Setting in

the
Philippine
s
Land, people, life and
culture
 ◦ Philippines is an archipelagic country with over 7,900+
islands and islets
River Systems:
Mountain Systems: 1. Rio Grande de Cagayan
1. Mt. Halcon- Mindoro 2. Agno Grande
2. Kanlaon Volcano- Negros 3. Abra River System
3. Surigao Range- Mindanao 4. Rio Grande de Pampanga
4. Butuan Range- Mindanao 5. Rio Grande de Mindanao

Lands in Volcanoes and Earthquakes: Products & Natural Resources:

1. Iraya- Batanes Island -the country is rich in natural
the 2. Taal- Batangas
3. Banahaw- Quezon
resources but are underdeveloped
1. Rice 7. sugar
4. Mayon- Albay 2. Copra 8. zinc
5. Hibok-Hibok- Camiguin 3. Abaca 9. manganese
6. Makaturing- Lanao 4. Gums 10. Chromium
7. Apo- Davao 5. Resins
6. rubber
 On Our Racial Origin

• According to H. Otley Beyer: belongs to a mixture

of races, although he is mostly a Malay

• “Filipino”- was first referred to the Insulares; Rizal

and other Filipino propagandists refer them to the
natives.
People in • Mestizos- mixture of foreign blood; by virtue of
the social and financial status, looked down on
“natives”
 Common traits of the Filipinos

Filipino
people in
the

Do you agree? Are they relevant today?

 Regional Traits:
Ilocano/ Santoy Tagalog
• not born humorist; • historically “superior” to the rest
• most regionalistic • enjoys the finer things in life

Filipino • frugal • lyrical

people in Bicolano
• known for even
Muslim
• fiercest lover of freedom
• adventurous like Visayan and Santoy
the temper and religiosity
• fond of spicy foods • man of honor
• Can be one’s best friend or worst
enemy
Visayan
• happy go lucky
• Spendthrift
• self-reliant than Tagalogs
 Did our pre- colonial Spanish
ancestors reach such level of
culture so as to classify their
achievements as a civilization?
On Pre-Colonial Life and Culture
 criteria for classifying societies into “civilized” and “non-civilized” .
✔ Effective technology
✔ Big population centers ✔ Presence of writing
✔ Possession of predictive sciences ✔ Religion
✔ Highly developed art ✔ Public monuments
✔ Existence of foreign trade ✔ System of government
✔ Laws
✔ Warfare
“The Filipinos possessed an
elaborate civilization in the past.
This achievement did not become
part of the Filipino consciousness,
even today, because of the advent
of colonization during which a On Pre-Colonial
systematic distortion of our Life and Culture
perceptive about ourselves was
carried out.”
- Prof. F. Landa Jocano
 On Pre-Colonial
Life and Culture
“It’s the best example of wanting to
be associated with something foreign
to look good and feel good. Anything
local is garbage.
I'd like to call it lack of nationalism,
but I give you the liberty to think
otherwise.
Unless the country as a whole thinks
of a better way to find its own
identity, we will always be victims of
this stupid cycle of acting foreign
 How do you visualize a pre-colonial Filipino?

Filipino
people in
the
 PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND
CULTURE: HOUSES

Houses: typical houses were made of bamboo, wood nipa palms, cogon or
whatever native materials found in the area.
 PRE-COLONIAL
LIFE AND
CULTURE:
HOUSES

"Philippine Architecture During Pre-Spanish and Spanish Period" by Arch. Norma I. Alarcon
 PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND
CULTURE: MODE OF
DRESSING

Mode of Dressing: Kangan, Bahag , Putong ,Baro or Camisa, Saya, Patadyong

(Visayan), Tapis.
 ◦Damian Domingo's
illustrations of
Pre-Colonial Life Filipino women
from Pampanga
and Culture: and Ilocos wearing
a tapis. Photos from
mode of dressing THE NEWBERRY
LIBRARY
Creating the ginayan is a laborious task. As
the garment’s centerpiece, the ine is
weaved separately from the bata pieces,
and it usually has very detailed motifs —
ranging from 20 to 100 counts. Because of
the lengths it takes to make the ginayan,
the skirt can act as a prized heirloom,
passed on through generations
A Bagobo
the female master weavers of ginayan were Klata woman
esteemed in Bagobo communities, and wearing the
they were given exclusive tasks. Kinna-inno (or
ginayan).
 ◦knowledgeable of
Pre-Colonial Life the entire weaving
process, from the
and Culture: meghani (warping),
nuwah (filling-in
mode of dressing the comb), meneh
(creating the
design), and
All Yakan women in the past were trained nennun (the actual
weaving)
in weaving. Long ago, a common practice
among the Yakan was that, when a female
was born, the pandey, traditional midwife,
would cut the umbilical cord using a
wooden bar called bayre (other Yakan
pronounce this as beyde). That bar was
used for ‘beating-in’ the weft of the loom.
By thus severing of the umbilical cord, it
was believed that the infant would grow up
to become an accomplished weaver. Ambalang
Ausalin
(Gawad ng
Manlilikha ng
Bayan)
PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND CULTURE:
SOCIAL CLASS
Illustrations from
Boxer Codex-
16th c Spanish
exploration accounts
of East and
Southeast Asia and
the Pacific

