HISTORY 100 (MODULE 2.

1 – LIFESTYLE OF EARLY FILIPINOS)

The Lifestyle of Early Filipinos

1. When it comes to Politics:
 Datu – highest chief executive who rules like a King.
He should be:
1.Wise – Chief Lawgiver & Chief Judge
2.Wealthy – feeds his people in times of scarcity
3.Strong – leads his warriors in battle
1. He is the one who enacts law and who would preside over cases. (Wisdom)
2. In times of scarcity, the duty of the datu to feed his people. (Wealthy)
3. The datu needs to be healthy and strong because occasionally, he would lead his warriors into
battle (Strong)

2. When it comes to Education:

 Father teaches his son everything that pertains to a man.
 Mother teaches her daughter everything that pertains to a woman. (Everything that a
woman was expected to do like household chores)
 Education was non-formal and practical. (Because they only learned the things that they
need in order to survive at that time)
 A system of writing called baybayin and alibata (alphabets) were developed.
 In early Philippines, we already have the system of writing. That in itself is a
testament or evidence to the existence of a city.

3. When it comes to Religion:

 Animism and not paganism was practiced.
 People offered animals to Spirits but never human sacrifices.
 The religion of our people in early Philippines, would fall under animism. Paganism
was not practiced in early Philippines. However, the colonizers considered our
ancestors as pagans especially in Cordilleras because they are not converted to
Christianity.
 In paganism, they offer human sacrifices. In animism, they offer animals sacrifices.
4. When it comes to Fashion:
(For Men)
 Bahag – most important
 Kangan – optional (upper garments/simply to complete the get-up)
 Putong – determines the rank of a warrior (depends upon the color, highest ranks would
wear color red, black or blue)
 All of our ancestors in the Philippines wore bahag even in lowlands.
(For Women)
 Baro/Camisa – Upper garment
 Patadyong/Saya – long skirt (would cover all the way down to the ankle)

5. When it comes to Food and Beverages:

 Used indigenous materials like bamboo and earthen pots in cooking their food.
 Beverages Include:
1. Tuba – from coconut for Visayans
2. Lambanog – from coconut for Tagalogs
3. Basi – from sugarcane for Ilocanos
4. Tapuy – fermented rice for Igorots

 The first mass in the Philippines was celebrated at the Limasawa Island.
 One issue being debated upon was where did the first Catholic mass take place in the
Philippines. Books would say it happened in the Limasawa island however some
historians argue that the first mass happened in Butuan instead. The Philippines
Historical Society ruled that it is in Limasawa island (somewhere in Visayas).

The Battle of Mactan

1. Lapu-Lapu (the kingdom of Mactan) anchored his battle strategy on his mastery of the
geographical barriers.
2. Ferdinand Magellan (foreign leader) arrogantly underestimated the capabilities of Lapu-Lapu
and his Mactan warriors.
3. Rajah Humabon was a bitter loser.
 When Magellan returned for the battle in Mactan, he did not know it was high tide. Lapu-
Lapu knew and took advantage of it. He positioned his warriors behind rocks and his
snipers on top of trees or on the hills. When Magellan arrived, he was caught off guard
and forced to disembark from his ship far from the shores of Mactan.
 Magellan brave his way towards Mactan warriors, especially because he was covered
with metal armors and he was so confident because he was a veteran on a lot of battle in
Morocco. He underestimated the warriors of Lapu-Lapu because it appears that most of
them were just half his size (height).
 The sniper of Mactan started to aim for Magellan’s head but realize that it can’t go
through the metal armor. However, the impact was strong enough to knock of his helmet.
Magellan’s helmet fell rise. Magellan was hit by an arrow, and tried to remove it. When
he bent to remove the arrow, it was an opportunity for the Mactan warriors to chop his
head.
 As promised by Magellan, the battle of Mactan was short and sweet.
 Humabon was there and witnessed everything. He was planning as the next king of
Mactan but Lapu-Lapu made it instead of him.
 Victoria (a ship) only managed to return in Cebu while La Trinidad gets stuck in
Benguet.
 Juan Sebastián Elcano was a Castilian navigator of Basque origin best known for having
completed the first circumnavigation of the Earth in the nao Victoria on the Spanish
expedition to the Spice Islands.