Customs of the Tagalog

by Juan de Plasencia
Background of the Author: Juan
De Plasencia
Other names: Fray Juan de
Plasencia, Juan Portocarrero in
Plasencia, Joan de Puerto Carrero
Death: died in Liliw, Laguna in
1590.
Early Years
Juan de Plasencia was born in the
early 16th century as Juan
Portocarrero in Plasencia, in the
region of Extremadura, Spain. His
real name is Joan de Puerto
Carrero. He was one of the seven
children
of Pedro Portocarrero, a captain of
a Spanish schooner. Juan de
Plasencia grew up during the
period
known as the Siglo de Oro, a
Golden Age when arts and
literature prospered in many parts
of Spain,
among them his native
Extremadura.
Life in the Philippines
He is believed to have arrived to
the Philippines in 1578, after a
stopover in Mexico. As soon as
he arrived, he joined forces with
another missionary, Fray Diego de
Oropesa, and they both started
preaching around Laguna de Bay
and Tayabas, Quezon. As a friar,
Juan de Plasencia lived up to his
pledge. He was trying to convert
people to Christianity. He was also
known to be a defender of the
native population, looking after the
poor, ill, or neglected, and standing
up for their rights on numerous
occasions.
Summary of the History
Background of Customs of the
Tagalogs
Customs of the Tagalog was
written by Spanish friar Franciscan
friar during the early 16th
century. In the first place, the
author was not a native Tagalog
but a Franciscan Missionary who
first
arrived in the Philippines in 1577.
He was tasked by the King of
Spain to document the customs
and
traditions of the colonized
(natives), based on his own
observation and judgment.
The first issue was about the
authorship or the identity of the
author; second, the discourse of
power in colonial writing; and last,
the logic of dichotomy, these
issues are probably the problems
of
colonial writing in the Philippines.
Given the huge amount of biases
and to great extent, inaccurate
judgment and pretensions of the
author of the Customs of the
Tagalog, the text was clearly not
for local
consumption but for Western
readers.
The Customs of the Tagalog was
intentionally made to provide an
eroticize description of the
Tagalog natives, clearly fed by
politics and propaganda. Juan de
Plasencia wrote the Customs of the
Tagalog to see the continuous
progress of the Native culture in
the Philippines. He used his work
to
inform the Filipinos about the
differences and the similarities of
our culture by then and now. Also,
Juan
de Plasencia's work made the
Filipinos realized how amazing the
Tagalog culture before.
Customs of the Tagalog
by Juan de Plasencia
Background of the Author: Juan
De Plasencia
Other names: Fray Juan de
Plasencia, Juan Portocarrero in
Plasencia, Joan de Puerto Carrero
Death: died in Liliw, Laguna in
1590.
Early Years
Juan de Plasencia was born in the
early 16th century as Juan
Portocarrero in Plasencia, in the
region of Extremadura, Spain. His
real name is Joan de Puerto
Carrero. He was one of the seven
children
of Pedro Portocarrero, a captain of
a Spanish schooner. Juan de
Plasencia grew up during the
period
known as the Siglo de Oro, a
Golden Age when arts and
literature prospered in many parts
of Spain,
among them his native
Extremadura.
Life in the Philippines
He is believed to have arrived to
the Philippines in 1578, after a
stopover in Mexico. As soon as
he arrived, he joined forces with
another missionary, Fray Diego de
Oropesa, and they both started
preaching around Laguna de Bay
and Tayabas, Quezon. As a friar,
Juan de Plasencia lived up to his
pledge. He was trying to convert
people to Christianity. He was also
known to be a defender of the
native population, looking after the
poor, ill, or neglected, and standing
up for their rights on numerous
occasions.
Summary of the History
Background of Customs of the
Tagalogs
Customs of the Tagalog was
written by Spanish friar Franciscan
friar during the early 16th
century. In the first place, the
author was not a native Tagalog
but a Franciscan Missionary who
first
arrived in the Philippines in 1577.
He was tasked by the King of
Spain to document the customs
and
traditions of the colonized
(natives), based on his own
observation and judgment.
The first issue was about the
authorship or the identity of the
author; second, the discourse of
power in colonial writing; and last,
the logic of dichotomy, these
issues are probably the problems
of
colonial writing in the Philippines.
Given the huge amount of biases
and to great extent, inaccurate
judgment and pretensions of the
author of the Customs of the
Tagalog, the text was clearly not
for local
consumption but for Western
readers.
The Customs of the Tagalog was
intentionally made to provide an
eroticize description of the
Tagalog natives, clearly fed by
politics and propaganda. Juan de
Plasencia wrote the Customs of the
Tagalog to see the continuous
progress of the Native culture in
the Philippines. He used his work
to
inform the Filipinos about the
differences and the similarities of
our culture by then and now. Also,
Juan
de Plasencia's work made the
Filipinos realized how amazing the
Tagalog culture before.
Customs of the Tagalog

by Juan de Plasencia

Background of the Author: Juan De Plasencia

Other names: Fray Juan de Plasencia, Juan Portocarrero in Plasencia, Joan de Puerto Carrero

Death: died in Liliw, Laguna in 1590.

