PRE COLONIAL IN PHILIPPINES

 a look into our past settings, customs, practices and culture

INTRODUCTION: PRE -HISTORY

The cultural achievements of pre-colonial Philippines include those covered by prehistory and early
history of the Philippines archipelago and its inhabitants, which are the indigenous forebears of today’s
Filipino people. These early Filipinos possessed a culture and technology that were quite advanced
considering the timeline of history of science when it flourished. Waves of migrants who came to settle
in the islands contributed to the development of ancient Philippine civilization. Prehistoric aborigines, a
cross of Afro-Asiatic and Austro-Aborigines, now called Negritos (Aeta, Agta, Ayta) reached the islands
by way of land bridges around 15,000 to 30,000 BC, and they were excellent hunters and food gatherers.
In its midst, other ancient civilizations were also thriving and evolving. The Proto-Malays, a Mongol-
Asiatic race, arrived around 2500 BC using oceanic vessels called balangays, and they brought with them
their knowledge in seafaring, farming, building of houses from trees and creation of fire for cooking.
The next to arrive were the Duetero-Malays, of India-Asiatic race (Indian, Chinese, Siamese, Arabic), that
prevailed with a more superior and advanced culture. They possessed their own systems of writing,
knowledge and skills in agriculture, metallurgy, jewelry-making as well as boat-building. When the
Spaniards came to the islands in the 15th century, industries such as mining, agriculture, fishing and
pottery were already in place and contacts with other Asian nations had been long established.

3. Peopling of the Pre-Colonial Philippines: The Negritos were early settlers but their appearance in the
Philippines has not been reliably dated ; and they were followed by speakers of the Malayo-Polynesian
languages, a branch of the Austronesian languages, who began to arrive in successive waves beginning
about 4000B.C.E, displacing the earlier arrivals. By 1000 B.C. the inhabitants of the Philippine
archipelago had developed into four distinct kinds of peoples: tribal groups, such as the Aetas, Hanunoo,
Ilongots and the Mangyan who depended on hunter-gathering and were concentrated in forests;
warrior societies, such as the Isneg and Kalingas who practiced social ranking and ritualized warfare and
roamed the plains; the petty plutocracy of the Ifugao Cordillera Highlanders, who occupied the
mountain ranges of Luzon; and the harbour principalities of the estuarine civilizations that grew along
rivers and seashores while participating in trans-island maritime trade.

PRE COLONIAL CULTURE AND SOCIAL

During the early period thousand years ago, the early Filipinos were composed of different groups that
came from different part of Asia. With different groups they form their own community, system of
education and religious belief. They group into different communities composed of 50 to 2,000
individuals and they construct their shelters indifferent areas according to their lifestyle and source of
living. Usually they were situated along the seashores, streams, rivers, forests, fertile land areas and
even in caves. In water areas they look for fish, shells and pearls as their source of living. They also used
boat and craft as there means of transportation for an easier travel and carrying their goods for trade
from one place to another. For those people located in land areas they cultivate the land and plant rice,
bananas and crops. After the harvest they no longer use the area indeed they just move to another
place with less grass and fine soil and abundant of trees where they can start farming again. Perhaps this
gives an idea that the Philippines is very rich of resources for a bountiful living.

During the pre-colonial time there was already an indigenous spiritual traditions practiced by the people
in the Philippines. Generally, for lack of better terminology prehistoric people are described to be
animistic. Their practice was a collection of beliefs and cultural mores anchored in the idea that the
world is inhabited by spirits and supernatural entities, both good and bad, and that respect be accorded
to them through nature worship thus; they believed that their daily lives has a connection of such
beliefs.

These spirits are said to be the anito or diwata that they believed to be good and bad. The good spirits
were considered as their relatives and the bad were believed to be their enemies. Some worship specific
deities like Bathala a supreme god for the Tagalog, Laon or Abba for the Visayan, Ikasi of Zambal,
Gugurang for the people of Bicol and Kabunian of Ilocano and Ifugao. Aside from those supreme deities
they also worship other gods like Idialao as god of farming, Lalaon of harvest, Balangay god of rainbow
and Sidapa god of death.

