Barangay: Sixteenth-Century Tattooing (Philippine Culture and Society) PDF

BARANGAY: SIXTEENTH–CENTURY TATTOOING (PHILIPPINE CULTURE AND SOCIETY) William Henry Scott Tattoos, known as “batuk” or “patik,” were highly regarded among Visayans,...

BARANGAY: SIXTEENTH–CENTURY TATTOOING (PHILIPPINE CULTURE AND SOCIETY) William Henry Scott Tattoos, known as “batuk” or “patik,” were highly regarded among Visayans, who earned these marks as symbols of bravery. Tattooing was a PART I: THE VISAYAS complex and painful procedure performed with a comb-like tool. The Spaniards called these tattooed people “Pintados” due to the extensive body art that Halil, Jastine denoted social status and achievements. CHAPTER 1: PHYSICAL APPEARANCE Chapter 1 of William Henry Scott’s Barangay: Sixteenth-Century Philippine Culture and Society, titled “Physical Appearance,” explores the physical traits and cultural adornments of early Filipinos as observed by Spanish chroniclers. The chapter provides insights into their appearance, body modifications, and clothing styles, reflecting their identity and social structures. SKULL MOULDING Early Filipinos, such as those from Homonhon Visayan beauty ideals involved skull shaping and Limasawa, were described by Spanish explorers (tinangad), achieved by binding infants’ heads with as dark-skinned or “olive-skinned” (olivastri in rods to mold flat foreheads. Archaeological evidence Italian). However, their skin tones varied, and from places like Albay and Cebu supports the Filipino women were often lighter-skinned than men widespread practice of skull moulding. This was part due to their indoor occupations like weaving. The of the aesthetic preference for broad faces and flat description of Filipinos being darker than Spaniards noses. wasn’t necessarily accurate across the population. PENIS PINS AND CIRCUMCISION DECORATIVE DENTISTRY The Visayans practiced the insertion of tugbuk, Tooth modification, or “sangka” among the a pin through the penis, to enhance sexual pleasure. Visayans, involved filing teeth into shapes like saw- These pins were inserted in childhood, adorned with tooth points. Teeth were stained black with anipay various decorations, and were a status symbol. root, or coated with a tar-like substance (tapul), often Circumcision (tuli) in the Visayas involved a giving the appearance of polished ebony. Red lengthwise cut along the foreskin, believed to be for coloring came from lakha ant eggs, and habitual betel hygiene rather than religious reasons. nut chewing also stained teeth. Some people adorned their teeth with gold inlays (pusad), a practice noticed PIERCED EARS by early chroniclers like Pigafetta. Both men and women wore multiple earrings, and their ear piercings were gradually widened to accommodate larger plugs or rings. Earrings could be made of gold or other materials, and men sometimes wore earrings heavy enough to touch their shoulders. People without pierced ears were called bingbing, a term denoting an absence of adornment.  HAIR 2. Necklaces: - Made of seeds, carnelian beads, and gold. Popular Hairstyles varied among the Visayans, with beads included matambukaw (four-sided) tinigbi men and women alike taking pride in their (fruit-shaped) and pinoro (granulated). appearance. Men sometimes wore their hair long, 3. Bracelets and Wristlets: tied into knots, or in later periods, covered with - Nasikas. King’s bands for neck, wrists, ankles. headcloths. Datus (chiefs) and other high-ranking Gold, siver, or vine-made. individuals took particular care of their hair, using Dalak/Karamkam: Cuff-like bracelets. fragrant oils and flowers. Women often wore long Gals: Tight shell bracelets. hair in elaborate chignons, styled with additional 4. Gold Chains (Kamagi): hairpieces. - Tightly linked gold chains, a symbol of status. Types include *sinoyot* (simple), *pinarogmok* CLOTHING (square), and *siniwalo* (octagonal). 1. Basic Garments: Men wore bahag (G-strings), Jewelry, especially gold chains, signified while women wore malong (tube skirts). Men who social status. Men wore gold bands for mourning, had killed enemies wore special red G-strings. and specific pieces like red earplugs symbolized 2. Formal Clothing: Prestigious garments were bravery. intricately designed and made of materials like abaca, silk, and imported fabrics. High-status This chapter highlights how early Filipinos clothing had detailed patterns like checkered designs expressed their social identities and cultural values (salukap). through intricate body modifications, clothing, and 3. Headdresses: Men wore turbans (pudong), with adornment, illustrating their complex society prior to red turbans symbolizing bravery, while women wore Spanish colonization. headscarves and hats. JEWELRY Types of Jewelry: 1. Earrings and Earplugs: Panika: Rings/plugs for lower ear holes, often decorated. Pamarang/Barat: Large gold plugs with a gem. Dalin-Dalin: Simple loops. Palbad: Delicate rosettes for upper ear holes. Kayong-Kayong: Pendants on earrings. Sangi: A single ring in one ear. Anualla, Mercy Harvesting rice involved specific rituals and Araneta, Jinel was done with a sickle (salat) or knife (sipol, bisong). The harvested rice was stored in granaries called CHAPTER 2: FOOD AND FARMING kurol or tambobong and processed through threshing (gilyuk), milling, and winnowing. Finer rice was pounded again (has has). The Visayans used a farming method called swidden farming to grow rice, millet, taro, yams, and In addition to rice, the Visayans grew other staple bananas. They preferred rice but sometimes couldn't crops: grow enough to last the whole year, so they ate more - Millet (Dawa): Valued on some islands for its root crops to make up for it. When the Spanish ability to grow in poor soil and ripen faster than rice, arrived, they required rice as tribute, making it even though milling was labor-intensive. harder for the Visayans to keep enough rice. The - Sorghum (Batar): Less common but used in Cebu. Visayans had to sell or trade their rice to pay this - Job's-tears (Arlay): Used as a rice substitute and tribute, and the Spanish didn't understand that the for making necklaces. Visayans were dealing with problems like bad - Root Crops: Despite the importance of rice and weather and pests. millet, root crops were the most commonly eaten staples. The Visayans lived in permanent villages and used land that was already cleared, so their farming Overall, Visayan rice farming was well-suited was sustainable. They didn't destroy forests but to their environment, with detailed agricultural worked with the land they had, which was rich and practices and rituals. Rice was a central part of their helped them grow various crops. Their farming diet, complemented by other grains and root crops. matched their environment and population well. SAGO RICE FARMING Sago was an important staple food in the 16th- The Visayans mainly grew dry rice in hillside century Visayas. It was made from the sago palm and fields instead of irrigated paddies. Although they other types of palms. Sago, made from the inner used the term “Gani” for wet rice seedbeds, they trunk of the sago palm or other similar palms, was a rarely grew rice this way and often traded rice with key food in the Visayan and nearby areas. This flour, coastal communities for seafood, salt, and pottery. known as “arasipor natuk”, was especially important in Mindanao and the southern islands. To make sago Rice farming involved careful observation of the flour, the palm trunk was processed and turned into weather and natural signs. The steps included: a flour that could be stored and used in different - Hadhad: Cutting down large trees. dishes. Sago cakes, called “landan” were also made - Balasubas, Kalasokas, Kanat, Higabon: Clearing and traded, showing how important sago was for smaller plants and trees. both food and local trade. - Hilay: Removing branches from big trees to prevent shading. - Sago Palm (Lumbia): Flour was made from the - Dobdob: Burning the cleared debris, known as trunk of the sago palm or other palms like nipa or kaingin, to prepare the field. buri. - Processing: The trunk was cut into pieces, ground Fields were prepared by planting seeds in into pulp, and mixed with water. holes made with wooden poles (hasuk or bakol). - Unaw: A reddish sediment that settled at the Farmers used fences (tarbuk, samik) to protect their bottom. fields and built huts (bugawan or hulayag) to keep - Olabot: The lighter bran that floated on top and was animals and birds away. discarded. - Preparation: The flour (arasipor natuk) was boiled HUNTING into a paste, dried, and stored in granaries called sonson or olog. Hunting was an important part of