Customs of the Tagalog

Las Costumbres de los Indios

Tagalos de Filipinas

Juan de Plasencia
 Author’s Background
Fray Juan de Plasencia

 Born in the early 16th century as Juan Portocarrero

in Plasencia, in the region of Extremadura, Spain.
He was one of the seven children of Pedro
Portocarrero, a captain of a Spanish schooner.

 Juan de Plasencia grew up during the period

known as the Siglo de Oro, a Golden Age when arts
and literature flourished in many parts of Spain,
among them his native Extremadura.
 Arrival in the Philippines
• Fray Juan de Plasencia came together with the first batch of
Franciscan missionaries in the Philippines.

• Arrived at a port in Cavite, a few kilometers south of Manila

on the 2nd of July 1578.

• As soon as he arrived, he joined forces with another

missionary, Fray Diego de Oropesa, and they both started
preaching around Laguna de Bay and Tayabas, Quezon, in
Quezon Province, where he founded several towns.
 Historical Relacion de las
Background of Costumbres
the Document “The chronicler, Francis enemies, and so I can
hardly express the sadness I feel any time the
news of such incidents reach my ears or I
myself am involved; however, if one is to choose
between enmity and friendship and between
peace and war, I believe enmity is to be
preferred. For considering the kind of persons
most of the alcaldes mayores are nowadays,
nothing indicates that friendship with them will
help the missions in any way. On the contrary,
it will destroy them. Because, as I have
observed, you can hardly find one that is not
blinded and moved by greediness, thus
destroying his own soul as well as the lives and
possessions of the poor Indians.”
 Customs of the Tagalogs
It was written on the year 1589 during the Spanish Colonial Period.
After receiving the Lordship’s letter, Plasencia wished to reply
immediately; but he postponed his answer in order that he might first
thoroughly informhimself in regard to People’s request, and to avoid
discussing the conflicting reports of the Indians.

Therefore, he collected Indians from different districts old men, and

those of most capacity; and from them he have obtained the simple
truth, after weeding out much foolishness, in regard to their
government, administration of justice, inheritance, slaves, and dowries.
 Customs of the Tagalogs
Customs of the Tagalogs is a part (either chapters or subsections) of
longer monographs written by the chroniclers of the Spanish
expeditions to the Philippines during the early 16th and 17th centuries.
They appeared initially in Blair and Robertson’s 55 volumes, The
Philippine Islands (1903) and in the Philippine Journal of Sciences
(1958).
ANG SINAUNANG KABIHASNAN:
KULTURA AT TRADISYON NG
MGA SINAUNANG PILIPINO
SOCIAL CLASS

CHIETAN
(DATU)

NOBLES
(MAHARLIKA)

FEUDAL WARRIOR
(TIMAWA)

COMMONERS
(ALIPING NAMAMAHAY)

SLAVES
(ALIPING SAGUIGUILIR)
 GOVERNMENT
BARANGAY ADMINISTRATION OF
 Earliest form of Government. JUSTICE
 Derived from ‘balangay’  Unwritten and written law.
 Consist of 30 to 100 families  The chieftain’s executive
together with their relatives and function includes
slaves. implementing laws, ensuring
INHERITANCE order and giving protection to
 The 1st son of the barangay chieftain  his subject.between individuals
Disputes
inherits his father’s position were settled by a court made up
 In the absence of male heirs, it is the
of the chieftain and council of
eldest daughter that becomes the
chieftain. elders
.
 ACQUISITION OF POWER LOSS OF POWER
 Proving of his leadership skills  Death
 Through succession  Replacement
 Chosen by wisdom, wealth and
physical strength

INTERBARANGANIC
RELATIONS

 Friendship and alliance

through SANDUGUAN.
 SITUATIONS
‡ Those who are maharlicas on both the
father’s and mother’s side continue to be
forever
‡ If maharlicas had children among their
‡ slaves
If maharlicas had children by the slave-
woman of another
‡ If a free woman had children by a slave
they were all free
‡ If two persons married, of whom one was a
maharlica and the other a slave the children
were divided
‡ Maharlicas could not, after marriage, move
from one village to another without paying a
certain fee in gold
SPECIAL CASE
† When one married woman of
another village, the children
were afterwards divided
equally between the two
barangays.
† They had laws by which
they condemned to death a
man of low birth who
insulted the daughter or wife
of a chief.
† Dowries are given by men to
the women’s parents before
marriage.
 ECONOMIC LIFE
 Agriculture in the plane lands
 Hunting in high lands.
 Fishing in river banks and sea.
.
 Shipbuilding, weaving, poultry, mining and lumbering.