Early Years

Juan de Plasencia was born in the early 16th century as Juan Portocarrero in Plasencia, in the
region of Extremadura, Spain. His real name is Joan de Puerto Carrero. He was one of the seven children

of Pedro Portocarrero, a captain of a Spanish schooner. Juan de Plasencia grew up during the period

known as the Siglo de Oro, a Golden Age when arts and literature prospered in many parts of Spain,

among them his native Extremadura.

Life in the Philippines

He is believed to have arrived to the Philippines in 1578, after a stopover in Mexico. As soon as

he arrived, he joined forces with another missionary, Fray Diego de Oropesa, and they both started

preaching around Laguna de Bay and Tayabas, Quezon. As a friar, Juan de Plasencia lived up to his

pledge. He was trying to convert people to Christianity. He was also known to be a defender of the

native population, looking after the poor, ill, or neglected, and standing up for their rights on numerous

occasions.

Summary of the History Background of Customs of the Tagalogs

Customs of the Tagalog was written by Spanish friar Franciscan friar during the early 16th

century. In the first place, the author was not a native Tagalog but a Franciscan Missionary who first

arrived in the Philippines in 1577. He was tasked by the King of Spain to document the customs and

traditions of the colonized (natives), based on his own observation and judgment.

The first issue was about the authorship or the identity of the author; second, the discourse of

power in colonial writing; and last, the logic of dichotomy, these issues are probably the problems of

colonial writing in the Philippines. Given the huge amount of biases and to great extent, inaccurate

judgment and pretensions of the author of the Customs of the Tagalog, the text was clearly not for local

consumption but for Western readers.

The Customs of the Tagalog was intentionally made to provide an eroticize description of the

Tagalog natives, clearly fed by politics and propaganda. Juan de Plasencia wrote the Customs of the

Tagalog to see the continuous progress of the Native culture in the Philippines. He used his work to

inform the Filipinos about the differences and the similarities of our culture by then and now. Also, Juan

de Plasencia's work made the Filipinos realized how amazing the Tagalog culture before.

Content and Analysis

 Datos - governed as many as a hundred houses, sometimes even less than thirty hems and were

captains in their wars, and whom they obeyed and reverenced.

 Barangay – tribal gathering in Tagalog was inferred that the reason for giving themselves this name

arose from the boat as they’ve reached this land.

o It is ascertained that this barangay in its origin was a family of parents and children, relations
and slaves.

o The chiefs, in their various wars, helped one another with their respective barangays.
Three Castes: Nobles, Commoners, Slaves

Nobles or Maharlicas

 Free-born

 Do not pay tax or tribute to the dato, but must accompany him in war at their own expense.
The chief offered them beforehand a feast, and afterward they divided the spoils. They would also

help or serve the Dato to row for him on a boat, help him build a house in exchange for food and

set or clear lands for tillage.

Commoners or Aliping Namamahay

 They are married, and serve their master, whether he is a dato or not, with half of their

cultivated lands, as was agreed upon in the beginning. They accompanied him whenever he

went beyond the island, and rowed for him. They live in their own houses, and are lords of their

property and gold which their children can inherit. Their children will enjoy the rank of their

father which they can’t be slaves nor can either parents or children be sold. If they should fall by

inheritance into the hands of a son of their master who was going to dwell in another village,

they could not be taken from their own village and carried with him; but they would remain in

their native village, doing service there and cultivating the sowed lands.

Slaves or Aliping Saguiguilir

 They serve their master in his house and on his cultivated lands and may be sold even their

child.They can be either farmers or slaves. Slaves were fed by their master while farmers were

given them part of their harvest based on their hard work for them to eat. Slaves are often

captured from the war

The difference between Commoners and Slaves should be noted, because it is illegal based on
their rules to sell the commoners and their children. The alkalde mayors didn’t know this that is why
they captured the commoners’ children and sell it to become slaves.

Division of the Land

 The people on the barangay would divide the land and each would respect their ownership. No

outsider on the barangay could use the land unless it was sold or inherited. The land on the tingues is
open to all and could be used by any of the members on the barangay; the one who planted there could
harvest it without being punished. Even though Maharlicas do not pay tax, they should give 100 gantas
of rice.

 Marriages with Castes

 Maharlica (man) + Maharlica (woman) = Maharlica
 Maharlica (man) + Slave = Free Child
- If a Maharlica had a child on his slave, the children and their mother will be free.
  Maharlica + Other slave-woman = half free half slave
- The maharlica was compelled to give the master half of a gold tael because of the risk of
death and inability to do work while pregnant. If the father wouldn’t recognize the child as
his own, he will be a wholly slave.
 Maharlica (woman) + Slave = free child
- If a woman had a child with her slave, they would be all free provided that he were not her

husband.