life for the - Usage: In Mindanao and nearby islands, sago was Visayans in the 16th century. They used various tools a main food. It was pressed into small cakes (Landan) and methods to hunt effectively. that hardened when dried but became soft and edible when boiled. These cakes were also produced in They used various advanced methods for Makassar and imported, with Magellan’s crew once hunting. They valued their hunting dogs, called intercepting a boat carrying them near Basilian. “Ayam”, which were well cared for and even protected from harm. They used “nets” to trap large animals while letting small one pass, and employed VISAYAN FARMING TERMS “pits” and “deadfall traps” to catch big game. They had different “snares” for various animals, like “balolong” for general use and “balyug” for iguanas. In traditional Visayan farming, several specific terms describe their agricultural practices and tools: They also used a powerful device called the Bakar - the act of tilling the soil using “balatik”, an automatic crossbow that could shoot various methods. through a pig and had safety features to avoid Bunyag - sprinkling water on plants. accidental firing. Hunters would stay out for days, Damus or Napon - field where root crops are sleeping in huts called “hokdung” and setting up grown. trails to guide animals into traps. When they returned, Gibo - A simple broom used for sweeping they offered part of their catch to a mountain spirit called “Banwanun” and shared the rest with others. fields. Meat was usually not sold but shared informally. Habuk - Cultivating soil with a bolo (a type of machete). Hunting Tools and Techniques Kahig - A tool like a rake or harrow for soil - Dogs (Ayam): Valued hunting companions, preparation. carefully cared for and protected. Some were Koyog - Planting trees, vines, bananas, or pampered and carried to the forest by their owners. camotes in rows. Their bravery was enhanced by filing their teeth or Lalong - Transferring an entire plant with its attaching a crocodile tooth or boar’s tusk. roots and soil. - Nets (Batung): Used to trap large animals, with Pusok - Planting a whole field with one type openings that allowed small animals to escape but of crop or tree. 10. Sandol - A ritual caught bigger ones. performed to ask for rain during droughts. - - Pits (Awang) and Deadfall Traps (Atub): Used for Sun-ad or Sunag - A transplanted tuber. capturing large animals. - - Snares: Different snares were used for various Tagbung or Hamugdas - Planting an entire animals. item, such as a coconut. - - Balolong: General snares. These terms illustrate the diverse techniques - - Balyug: For iguanas. - - Gawa: For monkeys. and practices used by the Visayans in their traditional - - Anihas: For wild chickens. agriculture, reflecting their knowledge and methods before modern tools and technologies were - - Alikubkub, Barang, Bitik: For birds. introduced. - - Balatik: A sophisticated crossbow or ballista that could shoot through a pig’s body. It had a safety lock (goom) and smaller versions for rats. Hunting Practices Overall, pigs and chickens were particularly - Hunters spent days in the field, staying in huts important for food and rituals, while other animals called hokdung and creating trails to guide game into like cats, dogs, and monkeys had practical household nets. roles. Goats and cattle were introduced later and had - When returning, they offered part of the catch to varying import. Banwanun, a mountain spirit, and took the rest home to share. Meat was usually not sold or preserved but COOKING could be exchanged. The Visayans used a variety of traditional Terminology methods and tools for cooking that were essential to - Babu: Animals fit for eating, like deer or civet cats, their daily lives. They relied on basic techniques for were called babu (meaning pig). Animals suitable for making fire and preparing meals, showcasing a rich eating were called “babu”, like deer or civet cats. culinary tradition. Overall, Visayan hunting involved skilled techniques Fire Making - They made fire using a clay stove and had cultural importance. called kalan or an open hearth made with sugang which was just three stones. To start a fire, they DOMESTIC ANIMALS used techniques like pulling a rattan band around a stick, rubbing bamboo pieces together, or In the 16th century, domestic animals played an rotating a wooden rod between their hands. essential role in the lives of the Visayans. They raised Cooking Methods - They cooked food by a variety of animals for different purposes, including boiling, roasting, frying, or barbecuing. Boiling food, rituals, and practical household needs. was common for basic foods. Roasting involved cooking tubers, bananas, and leafy vegetables in - Pigs (Sohong): Raised for food and sacrifices, hot coals. They fried food in coconut oil and used domestic pigs, called sohong, were distinct from wild smoking or barbecuing, known as tapa, for meat hogs. Pigs roamed around village houses or grazed in and fish to add flavor and preserve it. nearby woods, and some were kept indoors, referred Steaming - Steaming was also important. They to as binokot (princess), due to their cleanliving used bamboo sections to steam food like paylaw, conditions. a general term for steamed dishes, sahol, which - Chickens: Kept for meat, eggs, and sacrificial was rice flour with grated coconut, and lotlot, rituals. which was steamed food kept in a cylindrical - Cats: Used to control rats, with tamed civet cats shape. being especially effective. Drying and Grinding - Drying and grinding - Dogs: Given special ladders to move freely in and were essential for food storage. They dried grains out of the house. Monkeys were sometimes kept as in pots and mixed dried seeds and fruit pits with pets and acted as watchdogs. rice to stretch their food supply. They also mixed - Goats: Less common in some areas but found more rice with millet, sorghum, beans, or nuts in a in Mindanao and places with Muslim influence. The practice called lamur to vary their diet. Semirara Islands were known as Islas de Cabras Seafood - Seafood was a main protein source and (Goat Islands) for their wild goat population. included fish, eels, snails, squid, crabs, mollusks, - Cattle: Horned cattle were introduced late in the turtles, and turtle eggs. To preserve seafood, they century from China and Mexico, with some bulls dried fish in the sun called daing or salted and from Spain to improve local herds. dried called barol. They also made lasi, a fermented fish paste, and used spices like yaman - Carabao: This water buffalo, known as nowang or or panakot to add flavor to their food. anowang in Luzon and karabaw in the Visayas, was Honey - Honey was important too. It was not widely used as a draft animal or recognized for collected from hives, boiled to prevent it from its meat or other products in the Visayas. going bad, and used in various ways. They ate it with white grubs, used it to make sweets and  sauces, and preserved meat and fruit with it. They Drinking customs included: also made a honey drink called kabarawan. - Agda: Inviting someone or a spirit to take the first Rice Cakes - Rice cakes were common and came drink. in different shapes and types. Priso were rice - Gasa: Toasting to someone's health, often someone cakes boiled in coconut leaf wrappers, with of the opposite sex. shapes like linalaki (masculine), binuwaya - Salabat: Offering the cup itself as a toast, (crocodile-like), and kumol sin datu (datu’s sometimes carried from house to house. fistful). Other types included tambol (made with - Itib: Drinking together from the same jar, like rice flour), kombo (rice flour and coconut milk), sharing milk. linanggang (rice and grated coconut), and handab - Abong: A datu honoring a vassal by offering his (deep-fried rice cakes). own cup after a few sips. Sweeteners and Salt - Sweeteners and salt were - Sumsum: Eating food with wine, like sharing a also important. Kalamay was unrefined brown plate of pork. sugar from palm sap. Parak were small sugar - Tabi-tabi dinyo: Polite murmuring with each piece packets wrapped in palm leaves, and dankay was of food, meaning "By your leave, sir." ten of these packets tied together. Sard-sara was rice mixed with kalamay, and salt was served in Drinking was also a time for conversation and lumps, used to season food. Binaloto was salt decision-making. While Spaniards saw excessive molded into boat shapes. drinking as a sign of rebellion, Father Alcina noted Dining Practices - When it came to eating, meals that wine actually helped in making decisions and were served on low tables or directly on the floor discussions more effective and fair. with large