Readings in Philippine History PDF

Readings in Philippine History Dr. Imelda C. Nery Virgilio V. Dolina Paul John G. Sion First Edition Readings in Philippine History Dr. Imelda C. Nery Virgilio V. Dolina Paul John G. Sion First Edition Published & Distributed by: JTCA Publishing Unit 5 2nd Flr., Brickton Bldg., Bricktown St., cor. Multinational Village, Moonwalk, Parañaque City Tel. #: 260-0037 Email: [email protected] Readings in Philippine History Copyright 2019 ISBN 978-621-95942-4-0 Dr. Imelda C. Nery Virgilio V. Dolina Paul John G. Sion ALL RIGHTS RESERVED No portion of this book may be replicated or reproduced, in any form (books, pamphlets, outlines or notes) or by any means (photocopied, printed, electronic), for distribution or sale, without the written permission of the author and the publisher. Published & Distributed by: JTCA Publishing Unit 5 2nd Flr., Brickton Bldg., Bricktown St., cor. Multinational Village, Moonwalk, Parañaque City Tel. #: 260-0037 Email: [email protected] ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This book is because of Him and for His glory. Lord, thank you for always providing! We thank Atty. Anna Suzanne C. Nery and Mr. Eugene B. Cruz II for the opportunity to serve the students through this book and for inspiring us to go the extra miles. Thanks to our families, colleagues, and friends! All your support has inspired us to finish writing this novel work that is hoped to be useful in the study of the subject. We recognize the significant contributions of all the authors, researchers, experts, scholars, and writers of the sources we have used and cited in this work. We hope to eternalize your words and thoughts in this book as your legacy. To the students and readers of this book, we thank you for your eagerness to learn from our work and we will appreciate your thoughts about our humble endeavor. Let us not stop learning! MARAMING SALAMAT PO! Authors iii iv PREFACE Readings in Philippine History is one of the eight core courses under the new General Education Curriculum mandated by the Commission on Higher Education. In this subject, students will not only become readers of the sources of Philippine history but historians, in a way that they have to examine, understand, analyze and connect what they have read to the present society. This book presents a number of primary sources which provides several perspectives regarding a certain past event. It is important that as students read these materials, they should also be able to examine the authenticity and integrity of the sources. The first part of this book discusses the methods used in the study to allow students to identify the correct materials in the course of their learning experience. Through this book, students are expected to understand the selected readings on its context and content. Primary sources must be understood as written based on interpretations of the authors with different views, background, and in diverse situations. Hence, students will have to contemplate and put themselves into the shoes of these writers of history to see what they have seen or experienced in their time. Understanding the content will require students to accept or reject information, which are deemed irrational and without admissible evidence. The five chapters of this book are divided into specific lessons that aim to guide students to analyze the primary sources of Philippine History. The analysis of these materials is hoped to help students not only to integrate the stories and waive a historical timeline of the events that transpired, but to look into the lessons of these stories and apply them in the current situation of our society. v vi Table of Contents CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Lesson 1.1 Meaning and Relevance of History ……………………...… 2 Lesson 1.2 Distinction of Primary and Secondary Sources ………… 10 Lesson 1.3 Internal and External Criticism ……………………………. 14 Lesson 1.4 Kinds and Repositories of Primary Sources …………….. 23 CHAPTER 2 CONTENT & CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF PRIMARY RESOURCES Lesson 2.1 First Voyage Around the World by Magellan…..……...… 30 Lesson 2.2 Customs of Tagalogs ………………………………….……… 36 Lesson 2.3 Kartilya ng Katipunan …………….…………………………. 44 Lesson 2.4 Declaration of the Philippine Independence …………….. 47 CHAPTER 3 ONE PAST BUT MANY HISTORIES: CONTROVERSIES AND CONFLICTING VIEWS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY Lesson 3.1 Site of the First Mass ……………………………....……...… 55 Lesson 3.2 Cavite Mutiny ………….……………………………….……… 60 Lesson 3.3 Retraction of Rizal …...…………….…………………………. 64 Lesson 3.4 Cry of Balintawak ………………………………...………….. 68 CHAPTER 4 SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC & CULTURAL ISSUES IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY Lesson 4.1 Agrarian Reform Law ……………………………....……...… 73 Lesson 4.2 The Philippine Constitution …..…………………….……… 112 Lesson 4.3 The Power of Taxation …...…………….……………………. 157 CHAPTER 5 CRITICAL EVALUATION and PROMOTION OF LOCAL AND ORAL HISTORY Lesson 5.1 Philippine Festivals ……………………..………....……...… 175 Lesson 5.2 Philippine Cultural Performances ……...………….……… 179 Lesson 5.3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Country …...……. 183 References 191 vii viii Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION LEARNING OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to : 1. Make a distinction between primary and secondary sources. 2. Differentiate external criticism from internal criticism. 3. Discuss the repositories of primary sources. 4. Explain the different kinds of primary sources. CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1 LESSON 1.1 MEANING AND RELEVANCE OF HISTORY “What is history? An echo of the past in the future; a reflex from the future on the past.” – Victor Hugo Think of the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word history. Heroes, past events, and historic places are some ideas that you might have. History is an interesting subject for some, but for a number of students, they may find it boring or irrelevant in relation to their chosen college degree, or even to their lives! Perhaps, one of the reasons is, not knowing what history really means and not realizing its relevance to one’s life and to a nation’s destiny as well. As a discipline, Merriam-Webster (2018) defined history as “a chronological record of significant events (such as those affecting a nation or institution), often including an explanation of their causes.” This definition merely pertains to the events that are significant to an organization sequentially arranged to tell a coherent story of the past. However, looking into the etymology of the word, ‘history’ was derived from the Greek word ‘historia,’ which means ‘inquiry or knowledge acquired by investigation.’ Hence, the subject is not just about knowing which event comes first, but it requires readers to examine every information coming from a source to justify the cause of a certain event and to identify the reasons for the actions of the personalities involved. On the other hand, historiography refers to how, what, and why history is written. It is about the methods and practices used in producing history, the development of history as a discipline, or the philosophy or significance of historical writing. Encyclopedia Britannica (2017) shortly defines it as the writing of history based on the critical examination of sources, the selection of particular details from the authentic materials used in those sources, and the synthesis of the details into a narrative that stands the test of critical examination. The term historiography also refers to the theory and history of historical writing. 2 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY In short, history is the study of past events and historiography is the study of history. Prehistory and History In this study, it is important to distinguish what is prehistory, history, and historiography. Prehistory refers to that period where information of the past were recorded in materials other than written documents, which may not be understood by a historian. These include artifacts, drawings, paintings, sculptures and any other forms. History covers information derived from largely written records of past experiences. The prehistory of the Philippines is said to cover the events until 21 April 900 (equivalent in the Proleptic Gregorian Calendar), the date indicated on the Laguna Copperplate Inscription (LCI) – the earliest written document known in the Philippines today. The LCI is considered to be the first legal document recorded in the Philippines. It is said to contain the release of the children of Namwaran, the bearers, from their obligation. Below is the original translation by Antoon Postma in 1991 of the Old Malay inscription in year 822 of the Saka Era, the month of Waisaka, and the fourth day of the waning moon, which corresponds to Monday, April 21, 900 AD: Photo taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laguna_Copperplate_Inscription#/media/File:Laguna_Copperplate_Inscription.gif 1. Hail! In the Saka-year 822; the month of March-April; according to the astronomer: the 4th day of the dark half of the moon; on 2. Monday. At that time, Lady Angkatan together with her relative, Bukah by name, CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 3 3. the child of His Honor Namwran, was given, as a special favor, a document of full acquittal, by the Chief and Commander of Tundun, 4. the former Leader of Pailah, Jayadewah. To the effect that His Honor Namwran, through the Honorable Scribe 5. was totally cleared of a debt to the amount of 1 kati and 8 suwarna (weight of gold), in the presence of His Honor the Leader of Puliran, 6. Kasumuran; His Honor the Leader of Pailah, namely: Ganasakti; (and) His Honor the Leader 7. of Binwangan, namely: Bisruta. And (His Honor Namwran) with his whole family, on orders by the Chief of Dewata, 8. representing the Chief of Mdang, because of his loyalty as a subject (slave?) of the Chief, therefore all the descendants 9. of His Honor Namwran have been cleared of the whole debt that His Honor owed the Chief of Dewata. This (document) is (issued) in case 10. there is someone, whosoever, some time in the future, who will state that the debt is not yet acquitted of His Honor… The LCI was very instrumental in