MODULE 4: CONTENT & CONTEXTUAL and skirts in the same way we have described of the

ANALYSIS OF “CUSTOMS OF THE TAGALOGS” Bisayans. They also wear their dress skin-tight, gathering
BY JUAN DE PLASENCIA it at the waist and breast because they use no chemise or
stockings... All carry over their dress some small mantles,
Rationale: which reach to the waist, these are of colored cotton, and
Module 4 furthers the understanding of students through some are of satin, taffeta, and damask obtained from
content and contextual analysis as a tool in evaluating China.”
selected primary sources in Philippine history. It aims to
develop student’s skills in analyzing and interpreting
primary sources.

Particularly, in this module, Juan de Plasencia’s “First

Voyage Around the World” will be examined through
content and contextual analysis as he wrote his firsthand
observation and general impression of the customs of the
Tagalogs.

Learning Objectives:
Tagalog common men. “The Moros (Islamized Tagalogs)
1. Analyze the context, content and perspective of are dressed with clothes of cotton and are not naked like
different kinds of primary sources the Bisayans... From the calves of the knees, they wear
2. Determine the contribution of different kinds of many chainlets often made of brass, which they call
primary sources in understanding Philippine history. bitiques (bitik). These are worn only by the men who
3. Develop critical and analytical skills with exposure to regard them as very stylish.”
primary sources.
4. Appreciate the early Filipino civilization and Customs of the Tagalogs
acknowledge the rich Filipino culture even before the (Two Relations by Juan de Plasencia, O.S.F.)
advent of colonialism.
After receiving your Lordship's letter, I wished to reply
immediately; but I postponed my answer in order that I
might first thoroughly inform myself in regard to your
request, and to avoid discussing the conflicting reports of
the Indians, who are wont to tell what suits their purpose.
Therefore, to this end, I collected Indians from different
districts—old men, and those of most capacity, all known
to me; and from them I have obtained the simple truth,
after weeding out much foolishness, in regard to their
government, administration of justice, inheritances,
slaves, and dowries. It is as follows:

“The Bisayans are accustomed to paint their Customs of the Tagalogs

bodies with some very elegant tattoos. They
This people always had chiefs, called by them datos, who
do this with iron or brass rods, the points of
governed them and were captains in their wars, and whom
which are heated on fire. These are done in the
they obeyed and reverenced. The subject who committed
manner illuminations, paintings all parts of the
any offense against them, or spoke but a word to their
body, such as the chest, the stomach, legs,
wives and children, was severely punished.
arms, shoulders, hands, and muscles, and
among some, the posteriors.” These chiefs ruled over but few people; sometimes as
many as a hundred houses, sometimes even less than
thirty. This tribal gathering is called in Tagalog a
barangay. It was inferred that the reason for giving
themselves this name arose from the fact (as they are
classed, by their language, among the Malay nations) that
when they came to this land, the head of the barangay,
which is a boat, thus called—as is discussed at length in
the first chapter of the first ten chapters— became a dato.
And so, even at the present day, it is ascertained that this
barangay in its origin was a family of parents and
children, relations, and slaves. There were many of these
A Tagalog Noble couple dressed in gold accessories. “The barangays in each town, or, at least, on account of wars,
dress of the women is not as neat nor as elegant as that of they did not settle far from one another. They were not,
the Bisayans, because they wrap a cotton or taffeta mantle however, subject to one another, except in friendship and
around the body with very little polish. They wear jackets
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relationship. The chiefs, in their various wars, helped one lot of captives in war, and of those brought up in the
another with their respective barangays. harvest fields.
