60

Pre-Spanish
Filipinos
a n d Their
Civilization (1604) 61

Chirino's
count
ofthe ation of the Filip almost known. They
Fr. Pedro learnedand spoken in a shortime. Consequently if one is learned, all
civilizatic are are
the
observed

Pedro
Peopa to each other like the Tuscan, Lombard, and Sicilian dialects of Italia, or the Castilian, Portuguese,
ather
who actually
was

One of the Spanish write Hispanic

civilization,

le
de las Islas irino, Espana. Only the language of the Negrillos is very different from the rest,as,
in
ofthe Relacion Filip nas, and Gallcian in
shed due to
the impact
He
authored the book, this book was a
"Pina
ESpana, IsVizcayan (i.e., Basque). There is not a difference for each
the of the islands, because
Primarily,
more than four hundred leguas
1604. some or them-as, for example, Manila, and even Panai, which is
n a r y - c h r o n i c l e r

rel:.the
Spanish Jesuit in Rome,
was, theretore,
therefore,
which he finished in
1603 and
published
Phillppinesana
Was, religious in SmalerContajn several languages; and there are languages each of which prevalls
in several

Society in the narrativeon the bathing

narrative
Panai, two; in some
af theJesuit, six different tongues; in
eyewitness
which gave ISlands. in the Island of Manila alone, there are
apostolic hievements
relngion and sup
theme; nonetheless, it had
certain chapters
and good breeding,
writding,
tepersons
stitions, others, but one. The languages most used, and most widely spread, are the Tagal and the Bisayan
is also prevalent, called Harayan.
ancleanliness,
languages courtesy the method
or givIng names among and in some areas of Pintados [Visayan islands] another tongue
slavery, and
dDit
of Maniia, Mindoro,
dowries, divorce, usury,
below
because
Or their
their
significant value to
significant
The 1agal embraces the greater part of the coast and interior of the
islands
of the Pintados,although in
narrages, some
presented
ilipinos. These
chapters are
Luban, and some others. Bisaya is in use through ali the island which most
ncient of the villages therein the Harayan is spoken. languages, it was the Tagal
Of all those
Philippine history.
I most admired. As I told the first bishop [Bishop Domingo de Salazarj, and,
pleased me and which in Europe, I found in this ianguage
tour
afterwards, other persons of dignity in the Islands and
of Baths in the Philippines.
Greek, Latin, and Spanish: it has
islanders |Filipinos)
are brought un i
the qualities of the four greatest languages of the world Hebrew: as
born, these and obscurity of the Hebrew; the articles and distinctions in proper as well
the time when they were childh0od, and hauo. theabstruseness the refinement, polish,
like fishes even from
From no the Latin: apd
Consequently both men
and women swim hours, for cleanliness in common nouns of the Greek; the fullness and elegance of
water.
bathed themselves at all and
rivers. They and courtesy of the Spanish..
need for bridges to pass over
from bath, and children just horrn
not refrain
the women after childbirth do
recreation; and even
they anoint the hand
When leaving the bath,
water. Of the Letters of the Filipinos.
bathed in the rivers and springs of cold
are
as we shall later show, there isgreat
great

with ajonjoli (i.e., oil of sesame) mixed with civet-ofwhich, writing-anettrere tsrdly
a man,

All these islanders are much given to reading and

abundance in those regions.
notread and-weite-in tretetters-sed in the island of Manila
andmuch less a woman, who does and India. This will be seen from its
are accustomed to anoint their heads for comfort and -

which are entirely different from those of China, Japan,

Even when not bathing, they
children. Through their modesty, they bathed with alphabet, which is as follows:
adornment, especially the women and the
the greater
their bodies drawn up almost in a sitting posture with the water to the neck, taking five, and are:
general hour of bathing
The most The three vowels serve as

care not to beseen, although no one may be near to see them.

is at the setting of the sun, because at that time they have finished their labors, and bathe in the vowels in the following form.
The consonants are only twelve, and in writing are used with the
vessel for bearing water
river to rest.and refresh themselves;enthe way,. they usually carrysome
to use intheirdomesticduties. In theisland of Panay Isaw allthepeople, atthe conclusion ofa The letter alone with no point above or below it, is pronounced with the vowel sound
A:

burial,hasten to the riverupon leaving thechurch and bathethere,as was the custom among8
Jews althoughthese Indians[Filipinos] have no knowledgeofthatdead law. They keep a vessel with the vowel- sound E or :
By placing the point above, each is pronounced
full of water before the door of every house; every person, whether belonging to the house or
not, who enters it takes water from the jarwitwhictrto-+wash-kis feet hefore entering. espeetainly By placing the point below, they are pronounced
with the vowel sound O or U:
during the season of much mud. They wash their feet with great facility, rubbing one foot with tne
other; the water flows down through the floor of the house, which is of cane and fashioned like a sufticient:
Consequently to pronounce cama, two letters
without points are
window-grating with bars close together

have
They also
If a point is placed above the we

employ the baths as a medicine, and_Cod-our tord has-give

purpose, springs of hot water. In the last few years the hot them for tnis is
springs of Bai [Bay, Laguna placed below each character the word co-mo
on the
banks the lagoon, |Laguna de Bay|. have been most
of Province If a point is

Spaniards of both sexes as well as ecclesiastics and helpful and famous, and
religious, have had recourse to them in ma
cantar is Written.

Final consonants are suppressed in all forms of expression: accordingly

maladiesand recovered their health. vario their
and convey
themselves understood
of the of these characters, they easily make consonants which
are
Languages of the Filipinos. By means
with much skill and facility,
the
marvelously, he who reads applying,
wrore
they
Ideas
habit of writing from left to right. Formerly
There is nasingle or general lacking. From.us tha havaadaptedthe
the rignt,
and continuingthe restat
them, though there are manylanguage
on the left...
the first line
hut all of of the Filipinas to the bottom placing
different tongues, extending throughout the i9
rom the top
and
are so much alike that be
they may
 w t efrom top
62
Japanese whoalthoughthey
toi
ttom
Chineseand
-

contra to of the
the custom left.
y continue the ge tettre
begin from the rightand
an lron w thet,
p o i t : now they write
using as pen
their letters, a__uelasaurs,witha-sharpened
reeds and
quill, and, as we do, on paper. TThey
palm-leayes, hey have lear
lear
clever
ney used towrite on
dguage and its pronunciation.and write it even betterthan we Go, for they are Socl..very
written Dy themselves in
I have had
letters
anything with the greatest using as mo
ease.
who
tha a very young
boy,
Tigbauan I had in my school hets.
tdndsone and fluent style. In three montns to write even
learned in
wWritten to me in a very good handwriting, without
faithfully,exactly,and
etters errors...
documents
an and he copied for me important