identifying the demarcation line between the Philippine’s prehistory and history. The later chapters of this Book will present a number of significant written documents which will aid us in understanding the society years ago. Why study history? Peter N. Stearns in 1998 has published an article with the American Historical Association that enumerated the reasons why we should study history. Here are some of his justifications why the subject is worth our attention: 1. History helps us understand people and societies. In the first place, history offers a storehouse of information about how people and societies behave. Understanding the operations of people and societies is difficult, though a number of disciplines make an attempt. An exclusive reliance on current data would needlessly handicap our efforts. How can we evaluate war if the nation is at peace - unless we use historical materials? How can we understand genius, the influence of technological innovation, or the role that beliefs play in shaping family life, if we do not use what we know about experiences in the past? Some social scientists attempt to formulate laws or theories about human behavior. But even these recourses depend on historical information, except for in limited, often artificial cases in which experiments can be devised to determine how people act. Major aspects of a society's operation, like mass elections, missionary activities, or military alliances, cannot be set up as precise experiments. Consequently, history must serve, however 4 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY imperfectly, as our laboratory, and data from the past must serve as our most vital evidence in the unavoidable quest to figure out why our complex species behaves as it does in societal settings. This, fundamentally, is why we cannot stay away from history: it offers the only extensive evidential base for the contemplation and analysis of how societies function, and people need to have some sense of how societies function simply to run their own lives. 2. History helps us understand change and how the society we live in came to be. The second reason history is inescapable as a subject of serious study follows closely on the first. The past causes the present, and so the future. Any time we try to know why something happened, we have to look for factors that took shape earlier. Sometimes fairly recent history will suffice to explain a major development, but often we need to look further back to identify the causes of change. Only through studying history can we grasp how things change; only through history can we begin to comprehend the factors that cause change; and only through history can we understand what elements of an institution or a society persist despite change. 3. History contributes to moral understanding. History also provides a terrain for moral contemplation. Studying the stories of individuals and situations in the past allows a student of history to test his or her own moral sense, to hone it against some of the real complexities individuals have faced in difficult settings. People who have weathered adversity not just in some work of fiction, but in real, historical circumstances can provide inspiration. "History teaching by example" is one phrase that describes this use of a study of the past - a study not only of certifiable heroes, the great men and women of history who successfully worked through moral dilemmas, but also of more ordinary people who provide lessons in courage, diligence, or constructive protest. 4. History provides identity. History also helps provide identity, and this is unquestionably one of the reasons all modern nations encourage its teaching in some form. Historical data include evidence about how families, groups, institutions and whole countries were formed and about how they have evolved while retaining cohesion. For many [Filipinos], studying the history of one's own family is the most obvious use of history, for it provides facts about genealogy and (at a slightly more complex level) a basis for understanding how the family has interacted with larger historical change. Family identity is established and confirmed. CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 5 Many institutions, businesses, communities, and social units, such as ethnic groups in the [Philippines], use history for similar identity purposes. Merely defining the group in the present pales against the possibility of forming an identity based on a rich past. And of course nations use identity history as well—and sometimes abuse it. Histories that tell the national story, emphasizing distinctive features of the national experience, are meant to drive home an understanding of national values and a commitment to national loyalty. 6. Studying History Is Essential for Good Citizenship. A study of history is essential for good citizenship. This is the most common justification for the place of history in school curricula. Sometimes advocates of citizenship history hope merely to promote national identity and loyalty through a history spiced by vivid stories and lessons in individual success and morality. But the importance of history for citizenship goes beyond this narrow goal and can even challenge it at some points. History that lays the foundation for genuine citizenship returns, in one sense, to the essential uses of the study of the past. History provides data about the emergence of national institutions, problems, and values—it's the only significant storehouse of such data available. It offers evidence also about how nations have interacted with other societies, providing international and comparative perspectives essential for responsible citizenship. Further, studying history helps us understand how recent, current, and prospective changes that affect the lives of citizens are emerging or may emerge and what causes are involved. More important, studying history encourages habits of mind that are vital for responsible public behavior, whether as a national or community leader, an informed voter, a petitioner, or a simple observer. Moreover, Stern has identified a number of skills that a student may develop in studying history. These include the following: 1. The ability to assess evidence. The study of history builds experience in dealing with and assessing various kinds of evidence—the sorts of evidence historians use in shaping the most accurate pictures of the past that they can. Learning how to interpret the statements of past political leaders—one kind of evidence—helps form the capacity to distinguish between the objective and the self-serving among statements made by present-day political leaders. Learning how to combine different 6 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY kinds of evidence - public statements, private records, numerical data, visual materials - develops the ability to make coherent arguments based on a variety of data. This skill can also be applied to information encountered in everyday life. 2. The ability to assess conflicting interpretations. Learning history means gaining some skill in sorting through diverse, often conflicting interpretations. Understanding how societies work - the central goal of historical study—is inherently imprecise, and the same certainly holds true for understanding what is going on in the present day. Learning how to identify and evaluate conflicting interpretations is an essential citizenship skill for which history, as an often-contested laboratory of human experience, provides training. This is one area in which the full benefits of historical study sometimes clash with the narrower uses of the past to construct identity. Experience in examining past situations provides a constructively critical sense that can be applied to partisan claims about the glories of national or group identity. The study of history in no sense undermines loyalty or commitment, but it does teach the need for assessing arguments, and it provides opportunities to engage in debate and achieve perspective. 3. Experience in assessing past examples of change. Experience in assessing past examples of change is vital to understanding change in society today - it is an essential skill in what we are regularly told is our "ever-changing world." Analysis of change means developing some capacity for determining the magnitude and significance of change, for some changes are more fundamental than others. Comparing particular changes to relevant examples from the past helps students of history develop this capacity. The ability to identify the continuities that always accompany even the most dramatic changes also comes from studying history, as does the skill to determine probable causes of change. Learning history helps one figure out, for example, if one main factor - such as a technological innovation or some deliberate new policy - accounts for a change or whether, as is more commonly the case, a number of factors combine to generate the actual change that occurs. Clearly, the reasons and skills that one may develop in studying history is not only beneficial for students in schools but to everyone to be equipped with the right knowledge and reasons for our every actions and decisions to become good and responsible citizens. CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 7 WORKSHEET 1.1A NAME: SCORE: YEAR/SECTION: DATE: Draw the first thing that comes into your mind when you hear the word ‘history.’ 8 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY WORKSHEET 1.1B NAME: SCORE: YEAR/SECTION: DATE: Write a short essay on the relevance of studying history in relation to your course. