Although the Formosan “bridge” was totally lost about the middle
of the Tertiary, the southern links of the archipelago with other
areas remained. These links were neither continuous nor direct
stretches of land ;at most, they were a series of isthmuses, cut
through by shallow waters.The western connection, particularly
the one which linked Palwana to Borneo become dry land during
the Pleistocene which followed the Pliocene period. The eastern
connection which linked eastern Mindanao to northern Celebes
and New Guinea remained as series of islet.
This type was similar to the Java Man, Peking Man, and other
Asian homo sapiens of 250,000 years ago. Beyer called the first
Filipino the “ Dawn Man,” for he appeared at the dawn time. It is
claimed that he reached the Philippines through land bridges.
2) Negritos Group
3.1 Indonesian” A” was tall and slender with light complexion, thin
lips and high aquiline nose
3.2 Indonesian “B” was shorter, with bulky body, dark complexion,
thick lips, and large nose.
4. Malay Group
(2) The empirical archeological data for this theory was based
on surface finds and mere conjecture, with a lot of
imagination and unproven data included. For example,
there is no relic of the so-called “ Dawn Man,” so how could
have existed? Beyer differentiates two types of Indonesian
immigrants, describing them in vivid details as to include
fair complexion, thin lips, aquiline, nose, etc. Again, there
are no skeletal remains to prove this theory, and even if
there were, the “ thinness of lips” can never be determined.
Beyer also postulated that about 12 percent of the
contemporary 20th century Filipinos descended from the
Indonesian “ A” group and 3 percent from the “ B” group.
(5) Finally, the migration theory does not agree with the real
character of Filipinos, who are adaptive and highly creative
people, because it suggests that we were only passive
receptors of outside cultures. The migration theory shows a
people whose total culture seems to have been “ imported”
from outside, and each group maintained a more or less
distinct personality form the other groups. The truth is that,
although there are variations due to the islands’
geography, ancient peoples in the Philippines held many
things in common and inter-acted dynamically.
This period was beginning of the general levelling off of local and
regional socio-cultural differences and an uneven breakdown of
isolation the throughout the archipelago. The widespread distribution
of similarity fashioned tools and other cultural artifacts throughout
the archipelago attests to this qualitatively distinct configuration of
culture.There were two important technological traditions:
3.2 The major impetus for this dramatic event was the
development of a relatively efficient maritime transportation.
Traders from other parts of Asia like India and the MIddle
East came to do business with local entrepreneurs.In turn,
local merchants followed the maritime trade routes of these
foreigners. This led to the intensification of inter-island
contacts and commerce.The result of thses series of events
was the transformation of small villages of slash-and-burn
agriculturists into commercial centers with big population of
traders,
The emergent period also identified the contacts with other Asians
and other neighboring groups particularly the Indian-Indonesian
Contacts ,Chinese and Arab Traders.It must be noted that the contact
of the Asian neighbors were concentrated on commerce and trade that
eventually influence the development of culture in the early
communities in the Philippines.
There were two powerful empires that dominated the commercial and
political power in Indonesia:
B. Chinese Traders
2.5It was during the Sung period that big jars were brought
into the Philippines. These jars were later used as burial
coffins and part of the paraphernalia used during
magico-religious ceremonies, apractice which continues
to be dominant among the contemporary mountain
peoples in different parts of the country.
3. With the donwfall of the Sung emperors, the Yuan leaders took
over the dynastic control. It was a short-lived rule, however,
lasting only 86 years. During this time, Yuan potter exported a
tremendous number of porcelain wares.
The young and the old ordinarily bathe their entire bodies in the
rivers and streams without regard to whether their may be injurious to
their health, because they found it to be one of the best remedies to be
healthy. When a child is born, they immediately bathe it and likewise
the mother. Rizal provided an interesting insight about this that the
Spaniards think so but they were mistaken. The Indios are very careful
not to take a bath during siesta, after luncheon, the first two days of a
catarrh, when they have herpes, some women during menstruation, etc.
Fr. Chirino says : “ They take bath with the body bent and almost
seated for modestly immersed in the water until the throat, with the
greatest care not to be seen, though there may not be anybody who can
see them. The most common and most general bathing-hour is sunset
after the days work and to carry water home. After a funeral they
bathe.” This hygienic custom of the inhabitants of the tropics has been
preserved in Japan, like many other things that prove the southern
origin of some of her inhabitants.
3. Clothing
The dress which natives of Luzon wore before the advent of the
Spaniards in the land, consisted of the following:
5. Local Wine
They drink that which dripped out of the tender flowers of the
coconut -trees and the nipa-palms which were abundant and which
were raised like vineyard-grapes although with less care and difficulty.
