Customs

of the
Tagalogs
Juan de Plasencia
Presented by:
Mark Kenneth Gajultos
● He was a Spanish friar of the Franciscan Order. He
was among the first group of Franciscan missionaries
who arrived in the Islands on July 2, 1578.

● He spent most of his missionary life in the Philippines,

where he founded numerous towns in Luzon and
authored several religious and linguistic books, most
notably the Doctrina Cristiana (Christian Doctrine), the
first book ever printed in the Philippines.

● As a friar, Juan de Plasencia lived up to his pledge,

leading a lifestyle devoid of any luxury and in constant
contact with the people he was trying to convert to
Christianity. He was also known to be a defender of
Juan de Plasencia
the native population, looking after the poor, ill, or
neglected, and standing up for their rights on
numerous occasions
 Background of the Document

01. DATU
04.
ALIPING
SAGUIGUILIR
02. MAHARLIKA
05. RELIGION
ALIPING
03. NAMAMAHAY 06. BELIEFS

The Customs of the Tagalogs was intentionally made to provide an eroticize

description of the Tagalog natives, clearly fed by politics and Propaganda.
Content and Analysis

DATU
also called chieftain who
governed as many as a
hundred houses called
barangay.
 THREE CASTES

Maharlica Aliping Namamahay Alipining

Saguiguilir
they do not pay tax or tribute they have their own gold they are the slaves. They
to the dato but they are and wealth. They cannot can be either farmers or
obliged to accompany him in be transferred to another slaves.
war at their own expenses. barangay unless by
inheritance.
 THREE CASTES

Maharlica Aliping Namamahay Alipining

Saguiguilir
If a Maharlica married a They are married and They serve their master in
commoner or slave the serves their master his house and on his
children will be divided. whether he is a dato or cultivated lands. They can
not with half of their be sold to other masters.
cultivated lands.
 RELIGION
Among their many idols, there was named
BATHALA, means signify "all powerful", or
"maker of all things", which they worship
the most.

They also worship the sun, for its beauty.

Also they worship the moon, especially
when it sets to be new.

Some of them adored the stars, knowing it

to be the morning star, which they called
TALA.
 Manner of Burying
• if they were a chief, he was placed
beneath a little house of porch
which they constructed for his
purpose. Before entering him, they
mourned him for four days, and
afterwards, placed him in a boat
which served as a coffin or bier.

• If the deceased is a warrior, a living

slave was tied beneath his body
until it is wretched way he died.
And for many days, the family of
the dead man bewailed him. Until
finally they wearied of it.
 WITCHES
As for the witches, they killed them and
their children and accomplices
became slaves of the chief after he
had made some recompense to the
injured person. Other offences are
punished by fines in gold which not
paid with promptness, exposed the
culprit to serve until the payment
should be made, person aggrieved
to whom the money was to be paid.
 TERMS AND CONCEPTS

MANCOCOLAM MANGAGAUAY HOCLOBON

wishes who deceived by without the use of medicine,
its duty was to emit fire
and by simply saluting or
from himself at night pretending to heal the
raising the hand,
sick. they killed whom they chose.
 CONTRIBUTION IN UNDERSTANDING THE PHILIPPINE
HISTORY

This shows the it mainly accounts the contains an immense

Filipinos has already a life system of the information regarding
culture on its own Filipinos during the the political and socio-
before the Spaniards pre-Spanish period. cultural aspect within
came. the Tagalog area

considered as a
primary source, which This document shows
also proved that the importance of
Filipinos are already primary source in the
civilized even before understanding the
the Spanish grand narrative of
colonizationace Philippine History
RELEVANCE OF THE
DOCUMENT
It tackles about the everyday living of the
ancient Filipinos, their system of
government, their social status, and their
customs, beliefs, and transition. This
document is important in determining how
the Spaniards will govern the Filipinos
during the Spanish era.
 References:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJW
5ID1YhMQ
• https://www.scribd.com/document/428
735280/Customs-of-Tagalogs-Reaction-
Paper
• https://www.quora.com/What-are-reaso
ns-why-Plasencias-Customs-of-the-Tagal
ogs-is-important-to-the-grand-narrative-o
f-Philippine-history