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 9 LESSON 1.2 DISTINCTION BETWEEN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCES In the study of history, historians give interpretations of the past by investigating historical sources. No interpretations, however, shall be accepted unless it is supported by evidence from the examined sources. Historical sources may refer to everything, written or not, that may tell something about the past. These sources are generally classified into primary and secondary sources. Primary sources are original records of a certain event by people who have actually experienced or witnessed it. These may include original works such as letters, legislations, newspaper articles, diaries, interviews, government documents, reports, photographs, literature and other creative outputs. Secondary sources, on the other hand, are records based on primary sources. They explain a certain event of the past through evaluation and interpretation of the records created during a historical period. These may include researches, textbooks, journals, commentaries, biographies, and criticism or reviews of literary and creative works. To illustrate, if students wish to study the 1987 Constitution, the primary sources includes the Record of the 1986 Constitutional Commission, proclamations, speeches of the 48 representatives who collectively drafted the current Constitution, and the text of the Constitution itself. Its secondary sources, on the hand, may include textbooks, annotations, and published opinions about the Constitution. Primary and secondary sources are both important in studying history. However, it is preferred that students use primary sources in their analysis and synthesis of the past events. The use of primary sources is important because of the following reasons: 1. Direct contact with the original records and artifacts invites students to explore the content with active and deeper analysis, and to respond thoughtfully; 2. Critical thinking is developed as students probe the context, purpose, meaning, bias, and perspectives in their analysis of the past; 10 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY 3. In the interaction with the various sources from the past, a learn-led inquiry is being fostered; 4. There is a realization that history is a reflection of various perspectives of those who interpret the past events; and 5. It brings back to story to history allowing students to share the author’s perspectives. CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 11 WORKSHEET 1.2A NAME: SCORE: YEAR/SECTION: DATE: Directions: Name a historical event you wish to study; and Identify the primary and secondary sources of that historical event. HISTORICAL EVENT: _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ PRIMARY SOURCES: 1.________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 2.________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ SECONDARY SOURCES: 1.________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 2.________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 12 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY WORKSHEET 1.2B NAME: SCORE: YEAR/SECTION: DATE: Directions: Identify whether the statement is a PRIMARY or SECONDARY source. Write your answer before each number. _______________1. You were watching news and the reporter said that she had heard bad reviews about a new action film. When she talks about the movie, what is she? _______________2. You found a letter to one of your classmates in the room after school yesterday. What is the letter? _______________3. You and your brother found an old wedding dress in your archives. Your mother told you that it belonged to your grandmother. What is the dress? _______________4. At school you use textbooks to learn about the history of the Philippines. When you use textbooks, what are you using? _______________5. You like to magazines. You love the articles written by other about airplanes and aviation. When you read these stories, what are you? _______________6. You father has audio files of your grandfather narrating his memorable experience as a pilot. What are you listening to? _______________7. When you are working on your assignment about the Philippine government, you have read about the commentaries of the Justices in the Supreme Court on landmark cases. What are you reading? _______________8. Your friend told you that she will be reading a book that she really liked. When she talks about the book, what is she? _______________9. When you were at summer camp last year, you found an interesting porcelain jar; You researched and found out that it has been made by the precolonial Chinese traders. What is the jar? _______________10. You are writing a paper on President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for your History class. You used articles from an online encyclopedia and Wikipedia. What are you using? CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 13 LESSON 1.3 INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CRITICISM Being able to identify primary sources from secondary sources is the first step of historical method. Historical method refers to the process of probing primary sources that will be used in writing history. This includes source criticism which studies the external and internal validity of sources. According the Gilbert J. Garraghan and Jean Delanglez in 1946, source criticism asks the following questions: When was the source, written or unwritten, produced? Where was it produced? By whom was it produced? From what pre-existing material was it produced? In what original form was it produced? What is the evidential value of its contents? The first five questions are considered to be part of external criticism. Historians determine the authenticity of sources by examining the date, locale, creator, analysis and integrity of the historical sources. These information must be consistent with each other. It means, for example, that the materials used in a source must match the time and place when it was produced. The last question is treated as internal criticism as it helps the historians determine the credibility of the source. It studies the content of the source to know its truthfulness. For a source to be valid, its content must be reasonable and historically precise. One should now rely on a data which is not supported by evidence. Neuman in 2013 has explained the difference between external and internal criticism in the illustration on the next page. One of the disputed documents which may illustrate the application of external and internal criticism is the Code of Kalantiaw. The Code was introduced as written by Datu Kalantiaw of Negros in 1433. However, in a study presented by William Henry Scott, it was found out to be a hoax – a forgery written by Jose E. Marco in 1913. 14 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY Internal and External Criticism (from Neuman, 2003, p.421) Today, history books no longer include the said Code. But Atty. Cecilio Duka, in 2018, has interestingly provided the 18 articles of the Code in his book, Struggle for Freedom, to be critically examined by the students and conclude its truthfulness. For similar reasons and to feed our curiosity here are the said laws: Article I - Ye shall not kill, neither shall ye steal nor shall ye hurt the aged, lest ye incur the danger of death. All those who this order shall infringe shall be tied to a stone and drowned in a river or in boiling water. Article II - Ye shall punctually meet your debt with your headman. He who fulfills not, for the first time shall be lashed a hundredfold, and If the obligation is great, his hand shall be dipped threefold in boiling water. On conviction, he shall be flogged to death. Article III - Obey ye: no one shall have wives that are too young, nor shall they be more than what he can take care of, nor spend much luxury. He who fulfils not, obeys not, shall be condemned to swim three hours and, for the second time, shall be scourged with spines to death. Article IV - Observe and obey ye: Let not the peace of the graves be disturbed; due respect must be accorded them on passing by caves and trees where they are. He who observes not shall die by bites of ants or shall be flogged with spines till death. Article V - Obey ye: Exchange in food must be carried out faithfully. He who complies not shall be lashed for an hour. He who repeats the act shall, for a day be exposed to the ants. CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 15 Article VI - Ye shall revere respectable places, trees of known value, and other sites. He shall pay a month's work, in gold or money, whoever fails to do this; and if twice committed, he shall be declared a slave. Article VII - They shall die who kill trees of venerable aspect; who at night shoot with arrows the aged men and the women; he who enters the house of the headman without permission; he who kills a fish or shark or striped crocodile. Article VIII - They shall be slaves for a given time who steal away the women of the headmen; he who possesses dogs that bite the headmen; he who burns another man's sown field. Article IX - They shall be slaves for a given time, who sing in their night errands, kill manual birds, tear documents belonging to the headmen; who are evil-minded liars; who play with the dead. Article X - It shall be the obligation of every mother to show her daughter secretly the things that are lascivious, and prepare them for womanhood; men shall not be cruel to their wives, nor should they punish them when they catch them in the act of adultery. He who disobeys shall be torn to pieces and thrown to the Caymans. Article XI - They shall be burned, who by force or cunning have mocked at and eluded punishment, or who have killed two young boys, or shall try to steal the women of the old men (agurangs). Article XII - They shall be drowned, all slaves who assault their superiors or their lords and masters; all those who abuse their luxury; those who kill their anitos by breaking them or throwing them away. Article XIII - They shall be exposed to the ants for half a day, who kill a black cat during the new moon or steal things belonging to the headmen. Article XIV - They shall be slaves for life, who having beautiful daughters shall deny them to the sons of the headman, or shall hide them in bad faith. 