Notre Dame of Midsayap College

Quezon Avenue, 9410

Midsayap Cotabato,
Philippines

READINGS IN PHILIPPINE

TITLE: A Brief Summary of the First Voyage Around the World by Magellan by
Antonio Pigafetta Analysis of Pigafetta’s Chronicle

History of the past influences the current situation and our future generations. A
study of history is necessary for us to analyze and make our conclusions based on the
facts and evidence. Antonio Pigafetta’s First Voyage Around the World by Magellan
became one of the most significant primary materials used to study the Philippines before
colonization. It is indeed an interesting topic, which is why we will dig deeper into the
memoir of Magellan according to Pigafetta. Europeans began to discover new areas to
colonize during the Age of Exploration. Spain began to investigate the eastern region of
Asia. Pigafetta’s memoir includes the events and experiences that had happened and was
recorded in his exploration around the world with Magellan by order of King Charles 1 of
Spain. As he documented his firsthand observations and general impressions of the
Filipino people and their experiences in the Visayas, he focused on his chronicles. He
remained true to his vision and recorded what happened in his journey until the death of
Magellan. However, it is worthy to note that it has only spoken about their side of the
narrative while the viewpoint of events from the Filipino perspective is not stated. The
history of Antonio Pigafetta’s First Voyage Around the World by Magellan is significant
in learning about our current situation that has been influenced by the colonizers and how
it would make sense for future generations.
Chronicles are based on the past but are written for the future. We can better grasp
the world in which we live by learning the history of the past because it enables us to
appreciate today's current events much more (Joel, 2022). Without these accounts, the life
we have in the present may be a different reality. Filipino culture, tradition, and beliefs
are different before the arrival of Magellan. The voyage around the world or the
exploration of Magellan led them to the island called La Filipina back then, but later on,
it is now called the Philippines in honor of King Philip II of Spain. They influenced
Filipino people in both positive and negative ways. They teach trades, manners, customs,
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Quezon Avenue, 9410
Midsayap Cotabato,
Philippines
language, and even the habits of Spanish to Filipino people. The influence of Spanish on
the Filipinos talks about supremacy and incursion of Spanish into our
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language systems. At present, globalization or having a global mindset is one of the

things we aim to achieve. Spanish willingly offers their knowledge, skills, and talents to
improve the community. Otherwise, the Spanish colonization of the Philippines resulted
in the formation of a completely corrupt society. To varying degrees, the legal system,
political system, police, customs service, and civil service are all corrupt. Though, the
history and the study of the past made us who we are today and what status we are in. It
is our duty to understand, analyze and balance the idea of both sides to make a better
conclusion that can benefit future generations.
The long journey of discovery brought by Magellan became our window to the
world during the pre-colonial era. It has brought us a glimpse of significant events that
became part of our known history. Yet his account may be filled with traces of prejudice
as it only presents one side of the story - theirs. The greatness and glory of Magellan and
his men can be perceived in Pigafetta's Chronicle. But then some of his narratives
stimulate the mind to think if they are not mere exaggerations of the events. In
accordance with this, it encourages us to question the truthfulness behind the description
of the Filipinos and the Battle of Mactan. According to Mansueto (2013), Pigafetta’s
testimony provided a thorough account of the Battle of Mactan, the first victorious
Filipino uprising against foreign invaders, even if it was written for European readers and
contained some bias and lies given without reservation. Furthermore, Bernice (2013) said
that the authority of the travel writer's observant eye is one thing, but the need for
humility while facing the uncharted is another. When Pigafetta first meets a new group of
people, he uses a constant stream of detailed information to establish his authority. He
provides us with page after page of words from Patagonia, Cebu, and Tidore in an effort
to recreate their world for us, including their appearance, lifestyle, diet, and language.
However, there is little humility, which is to be expected.
Henceforth, the accuracy of his account is not a hundredth percent since it
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Midsayap Cotabato,
Philippines
contains personal biases. It is crucial to remember that knowing the two sides of the story
leads to understanding the bigger picture. Without the Filipino’s side, the story of their
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voyage does not appear as precise as it happened in the past. But the survival of
Pigafetta’s written manuscript contributed to our knowledge with regard to the pre-
colonial Philippines as we know it today. It

has since influenced the way of our life for many generations now, which is evident in
the introduction of the Christian religion to our country. The chronicle of Pigafetta is just
a glimpse of the entire scene that happened in the past. There are still some stories that
remain untold and hidden in time, waiting to be unraveled.
 Notre Dame of Midsayap College
Quezon Avenue, 9410
Midsayap Cotabato,
Philippines

READINGS IN PHILIPPINE

REFERENCES:
Bernice. (2013, November 20). Antonio Pigafetta’s First Voyage Around the World: A
Travelogue. Essay Daily. http://www.essaydaily.org/2013/11/antonio-pigafettas-
first-voyage-around.html
Joel, T. (2022). Four reasons why you should study history. Deakin University.
https://this.deakin.edu.au/study/four-reasons-why-you-should-study-history?
fbclid=IwAR2p5gmqwxbvetvhsYV8ROx8Td3UcpdoFdSarjT0_2FE4sOOn7t9Xe
XCERQ
Mansueto, T. D. (2013, April 26). Reexamining Pigafetta’s Battle of Mactan.
INQUIRER.NET. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/398045/reexamining-pigafettas-
battle-of-mactan

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