leaves. Tubers and rice were usually served plain, with salt and ginger added as needed. Dolot meant a single serving of food, and dolotan was a medium-sized plate. Gakas were portions of food for guests to take home, while bahaw referred to cold leftovers often eaten for breakfast. Bongdo meant large servings of meat and fish for workers. Feasting was a time for casual eating, talking, and drinking wine, and sharing chewed food was a polite gesture. DRINKING ETIQUETTE In the 16th century Visayas, drinking was a social activity done in groups rather than alone, with men and women typically sitting on opposite sides. It was considered improper to appear drunk in public. Women generally drank less than men and often helped their male companions recover from drunkenness. Men took pride in their ability to drink large amounts, with some notable figures being able to consume extraordinary quantities of alcohol. Before drinking, people would eat to better absorb the alcohol. Morados, Johan ARCHITECTURE Aydarus, Abdel Raqium Visayan terms CHAPTER 3: TRADES AND COMMERCE Balay - House Kabalayan - Settlement Magkabalay - Man and a Wife Different Visayan Trades Minalay - Married - Ironworking - Woodworking - Architecture - Boat Building - Pottery - Goldworking - Weaving - Textiles IRONWORKING Three types of permanent wooden structures Blacksmiths - Panday or Panday sa Puthaw Town Houses - occupied by Datus (Workers in Iron) Cottages - (built with light materials, near Iron - is present and is produced in Philippines fields) - ccupied by ordinary people during ancient times Tree Houses - built only in time of war Bolo - most important tool manufactured and In addition, there was a variety of huts repaired by blacksmiths (balay-balay) and temporary shelters for Some specialized tools were: hunters, farmers, and travelers, - Abluwang - Batakan BOAT BUILDING - Barit - A baroto is what the Spanish called a canoa - - Binkong canoe - Bisong - Visayan boat builders preferred lawaan because it grew large enough for a baroto WOODWORKING - Along with the baroto could have boards added to increase its freeboard real ships intended for Carpenters cut their own timber, and are cargo capacity or seagoing raids were built on selective, and were cut using an Axe or a squared keels with stems at both ends. Bolo - As long as 25 meters, they had five or six planks Different species were cut during different to a side, each carved to the desired curve phases of the moon; and “male trees were beforehand, preferably in one continuous stroke. always stronger than “females” of the same species. - As Father Combes (1667,70) said, “The care Plates, bowls, spoons, and ladles, urns called and technique with which they build them makes Bohon, coffins and chests of all sizes were their ships sail like birds, while ours are like lead hewn from single blocks of wood, and often in comparison. decorated with fine carvings.  POTTERY Cotton and Abaca were Pre-Hispanic Exports and the Chinese called the Mindoro Abaca as - Visayan pottery craft is called Dihoon, Yu-da practiced by female potters using paddle-and- In Epic literature, this is the pastime of royal anvil technique ladies, and heroes in their adventures are - Maninihon gathered the clay herself (Kalot), ritually clothed with magical garments by kneaded it (Luyag) and made a lump for each their mothers or sisters. pot shaped like a coconut husk. Weaving was a normal part of housekeeping, - Bahandi = Fine porcelain, along with jewelry and women supplied the all their Menfolk’s and bronze gong, Heirloom clothing. - The common cooking pot was daba or koron, Wives of householding slaves were require to or anglet or tanuk in Panay, Bogoy was one spin cotton which their masters supplied with an especially wide mouth; and Balanga, them. a flat pan suitable for frying. TEXTILES GOLDWORKING Habul was generally used term for abaca Gold or as the Visayans called it “Bulawan”, cloth, which the Spanish called and fine gold as “Himulawan,” presumably Mendriñaque. from Bulaw meaning red or rosy Lanot were cleaned fibers, lanote to the Gold is mentioned a lot in Spanish accounts, Spanish and it was abundant and can be found Gamay fiber was the finest and produced a anywhere. light fabric called sandulan, lapnis for heavy Visayans do not have mining operations but cloth & bikil for canvas like horsehide and rather do placer mining upriver streams also strong threads. (Gold-Panning) and were called “Dulangan” Gapas or bunang or lingkal for cotton, and Gold is supremely workable material when spun in a spindle called lingkalan pure, and Panday sa Bulawan mold, carved Cotton Cloth was called lompot both the or hammer gold lumps into trinkets, textile and the blanket. accessories, to be used for bartering. Pinayusan which was the most elegant textile According to Francisco Alcina (Spanish and monopolized by the Visayan weavers, a Jesuit) a century later (1634) said that “one privilege for those men who killed an enemy. who knows how to make them today is hard to find” as the number of jewelers increased DOMESTIC TRADE the quality of it decreased. Trading is part of the Visayan life ever since Pre-Hispanic. All communities exchanged foods. As Magellan landed in Homonhon island, some fishermen appeared from nearby Suluan to trade fish, coconuts and arrack. Suluan is one of the most remote bits of land in the archipelago, and the fact that the WEAVING inhabitants initiate trade with unknown foreigners reflected this Visayan life. Habul is a Visayan word for cloth, blanker or According to several Spanish accounts, skirt, which was woven on a backstrap loom Staple food crops were items of daily trade by a woman or a male transvestite. such as Rice. Other items that were seen in The loom has two bars that are 4 meters apart bartering were; Yams, Fish, Honey and Wax, traditionally, that can produce textiles twice Goat meat, Wild roots, Coconuts and its Oils, its size and a meter wide. Salt, Palm Sugar and Herbs.  Non-food stuffs that were also being bartered are; Cloths, Threads, Fibers, Pottery and etc. Rice was itself a medium of exchange. Visayan word for silver coin is” salapi”, meant half a peso. INTERNATIONAL COMMMERCE An impressive evidence of international commerce is that, at the time Magellan reached the Archipelago, Luzon businessman became the governor of muslims in Portuguese Malacca. Butuanon Ruler of Limasawa understood a Malay-speaking merchant from Ciama. The presence of Chinese Trade goods exists in pre-hispanic Visayas, such as accounts of Chinese trade boats were seen bartering in some locations. Huge bulk of Chinese goods was in porcelain, stoneware, and unglazed crockery. There’s also incense, glass beads, tin and brassware. Hardwares, like ironwares mostly came from Borneo which was stronger than the Chinese ones. Japanese swords also reached Visayas through Manila. Bornean imports includes fine-woven mats, sago cakes, perfumes, expensive red cloth and etc. Further products that reached the Visayas are those from the Indians and Javanese to the west, introducing different gemstones and pearls from these nations. Lapinid, Nina roles. Examples include Si Dapa (lifespan), Nemith, Lei-ann Claire Magwayen (ferrying souls), Pandaki (rescuing deserving souls), and Lalahon (fire- CHAPTER 4: RELIGION breathing goddess). Others were invoked for specific needs, like Dalikmata (eye ailments) or Makabosog (gluttony). The Visayans worshipped gods of particular Early Spanish accounts recorded Visayan activities. Religious practitioners were male and deities, including Abba (a confusion with the female mediums with contacts to spirit patrons; to Malay-Arabic word for "father") and Laon determine remedies for illnesses sacrifices included (possibly a goddess of Mount Canlaon). foods, drinks, animals, and even human. However, the existence of a supreme creator god, Bathala or Laon, is disputed among NATURE SPIRITS historians. For the purpose of respect or worship, natural Visayans believed in the soul (kalag) and its forces such as celestial bodies and flowing separation from the body during dreams, waterways were personified. illness, or death. Ancestor spirits (umalagad) Newmoon (regular waxing from a thin silver were venerated as personal guardians and to full brilliance) suggests prosperity and invoked in various rituals. Domestic fertility. In agricultural cycle, stars and offerings and acts of reverence were constellations refer to good crops. Winds common, reflecting the significance of these themselves are prayers for fair weather and entities in Visayan daily life. favorable winds. Locals bear offerings and community THE SPIRIT UNDERWORLD sacrifices to the river’s gods