Customs of the Tagalogs

A description of the Tagalog natives

by Juan de Plasencia
The Author
Juan de Plasencia
A Spanish priest of the Franciscan order
who spent most of his missionary life in
the Philippines.

He arrived in 1578 and started preaching

around Laguna de Bay and Tayabas,
Quezon where he founded several
towns.
He was one of the missionaries who put up a large number of towns in
the provinces of Bulacan, Laguna and Rizal, including Caliraya,
Majayjay, Nagcarla, Liliw, Pila, Santa Cruz, Lumban, Pangil, Siniloan,
Morong, Antipolo, Taytay and Meycauayan.

He was tasked by the King of Spain to record the traditions and

customs of the colonized people (referred to as "natives") using his
own observations and judgements.

He wrote a number of books to promote understanding of both Spanish

language among the natives and the local language among the
missionaries to facilitate spreading of Christianity, including the
Doctrina Cristiana.
Doctrina Cristiana
It is believed to be one of the earliest printed
books in the Philippines, written in 1593.

The title means “The Teachings of

Christianity” and its main objective main
objective was to spread the Christian doctrine
throughout the Philippines.

The book consists of 38 leaves and 74 pages of

text in Spanish, Tagalog transliterated into
roman letters, and Tagalog in its original
Tagalog Baybayin.
Customs of the Tagalogs
A written work by Juan de Plasencia
consisting of his first-hand account of
experiences and observations, which made
it to be considered as a primary source.

It contains extensive information

reconstructing the political and socio-
cultural history of the Tagalogs during the
early 16th and 17th centuries.
Leadership & Governance
Barangay
The tribal gathering is called in Tagalog a
barangay. It is a community of parents
and children, relations and slaves. Many
are found in each town, or at least, on
account of wars, they did not settle far
from one another.

Barangays are not subject to one another,

except in friendship and relationship. The
datos help each other during wars.
Dato
The chief of the people or barangay. The
one who governed them, whom they
obeyed and reverenced.

The captain in their wars. Subjects who

committed any offense against them,
and spoke but a word to their wives and
children, were severely punished.
The Caste System
Maharlica (Nobles)
They were the free-born. They did not
pay taxes or tribute to the dato; but they
are required to accompany him in war.

In times of war, they were obligated to

provide and prepare weapons at their
own expense and answer the summons
of the dato, wherever and whenever that
might be, in exchange for a share in the
war spoils called ganima.
Aliping Namamahay (Commoners)
They are married and served their
master, whether he be a dato or not, with
half of their cultivated lands as was
agreed upon in the beginning. They
accompany the dato whenever he went
beyond the island and rowed for him.

They live in their own houses and are the

lords of their own property and gold.
They cannot be sold as slaves
Aliping Saguiguilir (Slaves)
The lowest of all social classes. Slaves
are not free men, they do not have their
own house or property.

They live and serve within their master's

property without any income.

They can be sold to other masters.

 The Difference Between Aliping Namamahay
and Aliping Saguiguilir
The Indians seeing that alcaldes-mayor do not understands this have adopted the
custom of taking away the children of the aliping namamahay, making use of
them as they would of the aliping saguiguilir, as servant in their households,
which is illegal, and if the aliping namamahay should appeal to justice, it is
proved that he is an alipin as well as his father and mother before him and no
reservation is made as to whether he is alipin namamahay or aliping saguiguilir.

He is at once considered an alipin, without further declaration. In this way he

becomes a saguiguilir 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 a answer put in the document that they give him.
 Key Notes in the Caste System
● 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.
● If maharlicas had children among their slaves, their children
and their mothers became free.
● 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.
● 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 (namamahay or saguiguilir) 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.
● When one married woman of another village, the children
were afterwards divided equally between the two barangays.
Investigations & Litigations
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.
● They condemn no one to slavery, unless merited the death
penalty.

● As for witches, they killed them and their children and

accomplices became slaves of the chief, after he had some
recompense to the injured person.

● All other other offenses were punished by fines of gold, which if

not paid immediately, exposed the culprit to serve until the
payment should be made, the person aggrieved, to whom the
money was to be paid to.
● This was done by the following way: Half the cultivated land
and all their produce belonged to the master. The master
provide the culprit with food and clothing, and should be paid
therefore. In this way kept possession of the
children if the payment could not be met.

● This last was usually the case, and remained slave; he was
obliged to render the latter half service until he was not paid,
however, service within the house as aliping saguiguilid, but
living independently, as aliping namamahay.
 Loans & Debts
The debtor is condemned to a life of toil. Borrowers become slaves,
and after the death of the father, the children would pay the debt.
Not doing so, doubles the amount to be paid. As stated by Plasencia,
this system should and can be reformed.

Inheritance (Legitimate Children)

The legitimate children of the father and mother would inherit
equally, except in the case where the father and mother showed
slight partiality by such gifts as two or three gold taels, or perhaps a
jewel.
 Inheritance (Adopted Children)
● Adopted children of whom are many among them, inherit the
double of what was paid for their adoption. For example, if one
gold tael was given the might be adopted when the first father
died, the children was given [in inheritance] 2 taels. But if this
child should die first, his children did not inherit from the
second father, for the arrangement stops at that point.

