BEFORE THE CONQUEST

BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 Philippine history writing started during

Spanish time when Ferdinand Magellan landed
in the Philippine archipelago in the year 1521,
followed by Filipinos like Dr. Jose Rizal who
annotated Antonio Morga’s Book “Sucessos de
Las Islas Filipinas” (Events of the Philippine
Islands) and Americans
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 But before the Spaniards, there were

archaeological records of early Chinese
and some Muslim scholars narrating the
existence of civilization in the archipelago
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 Early Dwellers in the Philippine

Archipelago:
 1. Tabon Man – the Tabon Man skull cap
was discovered by Dr. Robert Fox , an
American Anthropologist, in the Tabon cave
in Palawan in 1962
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 According to research this man lived on

the early days called Stone Age and inside
the cave
 He also found evidence that these early
human already knew how to make and use
tools
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 Experts said skeletal remains found in

Tabon was not a Negrito
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 Negrito:
 Henry Otley Beyer , a known anthropologist,
introduced the “Theory of Migration” that the first
Human who came to the Philippine Archipelago
through through the Land Bridges were Negritos , the
Ancestors of the Aetas, has many anthropologists and
experts opposed and disproved this belief
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 Callao Man:
 Dr. Armand Mijares of University of the
Philippines led the team of archaeologists
in 2007
 They found a foot bone inside the Callao
Cave in Cagayan
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 Callao Man is said to be 20,000 years older

than the Tabon Man
 Uranium Series Dating – method used in
determining the age of the bone which was
conducted in France
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 Laguna Copperplate Inscription (LCI):

 The oldest written documents in Philippine
history was found in Lumbang River in the
province of Laguna by a sand worker and he
sold it to National Museum
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 According to the story, a Dutch anthropologist

named Anton Postma translated the inscription
 The translation shows the Chief of Tondo pardoned
the debt of Namwaran
 The LCI names several places in the Philippines
and Indonesia
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 The copperplate discloses the influence of

Hindu culture in the Philippines before
900 AD (Anno Domini)
 Some believe that cultural contact was more
likely through Hindu Empire in Indonesia
or India
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 It proves that Manila was already

populated and civilized before the arrival
of Muslims in the year 1100’s to 1200’s
 It also indicates the interaction of the early
Filipinos to its neighboring Asian countries
before Ferdinand Magellan
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 The Early Philippine Society:

 The early Filipinos started building their
communities along the mouth of the river or
coastal areas
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 They chose the place because of economic

opportunities wherein they access the land
and the water for their everyday routine
life
 Their community was a Barangay setup with
50 or 2000 people as residents
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 The Barangay originated from the story of the

Ten Bornean Datus who were believed to have
sailed in the direction of the Philippines using
their boat called Balangay to escape the cruelty
of Sultan Makatunaw of Borneo, with their
family and other people onboard
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 However, this story according to recent

studies revealed some irregularities
because the story does not have any
written evidences, but only verbal or
spoken historical account which became
part of Filipino culture
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 Traditional Filipino Communities:

 The Raja or Datu ruled the Barangay
 Is duty is to look over to the people and
maintain peace within the community and
lead them if there are intruders who would
like to conquer them
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 After the historic Sandugo of Miguel

Lopez de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna of
Bohol , some tribal leaders adopted the
symbolic ceremony and preservation of
friendship between the two tribes
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 Another way to solve the disputes of the two

tribes or Barangay during the early days was
the arrange marriage of their children
 This will give way to the merging of the two
former rival kingdoms and becomes a larger ,
strong and more powerful tribe
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 How do the Early Barangay choose their

leader as Raja or Datu ?
 Early Barangay also sets qualification for
their leader
 1. Age – their leader must be at around 30
years old and above
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 2. Physically Fit – leader is expected to be

physically strong to lead the Barangay in
maintaining peace and order and a protector
from outside aggressors
 3. Inheritance – based on bloodline relations to
the former Raja or Datu (first born son,
daughter, or an immediate relative)
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 4. Extent of knowledge – had enough

knowledge about the customs and the
traditions of Barangay
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 Social classes in the Barangay:

 1. Raja or Datu – it was the title of the leader in
the barangay during pre-Hispanic time
 2. Maharlika (The Noble People) – This class of
people does not pay taxes in the community; they
are relatives of the Datu or Raja
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 3. Timawa (The Free Man) – these classes of

people are free commoner
 4. Alipin:
 A. Aliping Namamahay who had received a piece
of land from his master
 B. Aliping Sa Gigilid – single men and women
who worked to their master’s home
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 Pre-Colonial Dwellings:
 The early Filipinos used caves for their
housing until they leaned to build houses
outside using woods or bamboo and nipa
leaves or cogon grass
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 Clothing as Ornaments:
 According to Pigafetta’s chronicles, native men
and women were barefoot , without upper clothing,
only Bahag for men while women wear a piece of
cloth wrapped around the waist
 They always wear necklaces, armlets
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 Early Religion:
 Early natives did not have religion, but they
their god as Bathala or Maycapal in
Mountain Province
 Islam is already present in the archipelago by
1380, way before the Spaniard’s arrival
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 Superstitious beliefs:
 1. Aswang 2. Kapre 3. Dwende 4. Tiyanak 5.
Tikbalang
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 Early Philippine Writing:

 Baybayin or Alibata – pre-Hispanic writing
system in the archipelago ; from Kawi
(Javanese in Indonesia) or Sanskrit in India
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 Economy During Pre-Hispanic Time:

 Archeological artifacts suggests that early
Filipinos already are engaged in trading
 Rice planting, hunting, fishing
 Barter Trading is already practiced; Chinese
traders were in the archipelago
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 Music and Dance:

 1. Kudyapi – 2-stringed boat-shaped guitar
 2. kalaleng – flute blown by the nose
 3. Gangsa – a flat gong
 4. Batikok-kok (bamboo drum)
BEFORE THE CONQUEST

 Kundiman , Kumintang , Ang Dalit/

Imno/Oyayi/Hele
 Dances: 1. Dugso dance from Bukidnon 2. Salip
from Kalinga
 South Cotabato