Others:

 Mandarangan - War God

 Agni - Fire God
 Siginarugan - God of Hell
 Diyan Masalanta - Goddess of Love

Others also worship the moon, stars, caves, mountains, rivers, plants and trees. Some creatures are
being worship too like the bird, crow, tortoise, crocodile and other things they believed has value and
connected to their lives. The variation of animistic practices occurs in different ethnic groups. Magic,
chantsand prayers are often key features. Its practitioners were highly respected (and some feared) in
the community, as they were healers, midwife (hilot), shamans, witches and warlocks(mangkukulam),
babaylans, tribal historians and wizened elders that provided the spiritual and traditional life of the
community. In the Visayas region there is a belief of witchcraft (kulam) and mythical creatures like
aswang and nuno sa punso .

Philippine pre-colonial culture was basically Malayan in structure and form. They had written language
which was used not just for communication but also for literary expression. They also had music and
dances for almost all occasions and a wide variety of musical instruments that shows their ingenuity.

MUSIC AND DANCE

Filipinos are naturally fond of both music and dance, and usually, whenever music is played, it is
accompanied by dance

Some examples of pre-colonial musical instruments include: kudyapi (Tagalog), bansic or a cane with
four holes and gangsa or a small guitar (Negritos of Luzon), abafii a Malay music instrument (Igorots),
gongs, Jews harp, bamboo flute, kutibeng or a guitar with five strings (Ilocano), kalaleng or a nose
flute, diwdiw-as or pan pipe made of seven bamboos reeds (Tinguians).

Examples of the native dances, which depict different events include: Potato Dance, Torture Dance, Duel
Dance, Lovers Dance (Negritos); Macasla dance (Tagbanua) , Kinnotan or ant’s dance and the
Kinnallogong or hat dance (Ilocano); Balitaw and dandansoy (Visayan); Balatong, Dalit, Hiliraw, Kutang-
kutang, Lulay, Indulanin, Kumintang, Salampati, Tagulaylay, Subli, Barimbaw, and Tagayan (Tagalog).

RELIGION

Animism. Depending on the islands, Buddhism and Hinduism were the religion of the pre-colonial
elites, but animism was widely practiced by the majority regardless of different chiefdoms. Islam and
Christianity were the recent ones. With Islam being introduced a century earlier than Christianity, the
type of animism that pre-colonial Filipinos practiced also aren’t demanding like the institutionalized
religions that came after. People do not practice this as a strict everyday adherence. They mostly
practiced this when they think it is necessary or practical for either bountiful harvest or safety against
harm. Most of the time, the disciples of this religion are women, who have skills in midwifery, herbal
oils, an ancient version of physical therapy and shamanic rituals that “will drive away malevolent
elements”. Also, it is particularly important to state that the brand of animism pre-colonial Filipinos have
stress a lot on respect with nature and bounty. Since nature is the sources of food and therefore
survival. Even up to this day, Filipinos still have a strong informal ritual when in front of food. Some form
of remnants of this would be that it is held with stigma when you yawn in front of a meal, or when you
let the food “wait” before you to eat it. While the western religion feels guilty about their sexuality, the
Filipinos still have this guilt about throwing food. You will hardly meet a Filipino even today who
wouldn’t feel any form of anxiety if they throw away food even if those foods are already leftovers. Even
our icebreakers have to do with food.

PRE COLONIAL CLOTHING

During this pre-colonial era historians have found out that the “Barong Tagalog” (dress of the Tagalog)
already existed. The earliest Baro or Baro ng Tagalog was worn by the natives of Ma-I (the Philippines
name before) just before they were colonized by the Spaniards. The men wore a sleeve-doublet made of
Canga (rough cotton) that reached slightly below the waist. It is collarless with a front opening. Their
loins were covered with a pane that hung between the legs and mid-thigh. The women also wore a
sleeve dress but shorter than the men. They also wear a pane attached to the waist and reaching to the
feet accented by a colourful belt. The materials used for their dress is of fine line or Indian Muslin.