16 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY Article XV - Concerning their beliefs and superstitions: they shall be scourged, who eat bad meat of respected insects or herbs that are supposed to be good; who hurt or kill the young manual bird and the white monkey. Article XVI - Their fingers shall be cut off, who break wooden or clay idols in their olangangs and places of oblation; he who breaks Tagalan's daggers for hog killing, or breaks drinking vases. Article XVII - They shall be killed, who profane places where sacred objects of their diwatas or headmen are buried. He who gives way to the call of nature at such places shall be burned. Article XVIII - Those who do not cause these rules to be observed, if they are headmen, shall be stoned and crushed to death, and if they are old men, shall be placed in rivers to be eaten by sharks and crocodiles. The Code is just one of the many sources that was included in our former study of the Philippine history and there may be other sources that are, up until now, accepted but not fully examined. As students of history, the challenge is for us to externally and internally criticize sources before accepting them as evidence to the history of our past. In addition to the questions of Garraghan and Delanglez, historians also have presented the following principles of source criticism for determining reliability (Olden-Jørgensen, 1998 and Thurén, 1997):  Human sources may be relics such as a fingerprint; or narratives such as a statement or a letter. Relics are more credible sources than narratives.  Any given source may be forged or corrupted. Strong indications of the originality of the source increase its reliability.  The closer a source is to the event which it purports to describe, the more one can trust it to give an accurate historical description of what actually happened.  A primary source is more reliable than a secondary source, which is more reliable than a tertiary source, and so on.  If a number of independent sources contain the same message, the credibility of the message is strongly CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 17 increased.  The tendency of a source is its motivation for providing some kind of bias. Tendencies should be minimized or supplemented with opposite motivations.  If it can be demonstrated that the witness or source has no direct interest in creating bias then the credibility of the message is increased. What if there are two or more sources to prove a certain historical event? Bernheim (1889) and Langlois & Seignobos (1898) have presented the following procedures to examine contradictory sources: 1. If the sources all agree about an event, historians can consider the event proved; 2. However, majority does not rule; even if most sources relate events in one way, that version will not prevail unless it passes the test of critical textual analysis; 3. The source whose account can be confirmed by reference to outside authorities in some of its parts can be trusted in its entirety if it is impossible similarly to confirm the entire text; 4. When two sources disagree on a particular point, the historian will prefer the source with most "authority"—that is the source created by the expert or by the eyewitness; 5. Eyewitnesses are, in general, to be preferred especially in circumstances where the ordinary observer could have accurately reported what transpired and, more specifically, when they deal with facts known by most contemporaries; 6. If two independently created sources agree on a matter, the reliability of each is measurably enhanced; 7. When two sources disagree and there is no other means of evaluation, then historians take the source which seems to accord best with common sense. Primary sources are mostly accounts of eyewitnesses. As proposed above, they are generally preferred. In history, however, one should not immediately accept statements of an eyewitness without evaluation. RJ Shafer had suggested that we ask the following questions:  Is the real meaning of the statement different from its literal meaning? Are words used in senses not employed today? Is the statement meant to be ironic (i.e., mean other than it says)?  How well could the author observe the thing he reports? Were his senses equal to the observation? Was his physical location suitable 18 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY to sight, hearing, touch? Did he have the proper social ability to observe: did he understand the language, have other expertise required (e.g., law, military); was he not being intimidated by his wife or the secret police?  How did the author report and what was his ability to do so?  Regarding his ability to report, was he biased? Did he have proper time for reporting? Proper place for reporting? Adequate recording instruments?  When did he report in relation to his observation? Soon? Much later? Fifty years is much later as most eyewitnesses are dead and those who remain may have forgotten relevant material.  What was the author's intention in reporting? For whom did he report? Would that audience be likely to require or suggest distortion to the author?  Are there additional clues to intended veracity? Was he indifferent on the subject reported, thus probably not intending distortion? Did he make statements damaging to himself, thus probably not seeking to distort? Did he give incidental or casual information, almost certainly not intended to mislead?  Do his statements seem inherently improbable: e.g., contrary to human nature, or in conflict with what we know?  Remember that some types of information are easier to observe and report on than others.  Are there inner contradictions in the document? In some cases when there is no primary source available to confirm the happening of one event or history, indirect eyewitnesses or secondary sources may be inquired from. In these cases, Gottschalk has suggested to ask the following: 1. From whose primary testimony does the secondary witness base his statements? 2. Did the secondary witness accurately report the primary testimony as a whole? 3. If not, in what details did he accurately report the primary testimony? Having reasonable answers from these questions will give the historian a source, which may be considered original and reliable. CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 19 Historians may also look into oral traditions as a source of history. These traditions, however, may only be accepted if they satisfy the following conditions: 1. Broad conditions: a. The tradition should be supported by an unbroken series of witnesses, reaching from the immediate and first reporter of the fact to the living mediate witness from whom we take it from, or to the one who was the first to commit it to writing. b. There should be several parallel and independent series of witnesses testifying to the fact in question. 2. Particular conditions: a. The tradition must report a public event of importance, such as would necessarily be known directly to a great number of persons. b. The tradition must have been generally believed, at least for definite period of time. c. During that definite period it must have gone without protest, even from persons interested in denying it. d. The tradition must be one of relatively limited duration (Elsewhere, Garraghan suggests a maximum limit of 150 years, at least in cultures that excel in oral remembrance) e. The critical spirit must have been sufficiently developed while the tradition lasted, and the necessary means of critical investigation must have been at hand. f. Critical-minded persons who would surely have challenged the tradition – had they considered it false – must have made no such challenge. Other traditions may also be proven by presentation of comparable evidence such as archeological records or remains. The guidelines presented above may help in the examination of sources, which may be accepted in writing history. These should be coupled by further assessments using proper historical reasoning. 20 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY WORKSHEET 1.3A NAME: SCORE: YEAR/SECTION: DATE: Directions: Provide a primary source in Philippine history and answer the following questions on source criticism. PRIMARY SOURCE: _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ SOURCE CRITICISM: 1. When was the source, written or unwritten, produced? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 2. Where was it produced? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 3. By whom was it produced? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 4. From what pre-existing material was it produced? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 5. In what original form was it produced? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 6. What is the evidential value of its contents? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 21 WORKSHEET 1.3B NAME: SCORE: YEAR/SECTION: DATE: Directions: The following are lesser known controversies published by filipiknow.net entitled “10 Mind-Blowing Controversies of Philippine History.” Read the online article at filipiknow.net/historical-controversies- philippines and study the sources being presented in each controversy. Check whether or not you agree to the following statements based on your examination of sources. CONTROVERSIES AGREE DISAGREE 1. We already had an excellent public school system before the Americans __________ __________ came. 2. Jose Rizal disliked the Chinese. __________ __________ 3. Jose Burgos was framed for the Cavite mutiny. __________ __________ 4. The Americans used pigs’ blood and body parts on Moro insurgents. __________ __________ 5. The Jabidah Massacre never __________ __________ happened. 6. A Filipino helped found Los Angeles. __________ __________ 7. Gregorio del Pilar was Aguinaldo’s assassin. __________ __________ 8. Bonifacio ‘acted like a king’ in __________ __________ Cavite. 9. Miguel Malvar, not Manuel Quezon, should be the second Philippine __________ __________ President. 