Excerpt from

“LABOR EVANGELICA”:
of the Government and
Political customs of
these people ,
By Francisco Colin, S.J
 Francisco Colin (1592-1660), one of the most prominent
Jesuit missionary and historian of the early colonial
period .
 Colin discusses the customs and traditions of the
Philippines , Southeast Asia such as Sumatra and
Moluccas
 He also studied the local languages to understanding
of early Filipino culture and society
 Colin discussed their physical appearance, clothing,
marriage, eating pattern, song and dance, however, the
excerpt below would focus on the social structure,
government and political customs of these Filipino
groups of early Filipinos.
There were no king or rulers worthy of
mention throughout this archipelago but
there were many chiefs who dominated
other s less power.
Barangay is used to be their form of
government. -The name barangay is
originated from Balangay, a Malay word for
sailboat. It may composed of about 30-100
families, and is ruled by either Datu, or
Maginoo
Laws
Their laws and policy which were not very
barbarous for barbarians consisted wholly
of traditions and customs.
It may be written or not
Unwritten laws are spoken laws that is
passed by of course the word of mouth, and
may be passed through generations.
Written laws are made by the Datu together
with the council of the elders as his
advisers.
 There are three
kind and classes of
People
The Chief who the Visayans call
“Datu” and the Tagalogs called
“Maginoo”.
the chieftain of the whole barangay and is the
wealthiest person in the community.
The Datu have many Power.
In times of peace: Executive, Legislator and Chief
Justice.
In war: he is the commander in chief of the
armed forces
Foreign affairs: the datu enables treatise and
truse(sanduguan)
How one can be a Datu?
• It may be inherited, either by
a man or a woman. (the eldest
child)
• Or may be chosen by the
community according to the
following characteristics
(bravest, wealthiest or the wisest)
The “Timauas” in the visayans and they
called in Tagalog “maharlika”