The Visayan men wore a jacket with a Moorish style rob, that reach down their feet and was
embroidered in beautiful colours. Tagalog and Visayan men bound their temples and forehead with a
“putong” (a narrow strips of clothe).They also wore gold jewellery and other accessories to beautify
their bodies.
 PRE COLONIAL WRITING SYSTEMS

During the early period almost everyone in the society-male or female knows how to read and write.
They have their own method of writing which they use sharp-pointed tools, leaves, bamboo and trunk’s
skin. They write from top to bottom and read it from left to right. Accordingly they have their Alibata
which script is different from China, Japan and India. This account was told by one of the first Spanish
missionaries who came in the Philippines, Fr. Pedro Chirino.

Another account proved after the discovery of a jar in Calatagan, Batangas. This system of writing came
from the alphabet of Sumatra .The first Visayan, Tagalog, Ilocano and some ethic groups have their own
dialect and form of writing too. They have an alphabet composed of 17letters; 3 of which are vowels and
14 are consonants. The Muslims have also their own system basing on their dialect. This is called kirim of
Maranao and jiwi of the Tausug, which they are still using.

Abugida: Pre – Colonial method of Handwriting (Baybayin)

LANGUAGE

There are more than one hundred languages in the Philippines, eight of which are considered major
languages. They are: Tagalog, Iloko, Pangasinan, Pampangan, Sugbuhanon, Hiligaynon, Samarnon or
Samar-Leyte, and Maguindanao.

These languages are descended from Austronesian or Malayo-Polynesian language. The differences
might be accounted for the need to forming new words and phrases to fit the new environment. Many
of the words or terms in Filipino languages were derived from Malayan.
 PRE COLONIAL FORM OF GOVERNMENT/ POLITICS

Before the Spaniards came into the Philippines there was existing culture of the Filipinos which were not
distinguished by most of the filipinos especially for the new born filipino citizens. The Filipinos lived in
settlements called barangays before the colonization of the Philippines by the Spaniards. As the unit of
government, a barangay consisted from 30 to 100 families. It was headed by a datu and was
independent from the other group.

Usually, several barangays settled near each other to help one another in case of war or any emergency.
The position of datu was passed on by the holder of the position to the eldest son or, if none, the eldest
daughter. However, later, any member of the barangay could be chieftain, based on his talent and
ability. He had the usual responsibilities of leading and protecting the members of his barangay. In turn,
they had to pay tribute to the datu, help him till the land, and help him fight for the barangay in case of
war. In the old days, a datu had a council of elders to advise him, especially whenever he wanted a law
to be enacted. The law was written and announced to the whole barangay by a town crier, called the
umalohokan.

The term came from the Malay word balangay, meaning boat. The subjects served their chieftain during
wars, voyages, planting and harvest, and when his house needs to be built or repaired; they also paid
tributes called buwis.

The chief or datu was the chief executive, the legislator, and the judge; he was also the supreme
commander in times of war. Alliances among barangays were common and these were formalized in a
ritual called sangduguan. Conflicts between or among barangays were settled by violence; those who
win by force is always right.

Laws were either: –customary (handed down from generation to generation orally) or – written
(promulgated from time to time as necessity arose). It is dealt with various subjects such as inheritance,
property rights, divorce, usury, family relations, divorce, adoption, loans, etc. Those found guilty of
crimes were punished either by fine or by death; some punishments can be considered as torture by
modern standards.

Legislation - before laws are made, the chief consults with a council of elders who approved of his plan.
They are not immediately enforced until the new legislation is announced to the village by the
umalohokan, who also explains the law to everyone.

Judicial Process - disputes between individuals were settled by a court made up of the village chief and
the council of elders; between barangays, a board made up of elders from neutral barangays acted as
arbiter.