● This is the danger which his money is exposed, as well as his

being protected as child. On this account this manner of
adoption common among them is considered lawful.
 Inheritance & Dowry
● When the parents gave a dowry to any son, and, when, in order to
marry him a chief’s daughter, the dowry was greater the sum given
the order son, the excess was not counted in the whole property to be
divided. But any other thing that should had should given to any son,
though it might be for some necessity, was taken into consideration
at the time of partition of the property, unless the parents should be
declared that such a bestowal was made outside of the inheritance.
● If one had children by two or more legitimate, wives, each child
received inheritance and dowry of his mother, with the increase,, and
the share of his father state which fell him to as well as legitimate
children, the former had no share the inheritance; but the legitimate
children were bound to free mother, and to give him something a tael
or a slave, if the father were a chief, or it finally anything else were
given it was by the unanimous consent of all.

● If besides his legitimate children, he had also some sons by a free

unmarried woman, to whom was dowry 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.
● 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, or a child by an inaasava,
whether there was a son of slave woman or not, the inheritance
went only to father or grandparents, brothers, or nearest relatives
of the deceased, who gave to the slave-child as above stated.

● In the case of the child by a free married woman, born while she
was married, if the husband punished the adulterer, this was
considered dowry; and the child entered by the others into
partitions in the inheritance. His share equaled the part left by the
father, nothing more. If there were no other son than he, the
children and the nearest relatives inherited equally with him.
● But 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 the
husband leave the woman. By the punishment of the father the
child was fittingly made legitimate.
 Marriage & Dowry
● Dowries are given by the men to the women’s parent. If the latter are
living, 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 the 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 is 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 their labors accrues to their parents
 Rules of Dowry
● Wife + Parents Died = The wife receives the full dowry

● Husband + If the wife died with no children = 1/2 of the dowry is

returned to the husband

● Wife + If the husband died with no children = 1/2 of the dowry is

given to the husband's relatives
 Divorce & Dowry
Without Children:
● If the wife meets and marries another man = full dowry will be
returned to the husband

● If the husband leaves his wife, and his wife no longer marries = full
dowry will be given to the wife

With Children:
● If children are living = dowry will be given to the grandparents or
relatives to be used for the children's needs
Worship and
Other Cultural
Beliefs and
Practices
 Worship of the Tagalogs
In all villages or in other parts of the Filipinas Island, there are no
temples consecrated to the performing sacrifices, the adoration of
their idol or the general practice of idolatry.

It is true that they have name simbahan which means a temple or

place of adoration, but this because formerly, when they wished to
celebrate a festival, which they called pandot or worship they
celebrated it in the large house of a chief.
They are constructed, for the
purpose of sheltering the
assembled people, a temporary
shed on each side of the house,
with a roof called sibi, to protect
people from the wet when it rained.
They so constructed the house that
it might contain many people
dividing it.
● Among their many idols there was one called Badhala whom
they especially worshipped, the title seems to signify all
powerful or maker of all things.

● They also worshiped the sun which an account of its beauty, is

almost universally respected and honored by heathens.

● They worship to the moon especially when it was new at which

time they held great rejoicing adoring it by bidding it welcome.

● Some of them also adored the stars, although did not know
them by their names, as the Spaniards and other nations know
the planets with the one exception of the morning star, which
they called Tala.
● They possessed many idols called lic-ha which may image with
different shape. And as time there worshipped any little trifle in
which they adored. As did the romans some particular dead man
who was brave at war and endowed with special faculties to
whom they recommend themselves for protection in their
tribulations.

● They had another idol called Dian masalanta, who was the
patron of lovers and of generation.

● The idols called lacapati and idianale were the patrons of

cultivated by them husbandry.

● They paid reverence to water lizard called by them buaya or

crocodiles from fear of being harmed by them.
Their manner of offering their
sacrifices was to proclaim a feast, and
offer to the devil what they had to eat.
This was done in front of the idol,
which they anoint in fragrant
perfumes, such as mask and civet, or
gum of the storaxthree and other
odoriferous woods. The participant
made response to the song female,
beseeching the idol for favor them
with those thing of which they were
need, and generally, by offering
repeated health’s, they all became
intoxicated.
Superstitious Beliefs
There were moreover very liable to find
auguries in things they witnessed. For example,
If there left their house and meet in this the way
a serpent or rat or a bird called tigmamanuiguin
which was singing in the tree or if they chanced
upon anyone who sneezed they returned at once
to their house, considering the incident as an
augury that some evil might befall them if they
should continue their journey especially when
the above mentioned bird sang. This song is
different forms; in the case it was considered as
an evil omen; in the other as a good omen, and
then they continued journey.
They also practiced divination see
whether weapons, such as dagger or
knife, were to be useful or lucky for
their possessor whenever occasion
should offer.
Seasons
The natives had no established
division of years, months, and days;
these are determined by cultivation of
the soil, all this help them making up
the year. The winter and the summer
are distinguished as sun-time and
water-time latter term designating
winter in those regions, when there is
no cold,snow, or ice.
Distinction of Priests