and spirits of the The Visayans believed in a spirit underworld sea with little or larger rafts heading to inhabited by monsters and ghouls, often particular streams. As for spirit dwellings of blamed for illnesses and deaths. These the mountains, hunters offer their first hunt to creatures, like aswang (flesh-eaters) and them. other evil beings, were thought to be Crocodiles are addressed as grandfathers, invisible, ubiquitous, and harmful, but could only held in special worships. be warded off with simple precautions and Pahali is the spirit of the strangler fig (balete remedies. The Visayans believed that these tree), also received offerings in recognition of creatures could take human form or possess its sinister powers. individuals, leading to demonization and Dangerous cliffs and strange rock formations even execution of suspected witches and their were also invoked for safe passage. Many of families. the porcelain plates containing offerings were Aswang, the most feared creatures, were found on Potol Point, the northwestern believed to devour livers and flesh, causing headland of Panay, and on the natural diseases and disappearances. Their presence formations along the Araut River. was indicated by omens, singing, or trampled ground. Noise was used to repel them. THE UNSEEN WORLD Spanish lexicons listed various terms for Visayans believed in invisible beings, spirits, these creatures, including alok, balbal, and and deities, including benevolent diwata wakwak. Other entities included ghosts (gods) and umalagad (ancestor spirits). These (mantiw), phantoms (landung), demons entities influenced daily life, agriculture, (yawa), and shape-shifters (baliw). health, and fortune. Malevolent beings, like Witchcraft and demonic possession were witches and ghouls, were feared and avoided. feared, with severe consequences for Spanish colonization introduced new terms suspected individuals. and concepts, adapting Visayan mythology. The Visayans belief system intertwined Pre-colonial Visayans recognized various spirituality, health, and the supernatural, diwata, each with distinct personalities and reflecting their understanding of the world  and its dangers. The Spanish colonization A powerful datu’s power was enhanced by influenced their beliefs, leading to popular fear of hid many knowledge of black adaptations and changes in their mythology. magic. This complex belief system highlights the 1. Ropok is a charm which caused the one to richness and diversity of Visayan culture and receive it obey like a slave. its history. 2. Panlus was a spear or G-string that caused leg pains and swelling to the victims as they OMENS AND DIVINATION step on it. These were indicated by the behavior of animals 3. Bosong caused intestinal swelling to those lurking around them, or could be elicited by omen- who dared crossing the datu. seeking ceremonies conducted by the babaylan or 4. Hokhok was to kill with a breath or a touch other diviners. of hand, and; - Spanish missionaries and commanders had to 5. Kaykay was to pierce somebody by simply cancel their plans more often because local guides pointing a finger at them. refuse to continue after hearing the cries of birds. - Snakes or lizards crossing the path meant for a WORSHIPS warning to turn back. In Visayas anito was a sacrificial act of worship - A monitor lizard under a house was a sure sign of conducted by a babaylan, a shaman or spirit a danger nearing them. medium. The ritual, also known as paganito, - The most famous of all these omens was also aimed to establish communication with spirits known as koro-koro; a kind of turtledove with for various purposes, such as fertility, prosperity, striking green and white plumage with red feet recovery from illness, or victory in war. These and beak. ceremonies were performed in private homes, Himalad is the fortunetelling using one’s palad. fields, or sacred sites, with no temples involved. Luknit was to cast lots by four crocodile teeth or Babaylan, usually woman, would enter a trance boar’s rusk. state, speaking with spirits and acting out Tali was a stone or egg which the diviner made conflicts. They received offerings, including stand upright on a plate. food and valuables, in exchange for their The most popular method was to ask a diwata to services. answer questions by letting objects move. Solemn paganito ceremonies involved elaborate 1. Abiyog – to swing, and; preparations, including decorations, music, and 2. Kibang – to move or wiggle offerings. A hog was sacrificed, and its blood Sorcerers were believed to derive their secret was used to mark the foreheads of the knowledge of black magic (spells and charms) beneficiaries. The meat was then cooked and from unnatural forces. Habit was a spell, and shared among participants, with some taken to ginhabit was the bewitched one. an altar on the seashore or riverbank and set 1. Bakwit was a spell whereas women detained adrift on a raft. These rituals had their own their lovers. Lumay, a love potion and vocabulary and were accompanied by specific buringot as the opposite. tabus and restrictions. 2. Mentala were incantations of verbal Babaylans also possessed healing powers, using formulas. rituals to snatch pain, summon spirits, and 3. Awug was a spell put on a coconut palms to rescue the soul. They imposed religious make a thief’s stomach swell up. restrictions, such as mourning periods and 4. Tiwtiw made the fishes follow a fisherman to thanksgiving periods, and were involved in the shore or boars follow the hunter out of the various activities, including planting, hunting, woods. and welcoming foreign visitors. Early Christian 5. Oropok caused the rats to multiply on missionaries adopted some of these terms and someone else’s fields. practices, incorporating them into their own Tagosilangan were persons with a charm traditions. Despite the introduction of enabling them to see hidden things, and tagarlum Christianity, some pre-Christian rituals and was a charmed herb that made its owner invisible. beliefs continued, albeit with adaptations.  IDOLS wanted to drive them out of the house and began to Visayans kept small household idols called tao- hit them with sticks. Some got in the inner room of tao, bata-bata, or larawan, believed to guard the house, and from these the grandees or nobles are family welfare and provide protection in times of descended; other went down the steps and from these trouble. These idols were typically made of wood the timawa are descended, who are the plebeian and represented ancestral spirits or guardians. people; and from the children who remained hidden However, they were not prominently featured in in the kitchen, they say the slaves are descended (San Visayan worship, and Spanish colonizers initially Agustin, 1698). reported that the Cebuanos had neither temples nor idols. Magellan did notice these household The Origin Myth is a popular all over Visayas idols and disapproved of them, but they were with local variations. common and visible. In a Panay version, the bamboo itself was The idols were simple, often hollow wooden produced by marriage between the sea breeze figures with painted designs, and were not and land breeze—probably the primordial adorned with gold or jewels like those in other deities, Kaptan and Magwayen. regions. Early Spanish accounts described them In Leyte and Samar, the first man and woman as monstrous, with large faces and tusks, which emerged from two young coconuts floating seems inconsistent with the representation of on the water and pecked open by a bird. ancestral spirits. The confusion lies in the On one version with the most detailed translation of the Spanish term "idolo," which account recorded by Loarca from the coastal encompasses not only carved images but also people of Panay, most likely in Oton (Panay), revered entities like ancestors or sacred trees. the man and woman came forth from a In Visayan culture, "idols" referred to invisible bamboo—Si Kalak (male), and Si Kabai spirits invoked by babaylans during rituals, rather (female). than physical statues. This nuance was lost in modern English translations, obscuring the true Christians called the Creator “The Potter”, nature of Visayan idol worship. The distinction Mamarikpik, derived from pikpik—the slaps potters highlights the complexity of understanding give onto the clay to create different forms. ancient cultures and the importance of contextualizing historical accounts. DEATH AND BURIAL When all healing paganito failed to revive the ORIGIN MYTHS moribund, one last desperate rite was performed In the beginning, there was nothing but sea and to call back the departed soul— the Paguli. This sky, as quoted by