Customs of the Tagalogs by Juan de Plasencia

• "Customs of the Tagalogs" details the traditions of the Tagalog people.
• Father Juan de Plasencia authored the account.
• The Spanish title is "Las Costumbres de los Indios Tagalog de Filipinas".

Historical Context

• Written in 1589, during the Spanish Colonial Period.
• It was commissioned by Governor Santiago De Vera to document native customs.
• The aim was to provide guidance for Alcalde Mayors.
• It resolved disputes among native Filipinos.
• It aimed to end injustice committed against ancient Filipinos.
• It serves as a civil code.
• Aids in understanding and preserving ancient Filipino traditions.
• Sheds light on social classes, government, inheritance, slaves, administration of justice, and dowries.

Author: Juan de Plasencia

• A Spanish Friar of the Franciscan Order, originally named Juan del Puerto Carrero.
• He arrived in the Philippines in 1577 with the first group of Franciscan missionaries.
• Authored "Relacion de las Costumbres de Los Tagalogs" (Customs of the Tagalogs, 1589).
• It describes political, social, economic, and cultural practices before Christianization.
• Plasencia spent his missionary life in the Philippines, founding numerous towns in Luzon.
• He authored religious and linguistic books, including "Doctrina Cristiana", the first book printed in the Philippines.
• He arrived in the Philippines in 1578.
• He preached around Laguna de Bay and Tayabas, Quezon, founding towns there.
• He is credited with founding towns in Bulacan, Laguna, and Rizal provinces.

Social Status

• Tagalog societies observed a "semi-caste" system.
• Caste membership was hereditary, persisting throughout one's life.

Datu (or Dato)

• The chieftain of the barangay and captain of wars.
• Exercised governance within the barangay.
• Received obedience and reverence.
• Created and enforced laws, aided by a Council of Elders.

Barangay Structure

• The political system consisted of 30-100 families
• Each started as a single clan comprising parents, children, extended family members, and slaves.
• Barangays were independent, but sometimes formed alliances.
• Alliances were formed through a blood compact called sandugo.

Social Classes: Maharlikas

• Belonged to the nobles/freeman class.
• Exempted from paying taxes.
• They were freeborn individuals.
• Maharlikas had to accompany the Datu in war.
• They must do so at their expense, but they divided the spoils.
• Included warriors, rich traders, and craftsmen.

Social Classes: Commoners (Timawa)

• They ranked lower than the Maharlika class.
• Also known as Aliping namamahay.
• They were everyday folks, the bulk of the population.
• They had to pay taxes and serve the Datu.
• They also must serve the Maharlikas.
• They lived in their own houses.
• They had ownership of their property and gold.
• They offer labor to the upper class but they are not considered property.
• They are allowed to earn money, but must surrender a percentage to their masters.
• Commoners cannot be slaves, nor can parents sell children.
• They must not be taken from their village by a master relocating to another village.

Social Classes: Alipin

• Also known as Aliping Sagigilid
• They cannot own anything.
• Usually were captives of war or criminals.
• Could be bought or sold at will.
• Cannot enter contracts or marriage.
• Were used in sacrificial ceremonies.
• Typically were buried alive with their masters to continue service in the afterlife.
• They provide labor and property to Maharlicas & Datus.

Slavery

• Reasons for becoming a slave include: captivity of war, inheritance, crime, and debt.
• Reasons for becoming a freeman include: bravery/good deeds, condonation/forgiveness, payment (tael or labor), and marriage.

Marriage

• Males provide a dowry to the family of the desired bride.
• Dowries can be gold, property, or land.
• Divorce was practiced.
• Grounds for divorce include adultery, abandonment, cruelty and insanity.

Dowries

• Upon the woman's parent's death, the dowry is divided among their children.
• If the wife had no parents or grandparents at the time of marriage, she controlled the use of her dowry.

Family and Social Status

• Child social status was determined by the parent's status

Inheritance

• With interclass marriages, odd-numbered children inherited the father's status.
• Even-numbered children inherited from the mother.

Dowries and Divorce

• All of her dowry as well as an equal amount if the wife left the husband to marry another.
• The dowry shall be returned, if she left but did not marry
• The husband loses half the dowry if he left his wife and the other half is returned to him.

Dowries and Contracts

• If children were present at the time of divorce, the dowry and fine were entrusted to grandparents/relatives.
• Contracts detail fines for violations, varying based on village practice and individual wealth.
• The dowry is not returned if the son or daughter is unwilling to marry someone arranged by the parents.
• If the parents are living, they pay a fine for trying to breaking up their child's relationship.