In addition to the chiefs, who corresponded to our Those to whom a debt was owed transferred the debt to
knights, there were three castes: nobles, commoners, and another, thereby themselves making a profit, and reducing
slaves. The nobles were the free-born whom they call the wretched debtors to a slavery which was not their
maharlica. They did not pay tax or tribute to the dato, but natural lot. If any person among those who were made
must accompany him in war, at their own expense. The slaves (sa guiguilir)—through war, by the trade of
chief offered them beforehand a feast, and afterward they goldsmith, or otherwise—happened to possess any gold
divided the spoils. Moreover, when the dato went upon beyond the sum that he had to give his master, he
the water those whom he summoned rowed for him. If he ransomed himself, becoming thus a namamahay, or what
built a house, they helped him, and had to be fed for it. we call a commoner. The price of this ransom was never
The same was true when the whole barangay went to less than five taels, and from that upwards; and if he gave
clear up his lands for tillage. The lands which they ten or more taels, as they might agree, he became wholly
inhabited were divided among the whole barangay, free. An amusing ceremony accompanied this custom.
especially the irrigated portion, and thus each one knew After having divided all the trinkets which the slave
his own. No one belonging to another barangay would possessed, if he maintained a house of his own, they
cultivate them unless after purchase or inheritance. The divided even the pots and jars, and if an odd one of these
lands on the tingues, or mountain-ridges, are not divided, remained, they broke it; and if a piece of cloth were left,
but owned in common by the barangay. Consequently, at they parted it in the middle.
the time of the rice harvest, any individual of any
The difference between the aliping namamahay and the
particular barangay, although he may have come from
aliping sa guiguilir, should be noted; for, by a confusion
some other village, if he commences to clear any land
of the two terms, many have been classed as slaves who
may sow it, and no one can compel him to abandon it.
really are not. The Indians seeing that the alcaldes-mayor
There are some villages (as, for example, Pila de la
do not understand this, have adopted the custom of taking
Laguna) in which these nobles, or maharlicas, paid
away the children of the aliping namamahay, making use
annually to the dato a hundred gantas of rice. The reason
of them as they would of the aliping sa guiguilir, as
of this was that, at the time of their settlement there,
servants in their households, which is illegal, and if the
another chief occupied the lands, which the new chief,
aliping namamahay should appeal to justice, it is proved
upon his arrival, bought with his own gold; and therefore
that he is an aliping as well as his father and mother
the members of his barangay paid him for the arable land,
before him and no reservation is made as to whether he is
and he divided it, among those whom he saw fit to
aliping namamahay or aliping sa guiguilir. He is at once
reward. But now, since the advent of the Spaniards, it is
considered an alipin, without further declaration. In this
not so divided.
way he becomes a sa guiguilir, and is even sold.
The chiefs in some villages had also fisheries, with Consequently, the alcaldes-mayor should be instructed to
established limits, and sections of the rivers for markets. ascertain, when anyone asks for his alipin, to which class
At these no one could fish, or trade in the markets, he belongs, and to have the answer put in the document
without paying for the privilege, unless he belonged to the that they give him.
chief's barangay or village.
In these three classes, those who are maharlicas on both
The commoners are called aliping namamahay. They are the father's and mother's side continue to be so forever;
married, and serve their master, whether he be a dato or and if it happens that they should become slaves, it is
not, with half of their cultivated lands, as was agreed through marriage, as I shall soon explain. If these
upon in the beginning. They accompanied him whenever maharlicas had children among their slaves, the children
he went beyond the island, and rowed for him. They live and their mothers became free; if one of them had
in their own houses, and are lords of their property and children by the slave-woman of another, she was
gold. Their children inherit it, and enjoy their property compelled, when pregnant, to give her master half of a
and lands. The children, then, enjoy the rank of their gold tael, because of her risk of death, and for her
fathers, and they cannot be made slaves (sa guiguilir) nor inability to labor during the pregnancy. In such a case half
can either parents or children be sold. If they should fall of the child was free— namely, the half belonging to the
by inheritance into the hands of a son of their master who father, who supplied the child with food. If he did not do
was going to dwell in another village, they could not be this, he showed that he did not recognize him as his child,
taken from their own village and carried with him; but in which case the latter was wholly a slave. If a free
they would remain in their native village, doing service woman had children by a slave, they were all free,
there and cultivating the sowed lands. provided he were not her husband.