the Visayan myth popular to the ritual was made by a coconut shell filled with Spanish chroniclers. An account attributed to water and was placed on the inactive and rotated Legazpi in 1567 is followed: to the chants of “uli, uli, kalag” (come back, soul, come back), as noted by Francisco Ignacio Alcina In the beginning of the world, there was in 1668. nothing more than sky and water, and between the Pigafetta attended a funeral whereas the widow two, a hawk was flying which, getting angry at lay on the departed’s body—mouth to mouth— finding no place to alight or rest, turned the water while the mourning ritual is performed. against the sky, which was offended and so scattered During a wake that lasted as long as the grieving the water with islands and then the hawk had some family could provide food and drinks for the place to rest. And when it was on one of them along guests, the widow/widower and first-degree the seashore, the current threw up a piece of bamboo relatives were sequestered behind ragged white at its fleet, which the hawk grabbed and opened by hangings. pecking, and from the two sections of the bamboo, a Poor Visayans were buried wrapped in a banana man came out of the one and woman from the other. leaf in rudimentary caskets of thin boards or even These, they say, married with the approval of Linog, bamboo, but the traditional Visayan coffin was which is the earthquake, and in time they had many fashioned of ipil, an incorruptible hardwood that children, who fled when their parents got angry and could outlast its contents. Longon was hewn from  a single tree trunk with a lid cut from the same when they were buried in a tiny coffin. The piece, fitted, pegged, and caulked airtight with Visayans did not believe in a hell or heaven as resin. understood in European terms, but rather saw the The deceased was buried in a coffin filled with afterlife as a continuation of their earthly buyo sap, along with heirloom items like existence. They resisted Christian notions of a porcelain jars, dishes, and saucers placed under heavenly paradise, believing their souls went to the head or over the face and breasts. Some wore the underworld, which they considered cooler genuine masks and mouthpieces made of beaten and more desirable. This belief persisted even a gold, while others were given jeweled side arms. century after Christianization, with Visayans Infants, newborns, and aborted babies were doubting their inclusion in a heavenly afterlife buried in crocks and jars, which were sometimes due to cultural and social differences. made of Chinese porcelains with matching lids. The most dramatic display of grief for a deceased parent was to deconstruct or burn the house in which they had died or cut down the trees the deceased planted. MOURNING Both widows and widowers observed three days of fasting and quiet during which they did not bathe or comb their hair, and may even shave their hair and brows as a specific expression of sadness; they also did not eat cooked foods until the complete mourning period was over. In the event that the datu or one of his wife or children died, the entire village was placed under a rigorous mourning interdict, known as pumaraw. A mournful silence was to be maintained, and the families were said to be enslaved as punishment for breaking the tabu by barking dogs or crowing cocks. This criterion applied to all deaths caused by assault, drowning, or suspected magic. THE AFTERLIFE In Visayan, the afterlife was a complex and multifaceted concept. When a person died, their soul, or kalag, was transported to the land of the dead, Saad or Sulad, by boat, where they were greeted by predeceased relatives. To be accepted, the soul had to be adorned with gold jewelry; otherwise, they remained in Sulad unless reprieved by the god Pandaki. The souls of those who drowned stayed in the sea, while those who died in war, were murdered, or killed by crocodiles ascended to the sky and became gods. In the afterlife, married couples reunited and continued their daily activities, but without bearing children. They were reborn nine times, each time smaller, until their final reincarnation, Delacruz, Jasmine Guelos, Keannarie CHAPTER 5: LITERATURE AND ENTERTAINMENT THE ALPHABET Literacy- define in the traditional sense of a person - The Visayan Alphabet, a unique and ancient writing being able to read and right. system, played a vital role in the cultural and literary According to William Henry Scott, LITERACY heritage of the Visayan people from the pre-16th CAME LATE TO THE VISAYANS; some Early century onwards. This script enabled the Visayans to Historical Accounts also states the same. record their history, myths, poems, and stories, showcasing their literary and artistic expression. 1. In 1660s: Colin and Alcina believed literacy - Exploring the Visayan Alphabet offers insights into was received from the Tagalog shortly before the region's rich history, mythology, and values, conversion to Christianity. highlighting its enduring importance in Philippine 2. According to Antonio Pigafetta in 1521: cultural narrative. Rajah Kolambu of Limasawa was surprised to see writing for the first time. - The only specimens of Visayan penmanship known today are the signatures Bernardino Dimabasa and 3. According Legazpi's Notary in 1565: Maria Mutia of Bantay Island that appears in their Visayans and Borneans in Bohol, including Divorce proceedings of 1647. Si Katuna, could not even sign their names. 4. According to Miguel D. Loarca in 1582: The "Pintados" (Visayans) had no writing at all. However, by 1597, Jesuits in Ormuc (Leyte) found catechumens able to literate or write lessons on bamboo slips to take home to study. Furthermore, a report attributed to Legazpi in 1567 states that; (San Agustin 1698, 292) - The Visayan writing as similar to Malay characters, written on bamboo, bark, and palm leaves - 4 missionary fathers recorded the letters the with pointed tool. Visayans were using in their day: - No ancient writings or records of origins; customs Alcina: Included them in his 1668 Historia and were preserved through oral traditions. Arte de la lengua Visaya. Domingo Ezguerra: Contains engraver’s errors. - In Alcina’s time, Philippine literacy was ultimately Example, the use of marginal check mark normal derived from from non-Filipino Muslims. Because to Spanish usage of the time, to represent two the first literate Filipinos the Spaniards encountered different letters of the alphabet. were Muslims in Manila. Father Francisco Encina: Those manuscript that appears in his Arte Bisaya-Cebuano are - The Visayans referred to the Philippine script as known only from an 1895 copy made in Manila "Moro writing." (Referred to many Manila imports by Cipriano Marcilla y Martin. as “Moro) Father Mentrida: Made a comment on Visayan script in his 1663 Arte de lengua Bisaya hiliguaina de la Isla de Panay; - Bisayan have some letters with different shapes, but Challenges even they themselves do not agree on the shapes of - Reading difficult due to supplying missing their letters. consonants - Easy to learn writing, but hard to read accurately ALCINA'S DESCRIPTION ON THE SYSTEM Origin of Writing System - Learned from Tagalogs, who learned from Borneans from the island of Borneo - Called "Moro characters" or letters, despite no Islamic influence in Visayas LITERATURE Characters - A body of written works - a, e, b, c, d, g, h, l, in, n, p, r, s, t, nga - Visayan literature, a vital part of Philippine literary - No vowels except when combined or at word start heritage, encompasses the rich cultural expressions of the Visayan people. This diverse body of work - No consonants when intermediate or final (except includes: "nga") - Epics (Hinilawod, Labaw Donggon, Kandu) Pronunciation - Letters without dot: pronounced with "a" (e.g., ba, - Folk tales and legends da, ga) - Poems and songs (balak, kundiman) - Letters with dot: pronounced with "i" or "e" (e.g., bi, be) - Riddles and proverbs (titigoon) - Letters with dot below: pronounced with "o" or "u" - Chronicles and historical accounts (e.g., bo, bu) Characteristics Reading and Writing - Rich imagery and symbolism - Reading involves guessing missing consonants - Use of metaphor, alliteration, and assonance - Women more skilled at reading than men - Emphasis on nature, love, and community - Two lines (II) separate words for clarity - Reflections of Visayan values and traditions - Formerly wrote up-down, now left-right  Importance Poetry - Preserves Visayan cultural heritage and identity Various types: - Reflects pre-colonial and colonial experiences - Epic - Demonstrates literary sophistication and artistic - Eulogies expression - Amatory