1) Catalonas
The first called catalonas, as above stated,
was either a man or woman. This office
was an honorable one among the natives,
and was held ordinarily by people of rank
this rule general in all islands.
2) Mangagauay
The second called mangagauay, or
witches who deceived by pretending
by heal to heal sick. These priest
includes maladies by their charms,
which is proportion to the strength
and efficacies of witchcraft are
capable of causing death.
3) Mangaguay
The third they called mangaguay,
these priest had then power of
applying such as remedies to lovers
that they abandon and despise their
own wives, latter. If the woman,
constrained by these means, were
abandoned, it would bring sickness
upon her; and on account of the
desertion this would discharge blood
and matter.
4) Mancocolam
The fourth was called mancocolam, whose
duty it was to emit fire from himself at
night, once or oftener each month. This
fire could not be extinguished; nor could it
not be thus emitted excepts the priest
wallowed in the ordure and filth which
falls from the houses; and who he lived in
the house where the priest was wallowing
in order to emit this fire from himself, fell
I and died.
5) Hocloban
The fifth was called hocloban, which is
another kind of witch, of greater
efficacy than the mangagauay. Without
the use of medicine and by simply
saluting or raising the hand, they killed
them whom they chose. But if they
desire to heal those whom they had
made. Moreover, if they wished to
destroy the house of some Indians
hostile to them they were able to do so
without instrument. This was In
Catanduanes, an island of the upper
part of Luzon.
5) Silagan
The sixth was called silagan, whose
office it was if they saw anyone
clothed in white, to tear out his liver
and eat it, thus causing his death. This
like the preceding was in the island of
Catanduanes. Let no one moreover
consider this table, because in
calavan, they tore out in this way
through the anus all the intestines of a
Spanish notary, who was buried in
Calilaya by father Fray Juan de Merida
7) Magtatanggal
The seventh was called magtatanggal
or manananggal his purpose was to
show himself at night to many
persons, without his head or entrails.
In such wise in the devil walked about
carried or pretended to carry, his head
in to different places in the morning
return it into body remaining as
before alive. This seems to me to be a
fable, although the native affirm that
they have seen it. Because the devil
probably cause them to believe. This
occurred in Catanduanes.
8) Osuang
The eight is called osuang, which is
equivalent to sorcerer they say that
they have seen him fly. And that they
murdered men and ate their flesh. This
was among the Visayas island. Among
the Tagalogs these did not exist.
9) Manggagayuma
The ninth was another class of
witches called manggagayuma.
They made charms for lovers out of
herbs,stone, and wood which
would infuse the heart with love.
Thus they did this to deceive the
people. Although sometimes,
through the intervention of the
devil they gained their ends.
10) Sonat
Equivalent to preacher, it was his office to help one to die at which he
predicted the salvation or condemnation of the soul.

11) Pangaahojan
It was a soothsayer and predicted future. This office was generally in all
the islands.

12) Bayuguin
Signified a cotquen. A man whose nature inclined toward that of a
woman.
Ghosts and Phantoms
There were also ghost which they called
vibit. And phantoms which they called
ticbalang. They had another deception
namely that of any woman died in
childbirth she and the child suffered
punishments and that at a night, she
could be heard lamenting. This was
called patianac.
 Burial Customs
The deceased was buried besides his house. And if he were chief, was
placed beneath a little house or porch which they constructed for this
purpose.

The Aetas or Negritos inhabitants of this island, had also a form of

burial, but different. They dug a deep, perpendicular hole, and place
and deceased within it. Leaving him upright with head or crown
unburied, on top of which they put half ac coconut which was to
serve him as a shield. That they went in pursuit of some Indian,
whom they killed in retribution for the Negrito who had died. To this
end they conspired together hanging a contain token on their hecks
some one of them produced the death of the innocent one.
 Death
These infidels said that they knew that there was another life of rest
with they called maca, just as if we should say paradise or in other
words villages of rest.

All the various kinds of internal minister were, therefore as has been
stated. Catalonan sonat (who was a sort of bishop who ordained
priestesses and receive their reverence for they knelt before him as
before one who could pardon sins, and expected salvation through
him).
 Conclusion
Juan de Plasencia’s written work was a product of his own
experiences during their exploration in the Philippine archipelago,
therefore it may present partiality of his own observations,
judgement and conclusions.

Nevertheless, this allowed the Filipinos to understand the ground

narrative of Philippine history, and has been a foundation for
historical interpretations of the Tagalog society.

The arrival of the Spanish regime did not completely upend

pre-colonial civilization.
 References
Customs of the Tagalogs. (n.d.). Scribd.
https://www.scribd.com/document/398772186/Customs-of-the-Tagalogs

Nathalie Naguit. (2019, August 1). Customs Of The Tagalogs [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJW5ID1YhMQ

PROF. LEI. (2022, August 26). CUSTOMS OF THE TAGALOGS/ PRECOLONIAL

FILIPINO SOCIETY [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwIqwtasyGY

Prof Next Door. (2020, September 4). Juan De Plasencia’s Customs of the Tagalogs:
Discussion and Analysis [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUcMRtC8ubQ