Juan de Plasencia " Custom of the Tagalogs "

1. 1. Las Costumbres de los Indios Tagalos de Filipinas Juan de Plasencia: John Rey D.
Ravago BSED 1- Science A
2. 2. Background of the Author
3. 3. ✣ Born to the illustrious family of Portocarreros in Plasensia in the region of Extremadura,
Spain in the early 16th century. He was one of the seven children of Pedro Portocarrero, a
captain of a Spanish schooner. ✣ 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,
among them his native Extremadura. ✣ Fray Joan de Puerto Carrero, del convento de
Villanueva de la Serena. Was his real name.
4. 4. ARRIVAL IN THE PHILIPPINES ✣ Fray Juan de Plasencia came together with the first
batch of Franciscan missionaries in the Philippines. ✣ Arrived at a port in Cavite, a few
kilometers south of Manila on the 2nd of July 1578. 4
5. 5. Purpose: Relacion de las Costumbres and Instruccion ✣ To put an end to some injustices
being committed against the natives by certain government officials. 5
6. 6. “The chronicler, Francis enemies, and so I can hardly express the sadness I feel any time
the news of such incidents reach my ears or I myself am involved; however, if one is to
choose between enmity and friendship and between peace and war, I believe enmity is to be
preferred. For considering the kind of persons most of the alcaldes mayores are nowadays,
nothing indicates that friendship with them will help the missions in any way. On the contrary,
it will destroy them. Because, as I have observed, you can hardly find one that is not blinded
and moved by greediness, thus destroying his own soul as well as the lives and possessions
of the poor Indians.” 6
7. 7. References ✣ OFM ARCHIVES – PHILIPPINES by: Fr. Jose "Long" D. Gutay, OFM
(http://ofmphilarchives.tripod.com/id8.html) ✣ The Philippine Islands, 1493–1898 Volume VII,
1588–1591 (Edited and annotated by Emma Helen Blair and James Alexander Robertson
with historical introduction and additional notes by Edward Gaylord Bourne) 7
8. 8. Historical Background of the Document
9. 9. Chieftain (Datu) Nobles (Maharlika) Commoners (Aliping Namamahay) Slaves (Aliping
Saguiguilir) Social Classes
10. 10. datu  chief, captain of wars, whom governed, obeyed and reverenced. 10
11. 11. Nobles or maharlika  Free-born, they do not pay taxes. 11
12. 12. Commoners or aliping namamahay  They live in their own houses and lords of their
property and gold. 12
13. 13. Slaves or aliping sa guiguilir  They serve their master in his house and his cultivated
lands and can be sold. 13
14. 14. houses ✣ Made of wood, bamboo, and nipa palm. 14
15. 15. Mode of Dressing Male  Headgear is called Putong (symbolizes the number of persons
the wearer had killed)  (Upper) a jacket with short sleeves called kanggan.  (Lower)
bahag 15
16. 16. Mode of Dressing Female  (Upper) Baro or Camisa  (Lower) Saya 16
17. 17. Ornaments ✣ A decorative object or detail that adds quality or distinction to a person,
place or thing. 17
18. 18. Government ✣ The unit of government is called Barangay ruled by a chieftain, and
consist of 30 to 100 families together with their relatives and slaves. 18
19. 19. Administration of Justice ✣ The chieftain’s executive function includes implementing
laws, ensuring order and giving protection to his subject. ✣ Disputes between individuals
were settled by a court made up of the chieftain and council of elders. 19
20. 20. Inheritance ✣ The 1st son of the barangay chieftain inherits his father’s position; if the
1st son dies, the 2nd son succeeds their father; in the absence of male heirs, it is the eldest
daughter that becomes the chieftain. 20
21. 21. Slaves ✣ A person becomes slave by: (1) by captivity in war, (2) by reason of debt, (3)
by inheritance, (4) by purchase, and (5) by committing a crime. ✣ Slaves can be
emancipated through: (1) by forgiveness, (2) by paying debt, (3) by condonation, and (4) by
bravery (where a slave can possibly become a Datu) or by marriage.21
22. 22. Marriage Customs ✣ Men were in general, monogamous; while their wives are called
Asawa. ✣ Courtship begins with Paninilbihan. ✣ Prior to marriage the man requires to give a
dowry: (1) Bigay- kaya (a piece of land or gold); (2) Panghihimuyat (a gift for the brides
parents); (3) Bigay-suso (for brides wet nurse). ✣ Marriage between couples belonging to
defferent social classes were not common. ✣ Several grounds of divorce are: (1) Adultery,
(2) Abandonment on the part of the husband, (3) Cruelty, and (4) Insanity. 22
23. 23. Religious Belief ✣ They worship many gods and goddesses: (1) bathala, supreme being;
(2) Idayanale, god of agriculture; (3) Sidarapa, god of death; (4) Agni, god of fire; (5)
Balangaw, god of rainbow; (6) Mandarangan, god of war; (7) Lalahon, god of harvest; and
(8) Siginarugan, god of hell. ✣ Also believe in sacred animals and tress. 23
24. 24. Superstitious Beliefs ✣ Believe in Aswang, Dwende, Kapre, Tikbalang,
Patyanak/Tiyanak. ✣ They also believe in magical power of amulet and charms such as
anting-anting, kulam and gayuma or love potion. 24
25. 25. Economic Life ✣ Agriculture in the plane lands: planting of rice, corn, banana, coconut,
sugar canes and other kinds of vegetable and fruits. ✣ Hunting in high lands. ✣ Fishing in
river banks and sea. ✣ Shipbuilding, weaving, poultry, mining and lumbering. ✣ Domestic
trade of different barangays by boat. ✣ Foreign trade with countries like Borneo, China,
Japan, Cambodia, Java, and Thailand. 25
26. 26. 26
27. 27. Language and System of Writing ✣ Major languages: Tagalog, Ilocano, Pangasinan,
Pangpangan, Sugbuhanon, Hiligaynon, Magindanaw and Samarnon this languages is
originated from the Malayo-Polenisian language. ✣ System of writing: the alphabets
consisted of 3 vowels and 14 consonants called Baybayi. ✣ They used tap of tress as ink
and pointed stick as pencil. ✣ They wrote on large plant leaves, bark of a tree or bamboo
tubes. 27
28. 28. 28
29. 29. References ✣ History of the Filipino People (Eighth Edition) by Teodoro Agoncillo ✣ The
Philippine Islands, 1493–1898 Volume VII, 1588–1591 (Edited and annotated by Emma
Helen Blair and James Alexander Robertson with historical introduction and additional notes
by Edward Gaylord Bourne) 29