Upon taking the tuba’ juice from the palms, they distilled the same in
their container, stoves and other utensils, and when it was fermented
it becomes strong or light which is drunk throughout the Islands. It
became a clear fluid like water but very strong and dry. When used
moderately, it was medicinal for the stomach and good for phlegms and
other kinds of rheums. When mixed with Spanish wine, it becomes a
pleasant liquor which is tasteful and wholesome.
The natives drink liquor in the day and night without end in their
meetings, weddings, feasts and circles, accompanied by singing by a
few who were so inclined and who come to drink and have a good time,
although this habit does not carry with it, according to their estimation,
any dishonor or infamy. Rizal ( Chapter 8:.248)commented that
drunkenness, however, was not dangerous for Colin says: “ But rarely
do they become furious or wild; rather, after drinking, they preserve
proper respect and circumspection. They only become more gay and
talkative and say some amusing things. But it is known that none of
them after leaving a banquet, even at a late hour of the night, fail to
reach their home. And if they offer buy and sell, and touch and weigh
gild or silver, they do it with so much circumspection that neither does
their hand tremble nor do they make a mistake’ ( Book I,61)
In the river and streams inland they used one-mast large canoes
or bancas made of boards attached to the keels. There were also
viceroy type and the barangay craft which were straight and light craft,
with low body held together with wooden tress-nails, as strong in the
prow as in the stern, accommodating many rowers on both sides, which
craft, likewise, had paddles who propelled the same in unison, thanks
to the chanting of their singers of natives heroes and their deeds, in
their native tongue, for the purpose of quickening or slowing down the
rowing of the vessel. Above the rowers’ seat, there was a passage-deck
made of bamboo where as many fighting-men as the size of the craft
requires, pass to and fro, without disturbing the rowers’ post. From
there was handled the sail which was square and of canvas through a
lift made of two thick bamboos, which serves as mast, and when the
vessel was large, it also had a foremast of the same kind with their
pulleys to lower the sail when the wind was adverse, also its
helmsman at the stern to steer the vessel.
7. Fruit Trees
In the rivers and streams there are very large and small
scorpions and great number of very fierce and small scorpions
and a great number of very fierce and cruel crocodiles which
frequently get the natives from their bancas on which they ride.
They work a great havoc on the cattle and horses in the
ranches when they go to the river to drink water. However, the
people may trap, catch and kill them, these reptiles hardly
diminish in number.
1. The natives have one wife each with whom a man may wed
and she is called the Inasawa but behind here are other women as
friends. The children of the first wife were held to be the legitimate ones
and full heirs of their parents, but the children of the other women were
not so considered, but some provision was usually made for them, but
they never inherited.
2. The groom was the one who contributed a dowry, given by his
parents, while the bride did not bring anything to the marriage
community until she inherited in hr own right from her parents.
In the event that any native having female slaves, should have
had intercourse with any of them and come to have children as a result
thereof, her child as well as herself became free thereby, but if she
failed to have any, she remained a slave.
The children of slave-mothers and those females slaves, should
have had another man’s wife, were considered children of ill-repute,
and they did not succeed like the legitimate heirs to the estate, neither
were their parents bound to bequeath any property to them; and even if
they were children of dignity or nobility or to the privileges of their
fathers, and only remained in their station and were considered
ordinary timawa-plebeians like the rest of them.
On the other hand most of the foreign trade was carried out with
neighboring countries. From the Asia mainland, Chinese merchants
who brought into porcelain, mirrors, jade, and other materials
dominated the commerce. In return, they acquired Filipino goods
ranging from almaciga gums, honey and fowls to gold and so forth.
1. Agriculture
3. Jar Industry
D.Religion
The early Tagalogs also believed in life after death. In fact, belief
in transmigration of the soul was one of the chief reasons why
sacrifices were offered and rituals were performed during interment.
The early belongings of the deceased were buried with him because it
was believed that the spirits of the said person would need these
things during his journey to the other world. In some groups, the
favorite alipin were said to be buried with their masters, and in others,
the dead man’s wife or captured enemies.
The term social class may not be the right term, by present
standards, to describe the social stratifications system of pre-colonial
Filipino community organization. Some writers argue that there were
the datu group ( or principales) and the commoners.. However, the
chroniclers such as Loarca noted that and characterized four
subgroupings based on wealth, “ political” influence , and social
privileges enjoyed. These were: (1) the datu class or chiefly group;(2)
the maharlika or the free men; (3) the timagua or the common class;
and (4) the alipin ( also known as ayuey) or the dependent class.