Trial by Ordeal -to determine the innocence of an accused, he is made to go through a number of
ordeals which he must pass. Examples include dipping one’s hand in boiling water, holding a lighted
candle that must not be extinguished, plunging into a river and staying underwater for as long as
possible, chewing uncooked rice and spitting, etc.
Bultong among the Ifugaos, ordeal by combat was common, i.e. bultong (wrestling), alaw (duel)

TAGALOG SOCIAL ORGANIZATION

CLASS DESCRIPTION

● The Lakan or Rajah was the paramount Datu of

Lakan, Rajah
a large town.

● The Datu were maginoo with personal
followings (dulohan or barangay). His
responsibilities included governing his people,
Datu
leading them in war, protecting them from
enemies, and settling disputes.● Usually, four to
Maginoo(Ruling class)
ten datu lived with their dulohan in a town.

● The Maginoo comprised the ruling class of the

Tagalogs. Ginoo was an honorific for both men
and women.● Panginoon (sometimes shorted
Maginoo
to poon when addressing them directly) were
maginoo who had many slaves and other
valuable property like houses and boats.

● The Timawa were non-slaves who could attach

themselves to the datu of their choice. They
could use and bequeath a portion of barangay
Timawa land, and rendered services and agricultural
labor to the datu.● Members included:
Timawa and maharlika(Freemen) illegitimate children of Maginoo and slaves, and
former alipin who paid off their debts.

● The Maharlika were similar to the Timawa,

Maharlika except they also rendered military services to the
datu.

Alipin(Slaves) Alipin ● Aliping namamahay lived in their own houses

namamahay apart from their debtor. They were allowed to
farm a portion of barangay land, but they were
expected to turn over a portion of their harvest
to their master.● Members included: those who
inherited debts from namamahay parents,
timawa who went into debt, and former
 male Alipin sa gigilid who married.

● Alipin sa gigilid lived in their debtor’s house

and were entirely dependent on him for food
Alipin sa and shelter.● Members included: children born
gigilid in the debtor’s house (e.g. children of other
alipin, or gintubo), and children of parents who
were too poor to raise them.

SOCIAL CLASSES

Before the coming of Spanish colonizers, the people of the Philippine archipelago had already attained a
semi communal and semi slave social system in many parts and also a feudal system in certain parts,
especially in Mindanao and Sulu, where such a feudal faith as Islam had already taken roots. The Aetas
had the lowest form of social organization, which was primitive communal.

The barangay was the typical community in the whole archipelago. It was the basic political and
economic unit independent of similar others. Each embraced a few hundreds of people and a small
territory. Each was headed by a chieftain called the rajah or datu.

The social structure comprised a petty nobility, the ruling class which had started to accumulate land
that it owned privately or administered in the name of the clan or community; an intermediate class of
freemen called the maharlikas who had enough land for their livelihood or who rendered special service
to the rulers and who did not have to work in the fields; and the ruled classes that included the timawas,
the serfs who shared the crops with the petty nobility, and also the slaves and semi slaves who worked
without having any definite share in the harvest. There were two kinds of slaves then: those who had
their own quarters, the aliping namamahay, and those who lived in their master’s house, the aliping sa
gigilid. One acquired the status of a serf or a slave by inheritance, failure to pay debts and tribute,
commission of crimes and captivity in wars between barangays.