The slaves are called aliping sa guiguilir. They serve If two persons married, of whom one was a maharlica
their master in his house and on his cultivated lands, and and the other a slave, whether namamahay or sa guiguilir,
may be sold. The master grants them, should he see fit, the children were divided: the first, whether male or
and providing that he has profited through their industry, female, belonged to the father, as did the third and fifth;
a portion of their harvests, so that they may work the second, the fourth, and the sixth fell to the mother,
faithfully. For these reasons, servants who are born in the and so on. In this manner, if the father were free, all those
house of their master are rarely, if ever, sold. That is the who belonged to him were free; if he were a slave, all
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those who belonged to him were slaves; and the same produce belonged to the master. The master provided the
applied to the mother. If there should not be more than culprit with food and clothing, thus enslaving the culprit
one child he was half free and half slave. The only and his children until such time as he might amass enough
question here concerned the division, whether the child money to pay the fine. If the father should by chance pay
was male or female. Those who became slaves fell under his debt, the master then claimed that he had fed and
the category of servitude which was their parent's, either clothed his children, and should be paid therefor. In this
namamahay or sa guiguilir. If there were an odd number way he kept possession of the children if the payment
of children, the odd one was half free and half slave. I could not be met. This last was usually the case, and they
have not been able to ascertain with any certainty when or remained slaves. If the culprit had some relative or friend
at what age the division of children was made, for each who paid for him, he was obliged to render the latter half
one suited himself in this respect. Of these two kinds of his service until he was paid—not, however, service
slaves the sa guiguilir could be sold, but not the within the house as aliping sa guiguilir, but living
namamahay and their children, nor could they be independently, as aliping namamahay. If the creditor were
transferred. However, they could be transferred from the not served in this wise, the culprit had to pay the double
barangay by inheritance, provided they remained in the of what was lent him. In this way slaves were made by
same village. debt: either sa guiguilir, if they served the master to
whom the judgment applied; or aliping namamahay, if
The maharlicas could not, after marriage, move from one
they served the person who lent them wherewith to pay.
village to another, or from one barangay to another,
without paying a certain fine in gold, as arranged among In what concerns loans, there was formerly, and is today,
them. This fine was larger or smaller according to the an excess of usury (the illegal action or practice of
inclination of the different villages, running from one to lending money at unreasonably high rates of interest),
three taels and a banquet to the entire barangay. Failure to which is a great hindrance to baptism as well as to
pay the fine might result in a war between the barangay confession; for it turns out in the same way as I have
which the person left and the one which he entered. This showed in the case of the one under judgment, who gives
applied equally to men and women, except that when one half of his cultivated lands and profits until he pays the
married a woman of another village, the children were debt. The debtor is condemned to a life of toil ( work
afterwards divided equally between the two barangays. extremely hard); and thus borrowers become slaves, and
This arrangement kept them obedient to the dato, or chief, after the death of the father the children pay the debt. Not
which is no longer the case—because, if the dato is doing so, double the amount must be paid. This system
energetic and commands what the religious fathers enjoin should and can be reformed.
him, they soon leave him and go to other villages and
As for inheritances, the legitimate children of a father and
other datos, who endure and protect them and do not
mother inherited equally, except in the case where the
order them about. This is the kind of dato that they now
father and mother showed a slight partiality by such gifts
prefer, not him who has the spirit to command. There is a
as two or three gold taels, or perhaps a jewel.
great need of reform in this, for the chiefs are spiritless
and faint-hearted. When the parents gave a dowry to any son, and, when, in
order to marry him to a chief's daughter, the dowry was
Investigations made and sentences passed by the dato
greater than the sum given the other sons, the excess was
must take place in the presence of those of his barangay.