verses - Continues to inspire contemporary literature and - Special vocabulary and figurative language arts - Rhymes and meters different from European styles Spanish Accounts of Visayan Literature - Filipinos did not use their alphabet for literary - Used metaphor and allusion extensively compositions or record keeping. Poetic Forms - Boxer Codex: Visayans used their script only for a. Ambahan: letters and messages. - 7-syllable couplet, unrhymed - Visayan literature was oral, not recorded by friar chroniclers or ethnographers. - Complete thought Characteristics of Visayan Literature - Used by children and adults - Well-developed, sophisticated, and presented by skilled artists. - Included various types of poetry, such as epic, eulogies, and amatory verses. - Rich with metaphor and colorful imagery. Language and Imagery b. Balak: - Ordinary speech and poetry used figurative - Poetic debate between man and woman on love language. - Accompanied by musical instruments (korlong, - Vocabulary with literal and figurative meanings. hudyapi) - Pejorative terms for common objects and people. - Examples: - Luxuriant foliage (articulate person) - Big bat (speaks ill of relatives) - Dapdap blossoms (red-faced) c. Bikal: - Plain white (Untattoed man) - Poetic joust, satirizing physical/moral - Chaw of coconut meat (Undercorated teeth) shortcomings - Bulging/overstuffed (Uneven forehead) - No hard feelings afterwards Idiomatic Expressions d. Siday/Kandu: - Kabkab (heart-shaped leaf) for oar (when irritated) - Longest, most difficult form - Musankagor mosarawin (cursed cat) from - Heavy with metaphor and allusion trouoblesome cat - Takes 6 hours or whole night to sing  Performance and Social Significance Storytelling Style - Sung or chanted, not recited. - Epic-length tale, truncated by Alcina - Accompanied by musical instruments. - Typical elements of Philippine epics: - Spontaneous versifying in social gatherings. - Heroic deeds - Professionals rewarded with food, drink, public - Shipwrecks and drownings acclaim, and payment (bayakaw). - Divine intervention - Funerals featured female eulogists improvising - Flight to distant lands for happy ending dirges. - Poetry integral to Visayan culture and daily life. Cultural Significance - Reflection of Visayan culture and values Visayan Poetic Skill - Ability to use words figuratively to create subtle - Importance of oral tradition and storytelling images. - Insights into pre-colonial Philippine society - Command of vocabulary and metaphor. - Even Europeans had difficulty understanding EPIC Visayan poetry. - A long poem, typically one derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating the deeds and adventures of Types of Poetry heroic or legendary figures or the history of a nation - Formal poetry with special vocabulary. - Visayan epic poetry, a rich and vibrant part of pre- - Handoy (poetic term for damsel). colonial Philippine literature, recounts the heroic - Guhay (poetic term for slaves). deeds and legendary tales of ancient Visayan heroes. These epics, passed down through oral tradition, - Deep poetry understood only by the initiated. celebrate: - Courageous feats in battle ❖ THE STORY OF KABUNGAW AND - Romantic quests and love stories BUBUNG GINBUNA - Supernatural encounters and mythological events - Two lovers from Ibabao, Samar - Historical events and ancestral origins - Kabungaw's voyage and instructions for Bubung Ginbuna Importance - Preserves Visayan cultural heritage and identity - Her ill-reception by his family and return - Reflects pre-16th century values and traditions - Kabungaw's search and challenges: - Demonstrates literary sophistication and artistic - Supernatural aid expression - Near-drowning - Continues to inspire contemporary literature and arts - Multiple attempts Siday or Kandu - Reunion and marriage on Natunawan/Nawadan - Originated from Indo-European tribal bards' stories island - Adapted to Philippine culture, focusing on control of slave labor - Visayan heroes celebrated for pangayaw (slave raids)  Characteristics (Highly repetitius plots) and demanding courtship rituals that were prevalent - Battle sequences in Visayan society. - Voyages for kidnapped princesses or treasure - Social Status: The wedding of Sumanga and Bugbung underscores the importance of wealth and - Magic and supernatural elements social status in Visayan society. - Betel Nut: The use of betel nut in the epics ❖ KANDU OF DATUNG SUMANGA AND highlights its significance in social customs and BUGBUNG HUMASANUN rituals. FOLKLORE - Is the body of expressive culture shared by a particular group of people, culture or subculture. The Visayan region of the Philippines, prior to the 16th century, was a vibrant tapestry of rich - Bugbung Humasanun is a secluded princess in cultural heritage and traditions. At the heart of this Bohol, known for her beauty and talents. pre-colonial society lay a dynamic and fascinating folklore, passed down through generations of - Datung Sumanga, a suitor, attempts to win her favor Visayans. This intricate narrative of myths, legends, through a series of increasingly demanding tasks she and stories not only reflected the daily lives and sets. struggles of the people but also served as a vital means of preserving history, values, and beliefs. - Each request from Bugbung requires Sumanga to embark on raids across various islands, capturing - Visayan folklore, as recorded by early Spanish numerous slaves and treasures, demonstrating his chroniclers like Alcina, offers a unique window into strength, resourcefulness, and dedication. the region's indigenous past, revealing a complex and captivating world of supernatural beings, heroic - After several daunting missions, she finally figures, and moral lessons. demands something from heaven, symbolizing an unattainable goal. - This folklore played a crucial role in shaping Visayan identity, influencing social norms, and - Sumanga returns empty-handed, but through clever providing spiritual guidance, making its study negotiation and demonstration of his love and essential for understanding the Philippines' cultural resourcefulness, he ultimately receives her consent. foundations. - Their eventual wedding reflects the wealth and traditions of their class, highlighting the importance of social status and the display of wealth in Visayan ❖ THE FIRST MAN AND WOMAN society. This highlights the unique characteristics of Philippine epics and the intricate courtship story of Datung Sumanga and Bugbung Humasanun. It emphasizes how these narratives reflect societal values, cultural norms, and the significance of love, honor, and social status in 16th -century Visayan - Two coconuts fall into the sea and drift until they society. hit rocks, cracking open. - Slave Labor: The focus on slave labor in the epics - From the larger coconut emerges Laki, the first highlights the economic and social importance of man. raiding in Visayan society. - From the smaller coconut emerges Baye, the first - Courtship Rituals: The story of Datung Sumanga woman. and Bugbung Humasanun exemplifies the complex - Laki and Baye become the first parents of the - He's eventually killed by a trap in a stream, where human race. his body is carved into the rock. - A rival account claims pygmies (Hongan) killed him using nipa leaves and teamwork. ❖ WHY THE BAT IS CALLED STUPID ❖ PARAPAT - Parapat, a swift runner, leaves no footprints on the beach. - Birds gather to choose their food, and the bat - Only sand grains stuck to his feet reveal his path. chooses the tabigi fruit. - His speed and agility become legendary. - Other birds mock the bat, as the fruit looks appealing but is bitter and tasteless inside. Common themes - Cunning and cleverness (Tortoise, Pusong's foes) - The bat is called Kabug (dunce) due to its poor choice. - Bravery and strength (Pusong) - The phrase "Daw napili sin tabigi" (chose the tabigi - Teamwork and strategy (Hongan pygmies) fruit) is used to describe someone who prioritizes - Legendary figures and feats (Pusong, Parapat) appearance over quality. - Cultural values and proverbs Highlights - Creation and origin stories Highlights - Indigenous values and traditions - Choice and consequence - Creative problem-solving and strategy - Appearance vs. reality - Respect for nature and the environment - Cultural wisdom and sayings - Importance of community and teamwork - Celebration of legendary figures and feats ❖ THE TORTOISE AND THE MONKEY ❖ BINGI OF LAWAN - Karagrag, chief of Lawan, marries Bingi, a virtuous and beautiful woman. - A tortoise and monkey fight over a banana plant. - Datu Dumaraug of Alay, smitten by Bingi's fame, sails with 100 ships to take her as wife. - The tortoise