Early Philippine culture: Life of the Early

Inhabitants of the Philippine Islands

Rock carvings
(petroglyphs)
from the
Philippines.
(Photo Lloyd
Intalan, 2005.)
The carvings
pictured are
located at
Angono in
Rizal,
Philippines
• In 2000 BC, agriculture and sedentary living had been
introduced to the archipelago and at least some of the
indigenous inhabitants of the islands were living in
settled villages, making pottery, and cultivating rice.
• Somewhere else in around 2000 BC:
Completion of Stonehenge
Domestication of the horse
Alphabetic writing emerges
Hammurabi's Code
Beginning of Shang Dynasty in China
 Early interactions with other civilizations

• Indigenous chiefdoms on the islands had

regular trade contact with Southeast Asia and
China and Japan.
Kamhantik limestone tombs (890 AD – 1030 AD)

It is a remain of a
thousand-year-
old barangay
found in the
jungles of Mount
Maclayao in Sitio
Kamhantik in
Mulanay, Quezon,
Philippines. It is
believed that pre-
Hispanic Tagalogs
created of the
tombs.
• Laguna Copperplate Inscription (900 CE)

• It is a document inscribed in a copperplate. It is written in a mixture of

Sanskrit, Old Javanese, Old Malay and Old Tagalog
• The inscription was a pardon from the Chief of Tondo that erased the debt of
a man named Namwaran. His debt was about 926.4 grams of gold.
• It is another definitive indication of our ancestors’ relationship with other
nearby civilizations
 Long Live! Year of Siyaka 822, month of Waisaka, according to astronomy. The fourth
day of the waning moon, Monday. On this occasion, Lady Angkatan, and her brother
whose name is Buka, the children of the Honourable Namwaran, were awarded a
document of complete pardon from the Commander in Chief of Tundun, represented by
the Lord Minister of Pailah, Jayadewa.

By this order, through the scribe, the Honourable Namwaran has been forgiven of all
and is released from his debts and arrears of 1 katî and 8 suwarna before the Honourable
Lord Minister of Puliran, Ka Sumuran by the authority of the Lord Minister of Pailah.

Because of his faithful service as a subject of the Chief, the Honourable and widely
renowned Lord Minister of Binwangan recognized all the living relatives of Namwaran
who were claimed by the Chief of Dewata, represented by the Chief of Medang.

Yes, therefore the living descendants of the Honourable Namwaran are forgiven,
indeed, of any and all debts of the Honourable Namwaran to the Chief of Dewata.

This, in any case, shall declare to whomever henceforth that on some future day
should there be a man who claims that no release from the debt of the Honourable...
900 CE: Somewhere else…
• Islam was still being introduced to Central Asia
and East Africa.

• Codex Aureus of St. Emmeram,

c. 870, a Carolingian Gospel book.

» Formative years of the legend of King

Arthur
 Early Religious Influences in the Philippines’ History

• The first foreign religions in the archipelago

may have been Buddhism and Hinduism.
Around 900 AD, several of the island polities
were vassal states of the Empire of Srivijaya.
Srivijaya was a city-state on the island of
Sumatra and a center of Buddhist learning
that flourished roughly from 700 to 1100 AD.
• By the 14th century AD, Islam had spread to
islands of Mindanao and Sulu. Not long
afterwards, powerful sultanates grew on these
islands and Islam became entrenched so
strongly that areas on these islands still
remain Islamic today, in the otherwise
Christian Philippines. It might have been
spread by merchants from Indonesia and
India.
• Barangay city-states. Various ethnic groups
established several polities formed by the
assimilation of several small political units
known as barangay each headed by a Datu,
who was then answerable to a Rajah or a
Lakan, who headed the city state. Each
barangay consisted of about 100 families.
Notable early pre-
Hispanic Philippine
communities
Features of early Philippine society
• Most barangays are politically independent
from each other, except for some notable
‘city-states’ such Zubu (Cebu), Selurung
(Manila), etc. These city-states were
confederation of many barangays.
• Independent barangays practiced their own
indigenous leadership systems.
Features of early Philippine society
• Many barangays traded independently with
foreign entities such as Chinese and Japanese.
• Gold was a primary product of early Filipino
communities, especially in the western coast
of Northern Luzon.
• In the 14th century, strict social classes started to
emerge.
Social classes in the 14th century:
A. Datu or ruling class,
B. Maharlika or noblemen,
C. Timawa or freemen,
D. The dependent class
1. Aliping Namamahay (Serfs)
2. Aliping Saguiguilid (Slaves).
 Indigenous Filipino Scripts
• Suyat- collective term for the many early
Filipino scripts
 Indigenous Filipino Scripts
• Baybayin- the most popular and most
widespread of the suyat. It was used primarily
by the Tagalogs. It was in use until the 18th
century but eventually died out because of its
limitations (e.i. inability to record new sounds
in Spanish, bottom to top manner of writing)
disuse.
 Writing materials
• Leaves
• Palm fronds
• Tree barks
• Fruit rinds
• Bamboos
• Metals
• Rocks
• Sharp metals
Distinct societal practices of early Filipinos

• Women and men enjoyed the same rights and

privileges
• Unwed mothers or fathers were not shamed
• Divorce was practiced
• After marriage, women did not lose their
name
 Spanish Colonial System
Spain’s colonial motives:
a. Commercial- The Spaniards wanted to conquer the
“Spice Islands” to monopolize the spice trade. They wrongly
assumed that the Philippines is the ‘Spice Islands’
 Spanish Colonial System
Spain’s colonial motives:
a. Commercial- The Philippines is a potential
source of metal and non-metallic resources
for Spain
 Spanish Colonial System
Spain’s colonial motives:
b. Territorial- Spain’s colonial territories
spanned the globe and Philippines was their
outpost in the western Pacific region
 Spanish Colonial System
Spain’s colonial motives:
b. Religious- Religion was seen in Europe as a
huge political tool in expanding territories.
Calabanga,
Camarines Sur Pililla, Rizal
Intramuros
 Colonial government
• Reduccion - relocation of indigenous Filipinos into
settlements
• Encomienda system- conquistadores, friars and
native nobles were granted estates, in exchange
for their services to the King, and were given
the privilege to collect tribute from its
inhabitants. In return, the encomendero was
tasked to provide military protection to the
inhabitants, justice and governance.
 Colonial government
• Encomienda system
– The encomenderos then demand taxes from the
inhabitants of the encomendas.
– Due to the abuses done by the encomenderos and the
friars on the native Filipino inhabitants, the
encomienda system was abolished.
– It was replaced by administrative provinces.
 Colonial government
King of Spain

Governor-General

Alcalde Mayor Corregidores

Alcaldia Corregimiento

Ayuntamientos

Gobernadorcillo/ Gobernadorcillo/ Gobernadorcillo/

Gobernadorcillo/
pueblo pueblo pueblo
pueblo
 Some early revolts against Spanish rule
• Lakandula and Sulayman Revolt (1574)
• Igorot Revolt (1601)
• Itneg Revolt (1625–1627)
• Malong Revolt (1660–1661)
• Almazan Revolt (January 1661)
• Dagohoy Rebellion (1744–1825)
• Silang Revolt (1762–1763)
• Palaris Revolt (1762–1764)
• Basi Revolt (1807)
• Pule Revolt (1840–1841)
• Cavite Mutiny and the execution of the Gomburza (1872)