not counted in the whole property to be divided. But any
If any of the litigants felt himself aggrieved, an arbiter
other thing that should have been given to any son,
was unanimously named from another village or
though it might be for some necessity, was taken into
barangay, whether he was a dato or not; since they had for
consideration at the time of the partition of the property,
this purpose some persons, known as fair and just men,
unless the parents should declare that such a bestowal was
who were said to give true judgment according to their
made outside of the inheritance. If one had had children
customs. If the controversy lay between two chiefs, when
by two or more legitimate wives, each child received the
they wished to avoid war, they also convoked judges to
inheritance and dowry of his mother, with its increase,
act as arbiters; they did the same if the disputants
and that share of his father's estate which fell to him out
belonged to two different barangays. In this ceremony
of the whole. If a man had a child by one of his slaves, as
they always had to drink, the plaintiff inviting the others.
well as legitimate children, the former had no share in the
They had laws by which they condemned to death a man inheritance; but the legitimate children were bound to free
of low birth who insulted the daughter or wife of a chief; the mother, and to give him something—a tael or a slave,
likewise witches, and others of the same class. if the father were a chief; or if, finally, anything else were
given it was by the unanimous consent of all. If besides
They condemned no one to slavery, unless he merited the
his legitimate children, he had also some son by a free
death-penalty. As for the witches, they killed them, and
unmarried woman, to whom a dowry was given but who
their children and accomplices became slaves of the chief,
was not considered as a real wife, all these were classed
after he had made some recompense to the injured person.
as natural children, although the child by the unmarried
All other offenses were punished by fines in gold, which,
woman should have been begotten (bring into existence)
if not paid with promptness, exposed the culprit to serve,
after his marriage. Such children did not inherit equally
until the payment should be made, the person aggrieved,
with the legitimate children, but only the third part. For
to whom the money was to be paid. This was done in the
example, if there were two children, the legitimate one
following way: Half the cultivated lands and all their
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had two parts, and the one of the inaasava one part. When borne no children, the parents returned one-half the
there were no children by a legitimate wife, but only dowry to the husband whose wife had died. In the other
children by an unmarried woman, or inaasava, the latter case, upon the death of the husband, one-half the dowry
inherited all. If he had a child by a slave woman, that was returned to the relatives of the husband. I have
child received his share as above stated. If there were no ascertained that this is not a general practice; for upon
legitimate or natural child, or a child by an inaasava, inquiry I learned that when this is done it is done through
whether there was a son of a slave woman or not, the piety, and that all do not do it.
inheritance went only to the father or grandparents,
In the matter of marriage dowries which fathers bestow
brothers, or nearest relatives of the deceased, who gave to
upon their sons when they are about to be married, and
the slave-child as above stated.
half of which is given immediately, even when they are
In the case of a child by a free married woman, born only children, there is a great deal more complexity.
while she was married, if the husband punished the There is a fine stipulated in the contract, that he who
adulterer this was considered a dowry; and the child violates it shall pay a certain sum which varies according
entered with the others into partition in the inheritance. to the practice of the village and the affluence of the
His share equaled the part left by the father, nothing individual. The fine was heaviest if, upon the death of the
more. If there were no other sons than he, the children parents, the son or daughter should be unwilling to marry
and the nearest relatives inherited equally with him. But if because it had been arranged by his or her parents. In this
the adulterer were not punished by the husband of the case the dowry which the parents had received was
woman who had the child, the latter was not considered returned and nothing more. But if the parents were living,
as his child, nor did he inherit anything. It should be they paid the fine, because it was assumed that it had been
noticed that the offender was not considered dishonored their design to separate the children.
by the punishment inflicted, nor did the husband leave the
The above is what I have been able to ascertain clearly
woman. By the punishment of the father the child was
concerning customs observed among these natives in all
fittingly made legitimate.
this Laguna and the tingues, and among the entire
Adopted children, of whom there are many among them, Tagalo race. The old men say that a dato who did
inherit the double of what was paid for their adoption. For anything contrary to this would not be esteemed; and, in
example, if one gold tael was given that he might be relating tyrannies which they had committed, some
adopted when the first father died, the child was given [in condemned them and adjudged them wicked.
inheritance] two taels. But if this child should die first, his
Others, perchance, may offer a more extended narrative,
children do not inherit from the second father, for the
but leaving aside irrelevant matters concerning
arrangement stops at that point.