10. An ancient family owns the entire Philippines. __________ __________ 22 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY LESSON 1.4 KINDS AND REPOSITORIES OF PRIMARY RESOURCES Establishing the reliability of primary sources is vital in studying history. As students, it is equally important for one to identify the various kinds of primary sources as used in different avenues. This lesson presents the classification of primary sources and the obtainability of each. Primary sources may be published or unpublished documents. Published documents are those that are intended for public distribution or use. Newspapers, magazines, books, reports, government documents, laws, court decisions, literary works, posters, maps, and advertisements are some of the examples. The fact that these documents are published does not mean that they are reliable, accurate, or truthful. The readers must comprehend not just the substance of the document but also the background of the author, as it may be written based on the author’s perspective. Documents such as diaries, journals, letters, wills, and other personal papers that are not published may be used as primary sources. Unpublished documents, unlike published ones, may be difficult to locate as they are kept in private and hence, may not be easily accessed by the public. These documents are also confidential and are restricted from public use like personal letters, which are in the possession of the recipients. Primary sources may also be unwritten. These may include oral traditions, oral histories, artworks, and artifacts. Traditions and histories or stories transferred through generations may tell us something about the past. Accepted as primary sources of this kind are those that come from people who have actually witnessed or experienced the past events. Personal or first-hand knowledge is necessary in considering these sources as primary. Although some oral traditions (from some cultures) that are still unwritten up to date may be used in writing history, it is essential that that their reliability is properly evaluated. Other unwritten sources include artworks and artifacts. These are visual documents that tell us several views of the past from the perspectives of creators. Drawings, paintings, sculptures, photographs, CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 23 and artifacts are some of the visual documents that may have captured historic moments and provide evidence to changes that happened over time. Knowing the type of primary source helps in identifying its repository. Written documents may be found in libraries or archives while unwritten documents may be stored in museums and galleries. Primary sources of Philippine history are placed in several repositories around the country. Some of these places are the National Archives, National Library, the National Museums, and other local government repositories. The National Archives of the Philippines Organized under Republic Act No. 9470 passed on May 21, 2007, the National Archives of the Philippines (NAP) was established to store, preserve, conserve, and make available to the public the records, papers, periodicals, books or other items, articles or materials, that have been selected for permanent reservation. These materials may be in the form of electronic, audio-visual or print, which by their nature and characteristics have enduring value. The NAP is holding about 60,000,000 archival documents with Spanish Collection comprising an estimated 13,000,000 manuscripts from the 16th to 19th Century with 400 titles on various aspects of Philippine history under the a) Spanish rule such as royal decrees of Spanish monarchs, reports of Spanish governors-general, documents on Filipino uprisings, records of different provinces and pueblos, royal titles on lands and landed estates, pastoral letters of the clergy, papers on churches and convents, maps and architectural plans of buildings and houses, civil records like birth, marriages and death; b) American and Japanese occupation records including Philippine National Guard records, civil service rosters, war trials; and c) recent records composed of notarial documents, registers, civil service records, and 1,000 cubic meter of inactive records of national/local governments, including those of abolished, transferred or merged offices. The National Library of the Philippines The National Library of the Philippines (NLP) is the repository of the printed and recorded cultural heritage of the country and other intellectual, literary and information sources. It was established by a royal decree on 12 August 1887 and named as the Museo-Biblioteca de Filipinas. Its mission is to acquire, organize, conserve, and preserve Filipiniana materials and provide equitable access to library resources through a system of public libraries throughout the country. The NLP has one of the largest collections of materials in various 24 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY forms in the country covering around 1.6 million books, manuscripts, newspapers, theses and dissertations, government publications, maps, and photographs. Some of the valuable pieces it holds are Rizal’s novels, including the unfinished novels, and the Philippine Declaration of Independence which are all kept in a special vault. The National Museum of the Philippines As an educational, scientific, and cultural institution, the National Museum (NM) operates the National Museum of Fine Arts, National Museum of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, National Planetarium and other branch museums around the country. Its collection covers fine arts, archeology, ethnography, and natural history. CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 25 WORKSHEET 1.4A NAME: SCORE: YEAR/SECTION: DATE: Directions: Give at least two examples of primary resources of Philippine history under each type. PUBLISHED DOCUMENTS: _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ UNPUBLISHED DOCUMENTS: _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ ORAL TRADITIONS/ORAL HISTORIES: _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ ARTWORKS: _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ ARTIFACTS: _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 26 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY WORKSHEET 1.4B NAME: SCORE: YEAR/SECTION: DATE: Directions: Provide the address and contact details of the following repositories, and name two primary sources which may found in them. The National Archives of the Philippines Address: _____________________________________________________________________ Contact details: _____________________________________________________________________ Primary Sources: _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ The National Library of the Philippines Address: _____________________________________________________________________ Contact details: _____________________________________________________________________ Primary Sources: _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ The National Museum of the Philippines Address: _____________________________________________________________________ Contact details: _____________________________________________________________________ Primary Sources: _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 27 Chapter 2 CONTENT AND CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF SELECTED PRIMARY RESOURCES LEARNING OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to : 1. Analyze the context, content, and perspective of the different kinds of primary sources. 2. Identify the historical importance of the historical texts. 3. Develop critical and analytical skills from one’s exposure to primary sources. 4. Examine the author’s main argument and point of view. 28 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY The next two chapters of this book will present selected readings about Philippine history. After each selection, students will be asked to analyze its context and content in accordance with CMO No. 20, series of 2013, which states that context analysis discusses (a) the historical context of the source [time and place it was written and the situation at the time], (b) the author’s background, intent (to the extent discernable), and authority on the subject; and (c) the source’s relevance and meaning today. On the other hand, content analysis various on the kind of source. The students will have to identify the author’s main argument of thesis, compare points of view, identify biases, and evaluate the author’s claim based on the pieces of evidence presented or other available evidence at the time. Students will also be asked to prepare a source analysis and source summary using the format provided in the worksheets. CHAPTER TWO: CONTENT AND CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS 29 LESSON 2.1 FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD BY MAGELLAN Translated from the accounts of Antonio Pigafetta accompanied by original documents, with notes and introduction by Lord Stanley of Alderley. Saturday, the 16th of March, 1521, we arrived at daybreak in sight of a high island, three hundred leagues distant from the before-mentioned Thieves' island. This isle is named Zamal. The next day the captain-general wished to land at another uninhabited island near the first, to be in greater security and to take water, also to repose there a few days. He set up there two tents on shore for the sick, and had a sow killed for them. Monday, the 18th of March, after dinner, we saw a boat come towards us with nine men in it: upon which the captain-general ordered that no one should move or speak without his permission. When these people had come into this island towards us, immediately the principal one amongst them went towards the captain-general with demonstrations of being very joyous at our arrival. Five of the most showy of them remained with us, the others who remained with the boat went to call some men who were fishing, and afterwards all of them came together. The captain seeing that these people were reasonable, ordered food and drink to be given them, and he gave them some red caps, looking glasses, combs, bells, ivory, and other things. When these people saw the politeness of the captain, they presented some fish, and a vessel of palm wine, which they call in their language Uraca; figs more than a foot long, and others smaller and of a better savour, and two cochos. At that time, they had nothing to give him, and they made signs to us with their hands that in four days, they would bring us Umai, which is rice, cocos, and many other victuals. To explain the kind of fruits above-named it must be known that the one which they call cochi, is the fruit which the palm trees bear. And as we have bread, wine, oil, and vinegar, proceeding from different kinds, so these people have those things proceeding from these palm trees only. It must be said that wine proceeds from the said palm trees in the following manner. They make a hole at the summit of the tree as far as its heart, which is named palmito, from which a liquor comes out in drops down the tree, like white must, which is sweet, but with somewhat of bitter. They have canes as thick as the leg, in which they draw off this liquor, and they fasten them to the tree from the evening till next morning, and from the morning to the evening, because this liquor comes little by little. This palm produces a fruit named cocho, which is as large as the head, or thereabouts: its first husk is green, and two fingers in thickness, in it they find certain threads, with which they make the cords for fastening their boats. Under this husk, there is another very hard, and thicker than that of a walnut. They burn this second rind, and make with it a powder which is useful to them. Under this rind, there is a white marrow of a finger's thickness, which they eat fresh with meat and fish, as we do bread, and it has the taste of an almond, and if anyone dried it he might make bread of it. From the middle of this marrow there comes out a clear sweet water, and very cordial, which, when it has rested a little, and settled, congeals and becomes like an apple. 