GEC 12 | READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

CUSTOMS OF FILIPINO PRE-HISPANIC

SOCIETY
C) EXCERPTS FROM THE CRONICAS BY JUAN
FRANCISCO DE SAN ANTONIO
D) EXCERPT FROM THE BOXER CODEX

D E N I C E J A D E S O G U I L O N | L E A H R O S E VA L I E N T E | K AT I E L A U R A Z A PAT O S
Meet The Reporters
 CONTENTS
01 02 03
 Excerpts from Cronicas by
Juan Francisco de San Antonio
Excerpts from the Cronicas by Juan
Francisco de San Antonio 01

Juan Francisco de San Antonio, a missionary

of the Franciscan order. He wrote the
Cronicas between the years 1738 to 1744.
Brief Description of the Philippine
Chronicles (Cronicas) 01

Philippine Chronicles (Cronicas) is a

comprehensive study and a primary account of
the early Filipino people, as well as the Chinese
and the Japanese in the Philippines during the
early colonial period.
Brief Description of the Philippine Chronicles (Cronicas):
Brief Content of the (Cronicas) 01
• Discusses some parts of Mindanao
• Discusses other parts of Southeast Asia
• Gives a detailed discussion of Early Filipino beliefs (like
his predecessors)
• Speculates on the origin of early Filipino people (but
none was well-founded)
• Native languages, clothing, ornaments
• Tackled the Physical features of Filipinos
Brief Description of the Philippine Chronicles (Cronicas):
Focus of the Excerpt 01

a. Visayan Marriage Customs

- Marriage Rituals
- Marriage Ceremonies of the Visayans
b. Dowry system
Visayan Marriage:
Number of Spouses 01

• One wife and one husband

• But Chiefs and wealthy people were allowed to

have slaves as concubines (especially if wives were
proven unfruitful)
Visayan Marriage:
Marriage Separation 01

• Consorts returned the dowry (one at fault to the one

blameless)
• Could marry others (unless if the couple had children)
the dowry was given to the children
• If profits had been made while they had lived together –
profits were divided between both parties.
• But if they were the secret gains of one of them, then
that one kept them.
Dowry System (Bigaycaya)
01

• Always given by the man

• Parents of the girl determine the sum beforehand, at the
time they discuss the marriage.
• Parents receive the dowry
• Neither the bride nor her parents contributed any fund
• Dowry was set according to the rank of the contracting
parties
Dowry System (Bigaycaya)
01

Figure 1. Bigaycaya Gifts

If the parents of the bride asked more than the ordinary sum, they were under obligations to bestow some gift to
the married couple to suit the occasion (e.g. a couple of slaves, some small gold jewel, or a bit of cleared land – for
cultivation)
Pasonor - cleared land for cultivation
Dowry System (Bigaycaya)
01

Panhimuyat - sum that has to be paid to the mother of the

bride in return for her care and labor in the rearing and
education of her daughter
Pasoso – sum that is to be paid to the chichiva (or nurse) who
had reared the bride
If there was no bigaycaya in any marriage (for any reason) they never
failed to collect these revenues from the groom upon which there is
generally a suit
Marriage Ceremony
01

• The bigaycaya is given before marriage before a great

concourse of maguinoos, relatives and friends of the
lovers.
• The money is counted and exhibited to the public to
confirm the pact.
• Then, the marriage is immediately celebrated with
feasting and rejoicing.
Variations in Bigaycaya
01

Employment of bigaycaya is not the same for

every village. In some it is converted to
properties which the bride’s parents will receive
as if in the way of trade
Variations in Bigaycaya :
a. Unpaid Bigaycaya 01
If the man does not possess the wherewithal with which to buy
their daughter promptly,
- innumerable sins follow
- they live in improper relations even with the knowledge of
their parents
- the young man serves as a servant in the houses of the parents
to do their will but in the capacity of a son, as far as familiarity and
permission for evil are concerned many efforts are made to
extirpate this diabolic abuse, but it still costs great toil.
Variations in Bigaycaya :
a. Unpaid Bigaycaya 01

Catipados - they call those who are engaged for marriage

- Under the title of the Catipados are some concubinage
legitimate for all time, (for which bigaycaya is not
necessary)
- Giving up the bigaycaya, the poor couple is left destitute
for the parents of the bride take charge of everything
Variations in Bigaycaya :
b. Different Bigaycaya Usage 01

In some villages,
- Money serves to provide all kinds of clothes for the
bride
- Money is for ½ the expenses of the wedding and
- Money is also for parochial fees of the marriage
so that scarcely any is left for the parents of the couple
Variations in Bigaycaya :
c. Returning Bigaycaya 01

- Dowry (Bigaycaya) is never returned to the one who gave it

- Unless the son in law was so obedient to his parents-in-law
(that he wins their affection) then they would return the
dowry at the death of anyone (but a matter of charity than
obligation)
- If a woman who was to be married was alone (neither
parent/grandparents) she does not receive the dowry, or
anyone
Variations in Bigaycaya :
d. Bigaycaya for Orphaned Women 01
- At present (according to San Antonio) the greed of the Indians
(Indio) must be greater for this poor lone woman is never without a
chichiva (who breastfed), who will not be left without her payment
- This could be her uncle, aunt or relative who has been left to
their care. Since they consider themselves as her parents (pinaca
ama: as the Indians call them)
-They take upon them the place of her parents and get all the
money (as if they true parents)
The Coming of Islam
The Coming of Islam 02