government and justice among them, a summary of the
This is the danger to which his money is exposed, as well whole truth is contained in the above. I am sending the
as his being protected as a child. On this account this account in this clear and concise form because I had
manner of adoption common among them is considered received no orders to pursue the work further. Whatever
lawful. may be decided upon, it is certainly important that it
should be given to the alcal-des-mayor, accompanied by
Dowries are given by the men to the women's parents. If
an explanation; for the absurdities which are to be found
the latter are living, they enjoy the use of it. At their
in their opinions are indeed pitiable.
death, provided the dowry has not been consumed, it is
divided like the rest of the estate, equally among the May our Lord bestow upon your Lordship His grace and
children, except in case the father should care to bestow spirit, so that in every step good fortune may be yours;
something additional upon the daughter. If the wife, at the and upon every occasion may your Lordship deign to
time of her marriage, has neither father, mother, nor consider me your humble servant, to be which would be
grandparents, she enjoys her dowry—which, in such a the greatest satisfaction and favor that I could receive.
case, belongs to no other relative or child. It should be Nagcarlán, October 21, 1589.
noticed that unmarried women can own no property, in
Fray Juan de Plasencia
land or dowry, for the result of all their labors accrues to
their parents. Relation of the Worship of the Tagalogs, Their Gods, and
In the case of a divorce before the birth of children, if the Their Burials and Superstitions
wife left the husband for the purpose of marrying another, In all the villages, or in other parts of the Filipinas
all her dowry and an equal additional amount fell to the Islands, there are no temples consecrated to the
husband; but if she left him, and did not marry another, performing of sacrifices, the adoration of their idols, or
the dowry was returned. When the husband left his wife, the general practice of idolatry. It is true that they have
he lost the half of the dowry, and the other half was the name simbahan, which means a temple or place of
returned to him. If he possessed children at the time of his adoration; but this is because, formerly, when they wished
divorce, the whole dowry and the fine went to the to celebrate a festival, which they called pandot, or
children, and was held for them by their grandparents or “worship,” they celebrated it in the large house of a chief.
other responsible relatives. There they constructed, for the purpose of sheltering the
I have also seen another practice in two villages. In one assembled people, a temporary shed on each side of the
case, upon the death of the wife who in a year's time had house, with a roof, called sibi, to protect the people from
Page 4 of 7
the wet when it rained. They so constructed the house that winter and summer are distinguished as sun-time and
it might contain many people—dividing it, after the water-time—the latter term designating winter in those
fashion of ships, into three compartments. On the posts of regions, where there is no cold, snow, or ice.
the house they set small lamps, called sorihile; in the
It seems, however, that now since they have become
center of the house they placed one large lamp, adorned
Christians, the seasons are not quite the same, for at
with leaves of the white palm, wrought into many
Christmas it gets somewhat cooler. The years, since the
designs. They also brought together many drums, large
advent of the Spaniards, have been determined by the
and small, which they beat successively while the feast
latter, and the seasons have been given their proper
lasted, which was usually four days. During this time the
names, and they have been divided into weeks.
whole barangay, or family, united and joined in the
worship which they call nagaanitos. The house, for the Their manner of offering sacrifice was to proclaim a feast,
above-mentioned period of time, was called a temple. and offer to the devil what they had to eat. This was done
in front of the idol, which they anoint with fragrant
Among their many idols there was one called. Badhala,
perfumes, such as musk and civet, or gum of the storax-
whom they especially worshiped. The title seems to
tree and other odoriferous woods, and praise it in poetic
signify “all powerful,” or “maker of all things.” They also
songs sung by the officiating priest, male or female, who
worshiped the sun, which, on account of its beauty, is
is called catolonan. The participants made responses to
almost universally respected and honored by heathens.