 Domestic trade of different barangays by boat.

 Foreign trade with countries like Borneo, China, Japan, Cambodia, Java,
and Thailand.
 ALIPIN
Ang isang tao ay Makakamtan ang kalayaan
nagiging alipin kung: ng isang alipin kung:

1. Siya ay ginamit bilang 1. Natupad ang pagbabayad ng

utang.
pambayad utang.
2. Siya ay nagpakita ng
2. Nabihag sa panahon kabayanihan sa digmaan.
ng digmaan. 3. Maaaring kusang loob na
3. Nagmula sa pinalaya ng datu.
pamilyang alipin. 4. Nakapag-asawa ng isang tao
4. Hindi nakabayad ng na nabibilang sa ibang uri o
utang. pangkat ng lipunan.
ANG PANANAMIT AT PALAMUTI
PUTONG

BARO O
CAMISA
KANGGAN

SAYA
BAHAG
 RELIHIYON AT PANANAMPALATAYA
Ang mga sinaunang Pilipino ay
naniniwala sa kanilang mga diyos at
naniniwala din sila sa iisang Diyos na
PAMAHIIN
tinatawag nilang “Bathala”, ang Naniniwala din ang mga sinaunang
dakilang lumikha. tao sa pamahiin tulad ng: Aswang,
1. Idiyanale – diyos ng pagsasaka Dwende, Kapre, Tikbalang,
2. Sidapa – diyos ng kamatayan Patyanak/Tiyanak.
3. Balangaw – diyos ng bahaghari
4. Mandarangan – diyos ng digmaan
5. Agni – diyos ng apoy Pinaniniwalaan din nila ang mga
6. Magwayen – diyos ng kabilang buhay kapangyarihan tulad ng: anting-
7. Lalahon – diyos ng pag-aani anting, kulam at gayuma
8. Siginarugan – diyos ng impyerno
9. Diyan Masalanta – diyos ng pag-ibig
 IDOLS
 Bathala
 Lic-ha
ANG BAHAY
 Dian masalanta (patron of lovers and
of generation)
 Lacapati and Idianale (patrons of
cultivated lands and of husbandry)
 Tala
 Seven little goats (the Pleiades)
 Mapolon (change of seasons)
 Balatic (greater Bear)
 Buaya
 Tigmamanuguin –bird Ito ay yari sa kawayan at pawid, may
 No established division of years,
bubong, silong at hagdan na
months, and days
 Catolonan (officiating priest) maaaring alisin sa gabu o kung
 offerings and sacrifices umaalis ang maybahay.
 Belief on bearingchild
 WIKA, PARAAN NG PAGSULAT AT
PANITIKAN
Ang mga wika na ginagamit ng
sinaunang tao ay Wikang Malayo-
Polinesyo. Mapapansing Malaki
ang pagkakahawig nito sa mga iba
pang wika na ginagamit sa
Pilipinas kung kaya madali itong
tandaan.
 COURTSHIP CUSTOMS
Pasaguli or Riddle Courtship Pamalaye
- This form of courtship has been practiced ever since
before the Spanish rule arrived in the country two major – The Formal Proposal Cebu
purposes: to showcase certain expressions of love and toProvince “Mamamae” and a “Sagang”
whose main qualifications are great skill
assess the sentiments of the parents of both parties. After
everything is done, they will settle the price in a form of
in the art of debate and rebuttal. The
dowry. reaching of an agreement between the
Olog or “Agamang“– The Betrothal House Ifugao, Mountain families is the high point of this custom
Province called the “Pamalaye”, and lavish
-(The marriageable boys are accommodated in another festivities ensue.
communal house called the “Ato“.) The boys from the “Ato”
regularly visit the “Olog” and performed the first stage of Among the Ilocanos, this is known as
courtship known as the “Ca-i-sing.” All these are done
under the watchful eye of the “Olog” head — an elderly and “Tampa” or, the more formal
married woman or a childless widow who keeps the parents arrangement, the “Danon.” To the
of her wards informed of the developments of the courtship. Tagalogs, it is “Pamanhikan.” It is
The practice, unique to our Northern Mountain Tribes is “Pasaguli” to the Palawe and
also known as “Ebgan” (Kalinga) or “Pangis” “Kapamalai” to the Maranaos.
Pangagad – Bride Service Province of Leyte
 a Filipino man wishing to wed into a traditional family is expected to perform
household service to the bride’s family as proof of his sincerity and fortitude. This
can include anything from fetching water and chopping firewood, working in the
farm as well as running household errands. This usually lasts about one year. This
is more of a test period–as the rendering of the “pangagad” still does not guarantee
irrevocable acceptance of the marriage proposal. Thus, it is appropriately known as
“Paninilbihan” (being of service) or “Subok” (trial) to the Tagalogs. In Bicol, it is
called the “Pamianan.”