Laws and Punishments

• Investigations and sentencings by the datu had to occur publicly.
• An arbiter (judge) selected from another village arbitrates when litigants felt aggrieved.
• Insulting the Datu's family was punishable by death for individuals of low birth.
• Witches faced execution.
• Their children and accomplices became the Datu's slaves.
• Other offenses were punished by gold fines.
• Failure to pay means the culprit serves until able to pay.

Worship

• Pandot is a celebration of festival or worship, held at the Datu's residence.
• Sibi are temporary sheds used during worship.
• Sorohile are small lamps Light up the Sibi during worship.
• Naagnitos refers to the act of worshipping that unites families within the barangay.
• Worshippers place a large lamp, adorned with white palm leaves, at the center of the house.
• Large and small drums were collected to be played successively during feasts.
• These feasts typically lasted four days.

Tagalog Gods and Deities: Bathala

• The all powerful "maker of all things".

Tagalog Gods and Deities: Moon and Sun

• The moon (Mayari) was worshipped and honored when new.
• The Sun was worshipped and honored for its beauty and universally respected.

Tagalog Gods and Deities: Tala and Dian Masalanta

• Stars, named Tala, were adored by some
• Tala is the morning star.
• Dian Masalanta is the goddess of love, conception, childbirth and the protector of lovers.

Tagalog Gods and Deities: Mapolon and Lacapati

• Mapolon is the god of seasons, medicine and health.
• Lacapati is an important fertility deity.
• Lacapati is the goddess of cultivated land.

Tagalog Gods and Deities: Balatic, Lic-ha and Idianale

• Balatic refers to the Greater Bear constellation.
• Lic-ha are images of different shapes, but were sometimes worshipped with little importance.
• Idianale is the goddess of labor and good deeds.
• A fluid gender deity, she also was a deity of: animal husbandry (female), agriculture (male), and deity of craftsmanship.

Ancient Tagalog Counterparts of Hell: Sitan

• Sitan is guardian of Kasamaan and keeper of all souls.
• Sitan and Bathala waged war to determine who should rule ancestral souls.

Ancient Tagalog Counterparts of Hell: Catolonan and Manisilat

• Catolonan is a priestess of the devil.
• Manisilat destroys happy and united families.

Ancient Tagalog Counterparts of Hell: Mangagauay and Silangan

• Mangagauay Were witches who pretend to heal the sick.
• Silangan will tear out and eat the liver of people wearing white, causing death.

Ancient Tagalog Counterparts of Hell: Mancocolam and Hocloban

• Mancocolam is the only male agent of Sitan to emit fire at night.
• Often associated with bad weather, he is seen as a fire god like Kidlat.
• Hocloban could change forms freely.
• Hocloban could kill or make people unconscious by greeting them.
• Hocloban could kill or heal simply by raising her hand

Ancient Tagalog Counterparts of Hell: Osuang and Magtatangal

• Osuang murders men and eat their flesh.
• Magtatangal shows up at night may appear without head or entrails.

Ancient Tagalog Counterparts of Hell: Mangagayoma, Sonat, Panatahojan and Bayoguin

• Mangagayoma - They created charms to fill the heart with love.
• Sonat helps someone die.
• Panatahojan predicts the future.
• Bayoguin is a cotquean (masculine woman) with nature inclined toward that of a woman.

Death related concepts

• Maca is "paradise” or "village of rest" for the just, the valiant, and the virtuous.
• Casanaan is "place of punishment, grief, and affliction.”, or "the place of anguish"
• No one would go to heaven; only Bathala dwelled there.
• Vibit is a ghost.
• Tigbalaang refers to phantoms.
• Patianac is the lament heard at night from a woman who died during childbirth, suffering punishment with her child.

Relevance

• Rejects the claim that Filipinos were uncivilized and lacked culture upon Spanish arrival.
• Demonstrates Filipinos were politically and economically organized.
• Showcases Filipino government, tax system, laws, justice system, calendar, and customs.
• Confirms Filipinos already had a concept of supreme being called Bathala.
• They practiced burial customs.
• They believed in life after death.
• People wore garments and gold.
• Their houses were decorated with idols.
• Filipinos maintained a lifestyle that was either at par or even better than any region in Southeast Asia before the spaniards arrived.