30 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY When they wish to make oil, they take this fruit, the coco, and let it rot, then they corrupt this marrow in the water, then they boil it, and it becomes oil in the manner of butter. When they want to make vinegar, they let the water in the cocoa-nut get bad, and they put it in the sun, when it turns to vinegar like white wine. From this fruit milk also can be made, as we experienced, for we scraped this marrow and then put it with its water, and passed it through a cloth, and thus it was milk like that of goats. This kind of palm tree is like the date-palm, but not so rugged. Two of these trees can maintain a family of ten persons: but they do not draw wine as above-mentioned always from one tree, but draw from one for eight days, and from the other as long. For if they did not, otherwise the trees would dry up. In this manner they last a hundred years. These people became very familiar and friendly with us, and explained many things to us in their language, and told us the names of some islands, which we saw with our eyes before us. The island where they dwelt is called Zuluam, and it is not large. As they were sufficiently agreeable and conversable, we had great pleasure with them. The captain seeing that they were of this good condition, to do them greater honor conducted them to the ship, and showed them all his goods, that is to say, cloves, cinnamon, pepper, ginger, nutmeg, mace, gold and all that was in the ship. He also had some shots fired with his artillery, at which they were so much afraid that they wished to jump from the ship into the sea. They made signs that the things, which the captain had shown them, grew where we were going. When they wished to leave us, they took leave of the captain and of us with very good manners and gracefulness, promising us to come back to see us. The island we were at was named Humunu; nevertheless because we found there two springs of very fresh water we named it the Watering Place of good signs, and because we found here the first signs of gold. There is much white coral to be found here, and large trees which bear fruit smaller than an almond, and which are like pines. There were also many palm trees both good and bad. In this place there were many circumjacent islands, on which account we named them the archipelago of St. Lazarus, because we stayed there on the day and feast of St. Lazarus. This region and archipelago is in ten degrees north latitude, and a hundred and sixty-one degrees longitude from the line of demarcation. Friday, the 22nd of March, the above-mentioned people, who had promised us to return, came about midday, with two boats laden with the said fruit cochi, sweet oranges, a vessel of palm wine, and a cock, to give us to understand that they had poultry in their country, so that we bought all that they brought. The lord of these people was old, and had his face painted, and had gold rings suspended to his ears, which they name Schione, and the others had many bracelets and rings of gold on their arms, with a wrapper of linen round their head. We remained at this place eight days: the captain went there every day to see his sick men, whom he had placed on this island to refresh them: and he gave them himself every day the water of this said fruit the cocho, which comforted them much. Near this isle is another where there are a kind of people who wear holes in their ears so large that they can pass their arms through them; these people are Caphre, that is to say, Gentiles, and they go naked, except that round their middles they wear cloth made of the bark of trees. But there are some of the more remarkable of them who wear cotton stuff, and at the end of it there is some work of silk done with a needle. These people are tawny, fat, and painted, and they anoint themselves with the oil of CHAPTER TWO: CONTENT AND CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS 31 coconuts and sesame, to preserve them from the sun and the wind. Their hair is very black and long, reaching to the waist, and they carry small daggers and knives, ornamented with gold, and many other things, such as darts, harpoons, and nets to fish, like........., and their boats are like ours. The Monday of Passion week, the 25th of March, and feast of our Lady, in the afternoon, and being ready to depart from this place, I went to the side of our ship to fish. And putting my feet on a spar to go down to the store room, my feet slipped because it had rained, and I fell into the sea without any one seeing me. Being near drowning by luck I found at my left hand the sheet of the large sail which was in the sea. I caught hold of it and began to cry out till they came to help and pick me up with the boat. I was assisted not by my merits, but by the mercy and grace of the fountain of pity. That same day, we took the course between west and southwest, and passed amidst four small islands, that is to say, Cenalo, Huinanghar, Ibusson, and Abarien. Thursday, the 28th of March, having seen the night before fire upon an island, at the morning we came to anchor at this island; where we saw a small boat which they call Boloto, with eight men inside, which approached the ship of the captain-general. Then a slave of the captain's, who was from Sumatra, otherwise named Traprobana, spoke from afar to these people, who understood his talk, and came near to the side of the ship, but they withdrew immediately, and would not enter the ship from fear of us. So the captain seeing that they would not trust to us showed them a red cap, and other things, which he had tied and placed on a little plank, and the people in the boat took them immediately and joyously, and then returned to advise their king. Two hours afterwards, or thereabouts, we saw come two long boats, which they call Ballanghai, full of men. In the largest of them was their king sitting under an awning of mats; when they were near the ship of the captain-general, the said slave spoke to the king, who understood him well, because in these countries the kings know more languages than the common people. Then the king ordered some of his people to go to the captain's ship, whilst he would not move from his boat, which was near enough to us. This was done, and when his people returned to the boat, he went away at once. The captain gave good entertainment to the men who came to his ship, and gave them all sorts of things, on which account the king wished to give the captain a rather large bar of solid gold, and a chest full of ginger. However, the captain thanked him very much but would not accept the present. After that, when it was late, we went with the ships near to the houses and abode of the king. The next day was Good Friday. The captain sent on shore the before-mentioned slave, who was our interpreter, to the king to beg him to give him for money some provisions for his ships, sending him word that he had not come to his country as an enemy, but as a friend. The king on hearing this came with seven or eight men in a boat, and entered the ship, and embraced the captain, and gave him three china dishes covered with leaves full of rice, and two dorades, which are rather large fish, and of the sort above-mentioned, and he gave him several other things. The captain gave this king a robe of red and yellow cloth, made in the Turkish fashion, and a very fine red cap, and to his people he gave to some of them knives, and to others mirrors. After that refreshments were served up to them. The captain told the king, through the said interpreter, that he wished to be with him, cassi cassi, that is to say, brothers. To which the king answered that he desired to be the same towards him. After that the captain showed 32 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY him cloths of different colours, linen, coral, and much other merchandise, and all the artillery, of which he had some pieces fired before him, at which the king was much astonished; after that the captain had one of his soldiers armed with white armour, and placed him in the midst of three comrades, who struck him with swords and daggers. The king thought this very strange, and the captain told him, through the interpreter, that a man thus in white armour was worth a hundred of his men; he answered that it was true; he was further informed that there were in each ship two hundred like that man. After that the captain showed him a great number of swords, cuirasses, and helmets, and made two of the men play with their swords before the king; he then showed him the sea chart and the ship compass, and informed him how he had found the strait to come there, and of the time which he had spent in coming; also of the time he had been without seeing any land, at which the king was astonished. At the end the captain asked if he would be pleased that two of his people should go with him to the places where they lived, to see some of the things of his country. This the king granted, and I went with another. When I had landed, the king raised his hands to the sky, and turned to us two, and we did the same as he did; after that he took me by the hand, and one of his principal people took my companion, and led us under a place covered with canes, where there was a ballanghai, that is to say, a boat, eighty feet long or thereabouts, resembling a fusta. We sat with the king upon its poop, always conversing with him by signs, and his people stood up around us, with their swords, spears, and bucklers. Then the king ordered to be brought a dish of pig's flesh and wine. Their fashion of drinking is in this wise, they first raise their hands to heaven, then take the drinking vessel in their right hand, and extend the left hand closed towards the people. This the king did, and presented to me his fist, so that I thought that he wanted to strike me; I did the same thing towards him; so with this ceremony, and other signs of friendship, we banqueted, and afterwards supped with him. CHAPTER TWO: CONTENT AND CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS 33 WORKSHEET 2.1A NAME: SCORE: YEAR/SECTION: DATE: SOURCE ANALYSIS Title of Source: _____________________________________________________________________ Type of Primary Source: _____________________________________________________________________ What do you know about the author that may shape his/her perspective? