Excerpt from Relacion de las Islas Filipinas

By Pedro Chirino

government and religion is founded on tradition, and on custom introduced by the Devi himsel,
e to them through their idols and the ministers of these. They preserve it in songs, which they
yneart and learn when children, by hearing these sung when they are sailing or tiling their fields,
wn they are rejoicing and holding feasts, and especially, when they are mourning their dead. In
these
aroarous songs they relate the fabulous genealogies and vain deeds of their gods-among whom
they
t up one as the chief and superior of therm all. This deity the Tagalos call Bathala Mei capal,
which
means God the creator or maker:" the Bisayans call him Laon, which denotes antiquity. These
songs
elate the creation of the world, the origin of the human race, the deluge, paradise. punishment, and
oner invisible things, relating a thousand absurdities, and varying much the form, some teling it in
one
way, others in another. To show better what lies and fables these all are, there is one story that the
first
man and the first woman came from the knot of a cane which burst off from its plant. After that,
certain
disputes resulted concerning the marriage of these two, on account of the dificulties arising from
the
first degree of blood-relationship, which among them is inviolable, and thought to be allowed only
that
first time from the necessity of propagating mankind.

In short, they recognized invisible spirits, and another life; also demons, the enemies of men, of
whom they were in abject fear from the evils and dread which these, caused them. Accordingly
one
of ours converted many of them by means of a well-painted picture of hell. Their idolatry is in a
word
(as with many other nations), an adoration and deification of their ancestors-especially of those
who
distinguished themselves through valiant deeds, or cruelties, or obscene and lewd acts. It was a
general
practice for anyone who could successfully do so to attribute divinity to his old father when the
latter
died. The old men themselives died with this illusion and deception, imputing to their illness and
death
and to all their actions a seriousness and import, in their estimation, divine. Consequently they
chose
as a sepulcher some celebrated spot, like one which I saw on the shore of the sea between Dulac
and
Abuyo, in the island of Leite. This man directed that he should be placed there in his coffin (which
was
done), in a solitary house remote from any village, in order to be recognized as the god of sailors,
who
would offer worship and commend thermselves to him. There was another, who had caused
himself to be
buried in a certain place among the mountains of Antipolo; and out of reverence to him no one
dared to
cultivate them, fearing that he who should go thither might meet his death. In memory of these
departed
ones, they keep their little idolssome of stone, wood, bone, ivory. or a crocodile's teeth; others of
gold.
They call these Larauan, which signifies, "idol, "image" or "statue;" and in their necessities they
have
recourse to these, offering to them barbarous sacrifices.
The Tagalogs adored a blue bird, as large as a thrush, and called it Bathala, which was among
them a term of divinity. They also worshiped the crow (as the ancients worshiped the god Pan and
the
goddess Ceres). It bore the name Mei lupa, signifies 'master of the soil" They held the crocodile in
the
utmost veneration; and, whenever they made any statement about it, when they descried it in the
water,
they called it Nono, which means "grandfather" They softly and tenderly besought it not to harm
them; and
to this end offered it a part of what they caried in their boats, casting the offering into the water.
There
was no old tree to which they did not attribute divinity: and it was a sacrilege to cut such a tree for
any
Ourpose. Wnat more did they adore? The very stones, ciffs, and reefs, and the headiands of the
shores of
the sea or the rivers; and they made some ofering when they passed by these, going to the stone or
rock,
and placing the offering upon it. I saw many tirmes in the river of Manila a rock which for many
years was
an idol of that wretched people. This scandal, which occasioned great evils, lasted until the fathers
of St.
Augustine (who dwell nearby) with holy zeal broke it to pieces, and erected in its place a cross.
Besides these, they had a thousand other superstitions. If they beheld a serpent or lizard, or heard
anyone sneeze, they would always retrace their steps, and on no account go further at that time, for
such an occurrence would be an evil omen. They had no places set aside for worship, or public
days
for general festivities. Not unti we went to Taitai did l learn that in many of the houses there was
another
one, but smaller, made of cane, as it were a litte tower, fashioned somewhat curiously. to which
they
passed from the main house by a short bridge, also made of cane. In these were kept their
needlework
and other sorts of handicraft, by means of which they concealed the mystery of the litle house.
From
information that I received from some of the taithful,it was in reality dedicated to the anito,
although
they offered no sacrifice in it, nor did it serve for other use than as it was dedicated to him-perhaps
that he might rest there when on a journey, as Elias said to the other priests. I had all these houses
demolished, so that not one remained. I also found in some litle hamlets of the Pintados a small
house at
the entrance of the village with only the roof and ground floor, which served as a place where
sacrifices
are performed. But, after all, it was not the general practice to have any common place of worship,
as did
the ancient Pagans, or to come together to any one place for solemn rites, or to have public and
general
sacrifices offered in the name of the community. Individuals, however, made offerings, each one
for his
own intention or need, and in his own house or other private place; but they chose jointly their
own priest,
male or female (of whom there were many), according to their own devotion and taste. In
Mindanao,
saw many houses furnished on the outside with small platforms made not unskilfully, of cane, and
on
these stood some little wooden idols very poorly carved; and in front of the idols was an earthen
pot
containing some hot coals and a little of some disagreeable aromatic, which must have been a
sacrifice
to the idols.

But although those people had no temples, they had, in the second place. priests and priestesses,
whom the Tagalogs call Catolonan, and the Bisayans Babailan. They vied with each who could
best
contrive with the Devil (who deceived them) to take advantage of the blindness of the people, to
deceive them by a thousand frauds and artifices. These priests practice many deceptions upon
those
blinded infidels-especially in cases of sickness with which the latter are afflicted, which so oppress
them that they seek at once a remedy, and whomsoever gives or promises it to them they revere
and
worship, and give him their all. Indeed there are some of these priests who have a special compact
with the Devil, who lends them signal aid and assistance, Almighty God permitting this for his
own
hidden purposes. The Devil communicates with them through their idols or anitos, playing the role
of the dead man whom they are adoring; and often he enters into the person of the priest himself,
for the short space of the sacrifice, and makes him say and do things which overwhelm and terrify
the onlookers. Source: The Philippine islands, Vol. XIl.