tricks the monkey, getting the root, which grows and bears fruit. - Bingi refuses, loyal to Karagrag, and Dumaraug retreats without battle. - The monkey climbs and eats the bananas, throwing peels at the tortoise. - "Bingi" means virgin or faithful woman, reflecting Visayan values. - The tortoise's cunning and trickery lead to proverbs about intrigue and cleverness. - Story showcases poetic process, potentially becoming a kandu (epic). - Highlights Waray culture's richness and storytelling ❖ PUSONG MAGTAON tradition. - Pusong, a giant warrior from Magtaon, raids towns in Samar. - Cultural values (importance of marriage, loyalty, and honor)  Historical Context 2. Bamboo zither (KORLONG) - Occurred before Spanish arrival in the Philippines. - was for females - Retold and passed down through generations, with only possible embellishments. - played with - Father Alcina documented the story in the 17th both hands century. This legend showcases Visayan culture's 3. Nose flute (TOLALI / LANTUY) emphasis on loyalty, honor, and marital fidelity, demonstrating the region's rich storytelling heritage - was played in and poetic traditions. imitation of mourning human voice - for appropriate to MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS wakes and funerals - Traditional Visayan music is characterized by a rich array of instruments, reflecting the region's cultural diversity and heritage. 4. Jew's harp (SUBING) Importance - plucked between the - Preserves Visayan cultural heritage and identity lips or teeth with the open mouth (resonationg - Reflects community and social bonding chamber) - Demonstrates artistic expression and creativity - courting instrument - Continues to inspire contemporary music and arts - its sound is like a code, - Influences modern Visayan music and arts can only be understood by the player and his sweetheart - Promotes cultural appreciation and exchange - Preserves traditional craftsmanship and techniques Very loud and suitable for war, dancing, and public gatherings instruments There were eight kinds of Visayan musical 1. Bamboo or seashell bulge (BODYONG) instruments, divided into quiet and loud categories for different settings. - played against the lips like a bulge - used as a signal in war or Quiet instruments and played indoors at night as part of babaylan's time paraphernalia during a 1. Small lute (KUDYAPI) paganito - carved out of a single of 2. Metal gongs (AGONG) wood with a belly of half a - the most important coconut shell instrument - this was only played by - played also either on the men, for their own love edge or on the navel, songs, while; slowly to announce bad news, faster to summon people 3. Skin-headed drums (KALATONG) - Call-and-response patterns - the war drums - Accompanied love songs (Kudyapi and Korlong) - Korlong played by well-bred ladies during social gatherings Song Types and Functions - Epic songs (Kananduun) - Tales and fables (Biriyawan) 4. Bamboo resonators (TIBONGBONG) - Sea chanteys (Otoñele/Awit/Hilimbanganon) - a rhythm instrument - Dirges and eulogies (Haya/Anagon/Kanagon/Handum/Bat-ar) - Shout of men engaged in communal labor (Hiya/Hele) - Dirges in Leyte and Samar, performed by hired female singers (Haya) - Expressions of grief and petitions to the deceased VOCAL MUSIC for favor (Kanagon/Anagon) - Visayan vocal music, a vibrant expression of Philippine cultural heritage, resonates with the - Love songs warmth and resilience of the Visayan people. - Drinking songs (Daihuan) - Visayan vocal music reflects the region's history, - General term for poetry or song with chorus (Sabi) values, and spirit, captivating audiences and inspiring generations. - A song recalling someone departed fondly (Handum) - Visayans were known for their love of singing, which was an integral part of their daily lives. They Performance and Participation sang extemporaneously, composing verses to - Expected participation in social gatherings common tunes, and their songs reflected their culture, traditions, and values - Professional singers (Paraawit) led group singing - Fathers taught sons traditional songs and tunes Characteristics of Visayan Vocal Music - Extemporaneous composition of verses - Accompanied or unaccompanied singing Haya/Hele: - Emphasis on group participation and social bonding - No separate poetic art; all poems were sung or chanted - Awit, general term for singing Singing Styles and Instruments - Solo singing (Biyaw) - Two or more singer reinforcing each other (Bagaw/Dagaw) - Group singing with precentor and chorus (Mamaratdat and Mananabat)  Paraawit with Bagaw/Dagaw (example only) DANCING - Visayan dance, a dynamic expression of Philippine culture, showcases the region's vibrant heritage through: - Graceful movements and rhythmic steps - Colorful costumes and ornate accessories Mamaratbat (example only) - Ancient traditions and folkloric themes - Joyful celebrations and communal bonding - Visayan dance embodies the region's spirit, resilience, and creativity, connecting past and present through movement and rhythm. - Accompanied Visayan feasts sponsored by datus (except funerals) Daihuan-song Types (pictures are not accurate, example only) - Sayaw/Sabay (general term) Sea chanteys (Otonele) - Magsalabay/Salabay (men's dance) Dirges (Haya) - Magkigal (women's dance) - Magbabanug (pair dance) Bata-bata/Kulasot (girls’ dolls) - Magsisibay (group dance in two opposed lines) Kunggit (children's game with seashells/Sungka) - Taruk (delicate foot movements by women) Top spinning (popular form of entertainment and gambling of all ages) - Made of hardwood - Thrown with a strong, soft cord - Patad-patad (stomping) - Objective: strike another top to splinter or split - Terms: nagbibigay, nagigouras, nagdangay, etc. Cockfighting (introduced before Spanish - Kigal (lady's dance with kerchief) colonization) - Visayan word: Bulong GAMES AND GAMBLING - Malay term: tying blade to cock's spar or weapon to - Visayan children's games, a vibrant part of man's wrist Philippine cultural heritage, showcase the region's creativity and playfulness. - Magbubulong: cocks fighting or men challenging each other - Visayan traditional games and gambling, a complex aspect of Philippine culture, reveal the region's social - Blade: Gurel/Bulang dynamics and entertainment habits. - Betting and ransoming cocks - Increased spectator betting with Spanish coinage Pre-colonial Tradition: Cockfighting was a widespread and important practice in Southeast Asian cultures long before the arrival of the Spaniards. Religious Significance: In pre-Islamic Java, cockfights had religious significance in public ceremonies. Spanish Influence: The introduction of Spanish coinage significantly boosted the stakes of cockfighting, leading to large-scale betting and even the rise of cockfighting as a major economic activity. Cultural Reflection: These pastimes reveal important aspects of Visayan culture, including their appreciation for skill, competition, and social interaction. Esperat, Kristine Dhrizella Pangasa - albino like a deer or turtle Salaw - parental care or concern CHAPTER 6: NATURAL SCIENCE Ipo tree - venomous, bad luck since their unnatural color means they are bewitched Without classrooms or schools, young people in - Visayan Bestiary (Mythical kinds of animals) Visayan society became Bangal or Sikop - Hawks in whose nest a root functional adults through unofficial family or herb could be found, which contain the education. Within the secret of their ability. morality, the majority of societies acknowledged Barangitaw - small crocodile friendly to some intelligent and strong human elder as a type of pastor, parawali (perhaps from the Bosol - caterpillar, hair caused dangerous Malay-Arabic wali, "saint") who offered counsel at infection when accidentally touched but not if family get-together. However, parents taught their it was seen first. children about the physical world, including the Bukaw - Owl, sign of death if it preached on a motion of celestial bodies, the seasonal changes, rooftop wind patterns, storm warning systems, and the Dumorogmon - black smoke made bark leaf characteristics of various animal species. One may nests and cured wounded snake by applying refer to all of this information as natural science. medical herbs ENVIRONMENT Kolago or Kagwang - flying squirrel, loud clear cry at dawn meant “no rain that day” - Environment is really efficient to the lives of our Mago - Tarsier that live in charcoal ancestors. They depend on the environment to live a Magpopo - small viper with a crest and that normal life and the things that they learn from crowed like a roaster. environment is really a good thing for them. Miro - civet cat, charmed