the song, beseeching the idol to favor them with those
They worshiped, too, the moon, especially when it was
things of which they were in need, and generally, by
new, at which time they held great rejoicings, adoring it
offering repeated healths, they all became intoxicated. In
and bidding it welcome. Some of them also adored the
some of their idolatries they were accustomed to place a
stars, although they did not know them by their names, as
good piece of cloth, doubled, over the idol, and over the
the Spaniards and other nations know the planets—with
cloth a chain or large, gold ring, thus worshiping the devil
the one exception of the morning star, which they called
without having sight of him. The devil was sometimes
Tala. They knew, too, the “seven little goats” [the
liable to enter into the body of the catolonan, and,
Pleiades]—as we call them—and, consequently, the
assuming her shape and appearance, filled her with so
change of seasons, which they call Mapolon; and Balatic,
great arrogance—he being the cause of it—that she
which is our Greater Bear. They possessed many idols
seemed to shoot flames from her eyes; her hair stood on
called lic-ha, which were images with different shapes;
end, a fearful sight to those beholding, and she uttered
and at times they worshiped any little trifle, in which they
words of arrogance and superiority. In some districts,
adored, as did the Romans, some particular dead man
especially in the mountains, when in those idolatries the
who was brave in war and endowed with special faculties,
devil incarnated himself and took on the form of his
to whom they commended themselves for protection in
minister, the latter had to be tied to a tree by his
their tribulations. They had another idol called Dian
companions, to prevent the devil in his infernal fury from
masalanta, who was the patron of lovers and of
destroying him. This, however, happened but rarely. The
generation. The idols called Lacapati and Idianale were
objects of sacrifice were goats, fowls, and swine, which
the patrons of the cultivated lands and of husbandry. They
were flayed, decapitated, and laid before the idol. They
paid reverence to water-lizards called by them buaya, or
performed another ceremony by cooking a jar of rice until
crocodiles, from fear of being harmed by them. They
the water was evaporated, after which they broke the jar,
were even in the habit of offering these animals a portion
and the rice was left as an intact mass which was set
of what they carried in their boats, by throwing it into the
before the idol; and all about it, at intervals, were placed a
water, or placing it upon the bank.
few buyos—which is a small fruit wrapped in a leaf with
They were, moreover, very liable to find auguries in some lime, a food generally eaten in these regions—as
things they witnessed. For example, if they left their well as fried food and fruits. All the above-mentioned
house and met on the way a serpent or rat, or a bird called articles were eaten by the guests at the feast; the heads [of
Tigmamanuguin which was singing in the tree, or if they the animals], after being “offered,” as they expressed it,
chanced upon anyone who sneezed, they returned at once were cooked and eaten also.
to their house, considering the incident as an augury that
The reasons for offering this sacrifice and adoration were,
some evil might befall them if they should continue their
in addition to whatever personal matters there might be,
journey—especially when the above-mentioned bird sang.
the recovery of a sick person, the prosperous voyage of
This song had two different forms: in the one case it was
those embarking on the sea, a good harvest in the sowed
considered as an evil omen; in the other, as a good omen,
lands, a propitious result in wars, a successful delivery in
and then they continued their journey. They also practiced
childbirth, and a happy outcome in married life. If this
divination, to see whether weapons, such as a dagger or
took place among people of rank, the festivities lasted
knife, were to be useful and lucky for their possessor
thirty days.
whenever occasion should offer.
In the case of young girls who first had their monthly
These natives had no established division of years,
courses, their eyes were blindfolded four days and four
months, and days; these are determined by the cultivation
nights; and, in the meantime, the friends and relatives
of the soil, counted by moons, and the different effect
were all invited to partake of food and drink. At the end
produced upon the trees when yielding flowers, fruits, and
of this period, the catolonan took the young girl to the
leaves: all this helps them in making up the year. The
water, bathed her and washed her head, and removed the
Page 5 of 7
bandage from her eyes. The old men said that they did the natives affirm that they have seen it, because the devil
this in order that the girls might bear children, and have probably caused them so to believe. This occurred in
fortune in finding husbands to their taste, who would not Catanduanes.
leave them widows in their youth.