 Intermediate class of men who had enough

land, those who rendered services to the
rulers and do not work on fields.
They are the commoners. They can own
their own land and don’t have to pay regular
tribute.
They called also a Freeman.
The Slaves called “Oripuen” by the Visayans and
“Alipin” by the Tagalog
slavery is a system where humans are treated as
property
by forcing them to do work for their masters
Slavery may be due to the ff:
1. Inherited status
2. Captured by the enemies in war
3. Those who cannot pay their debt
4. Punishment of the crime committed
5. Sold to become slave
 Except From
Relacion De las Islas
Pilipinas
By Miguel De Loarca
• Miguel De Loarca was one of the first
conquistadores to arrive in the Philippines.
 He was a Loyal Spanish Military Officer, Loarca
also became one of the earliest encomenderos in
the country when Miguel Lopez De Legazpi
granted him lands in Panay Island particularly in
Oton.
 During his stay in the Visayas Loarca widely
observed and studied the Visayan custom,
traditions, and languages. Thus it is not
surprising when Governor-General Ronquillo
requested him to write an account of the colony
to be sent to king Philip II this led to the birth of
the Relacion de las Islas Filipinas(1582).
In this country is made a slave or is put to
death for any crime which he commits
even if it be theft, adultery, murder and for
insulting any woman of rank except that
for each crime there is an established
which they have to pay in jewels or gold,
and if the culprit is unable to pay the fine
he will borrow the money and pledge
himself to the man from whom he borrow
as a result he becomes a slave until he shall
repay what was lent to him after that, he is
free again therefore according to the crime
committed.
 There are
three classes of
slave.
AYUEY
These slaves works three day for the master and
one day for themselves.
The ayueys are worth among these people two
gold taes the equivalent of twelve pesos.
The ayueys women like their husband work in
the houses of the master.
They lived in the house of the master and only
the ayuey receive food and clothing from their
master.
If the ayuey die the masters takes away their
property.
TUMARANPOC
They live in their own houses and there are
obligated to go to work for their master one day
out of four day having three days for themselves
, if they fail to work for their master , In order to
cultivate their own fields, they give the master
each year ten chicubites of rice each chicubite
being equal to one fanega
the value of tumarapoques are same in ayuey .
If the tumarapoques die the masters takes away
their property.
TOMATABANS
These people hold in most respest.
These work in the house of the master only
when there is some banquet or revel. On such
occasions they bring small gift and share in the
drinking.
But when slave dies, the property left by the slave
is share with his children by the master
During their lifetime, these slaves are bound to
work for there five days in a month or if they do
not work they annually give the master five
chicubites of rice
The tumatabans are worth one tae or six pepos.
Except form Cronicas
by
Juan Francisco de San
Antonio
 Juan Francisco De San Antonio is a missionary of the
Franciscan order and coming from the order of zealous
and influential missionaries such Juan De Plasencia and
Pedro De San Buenaventura.
 He discusses some parts of Mindanao and even other
parts of Southeast Asia.
 He gives a detailed discussion of Filipino beliefs San
Antonio gives a more detailed account on superstitious
beliefs.
 However the focus of this excerpt is the Visayas
marriage custom. In this account below San Antonio
thoroughly not just the Marriage rituals and
Ceremonies of the Visayans, but also their Dowry
System.
Dowry
A gift turned over by the groom to the
bride’s parents for all practical purpose in
exchange for the bride.
A dowry is the transfer of parental property
to a daughter as her inheritance at her
marriage rather than at the owner's death. A
dowry establishes a type of conjugal fund,
the nature of which may vary widely
Dowry can range from carabao,
piece of lands, jewelries, cash, brass
gongs etc.
Five Kinds
of
Dowry
Bigay-kaya- consist of land, gold or dependents.
Any valuable article will do in the absence of
these.
Panghimuyat- certain amount of the money
given to the bride to be’s parents as a payment for
the mothers effort s in rearing the girl to the
womanhood.
Bigay-suso- bride given to the wet-nurse who
fed the bride during her infancy with milk from
her own breasts.
Himaraw- sum of money to be given to the
parents as a reimbursement for the amount spent
in feeding the girl during her infancy.
Sambon- a dowry given to the girls relatives.
in order to win the hand of his lady,
the man has to show his patience and
dedication to both the lady and her
parents • courtship usually begins with
paninilbihan
once he had settled all of the above
requirements, he brings his parents to
meet with the bride-to-be’s parents to
haggle and make the final
arrangements; this is called pamamalae
or pamamanhikan or pamumulungan
weddings are officiated by the priestess
or babaylan
uncooked rice is thrown on the couple
after the wedding ceremony
 Excerpt from the
“ Boxer Codex”
by Charles R. Boxer
 The Boxer Codex is a comprehensive account of
the Philippines and other parts of Asia-Pacific in
the late Sixteenth Century.
 Charles R. Boxer is prominently acquired by the
British scholar.
 The manuscript was then translated by the
National Artist Carlos Quirino and scholars Ma.
Luisa Garcia and Mauro Garcia.
 The excerpt below is from the fourth chapter of
the codex title “Customs , Ceremonial Usages,
and Rites of the bisayans” where in the focus is on
the Tattooing and Clothing Tradition of the
Visayans.
BRIEF HISTORY
ON FILIPINO
TATTOO
TRADITIONS
Indigenous groups throughout the Philippine islands
have been practicing the art of tattooing for centuries.
But after the arrival of the Spanish, the Americans and
the advent of Christianity , traditional practices such as
tattooing were evidently on the verge of extinction.
When the Spaniards first arrived in the Visayan islands in
1521, they labeled the natives of this region as "pintados",
meaning "painted people" or "painted ones", as most of their
entire bodies were covered in tattoos leaving only their hands
and feet bare. The three illustrations below are from the
Boxer Codex depicting the tattoos of the ancient Visayans.
c.1595. Last image is a carving of "Prince Giolo", a tattooed
native known to be from a southern island (Miangas).
In Luzon, the largest island of the Philippines is
inhabited by a number of indigenous groups.
More popular for their extensive tattoos and
rituals are the northern mountain tribes people
of the Cordillera Region, collectively known as
"Cordillerans" or "Igorots".
Several of these tribal groups customarily practiced
headhunting, being one of the main reasons behind
tattooing. They believed tattoos possessed spiritual
powers and magical qualities which gave them strength
and protection. They were also used to distinguish or
reward a warrior after a successful headhunt expedition
and marked their social status within their community.
Women were also tattooed; to enhance their
beauty, for fertility and to serve as means of
clothing. First four images are the tattoos of
Cordilleran women and the last two are leg
tattoos of a Banwa-on tribeswoman from
Mindanao.
 Methods and tools used in ancient Filipino tattooing all differed
between the groups throughout the regions. Some methods
involved attaching a sharpened object such as metal, a thorn,
wood or a bone to one end of a stick and was then either tapped or
poked repeatedly into the skin to apply the ink. Another method
involved cutting or pricking the skin prior to rubbing black
powder into the wound.
 images of Maria Whang-Od who is now aged in her late 90's. She
has dedicated most of her life to tattooing and is widely known as
"the last Kalinga tattoo artist".
Clothing
To the men, these painting serve as clothing and
this they look alright although they usually go
around naked and wear nothing on the body except
a cotton cloth two fathom (six feet-approximately
1.8cm)around the waist and between the legs so as
to cover their private parts.this cloth they called it
“Bahaque”.
They have another type of clothing, which consists
of the cotton blankets that they used it into
morning wear. They called it kanggan (sleeveless
jacket)
Their head some very fine multi colored head
scarfs. They called it “Purones”.
They wear a strips of Gold.
The garments and dresses of Bisayan women
consist of some blankets with diverse colored
stripes made of cotton and other are made from a
plant. They have some wear plain tafetta and
damask that come from china.
female attire consisted of baro(pezeielo) or
camisa(chemise) (jacket with sleeves) and saya or
patadyong (a long skirt),
some women wore a piece of red or white cloth
on top of their skirt called tapi
The women wear crown and garlands on their
head made of tinsel imported from China.
 Expert from
Succesos de las Islas
Filipinas
By Antonio de Morgan
Antonio de Morga Sánchez Garay
was a Spanish lawyer and a high-
ranking colonial official for 43
years, in the Philippines
He was also a historian. After
being reassigned to Mexico, he
published the book Sucesos de las
islas Filipinas in 1609, considered
one of the most important works
on the early history of the Spanish
colonization of the Philippines.
The practice of betel chewing used to be
prevalent throughout the Philippines from the
mountains in the north to the Muslim
communities in the south.
The tribal people of the Cordillera, commonly
called Igorots, carry their containers around their
waists or in little specially made baskets. Most of
the men, especially the older ones, chew betel
constantly. The Igorots believe that the chewing
of betel staves off hunger and tiredness as they
work long hours in their rice fields
The nut is the fruit of the
areca palm (areca
catechu). It is chewed
together with a leaf of the
betel piper vine (Piper
betel) from which the
name comes. The nut is
cut into segments dabbed
with lime (which is
ground and burnt sea-
shell), mixed with some
water or oil and wrapped
in a leaf to form a quid,
the chewing of which
produces blood-red
spittle.
ITS ALL IN THE
MIX
Lime/Apog
Pepper Leaf
Tobacco
Cardamom
Cloves
Ginger