roasting hens with - Visayan called their natural environment banwa, eyes so they fell from the branch which means mountain, countryside, terrain, climate Taligatos - snake bite not fatal if the victim and home land. called for help and somebody responded who would then suffer the poison instead. Banwaanan - overgrown Tila - Clams which screeched with loud voice, Napabanwa - gone to the hills if left receding tides Binmanwa - a man who could take care of Walo-walo - snake which spent eight days on himself in the wild land and at sea alternately Banwaanun/tagbanwa- mountain dwelling spirits HEALTH AND HYGIENE - Characteristics of wild life that they compare to - Living in the pre 16th century can really have a lot humans of impact to the people, health and hygiene is one of Kakanog – butterflies the most important things about filipinos even Pudong nowadays, they take care of themselves and made Piyak - woodpecker sure they are healthy and clean. - Feature of Filipino life always attracted Spanish Piyas - baby monkey attention was their cleanliness (How frequently they Tabon birds took a bath). Balitnung - tree whose leathery bark was easily - Dr. Antonio Morga noted that they immersed their removed (youth who died young) whole body “without considering that it could do Biribog crab - moved backwards (boats full of them harm anytime.” man who promised much but delivered little) - Father Colin thought that reason Filipinos settled Giant tridacna clam - he would never move along streams and rivers banks was their fondness of Buwaya (Crocodile) - greedy or voracious bathing. “swallowed up everything” - Father Chirino (1604 21-22) AILMENTS From the time these islanders are born, they - The people in pre-16th century have a lot of grow up in the water, so both men and omens diseases or ailments, it affects their work and the swim like fish when they are young and after thing they want to achieve that day, these ailments coming out of the bath they anoint their hair are one of the most stressful things that happened to with sesame oil with civet. them. They bathe squatting almost sitting, with the - Visayas suffered skin diseases as one of their most water up to their neck, taking the greatest not common complains. Some of these were simple to be visible even if there is nobody could see discomforts connected to ordinary activities. them. The best hour or commonly hour to bath is at Nugas - Blisters from piosonous plants. sunset, because as soon as they quit work they Aripunga - sores between the toes, or chafing go to bath in the river to relax and cool off and from loads or clothing. on their way back they take along a jar of Buyook - on the throat water for household use. Bulok or Buyok - in groin Every household have a jar of water at the Alalay or Kalamayo - more serious door and whoever goes up whether from Erysipela - intense inflammation accompanied household or an outsider takes water from by streptococcus infection. there to wash their feet before entering Buti - Pocks especially in muddy season. (They do this with Pinarurkan - The virulent kind (small pox) facility rubbing one foot to the other and the Bangats, Tabahak, Tabukaw – Ulcers water runs through the house floor which is all Bulog/Bubas -Glandulae swealling bamboo like a very tight grating. Iri - Separate somebody outside the village. Buboso - Covered with sores - Upper class Visayan wants to have a pleasing body odor, they scrubbed their bodies with pumice when - The classic meaning of bubas lymphatic swelling bathing, perfuming and oiling them afterwards. symptomatic of bubonic plague, but following - Pigafetta detected the scent of benzoin and storax Columbus return from the new world it became on the persons of the two Butuan Rajas. Clothes were common term for syphilis, a disease no doubt laundered with citrus not only because of its confused with yow in the tropics, Spanish effectiveness in removing stain but also because of lexicographers in the Visayas however used it to the fresh odor it left in them. The civet mixed with mean any putules or ulcers, though Loarca (1582) sesame oil was used in making perfume, not because must have referring to an actual contagious disease of its own pungent odor but because of its property when he wrote “In this island of Panay, the natives of fixing the fragrance of the flowers added. say that none of them ever had bubuas until the Boholanos came to settle here since then some - Personal hygiene natives caught it. Kulkug or kilikug - clean ears with feather or swab. - Saint Lazarus’s disease leprosy called karangan, Silat - toothbrush made of vegetable husk for kagirkit or tuyung with amomotol especially cleaning and polishing the feet. suggesting the loss of fingers or toes. Sipan - betel nut bark ladies gave to their Goor/Godon - The stage when the ravages of lovers. the diseases were not visible Babho - tree, scrapping used as shampoo and Bulog - Thickening on the skin get rid of the dandruff. Bangag - The loss of the nose Binokbok - Puno - Comb for removing head lice and Wounds so deep seems like eaten by wood ringworm scales Atole - dirt in ears Atingling - under the nails Buras - private parts (Burason - an insult so serious required revenge or satisfaction.) - Aiments (Internal Organ) - Abortion were a common form of family planning, Bagu – Spleen practiced by ranking ladies to limit their lineage and Sulok-sulok – Stomach preserve their heritage. Pantog - Bladder or scrotal rupture - Surgery was limited to suturing and cauterizing Atay - liver (attribute to the appetite of witches wounds and to cosmetics surgery to repair torn “Ginitay ka!” curse invoking such result) earlobes. Wati or Bituk - Intestinal worm - Sipsip or kulot - Trim to edge of ragged lobe so the Oyol - Bloody stool raw surface can be sutured together. - Animitas Ants - Used for flat areas like stomach and Botbot - Protruding hemorrhoids scalp Tibak - Grout - Tiyun - Button cattery, to smoulder on a small Toyan - Dropsy or edema (swelling caused by wound retention of bodily fluids, considered result of - Atlob - Sweat induce by smoke, steam, rubbing hot a spell cast by a datu against one who deceived stone. him) - Tood - Covering patient with mats and blankets, Piyol - joint pains concentrate medical fuel. Bonga - Scrofulous swelling or goiter - Oslob - Steam bath Atolay - Infected scratch or abrasion - Bulung - Medicine (China wood - sarsapiralla) Lagum - guminfection or toothache - Obal - Enclosed shed (Burulngan or bulnganan) Malhit and mila mila - eye ailments - Pamulngagan- Hospital Puling - Defect in vision - Tambal - Plants, roots, leaves, bark with medicinal Hukab, Hubaw, or ubo - cough, asthma or properties (tambalan herbolario) hoarseness - naga botbot - not to be confused to the practitioners Bugtas - hunger or overwork - taken internally or externally, with plasters or poultices distinguished as haklup or tampus TREATMENTS - Sampling of Visayan materia - During this time the treatment of our ancestors are Agoha - Tree leaves, specific against muscle different and they are using a lot of sorcery and they cramps (applied to affected parts or used for a tend to use environment as their source of medicine. bath) Agusip - Tree bark, specific for intestinal pain - 5 Categories of Visayan treatment disease (chewed or decocted for drinking) Massage Bangali - Vine, preventative for epilepsy Fumigating or Sweating Hagonoy - Plant prescribe for bladder or Prescription of medicine urinary complaints Counter sorcery Halilitan - Plant leaves, chewed with lime or Propitiation of supernatural oil and hot sulfur as an antidote for poison. Hangapilan - Tree toasted leaves, boiled as an - The first three were indicated for recognizable antiseptic for bathing wounds. physical symptoms, the latter two for ailments Kalampisaw - Tree root and leaves, applied to requiring diagnosis and treatment by religious open sores. specialists. Kalaring - Antiseptic, citrus juice and iron - Massage was applied for injured or dislocated fillings for drying small sores. muscles or pressure put on nerve centers by physical Laglang - Potent vine, root an antidote for experts called hilot, their reputation was sufficient poison, when sliced cleared vision (poisonous, for Father Sanchez (1617) to use hilator as a spanish vice filtered, laxative) verb to say “Balokar: to massage woman abdomen to Lampuyang - Offensive odor, applied to cause miscarriage and abortion. swelling (tree) - Mamaropok- masseur pummeled the back and Lumaka or honono - Tree leaves masticated, spine usually datus husky slave. sprinkled with salt, heated when wrapped in another leaf for application to wounds.  Pili - Large tree resin as a h