The eighth they called osuang, which is equivalent to
The distinctions made among the priests of the devil were “sorcerer;” they say that they have seen him fly, and that
as follows: The first, called catolonan, as above stated, he murdered men and ate their flesh. This was among the
was either a man or a woman. This office was an Visayas Islands; among the Tagalos these did not exist.
honorable one among the natives, and was held ordinarily
by people of rank, this rule being general in all the The ninth was another class of witches called
islands. mangagayoma. They made charms for lovers out of
herbs, stones, and wood, which would infuse the heart
The second they called mangagauay, or witches, who with love. Thus did they deceive the people, although
deceived by pretending to heal the sick. These priests sometimes, through the intervention of the devil, they
even induced maladies by their charms, which in gained their ends.
proportion to the strength and efficacy of the witchcraft,
are capable of causing death. In this way, if they wished The tenth was known as sonat, which is equivalent to
to kill at once they did so; or they could prolong life for a “preacher.” It was his office to help one to die, at which
year by binding to the waist a live serpent, which was time he predicted the salvation or condemnation of the
believed to be the devil, or at least his substance. This soul. It was not lawful for the functions of this office to
office was general throughout the land. The third they be fulfilled by others than people of high standing, on
called manyisalat, which is the same as magagauay. account of the esteem in which it was held. This office
These priests had the power of applying such remedies to was general throughout the islands.
lovers that they would abandon and despise their own The eleventh, pangatahojan, was a soothsayer, and
wives, and in fact could prevent them from having predicted the future. This office was general in all the
intercourse with the latter. If the woman, constrained by islands.
these means, were abandoned, it would bring sickness
upon her; and on account of the desertion she would The twelfth, bayoguin, signified a “cotquean,” a man
discharge blood and matter. This office was also general whose nature inclined toward that of a woman.
throughout the land.
Their manner of burying the dead was as follows: The
The fourth was called mancocolam, whose duty it was to deceased was buried beside his house; and, if he were a
emit fire from himself at night, once or oftener each chief, he was placed beneath a little house or porch which
month. This fire could not be extinguished; nor could it they constructed for this purpose. Before interring him,
be thus emitted except as the priest wallowed in the they mourned him for four days; and afterward laid him
ordure and filth which falls from the houses; and he who on a boat which served as a coffin or bier, placing him
lived in the house where the priest was wallowing in beneath the porch, where guard was kept over him by a
order to emit this fire from himself, fell ill and died. This slave. In place of rowers, various animals were placed
office was general. within the boat, each one being assigned a place at the oar
by twos—male and female of each species being together
The fifth was called hocloban, which is another kind of
—as for example two goats, two deer, or two fowls. It
witch, of greater efficacy than the mangagauay. Without
was the slave's care to see that they were fed. If the
the use of medicine, and by simply saluting or raising the
deceased had been a warrior, a living slave was tied
hand, they killed whom they chose. But if they desired to
beneath his body until in this wretched way he died. In
heal those whom they had made ill by their charms, they
course of time, all suffered decay; and for many days the
did so by using other charms. Moreover, if they wished to
relatives of the dead man bewailed him, singing dirges,
destroy the house of some Indian hostile to them, they
and praises of his good qualities, until finally they
were able to do so without instruments. This was in
wearied of it. This grief was also accompanied by eating
Catanduanes, an island off the upper part of Luzon.
and drinking. This was a custom of the Tagalos.
The sixth was called silagan, whose office it was, if they
The Aetas, or Negrillos [Negritos] inhabitants of this
saw anyone clothed in white, to tear out his liver and eat
island, had also a form of burial, but different. They dug a
it, thus causing his death. This, like the preceding, was in
deep, perpendicular hole, and placed the deceased within
the island of Catanduanes. Let no one, moreover, consider
it, leaving him upright with head or crown unburied, on
this a fable; because, in Calavan, they tore out in this way
top of which they put half a cocoa-nut which was to serve
through the anus all the intestines of a Spanish notary,
him as a shield. Then they went in pursuit of some Indian,
who was buried in Calilaya by father Fray Juan de
whom they killed in retribution for the Negrillo who had
Mérida.
died. To this end they conspired together, hanging a
The seventh was called magtatangal, and his purpose was certain token on their necks until some one of them
to show himself at night to many persons, without his procured the death of the innocent one.