( Jocano:176)
The datu class was looked upon by the people for leadership in
economic, military, social, and religious activities. The headman of this
group acted as the leader of the community . He represented the group
in dealing with outsiders and in making important decisions. He
worked for the general welfare of the community and participated in
almost all of its activities. For example, he acted as go-between in the
marriage preparations of the maharlika, attended funeral rites, and
performed other social and religious functions. He was both a paternal
protector and a political leader. This affinity with the people may be
best be appreciated if is recalled that most of the chiefs and leaders ‘
ruled” over but few families, sometimes as many hundred houses, at
other times even less than thirty. Nevertheless , the relationship
between the people and their leader was characterized by reciprocal
rights and obligations, with authoritarian responsibility and power to
impose accepted rules of conduct in the community ( Jocano: 176-177)
Their duty was to govern and rule their subjects and henchmen,
and attend to their needs. In exchange for this, they received the
peoples’ respect and esteem, together with their support and help in
their wars, expeditions, general work in farming, fishing, building
houses and structures whenever they should be called upon to perform
the same by their principals, upon which they would respond with
punctuality. They also paid their tribute with the fruits of their toil
which they called buis, some paying more than others.
Their laws along similar lines following the tradition and customs
of their ancients in accordance with the unwritten statutes. In some
provinces, there were different customs in certain things, although
generally speaking, they had uniform usages and procedure throughout
the islands. Rizal ( Chapter 8, p. 278-279) explained “which is no way
affected the peace of the people because many times a custom has
more force than a written or printed law, especially when the written
laws are a dead letter to those who know how to evade them or who
abuse of their high position. The force of law is not that it is written on a
piece of paper but if it is engraved in the memory of those for whom it is
made, if they know it since their tender age, if it is in harmony with
their customs and above all if it has stability. The Indio, since childhood
learned by heart the tradition of his people, live and was nourished in
the atmosphere of his customs and however imperfect those laws might
be, he at least knew them, and not as it happens today that wise laws
are written, but the people neither know nor understand them, and
many times they are changed or become extinct at the whim of persons
entirely alien to them…This agreement of the laws at bottom and this
general uniformity prove that the relations of the islands among
themselves were very strong and the bonds of friendship were common
than wars and differences. Perhaps a confederation existed…”
2. Maharlika
Notes
1
Jocano, F. Landa . Philippine Prehistory: An Anthropological Overview
of the Beginnings of Filipino Society and Culture. Philippine
Center for Advanced Studies. University of the Philippines
System. Diliman Quezon City. 1975
2
Ibid.,p. 22
3
Jagor, Travels in the Philippines.1873( A Reprint).Manila: Filipinia
Book Guild, p.1965. For Translation, Antonio de Morga, “
Successos de las Islas Filipinas” in Blair and Robertson, The
Philippine Islands.1903. Vol.XVI,p 104.
4
Solhelm. W.G. II, “ Potsherds and Potholes: Philippines Archaeology in
1974”Asia Perspective. Vol
XII ( 1969), pp. 97-104
5
Ibid.,p.24
6
Ibid., pp. 25-27
7
Zaide, Sonia M. The Philippines: A Unique Nation: With Dr.
Gregorio Zaide History of the Republic of the Philippines. All
Nations Publishing Co. Inc. 1994,p.32
8
Hartendorp. A.V.H. The Contributions of the Foreign Communities
to Philippine. Culture through the Beyer Table of Philippine
Racial Ancestry. 1942
9
Loc. cit.,pp.32-35
10
Jocano, op.cit. p. 70
11
Ibid., pp 53-70
12
Ibid., pp 73-160
13
Rasul, Jainal D. Muslim- Christian land: Ours to Share.Alemar-
Phoenix Publishing House. 1979. pp 70-17
14
Taken from the publications of the National Historical Institute
(1990), Writings of Josel Rizal, Volume VI on the Historical
Events of the Philippine Islands by Dr. Antonio De Morga
published in Mexico in 1609 recently brought to light and
annotated by Jose Rizal.
15
Jocano,op. cit., pp160-161
16
Rizal, loc.cit. chapter 8,p.244
17
Based on the annotated work of Rizal in Chapter 8 on the
Historical Events of the Philippines Islands by Antonio De
Morga .1609
18
Plasencia, Juan de” Custom of the Tagalogs” in Blair and
Robertson. Philippine Islands, pp.185-189
19
Jocano op.cit, pp 176-179