PANLILIGAW/ COURTSHIP

Ang pag-aasawa noong unang panahon ay hindi madali dahil maraming pagsubok ang dadaaanan ng
lalaki sa panliligaw. May mga ugali noon na hanggang ngayon ay ginagawa pa din ng ibang mga Pilipino,
karamihan sa kanila ay nakatira sa mga malalayong lugar o liblib na mga lugar. Ang binatang manliligaw
ay pagsisilbihan muna ang pamilya ng babae sa loob ng buwan at minsan umaabot pa ng taon. Sa
panahon natin ngayon ito ay mahirap gawin, ngunit noong dating panahon handang magtis ang lalaki
alang-alang sa babaeng minamahal. Madalas ang gawain ng lalaking manliligaw ay nagsisibak ng kahoy
nag igib ng tubig at minsan ay utusan ng magulang ng babae. Hindi pinahihintulutang mag usap ang
lalaki sa babaeng nililigawan. Hanggang tingin lamang ang pwede niyang gawin. Ni hindi binibigyan ng
pag kakataong lumapit et mag-usap ang dalawa. Mahigpit itong binabantayan ng mga magulang ng
babae. Takot na baka masalisihan sila ng lalaking mabilis pa sa kidlat ikā nga.
Matapos ang mahabang paninilbihan, sasabihin ng mga magulang ng babae ang pagsang-ayon. Ngunit
may mga kundisyon silang inihahain. Required na mag bigay ng bigay-kaya o dote ang lalaki sa magulang
ng babae. Ang mga bigay-kaya ay kagaya ng lupa, ginto, pera o anumang bagay na mamahalin. Ito ay
kabayaran sa magulang ng dalaga sa pag pupuyat at hirap na ginawa nila ng sanggol pa lamang ang
dalaga. Magbibigay din ang binata sa yayang nag alaga sa dalaga ng bata pa ito at higit sa lahat sa ina na
nagpasuso ng sanggol pa ang dalaga.

Ang lahat na ito'y inaayos ng magulang ng babae sa magulang ng binata. Kapag hindi kaya ng magulang
ng lalaki ang hinihingi ng magulang ng dalaga, nakikipagtawaran ang mga ito, hanggang sa pumayag ang
magulang ng babae. Tinatawag itong pamumulungan o pamamalae. Kapag naayos na ang lahat, kasal
naman ang kanilang pag-uusapan

May mga kaugalian ang mga Pilipino na mag papakasal sila sa kanilang kauri o kapareho ng estado sa
buhay. Ang ganitong kaugalian ay hindi mahigpit na pinatutupad, Malayang mag hanap ang isang datu
ne karaniwang tao basta maibigan niya lamang. Isa sa mga batas dati na kantang namulatan at
nakaugalian, ay ang mga anak ng asawa ang siyang tunay o lehitimo, Samantala ang anak sa labas ay
hindi tunay kaya't hindi pwede mag mana ng ari-arian sa kanilang ama.

Men were in general, monogamous; while their wives are called asawa, while concubines are called
“friends”. In order to win the hand of his lady, the man has to show his patience and dedication to both
the lady and her parents. Courtship usually begins with paninilbihan.

If the man wins the trust of the parents, he does not immediately marry the woman, but he has to
satisfy several conditions: Give a dowry or bigay-kaya, pay the panghihimuyat, pay the wet nurse bigay-
suso ,pay the parents himaraw ,bribe for the relatives called sambon (among the Zambals).

Once he had settled all of the above requirements, he brings his parents to meet with the bride-to-be’s
parents to haggle and make the final arrangements; this is called pamamalae or pamamanhikan or
pamumulungan.

The wedding ceremonies vary depending on the status of the couple; but normally, those from the
upper class, a go-between were employed. Weddings are officiated by the priestess or babaylan.
Uncooked rice is thrown on the couple after the wedding ceremony

MARRIAGE CEREMONY

 eating rice Tausog wedding ceremony

Muslim Filipinos have similar marriage customs; the first stage was called pananalanguni or bethrothal;
it was followed by the consultation with the girl’s parents, who relays their decision to the village chief,
who in turn informed the suitor’s parents of the decision

Dowry was also settled by the chief (pedsungud). This was of seven kinds of Dowry:

1. Kawasateg - money given to the bride’s close relatives.

 2. Siwaka -brassware given to those who helped arrange the wedding.
3. Enduatuan - brassware or animals for the village chief.
4. Pangatulian - jewelry given to the bride’s mother and aunts,
5. Tatas -blade given to the girl’s uncle.
6. Langkad -money given to the girl’s parents as fine for having bypassed the girl’s elder sister if
she had any.
7. Lekat -amount of money given to the girl’s attendant.

Once everything is settled, the pegkawing, or the wedding ceremony follows. The wedding ceremony is
officiated by the hadji . Six days of festivities followed, and only on the seventh day could the couple
sleep together.