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Contextual Analysis About Customs of The Tagalog

1. The document is Juan de Plasencia's "Customs of the Tagalogs" written in 1589 during the Spanish colonial period. It describes the social hierarchy, customs, and religious practices of the Tagalog people prior to Spanish colonization. 2. Plasencia details the caste system of nobles, commoners, and slaves. He explains inheritance laws and the status of children born from parents of different castes. 3. The document also describes Tagalog religious practices such as worship of various gods, rituals, and the roles of priests. It provides insights into Tagalog traditions including marriage customs, burial rites, and superstitions.

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Rosen Anthony
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265 views

Contextual Analysis About Customs of The Tagalog

1. The document is Juan de Plasencia's "Customs of the Tagalogs" written in 1589 during the Spanish colonial period. It describes the social hierarchy, customs, and religious practices of the Tagalog people prior to Spanish colonization. 2. Plasencia details the caste system of nobles, commoners, and slaves. He explains inheritance laws and the status of children born from parents of different castes. 3. The document also describes Tagalog religious practices such as worship of various gods, rituals, and the roles of priests. It provides insights into Tagalog traditions including marriage customs, burial rites, and superstitions.

Uploaded by

Rosen Anthony
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Bugaay, Rosen Anthony R.

BSIT1A

CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS ABOUT CUSTOMS OF THE


TAGALOG

Background of the Author

 Born in the 16th century to the illustrious family of the Portocarreros in Plasencia, in
the Region of Extremadura, Spain.
 His real name is Joan de Puerto Carrero, del convento de Villanueva de la Serena.
 He was a Spanish Friar of the Franciscan order.
 He spent most of his missionary life in the Philippines, where he founded numerous
towns in Luzon and authored several religious and linguistic books, most notably, the
Catecismo de la Doctrina Cristiana, 1581 – translated the Christian Doctrines in
Tagalog, the first book ever printed in the Philippines.
 Juan de Plasencia was born in the early 16th century as Juan Portocarrero in
Plasencia, in the region of Extremadura, Spain. He was one of the seven children of
Pedro Portocarrero, a captain of a Spanish schooner.
 Said to have been inspired to be a Franciscan because of his upbringing spent during
a spiritual and religious resurgence affected by Spain’s Siglo de Oro, a Golden Age
when arts and literature flourished in many parts of Spain, among them his native
Extremadura.
 Well reputed as the one who took the leading role in fostering the spread of primary
education.
 Converted natives, taught catechisms, and organized towns and barangays in the
Philippines.
 Promoted the understanding of both the Spanish language among the natives, and
the local languages among the missionaries, to facilitate the task of spreading
Christianity.
 Initiated the Reduccion Policy – policy to reduce or resettle natives in central
locations.
 Some of his works aimed to put an end to some injustices being committed against
the natives by certain government officials.
Historical background of the document

 It was written on the year 1589 during the Spanish Colonial Period. After
receiving the Lordship’s letter, Plasencia wished to reply immediately;
but he postponed his answer in order that he might first thoroughly
inform himself in regard to People’s request, and to avoid discussing the
conflicting reports of the Indians. Therefore, he collected Indians from
different districts – old men, and those of most capacity; and from them
he have obtained the simple truth, after weeding out much foolishness,
in regard to their government, administration of justice, inheritance,
slaves, and dowries.

 Customs of the Tagalogs is a part (either chapters or subsections) of


longer monographs written by the chroniclers of the Spanish expeditions
to the Philippines during the early 16 th and 17th centuries. They appeared
initially in Blair and Robertson’s 55 volumes, The Philippine Islands (1903)
and in the Philippine Journal of Sciences (1958).
Content presentation and analysis of the important historical
information found in the document

 DATOS – the chief who governed the people and were captains in their wars whom
they obey and reverence
 BARANGAY – a family of parents and children, relations and slaves.

The Three Castes


 NOBLES
 COMMONERS
 SLAVES

Situation 1:
Those who are maharlicas on both the father’s and mother’s side continue to be
forever, and if it happens that they should become slaves, it is through marriage.
Situation 2:
If maharlicas had children among their slaves, their children and their mothers
became free.

Situation 3:
If maharlicas had children by the slave-woman of another, the slave-woman was
compelled when pregnant, to give her master half of a gold tael.
In this case, half of the child was free if the father (maharlica) recognized him. If not,
the child will become a whole slave.

Situation 4:
If a free woman had children by a slave they were all free, provided he were not her
husband.

Situation 5:
If two persons married, of whom one was a maharlica and the other a slave
(namamahay or sa guiguilir) the children were divided.

Odd birth order (1st, 3rd, 5th...)


– belong to the father.
Even birth order (2nd, 4th, 6th...)
– belong to the mother.
Only child
– half free, half slave.
 Maharlicas could not, after marriage, move from one village to another without paying
a certain fee in gold (ranging from one to three taels and a banquet to the entire
barangay) as arranged among them.

Special Case:
When one married woman of another village, the children were afterwards divided
equally between the two barangays.

 Investigations made and sentences passed by the dato must take place in the
presence of those his barangay.

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.

Dowries are given by men to the women’s parents before marriage. If the parents are
both alive, they both enjoy the use of it.

Divorce and Dowries

Death of Wife or Husband

Dowry and Arranged Marriage

Worship of the Tagalogs

 No temples
 Simbahan – Temple or Place of Adoration.
 Pandot – or a festival celebrated
 Sibi
 Sorihile
 Nagaanitos

Idols

 Bathala
 Lic-Ha
 Dian Masalanta (Patron of Lovers and of Generation)
 Lacapati and Idianale (Patrons of Cultivated Lands and of Husbandry)
 Tala ( Morning star)
 Seven Little Goats (the Pleiades)
 Mapolon (change of seasons)
 Balatic (greater bear)
 Buaya
 Tigmamanuguin – bird
 No established division of years, months, and days
 Catolonan (officiating priest)
 Offerings and sacrifices
 Belief on bearingchild

Distinctions among the priests of the Devil

1. Catalonan
2. Manganguay (Witches)
3. Manyisalat
4. Mancocolam
5. Hocloban
6. Silagan
7. Magtatangal
8. Osuang
9. Mangagayoma
10. Sonat
11. Pangatahojan
12. Bayoguuin

 Manner of burying the dead of the tagalogs


 Manner of burying dead of the Aetas or Negrillos
 Maca
 Casanaan
 Sitan
 Tigbalaang
 Patianac
Contribution and relevance of the document in understanding the grand
narrative of Philippine history

The contribution of Juan de Plasencia’s work which is “Customs of the


Tagalogs” acts as a standard source of the references as to the pre-conquest natives as
it was considered as a primary source. Plasencia accounts the institution of slavery,
marriage, priesthood and worshipping of Gods. Without Plasencia's accounts, the
information on the Tagalogs' various customs will therefore be unknown, making the
connection between past and present customs will not be established. Moreover, there
is no way to verify the understanding of the origin of the present culture and customs.
The relevance of the document in understanding the grand narrative of Philippine
history is that many of the 16 th century beliefs and practices are still present today. It
also addresses property rights, marriage, traditions and funeral practices. Plasencia 's
account preserves and popularizes us Filipino's traditions, habits and religious and
superstitious beliefs. Plasencia's work also embraces our understanding of
manananaggal, aswang, hukluban and gayuma.

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