Historical Source: Visayan Culture in Spanish Period

Lesson 2.3: Historical Source During the Spanish Period

• The lesson focuses on events during the colonial administration period.
• The primary source in the study details Visayan culture.
• Key learning outcomes include familiarizing students with Visayan culture during colonization.
• Students are expected to compare past and present Visayan customs.
• The study includes analysis of primary source information on Visayan culture and its impact on Filipino identity.
• A motivation question uses an image from the Boxer Codex, depicting the Pintados of the Visayas, to engage students with old Visayan culture.
• The Boxer Codex describes the natives encountered by the colonizers in the Pacific.
• The lesson discusses the work of Miguel Lopez de Loarca, a soldier who came with Legazpi.
• Loarca's Relascion de las Islas Filipinas (1582) details the Philippines and its people.
• This account also involves the form of government, customs, and marriage traditions of the various groups of inhabitants.

Visayan Marriage Customs

• Chiefs' marriage: The man asks the woman and calls in respected village officials.
• Chiefs' marriage: The officials, or timaguas, negotiate the marriage.
• Chiefs' marriage: One man takes a lance from the groom's father and thrusts it into the staircase.
• Chiefs' marriage: The act invokes the gods and ancestors to ensure a successful marriage.
• Chiefs' marriage: If the marriage occurs, the lance belongs to the intermediary (timagua), or it is repurchased.
• Chiefs' marriage: The dowry is generally 100 taels (gold, slaves, and jewels).
• Chiefs' marriage: The bride is carried on someone's shoulders to the groom's house.
• Chiefs' marriage: The bride is expected to show hesitation.
• Chiefs' marriage: If the groom backs out, a significant portion of his property is taken.
• Chiefs' marriage: If a man is too young or the woman is too young, they continue living with the parents.
• Timaguas' marriage: Timaguas don't follow the chief's marriage customs due to property constraints.
• Timaguas' marriage: Marriage is finalized by drinking from the same cup of pitarrilla.
• Slaves' marriage: Slaves marry without any intermediaries or ceremonies.
• Slaves' marriage: They simply say "Let us marry."
• Slaves' marriage: A chief who wishes to marry a slave to another chief's slave sends an intermediary.
• Slaves' marriage: The marriage agreement involves a few jars or dishes as gifts.

Visayan Religious Beliefs

• Belief regarding the dead: Pintados believe goblins eat the bowels of young people who die from illness.
• Belief regarding the dead: The souls of the old are taken by the wind.
• Belief regarding the dead: The Arayas (alliance of villages) believe that souls go to a high mountain in Panay.
• Belief regarding the dead: The souls of the people of Cubu (Cebu), Bohol, and Bantay go with the god, Sisiburanan, to a high mountain in the island of Burney.
• Belief regarding the destination of souls: Souls believed to go directly to the infernal regions but can be redeemed through sacrifices.
• Belief regarding the destination of souls: The poor lack sacrifices and remain in the Inferno permanently.
• Baylanes (tabaylan): The natives of the islands use no set time or place for offering sacrifices, except in times of illness, sowing, or war.
• Baylanes (tabaylan): Baylanes, the priests, dress in gold, garlands, and are given gold for their work.
• Baylanes (tabaylan): The baylanes do ceremonies to contact gods and demons for sick people in order to see what the future holds.
• Baylanes (tabaylan): Pitarrilas, live hogs, food, are brought to the altar in order to make a trade with the demons.
• Baylanes (tabaylan): During war and expeditions, prayers are offered to Varangao and other gods for redemption.
• Belief concerning the world: The world believed to be infinite and ruled by Macaptan, a bad god.
• Belief concerning the world: Lalahon, a goddess, dwells in a volcano.
• Burials: Coffins are used; valuables are buried with the body.
• Burials: People light fires near the house during funerals.
• Burials: Armed men are sentinels guarding the coffin to prevent evil spirits and demons.
• Mourning the dead: There is a period of mourning and restrictions.
• Mourning the dead: Spears are carried downward, and blades are tipped reversed.
• Mourning the dead: Singing, parties, and brightly colored clothes are prohibited during mourning.
• Mourning the dead: Penalties for violating rules are placed on slaves and others.

Other related information

• Additional primary sources of the natives of the Philippines are those of Fr. Pedro Chirino and Fr. Juan Plasencia.
• These works focus on the inhabitants of Luzon and the Tagalogs.