 Maharlica + Aliping Namamahay/Aliping Saguiguilir = division of children

- First, third, and fifth belonged to the Father, second, fourth, and sixth belonged to the
Mother regardless of the gender.
- If the Father was free, all of his child who belonged to him was free, if he was a slave, all of
those who belonged to him were slaves, same applied to the Mother.
- If their children resulted an odd number, the odd one was half free and half slave

Rules and Regulations

1. Maharlicas could not move from one village to another or from one barangay to another
without a certain fine in gold. Failure to pay may result a war between the two barangays.

2. If a man had a wife on the other barangay, their children will be divided into the 2 barangays,
this way the Datos will have enough companions.

3. If the Dato is energetic and commands what the religious fathers enjoin him, they soon leave
him and go to other villages and other datos, who endure and protect them and do not order them
about.

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

5. If the controversy lay between two chiefs, when they wished to avoid war, they also convoked

judges to act as arbiters; they did the same if the disputants belonged to two different barangays.

6. A man of low birth should be condemned to death if he insulted the Dato, his daughter and
wife.

7. They condemned no one to slavery unless he merited the death penalty.

8. All other offenses were punished by fines in gold.

Debts and Loans

 There are ways to pay debts this was done in the following way: Half the cultivated lands and
all their produce belonged to the master.

 If the father should by chance pay his debt, the master then claimed that he had fed and
clothed his children, and should be paid therefor.

 If the culprit had some relative or friend who paid for him, he was obliged to render the latter
half his service until he was paid—not, however, service within the house as aliping sa guiguilir, but living
independently, as aliping namamahay.

 The aliping saguigulir could pay more than 5 taels for his freedom, if he successfully paid 10

taels he is considered free.

 Dowries and Inheritance

 Dowries are given by men to the women's parents before marriage. If the parents were both
alive, they will enjoy it. But if the woman has no parent or relatives, thewhole dowry will be given to her.
Other than that, the man should give a greater dowry if he will marry a daughter of a maharlica or dato.

 There would only be chaos about the dowry if someone has violated the agreement between
the two families and shall pay a certain sum which varies according to the practice of the village.

 If a man had a child from his two or more legitimate wives, each child received an inheritance
from the dowry that was given to their mother.

 If the husband also had a child to one of his slaves, it won't receive anything from the
inheritance because the legitimate children were bound to free the slave mother and give him tael or
slave (if the man is a mahalica or datu). But if it is not, it depends on the agreement of both sides. And if
besides his legitimate children, he also had a child from a free unmarried woman who receives dowry
but not considered as real wife.

 Children from legitimate wives will inherit bigger and the third part is for the illegitimate
children. But if there is no child from legitimate wives, and he had on free unmarried woman, it will
inherit the remaining.

 When the man only had a child on the slave woman it will receive the third part; if there is no
any child, the dowry will be given to the relatives of the man.

 Adopted children will inherit double of what was paid for their adoption, but if the child died
first; his children won’t inherit from the second father. The arrangement stops there.

Divorce

 In the case of divorce before the birth of child, if the wife left the husband for the purpose of
marrying someone, she must return the dowry with an additional amount. But if she did not marry
another, she will just return the dowry. If the husband left the wife, he should give half of the dowry to
her wife. If they already had a child that time, the whole dowry must give to the relatives that are
responsible for their children.

Worship of the Tagalogs

 Before the introduction of Christianity, the Filipinos were mostly pagans. They worshipped
spirits which they believed dwell in objects like trees, mountains, rivers, etc. They worshipped nature,
the sun the moon, and the stars. They also believed in a supreme God or deity. Because of their belief in
a deity and in animate or living things their religion was called animo-delsm.

Simbahan – temple or place of adoration.

Pandot – ‘worship’ which they celebrated in the large house of the Dato.

 During this time the whole barangay, or family, united and joined in the worship which they call
nagaanitos.

 Among their many idols there was one called Bathala, whom they especially worshiped. The
title seems to signify “all powerful” or “maker of all things.”

Idols

 The Pleiades – Seven little goats

 Balatic – Greater Bear

 Lic-ha - which were images with different shapes.

 Dian Masalanta - who was the patron of lovers and of generation.

  Lacapati and Idianale - were the patrons of the cultivated lands and of husbandry

Beliefs

 Tigmamanugui – a bird 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 had two different forms: in the one case it was considered as an evil omen; in the other,
as a good omen, and then they continued their journey.

 They also practiced divination, to see whether weapons, such as a dagger or knife, were to be
useful and lucky for their possessor whenever occasion should offer.