head or entrails. In such wise the devil walked about and
These infidels said that they knew that there was another
carried, or pretended to carry, his head to different places;
life of rest which they called maca, just as if we should
and, in the morning, returned it to his body— remaining,
say “paradise,” or, in other words, “village of rest.” They
as before, alive. This seems to me to be a fable, although
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say that those who go to this place are the just, and the dwelt; they still remain there, in a state of barbarism, but
valiant, and those who lived without doing harm, or who in gradually decreasing numbers. See the Report above
possessed other moral virtues. They said also that in the cited (pp. 347–351), for habitat and physical
other life and mortality, there was a place of punishment, characteristics of this race.
grief, and affliction, called casanaan, which was “a place
For much curious and interesting information regarding
of anguish;” they also maintained that no one would go to
these superstitions, beliefs in demons, etc., see
heaven, where there dwelt only Bathala, “the maker of all
Blumentritt's “Diccionario mitológico,” in Retana's
things,” who governed from above. There were also other
Archivo, ii, pp. 345–454.
pagans who confessed more clearly to a hell, which they
called, as I have said, casanaan; they said that all the POWERPOINT
wicked went to that place, and there dwelt the demons,
whom they called sitan. Module 4: Customs of the Tagalogs by Juan Plasencia

All the various kinds of infernal ministers were, therefore, o Social Mobility ???
as has been stated: catolonan; sonat (who was a sort of o Gender Equality
bishop who ordained priestesses and received their
Juan Plasencia: Las Costumbres de los Indios Tagalogs
reverence, for they knelt before him as before one who
de Filipinas
could pardon sins, and expected salvation through him);
mangagauay, manyisalat, mancocolam, hocloban, Balangay
silagan, magtatangal, osuan, mangagayoma,
o Unang Lipunan sa Arkipelago
pangatahoan.
o Pinagmulan ng Mga Tao at Kaayusan sa Lipunan
There were also ghosts, which they called vibit; and
phantoms, which they called Tigbalaang. They had Corcoa
another deception—namely, that if any woman died in o Raha o Datu
childbirth, she and the child suffered punishment; and o Maharlika
that, at night, she could be heard lamenting. This was o Alipin
called patianac. May the honor and glory be God our
Lord's, that among all the Tagalos not a trace of this is Babaylan
left; and that those who are now marrying do not even
o Gender Equality
know what it is, thanks to the preaching of the holy
gospel, which has banished it. o Tripartite Duty

Conclusion

With this document cf., throughout, the “Relation” by o In justice, discrimination, and social inequalities?
Miguel de Loarca, in Vol. V of this series. o First form of a “civil code”
o Preservation of customs and culture
Juan de Plasencia, who entered the Franciscan order in
early youth, came to the Philippine Islands as one of the
first missionaries of that order, in 1577. He was
distinguished, in his labors among the natives, for
gathering the converts into reductions (villages in which
they dwelt apart from the heathen, and under the special
care of the missionaries), for establishing numerous
primary schools, for his linguistic abilities—being one of
the first to form a grammar and vocabulary of the Tagal
language—and for the ethnological researches embodied
in the memoir which is presented in our text. He died at
Lilio, in the province of La Laguna, in 1590. See account
of his life in Santa Inés's Crónica, i, pp. 512–522; and of
his writings, Id., ii, pp. 590, 591.
The betel-nut; see Vol. IV, p. 222.
The Aetas, or Negritos, were the primitive inhabitants of
the Philippine Islands; but their origin is not certainly
known. It is perhaps most probable that they came from
Papua or New Guinea. For various opinions on this point,
see Zúñiga's Estadismo (Retana's ed.), i, pp. 422–429;
Delgado's Historia general, part i, lib. iii, cap. i; and
Report of U.S. Philippine Commission, 1900, iii, pp.
333–335. Invasions of the islands by Indonesian tribes, of
superior strength and culture, drove the Negritos into the
forest and mountain regions of the islands where they
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