Pangalay – The Wedding Tausug

 On the eve of the affair, a cacophony of native percussion instruments–“agong“,
“kulingtang“and “gabbang” announce the impending wedding. The ceremony
proper is performed by an “Imam” or Muslim priest. After readings from the
“Koran“, the groom puts his “fingerprint” on the forehead of the bride. This gesture
formally seals the marriage.
MARRIAGE CUSTOMS
•Generally, men were monogamous; while their wives are called Asawa.
•The courtship begins with Paninilbihan.
• The man requires to give dowry;
(1) Bigay-kaya where they will give a piece of land or gold.
(2) Panghihimuyat: a gift for the bride’s parents
3) Bigay-Suso (for brides wet nurse)
•Marriage between couples belongings to different social classes were not common.
•Several grounds for divorce are:
(1) Adultery,
(2) Abandonment on the part of the husband,
(3) Cruelty and
(4) Insanity.

Reference/s: https://www.slideshare.net/rey_john_rey/juan-de-
plasencia-custom-of-the-tagalogs
 The deceased was buried beside his The relatives wore rattan bands
house around arm, legs and neck and they
abstained from eating meat and wine.
 If he were a chief, he was placed The ancients distinguished mourning
beneath a little house or porch which for a woman for that a man – morotal
they constructed for this purpose. Before (a woman) and maglahi (for men)
interring him, they mourned him for 
Relatives of the dead who was
four days. And afterward laid him on murdered would not end their mounring
boat which served as a coffin or bier, until they have exacted vengeance or
placing him beneath the porch, where Balata
guard kept over him by a slave. In place
of rowers, various animals were placed  The celebration held on the ninth might
within the boat, each one being assigned after the death of the person is called
a place at the oar by twos---male female Pasiyam, in which a play called tibawis
of each species being together. staged to honor the death.
 They knew that there was another life of rest  There were also ghosts, which
which they called maca, just as if we should say they called vibit, and phantoms,
“paradise,” or in other words, “village of rest”. which they called tigbalaang. They
 Those who go to this place are the had another deception namely, if
any woman died in childbirth, she
just, and the valiant and the child suffered punishment,
 There was a place of punishment, grief, and that, at night, she could be
and affliction called casanaan, which was a heard lamenting.
“place of anguish”
 They also maintained that no one would go
 This called patianac. May honor
to heaven, where there only dwelt bathala,
and glory be to God our Lord, that
“the maker of all things,” who governed among the tagalongs not a trace of
from above. this is left, and that those who are
 There were also another pagans who now marrying do not even know
confessed more clearly to hell, which they what it is, thanks to the preaching of
called as I have said, casanaan; they said the holy gospel, which has banished
that all the wicked went to that place, and it.
Reference/s:
there dwelt the demons, whom they called https://www.slideshare.net/rey_john_re
sitan. y/juan-de-plasencia-custom-of-the-
 IMPLICATIONS
• The original work itself is a product of observations and
judgments. Therefore, it is probable that Juan de Plasencia’s
work might contain partiality in presenting his observations
and judgments.

• Pre-conquest society were not swept by the advent of the

Spanish regime

• It has continued to serve as the basis for historical

reconstructions of Tagalog society.
• Reference/s: https://www.slideshare.net/rey_john_rey/juan-de-plasencia-custom-of-the-tagalogs
 Relevant of the Document in the
Modern Time
• The original work itself is a product of observations and judgement.
Therefore, it is probable that Juan de Plasencia’s work might contain
partiality in presenting his observations and judgements.

• It has continued to serve as a basis for historical reconstructions of

Tagalog society.
• Many of the 16th century beliefs and practices are still
present today.

• If affirms that during the pre-Hispanic period, Filipinos

already have a government as well as a set of beliefs and
practices.

• Some of our preceptions on Filipino beliefs and practices are

somehow on different from Juan de Plasencia’s point of view.

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