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Who is the intended audience of the primary source? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Where and when was the primary source published or created? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Describe the historical context. What was happening during this event or time period? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 34 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY WORKSHEET 2.1B NAME: SCORE: YEAR/SECTION: DATE: SOURCE SUMMARY ________________________________________________________________ (title of the source) suggest/shows that ________________________________________________________________ (the author) thought/did/had ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ (author’s sentiment about the historical event or time period) because ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ (cite specific evidence in the reading as supporting details) CHAPTER TWO: CONTENT AND CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS 35 LESSON 2.2 CUSTOMS OF THE TAGALOGS From the Two Relations by Juan de Plasencia, O.S.F. 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: Customs of the Tagalogs This people always had chiefs, called by them datos, who governed them and were captains in their wars, and whom they obeyed and reverenced. The subject who committed any offense against them, or spoke but a word to their wives and children, was severely punished. 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 Tagalo 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 barangays in each town, or, at least, on account of wars, they did not settle far from one another. They were not, however, subject to one another, except in friendship and relationship. The chieves, in their various wars, helped one another with their respective barangays. In addition to the chiefs, who corresponded to our knights, there were three castes: nobles, commoners, and slaves. The nobles were the free -born whom they call maharlica. They did not pay tax or tribute to the dato, but must accompany him in war, at their own expense. The chief offered them beforehand a feast, and afterward they divided the spoils. Moreover, when the dato went upon the water those whom he summoned rowed for him. If he built a house, they helped him, and had to be fed for it. The same was true when the whole barangay went to clear up his lands for tillage. The lands which they inhabited were divided among the whole barangay, especially the irrigated portion, and thus each one knew his own. No one belonging to another barangay would cultivate them unless after purchase or inheritance. The lands on the tingues, or mountain- ridges, are not divided, but owned in common by the barangay. Consequently, at the time of the rice harvest, any individual of any particular barangay, although he may have come from some other village, 36 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY if he commences to clear any land may sow it, and no one can compel him to abandon it. There are some villages (as, for example, Pila de la Laguna) in which these nobles, or maharlicas, paid annually to the dato a hundred gantas of rice. The reason for this was, at the time of their settlement, another chief occupied the lands, which the new chief, upon his arrival, bought with his own gold; and therefore the members of his barangay paid him for the arable land, and he divided it, among those whom he saw fit to reward. But now, since the advent of the Spaniards, it is not so divided. The chieves in the villages had also fisheries, with established limits, and sections of the rivers for markets. At these, no one could fish, or trade in the markets, without paying for the privilege, unless he belonged to the chief's barangay or village. The commoners are called aliping namamahay. They are married, and serve their master, whether he be a dato or not, with half of their cultivated lands, as was agreed upon in the beginning. They accompanied him whenever he went beyond the island, and rowed for him. They live in their own houses, and are lords of their property and gold. Their children inherit it, and enjoy their property and lands. The children, then, enjoy the rank of their fathers, and they cannot be made slaves (sa guiguilir) nor can either parents or children be sold. If they should fall by inheritance into the hands of a son of their master who was going to dwell in another village, they could not be taken from their own village and carried with him; but they would remain in their native village, doing service there and cultivating the sowed lands. The slaves are called aliping sa guiguilir. They serve their master in his house and on his cultivated lands, and may be sold. The master grants them, should he see fit, and providing that he has profited through their industry, a portion of their harvests, so that they may work faithfully. For these reasons, servants who are born in the house of their master are rarely, if ever, sold. That is the lot of captives in war, and of those brought up in the harvest fields. Those to whom a debt was owed transferred the debt to another, thereby themselves making a profit, and reducing the wretched debtors to a slavery which was not their natural lot. If any person among those who were made slaves (sa guiguilir)—through war, by the trade of goldsmith, or otherwise—happened to possess any gold beyond the sum that he had to give his master, he ransomed himself, becoming thus a namamahay, or what we call a commoner. The price of this ransom was never less than five taels, and from that upwards; and if he gave ten or more taels, as they might agree, he became wholly free. An amusing ceremony accompanied this custom. After having divided all the trinkets which the slave possessed, if he maintained a house of his own, they divided even the pots and jars, and if an odd one of these remained, they broke it; and if a piece of cloth were left, they parted it in the middle. The difference between the aliping namamahay and the aliping sa guiguilir, should be noted; for, by a confusion of the two terms, many have been classed as slaves who really are not. The Indians seeing that the alcaldes-mayor do not understand this, have adopted the custom of taking away the children of the aliping namamahay, making use of them as they would of the aliping sa guiguilir, as servants in their households, which is illegal, and if the aliping namamahay should appeal to justice, it is proved that he is an aliping as well as his father and mother before him and no reservation is made as to whether he is aliping namamahay or atiping sa guiguilir. He is at once considered an alipin, without further declaration. In CHAPTER TWO: CONTENT AND CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS 37 this way he becomes a sa guiguilir, and is even sold. Consequently, the alcaldes-mayor should be instructed to ascertain, when anyone asks for his alipin, to which class he belongs, and to have the answer put in the document that they give him. In these three classes, those who are maharlicas on both the father's and mother's side continue to be so forever; and if it happens that they should become slaves, it is through marriage, as I shall soon explain. If these maharlicas had children among their slaves, the children and their mothers became free; if one of them had children by the slave-woman of another, she was compelled, when pregnant, to give her master half of a gold tael, because of her risk of death, and for her inability to labor during the pregnancy. In such a case half of the child was free - namely, the half belonging to the father, who supplied the child with food. If he did not do this, he showed that he did not recognize him as his child, in which case the latter was wholly a slave. If a free woman had children by a slave, they were all free, provided he were not her husband. If two persons married, of whom one was a maharlica and the other a slave, whether namamahay or sa guiguilir, the children were divided: the first, whether male or female, belonged to the father, as did the third and fifth; the second, the fourth, and the sixth fell to the mother, and so on. In this manner, if the father were free, all those who belonged to him were free; if he were a slave, all those who belonged to him were slaves; and the same applied to the mother. If there should not be more than one child he was half free and half slave. The only question here concerned the division, whether the child were male or female. Those who became slaves fell under the category of servitude which was their parent's, either namamahay or sa guiguilir. If there were an odd number of children, the odd one was half free and half slave. I have not been able to ascertain with any certainty when or at what age the division of children was made, for each one suited himself in this respect. Of these two kinds of slaves the sa guiguilir could be sold, but not the namamahay and their children, nor could they be transferred. However, they could be transferred from the barangay by in- heritance, provided they remained in the same village. The maharlicas could not, after marriage, move from one village to another, or from one barangay to another, without paying a certain fine in gold, as arranged among them. This fine was larger or smaller according to the inclination of the different villages, running from one to three taels and a banquet to the entire barangay. Failure to pay the fine might result in a war between the barangay which the person left and the one which he en- tered. This