(Gat, Lakan or Maginoo) nobles, (Timawa) free men or commoner,

(Maharlika) warrior class, and the dependents (Aliping namamahay at
sagigilid)
Pre-Colonial Life and in the Visayas,

Culture: Social Class dependents were

of three kinds :
tumataban,
The Maginoo were the ruling class, the educated class, tumarampok, and
the royal class, and the privileged class.
the ayuey
TheTimawa were made up the bulk of the barangay.
They could acquire property, jobs, and etc. They pay
taxes and support the Maginoo class.
Maharlika enjoyed the same rights as Timawas but not
expected to pay taxes. They were responsible for the
community’s protection. May change allegiance to a
barangay either by marriage or relocation.
Alipin were not really slaves, but indentured servants
and partners in labor. They were not expected to pay
taxes due to their economic situations.
(Unpopular account) Bulisik and bulislis were
stigmatized as lower than an aliping namamahay and
usually those indebted to another gigilid. Non-persons
captured in war until accepted by the community whose
label meant something vuigar. (Bulislis- genitals
exposed; bulisik- vile and contemptible)
 PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND
CULTURE: WOMEN IN SOCIETY

• They had equal rights as men, and they were highly regarded
 PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND
CULTURE: GOVERNMENT

∙ 30-100 families, was a monarchy ruled by a Datu, Hari or Raja. The

village elders were the counselors and advisers of the chieftain
Datu: legislator, judge & supreme commander. Successorship depends.
 PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND CULTURE:
BARANGANIC RELATION

• They concluded treaty of • trade and commerce among

friendship and alliance themselves
through Sanduguan
 Pre-Colonial Life and Culture:
BARANGANIC RELATION
◦The inconvenience of the barter system led to the
adoption of a specific medium of exchange – the
cowry shells. Cowries produced in gold, jade,
quartz and wood became the most common and
acceptable form of money through many centuries.

◦Since the Philippines is naturally rich in gold, it

was used in ancient times for barter rings, personal
adornment, jewelry, and the first local form of
coinage called Piloncitos (gold nuggets). These
had a flat base that bore an embossed inscription
of the letters “MA” or “M” similar to the Javanese
script of the 11th century. It is believed that this
inscription was the name by which the Philippines
was known to Chinese traders during the
pre-Spanish time.

◦Philippine Custom Service: The practice of collecting

tributes started from there. The rulers of the
barangays, called datus and rajahs, collected tributes
from merchants before they were allowed to engage
in their trade

Mga Barya ng Pagsanjan’,(Laguna) dokumentaryo ni

Howie Severino,
PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND CULTURE:
LAWS
The Laguna Copper The copper plate is considered the oldest
Plate document found in the Philippines that can
shed light on Philippine political structure in
terms of political hierarchy and networks,
and debt and slavery, which are impossible
to infer from the Santa Ana site

Filipinos had ancient written and oral

laws
 PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND CULTURE: LAWS
The Laguna Copper Plate Translation by Antoon
Postma
Hail! In the Saka-year 822; the month of March-April; according to the astronomer: the 4th
day of the dark half of the moon; on Monday. At that time, Lady Angkatan together with her
relative, Bukah by name, the child of His Honor Namwran, was given, as a special favor, a
document of full acquittal, by the Chief and Commander of Tundun,the former Leader of
Pailah, Jayadewah. To the effect that His Honor Namwran, through the Honorable Scribe
was totally cleared of a debt to the amount of 1 kati and 8 suwarna (weight of gold), in the
presence of His Honor the Leader of Puliran, Kasumuran; His Honor the Leader of Pailah,
namely: Ganasakti; (and) His Honor the Leader of Binwangan, namely: Bisruta. And (His
Honor Namwran) with his whole family, on orders by the Chief of Dewata, representing the
Chief of Mdang, because of his loyalty as a subject (slave?) of the Chief, therefore all the
descendants of His Honor Namwran have been cleared of the whole debt that His Honor
owed the Chief of Dewata. This (document) is (issued) in case there is someone,
whosoever, some time in the future, who will state that the debt is not yet acquitted of His
Honor…
PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND CULTURE: JUDICIAL
PROCESS
Bultong
(wrestlin
g
Ifugao)
and
Alaw
(duel)

Trial by Ordeal Trial by Combat

chieftain and elders act as jury (hukom) and trials were done in public
Legal infractions were many and varied. They ranged from insults, considered quite serious,
especially when directed against a village chief, to stealing, burglary, assault and murder. The
legal system could also be called upon to settle civil disputes, such as matters involving trade,
land, loans and disputed possession.
PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND CULTURE:
RELIGION
PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND CULTURE: RELIGION