CE 700 - 1,000
• Islam arrived in Southeast Asia
• Sharif Awliya Karim al-Makhdumin - who consolidated
and reinforced Islam in Sulu (according to the Tarsilas of
Sulu)
• Islam was introduced by Tuan Masha’ika (according to the
tradition)
The Coming of Islam 02

1380
• Makhdum arrived in Buwansa who then spread Islam.
• Rajah Baguinda - continued Makhdum’s work in
spreading Islam.
The Coming of Islam 02

1450
• Sayyid Abu Bakr arrived in Jolo.
• Abu Bakr
- married Paramisuli (Rajah Baguinda’s daughter)
and taught the people to read and write in Arabic.
- established a government patterned after the
sultanate of Arabia.
The Coming of Islam 02
1475
• Islam spread to Mindanao with the arrival of Sharif
Mohammed Kabungsuan
• Kabungsuan
- also known as Sharif ul-Hashim
- son of Sharif Ali Zainal Akadir
- the pioneer of Islam in Cotabato and founder of Cotabato.
- preceded by two other pioneers, Sharif Awliya and Sharif
Maraja.
- founded a sultanate which combined religious and civil
authority.
The Coming of Islam 02

By 1500, Manila had a Muslim settlement but

then retreated with destruction of this
settlement in by the Spaniards in 1571.
SIDE STORY:
The Arrival of Tuan Masha’ika, Rajah
Baguinda and Abu Bakr in Jolo 02

- recorded in Vic Hurley’s Swish of the Kris, published in

1936.

Jolo – (Buwansa, in past) inhabited by

Maimbunghanuns, Baklaynuns and Tagaimahanuns.
SIDE STORY:
The Arrival of Tuan Masha’ika, Rajah
Baguinda and Abu Bakr in Jolo 02

Tuan Masha’ika
• (Twan Massaik), believed to have sprung from stem of
the bamboo.
• learned that the religion of the Moros was not of the
Koran and he began to teach them
SIDE STORY:
The Arrival of Tuan Masha’ika, Rajah
Baguinda and Abu Bakr in Jolo 02

Samals (group of people)

• came from a small island in Johor.
• named Tagidiana by the natives
Kareenul Mahdoom (Karim ul-Makhdum)
• built a mosque for praying
• called Twan Sharip Awalya (Tuan Shariff Awliya) by the
natives
SIDE STORY:
The Arrival of Tuan Masha’ika, Rajah
Baguinda and Abu Bakr in Jolo 02

Rajah Baguinda
• arrived from Manangkabow (Menangkabaw).
• built several mosques after the natives agreed to
him
SIDE STORY:
The Arrival of Tuan Masha’ika, Rajah
Baguinda and Abu Bakr in Jolo 02
Abu Bakr
• arrived from Palembang in Sumatra.
• taught the people to write in Arabic and taught them to
read the Koran.
• named a place Payahan which means “difficult to teach.”
• named a place Budoh which means “stupid”
• whole population of Jolo was converted to Islam
• named sultan and was called Sariphul Hassim (Sharif ul-
Hashim)
• married the daughter of Rajah Baguinda
Excerpt from the Boxer Codex
Fourth Chapter:
”Customs, Ceremonial Usages, and
Rites of Bisayans“
What is Boxer Codex? 03
Boxer Codex is a comprehensive account of the Philippines
and other parts of Asia-Pacific in the late sixteenth century.
Boxer Codex is a manuscript written in 1595 which contains
illustrations of Filipinos at the time of their initial contact
with the Spanish. Aside from a description of and historical
allusions to the Philippines and various other Far Eastern
countries, it also have colored drawings of the inhabitants of
these regions and their distinctive costumes illustrations
deal with Filipinos.
Manuscript of the Boxer Codex? 03

The original manuscript of the Boxer Codex is

presently House by Indiana University in their Lilly
Library, one of the largest rare book and manuscript
libraries in the United States.
Costumes Ceremonial Usage
Visayan Principal couple covered in tattoos
The Bisayans are accustomed to paint their bodies
A pair of gold-embellished Visayan Noble couple
REFERENCES:
• Excerpts from Cronicas by Juan Francisco de San Antonio (Provided Learning Material
for Topic 3-C
• Excerpts from The Coming of Islam and The Arrival of Tuan Masha’ika, Rajah
Baguinda and Abu Bakr in Jolo (Provided Learning Material for Topic 3-C)
• Excerpts from the Boxer Codex (Provided Learning Material for Topic 3-D)
• _______. (2014). Ancient Wedding in the Philippines. Accessed from:
https://philgovandhistory.blogspot.com/2014/07/ancient-wedding-in-
philippines.html?fbclid=IwAR2eg8lCAxoMWAqRAiySYqVVrhTsLHxvYMn0RAHe5FBrpV
4WLVHwovMRfdQ
• SAGADRACA, T. (2015). Boxer Codex. Accessed from:
https://www.slideshare.net/babaylan1111/boxer-codex
• VibalTV. (2021). The World of the Boxer Codex. Accessed from:
https://youtu.be/wmQCMY3-rhE
Thank You!