Estephanie Rose Cudal
1 PSYCH 2
Pigefetta
People Pigafetta characterized the
people as "very familiar and
friendly", they willingly
showed them different islands
and the names of these
islands. In his observations,
he noted that pre colonial
Filipinos knew how to count.
He also stated that the locals
were sophisticated enough to
comb their hair (they had a
tool for that), and that they
had actual words for the
different parts of their body.
Customs and Culture Entertainment was also a part
of Visayan life. When they
were received as guests to
Rajah Humabon’s palace,
Pigafetta said that the women
played the agung “so
harmoniously that it appeared
they had great knowledge of
music.” The youth also
played on windpipes called
“subin.” The Cebuanos were
said to be playing violins with
copper strings. The people of
Palawan were also known to
make their chickens fight,
something very similar to the
“sabong.”
Morga
Morga shows that the ancient
Filipinos had an army and
navy with artillery and other
implements of warfare. Their
prized krises and kampilans
for their magnificent temper
are worthy of admiration, and
some are richly damascened.
Their coats of mail and
helmets, of which there are
specimens in various
European museums, attest to
their significant advancement
in this industry.
Namamahay are those who
help build their master’s
house, and serve frequently as
helpers when there are guests,
and serve their master when
the master requires them to,
without compensation.
The groom contributes a
dowry, that he had received
from his parents, while the
bride does not bring anything
until she inherits some from
her parents.
Morga said that in every
island or provinces, many
principals were known among
the people, some being more
important and having
followers, which families and
barrios obeyed and respected.
These known individuals or
families form friendship and
relationships with each other
and sometimes, due to

Belief and Religion Pigaffetta regarded the
indigenous belief systems and
way of life as inferior to
Christianity and the
Europeans. According to
Pigafetta's chronicles, early
Filipinos have no religion that
they believe in. They were
guided by the anitos that they
believed. They were living a
simple life. Fishing, Hunting,
and Planting were their
sources of every day's need.
Magellan introduces them to
the Catholic Religion and the
words from the bible were
passed down in every
generation & which is why
we Filipinos are mostly
Catholics.
Society and Government In some parts
of the
Philippines, chiefs were
known as Datu, whereas in
other parts were
known as
Rajah, Sultan, or Hadji. The
next Datu would be the eldest
child of the Datu.
Pigafetta further described the
natives as battle-ready and
fond of cockfighting, which is
the earliest documentation of
the game in Philippine
history.
Remarkable Practices Pigafetta also said demeaning
things about our ancestors
such as “those people are
heathens; they go naked and
painted,” “they are very
heavy drinkers,” and that men
wore ornaments in their penis
differences, even wars.
There were no priest or a
man of religion to attend to
religious matters except old
men, sorcerers and wizards.
People believed in omens
and superstitions which the
devil inspired them to do, so
that they could tell whether
the sick person would live or
die.
Morga contends that while it
may not be true that Filipinos
are vulnerable because
indigenous possess weapons
and can defend themselves
when they are not under
government protection,
pirates can rob them with
impunity. Through
agreements, friendship
treaties, and reciprocal
alliances, Spain came to rule
and possess
Filipinos had had minstrels
who had memorized songs
telling their genealogies and
of the deeds ascribed to their
deities. These were chanted
on voyages in cadence with
the rowing, or at festivals, or
 “because they are of a weak
nature.”
funerals, or wherever there
happened to be any
considerable gatherings. It is
regrettable that these chants
have not been preserved as
from them it would have been
possible to learn much of the
Filipinos’ past and possibly of
the history of neighboring
islands.”

References:
Journal of Antonio Pigafetta. (n.d.). The Philippine Diary Project.
https://philippinediaryproject.com/author/antonio-pigafetta/
The First Voyage Round the World/Pigafetta’s Account of Magellan’s Voyage - Wikisource, the free
online library. (n.d.).
https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/The_First_Voyage_Round_the_World/Pigafetta%27s_Account_of_Mage
llan%27s_Voyage
Limos, M. A. (1970b). These Precolonial Filipino Words Recorded by Pigafetta Are Still Used Today.
Esquiremag.ph.
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/precolonial-filipino-words-recorded-by-pigafetta-a00293-
20210311-lfrm2