F. L. Jocano
PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND CULTURE:
RELIGION

Babaylan and Katalona Anitos

 Webinar points on Ritual Specialists: Chosen
by ancestor spirits (revelation/spirit possession);
they are connected to the cosmos; have
intentions of giving “service” to community.
BABAYLAN-ARLENE Mumbaki (male
NATOYCAD
specialist)-Jesus Insilada Buklog is an elaborate thanksgiving ritual system
of the Subanen (People of the River), an
indigenous people in the southern Philippines.
The head of a host family, usually a village chief
called ‘timuay’, plans the ritual system to express
gratitude to the spirits. The rituals ensure
harmony among family, clan and community
members, as well as among the human, natural
and spiritual worlds. They include asking the
spirits for permission to gather materials from the
forest, presenting coin offerings, inviting the spirits
of the departed to feast, invoking spirits of water
and land, and music and dance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d494-9amYf8
 FICTION: ONGO (POWERFUL SHAPESHIFTING CREATURE AKIN TO ASWANG IN
CEBU.’S LOCAL BELIEFS)

Main point here: to showcase their cosmic relationship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhH-saRPSZ8
 PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND CULTURE:
MARRIAGE CUSTOMS

Officiated by Babaylans Bigay-kaya (dowry) Paninilbihan

• native wedding was a three-day extravaganza, filled with folk rituals that included the blessing of rice
grains, the drawing of blood, and the symbolic binding of the couple by cord.
 PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND CULTURE:
EDUCATION

• almost all pre-Spanish Filipinos knew how to read

and write
 PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND CULTURE:
LANGUAGES

Almost all of the languages we majorly use originated from the family
of Malayo-Polynesian language
PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND CULTURE:
LITERATURE AND MUSIC

awit, salawikain, hele, bugtong, ihiman and kumintang

PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND CULTURE: LITERATURE AND MUSIC

The Hudhud consists of narrative chants traditionally performed by

the Ifugao community, which is well known for its rice terraces
extending over the highlands of the northern island of the Philippine
archipelago. It is practised during the rice sowing season, at harvest
time and at funeral wakes and rituals. Thought to have originated
before the seventh century, the Hudhud comprises more than 200
chants, each divided into 40 episodes. A complete recitation may last
several days.
The chant tells about ancestral heroes, customary law, religious
beliefs and traditional practices, and reflects the importance of rice
cultivation. The narrators, mainly elderly women, hold a key position
in the community, both as historians and preachers. The Hudhud epic
is chanted alternately by the first narrator and a choir, employing a
single melody for all the verses.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDImhwTKMOk&t=74s
PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND CULTURE:
ARTS
 PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND CULTURE:
ARTS
These jars were produced
mostly in China and some
Southeast Asian countries
(e.g., Thailand, Burma,
Cambodia) and reached
the Philippines, as part of
an intricate network of
global trade that existed
long before Spain’s arrival
in the country.
 PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND CULTURE:
ARTS
The first gold death mask found in the Philippines was in
Oton, Iloilo.

According to the National Museum, early Bisayans

believed that covering the dead’s eyes, nose, and
mouth with gold protects them from evil spirits.

“They believed that the brightness of the gold drives

away the evil spirits,” they said.

“Gold was also associated with social status, and

persons with high ranks were buried with as much gold
as possible – gold face covers, small gold in between
the burial shroud, gold accessories, jewelry, and beads,
and other prized possessions like ceramics,
Pre-Colonial Life and Culture: Arts spike of a
The simple designs are evocative of the nature calmansi
around her in the mountainous region of the (lime) tree
Cordilleras - outlines of centipedes, trees and attached to a
snakes or basic geometric patterns such as bamboo stick
diamonds and squares. that has been
dipped in wet
These, she says, are "earthly messengers from charcoal
the gods [that] protect you from enemies or bad
spirits“

Tattoos or batok (also called batek): were sacred

and a symbol of power, courage, and dominance.
Kalinga men, composed of warriors and
Apo Whang-od
headhunters, earned their body art which
was nominated
represented the battles they won. On the other
for a National
hand, tattoos were a mark of beauty. The more
Living Treasures
tribal tattoos a Kalinga woman had, the more
Award
beautiful she was.

Tradition dictates that skills can only be passed

down family lines. In Buscalan dialect, "It has to be
within the same family because if someone else
PRE-COLONIAL LIFE AND CULTURE:
ECONOMIC LIFE

agriculture was the main source of

livelihood
Matching Type:
a.) Economic Life b.) Judicial Process c.) Religion
d.) Arts e.) Marriage Customs f.) Social Class
g.) Music h.) Literature i.) Law j.) Mode of
dressing
1. Bigay-Kaya 6. Kangan, Putong, Patadyong and
2. Kudyapi Camisa
3. Engravings on the handles of 7. Kumintang and Ihiman
weapons 8. Trial by Ordeal or Combat
4. Barter System 9. Sidapa, Idinale and Siginaguran
5. Maragtas Code 10. Lakan, freemen and alipining
sagigilid at namamahay