applied equally to men and women, except that when one mar- ried a woman of another village, the children were afterwards divided equally between the two barangays. This arrangement kept them obedient to the dato, or chief, which is no longer the case—because, if the dato is energetic and commands what the religious fathers enjoin him, they soon leave him and go to other villages and other datos, who endure and protect them and do not order them about. This is the kind of dato that they now prefer, not him who has the spirit to command. There is a great need of reform in this, for the chiefs are spiritless and faint-hearted. Investigations made and sentences passed by the dato must take place in the presence of those of his barangay. If any of the litigants felt himself aggrieved, an arbiter was unanimously named from another village or barangay, whether he were a dato or not; since they had for this purpose some persons, known as fair and just men, who were said to give true judgment according to their customs. If the controversy lay between 38 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY chieves, when they wished to avoid war, they also convoked judges to act as arbiters; they did the same if the disputants belonged to two different barangays. In this ceremony they always had to drink, the plaintiff inviting the others. They had laws by which they condemned to death a man of low birth who insulted the daughter or wife of a chief; likewise witches, and others of the same class. They condemned no one to slavery, unless he merited the death-penalty. 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. All other offenses were punished by fines in gold, which, if not paid with promptness, exposed the culprit to serve, until the payment should be made, the person aggrieved, to whom the money was to be paid. This was done in the following way: Half the cultivated lands and all their produce belonged to the master. The master provided the culprit with food and clothing, thus enslaving the culprit and his children until such time as he might amass enough money to pay the fine. If the father should by chance pay his debt, the master then claimed that he had fed and clothed his children, and should be paid therefor. In this way he kept possession of the children if the payment could not be met. This last was usually the case, and they remained slaves. If the culprit had some relative or friend who paid for him, he was obliged to render the latter half his service until he was paid - not, however, service within the house as aliping sa guiguilir, but living independently, as aliping namamahay. If the creditor were not served in this wise, the culprit had to pay the double of what was lent him. In this way slaves were made by debt: either sa guiguilir, if they served the master to whom the judgment applied; or aliping namamahay, if they served the person who lent them wherewith to pay. In what concerns loans, there was formerly, and is today, an excess of usury, which is a great hindrance to baptism as well as to confession; for it turns out in the same way as I have showed in the case of the one under judgment, who gives half of his cultivated lands and profits until he pays the debt. The debtor is condemned to a life of toil; and thus borrowers become slaves, and after the death of the father the children pay the debt. Not doing so, double the amount must be paid. This system should and can be reformed. As for inheritances, the legitimate children of a father and mother inherited equally, except in the case where the father and mother showed a slight partiality by such gifts as two or three gold taels, or perhaps a jewel. When the parents gave a dowry to any son, and, when, in order to marry him to a chief's daughter, the dowry was greater than the sum given the other sons, the excess was not counted in the whole property to be divided. But any other thing that should have been given to any son, though it might be for some necessity, was taken into consideration at the time of the partition of the property, unless the parents should declare that such a bestowal was made outside of the inheritance. If one had had children by two or more legitimate wives, each child received the inheritance and dowry of his mother, with its increase, and that share of his father's estate which fell to him out of the whole. If a man had a child by one of his slaves, as well as legitimate children, the former had no share in the inheritance; but the legitimate children were bound to free the mother, and to give him something - a tael or a slave, if the father were a chief; or if, finally, anything else were given it was by the unanimous CHAPTER TWO: CONTENT AND CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS 39 consent of all. If besides his legitimate children, he had also some son by a free unmarried woman, to whom a dowry was given but who was not considered as a real wife, all these were classed as natural children, although the child by the unmarried woman should have been begotten after his marriage. Such children did not inherit equally with the legitimate children, but only the third part. For example, if there were two children, the legitimate one had two parts, and the one of the inaasava one part. When there were no children by a legitimate wife, but only children by an unmarried woman, or inaasava, the latter inherited all. If he had a child by a slave woman, that child received his share as above stated. If there were no legitimate or natural child, or a child by an inaasava, whether there was a son of a slave woman or not, the inheritance went only to the father or grandparents, brothers, or nearest relatives of the deceased, who gave to the slave-child as above stated. In the case of a child by a free married woman, born while she was married, if the husband punished the adulterer this was considered a dowry; and the child entered with the others into partition in the inheritance. His share equaled the part left by the father, nothing more. If there were no other sons than he, the children and the nearest relatives inherited equally with him. But if the adulterer were not punished by the husband of the woman who had the child, the latter was not considered as his child, nor did he inherit anything. It should be noticed that the offender was not considered dishonored by the punishment inflicted, nor did the husband leave the woman. By the punishment of the father the child was fittingly made legitimate. Adopted children, of whom there are many among them, inherit the double of what was paid for their adoption. For example, if one gold tael was given that he might be adopted when the first father died, the child was given [in inheritance] two taels. But if this child should die first, his children do not inherit from the second father, for the arrangement stops at that point. This is the danger to which his money is exposed, as well as his being protected as a child. On this account this manner of adoption common among them is considered lawful. Dowries are given by the men to the women's parents. If the latter are living, they enjoy the use of it. At their death, provided the dowry has not been consumed, it is divided like the rest of the estate, equally among the children, except in case the father should care to bestow something additional upon the daughter. If the wife, at the time of her marriage, has neither father, mother, nor grandparents, she enjoys her dowry - which, in such a case, belongs to no other relative or child. It should be noticed that unmarried women can own no property, in land or dowry, for the result of all their labors accrues to their parents. In the case of a divorce before the birth of children, if the wife left the husband for the purpose of marrying another, all her dowry and an equal additional amount fell to the husband; but if she left him, and did not marry another, the dowry was returned. When the husband left his wife, he lost the half of the dowry, and the other half was returned to him. If he possessed children at the time of his divorce, the whole dowry and the fine went to the children, and was held for them by their grandparents or other responsible relatives. I have also seen another practice in two villages. In one case, upon the death of the wife who in a year's time had borne no children, the parents returned one-half the dowry to the husband whose wife had died. 40 READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY In the other case, upon the death of the husband, one-half the dowry was returned to the relatives of the husband. I have ascertained that this is not a general practice; for upon inquiry I learned that when this is done it is done through piety, and that all do not do it. In the matter of marriage dowries which fathers bestow upon their sons when they are about to be married, and half of which is given immediately, even when they are only children, there is a great deal more complexity. There is a fine stipulated in the contract, that he who violates it shall pay a certain sum which varies according to the practice of the village and the affluence of the individual. The fine was heaviest if, upon the death of the parents, the son or daughter should be unwilling to marry because it had been arranged by his or her parents. In this case the dowry which the parents had received was returned and nothing more. But if the parents were living, they paid the fine, because it was assumed that it had been their design to separate the children. The above is what I have been able to ascertain clearly concerning customs observed among these natives in all this Laguna and the tingues, and among the entire Tagalo race. The old men say that a dato who did anything contrary to this would not be esteemed; and, in relating tyrannies which they had committed, some condemned them and adjudged them wicked. Others, perchance, may offer a more extended narrative, but leaving aside irrelevant matters concerning government and justice among them, a summary of the whole truth is contained in the above. I am sending the account in this clear and concise form because I had received no orders to pursue the work further. Whatever may be decided upon, it is certainly important that it should be given to the alcal-des-mayor, accompanied by an ex

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