Pigafetta and Morga
Pigafetta Morga
People When he reached Palawan,
he described the island as a
land of promise as “we
suffered great hunger
before we found it”. He also
described the natives as
battle-ready and were fond
of cockfighting which is the
earliest documentation of
the game in Philippine
history.
Customs and Culture When the captain-general
wished to stop at a large
island to get some fresh
food, the inhabitants of the
island entered their ship
and stole whatever they
could lay their hands on.
This was custom, as for the
islanders, the property was
communal and visitors
were expected to share
what they had. The Spice
Islands had a large number
of aromatic leaves that
The people of the island
prefer to eat salt fish which
begin to decompose and
smell. This is because the
Spaniards, like any other
nation in the matter of
food, loathe that to which
they are not accustomed of
is unknown to them. They
did not cultivate crops or
herd domestic animals;
they used sophisticated
landscape management
practices.
From the tule reeds found
near water’s edge, they
made their houses and bots
and they wove baskets from
the native sedge grasses.
People bring eggs to the
Poor Clares for good
weather, La Clara or white
egg is brought to the nuns
for clraridad. However,
weakened by the clash of
cultures and waves of
epidemic, the population
dwindled by 1830 to 2,500
 grew in the archipelago.
Since spices were once
worth their weight in gold,
the island was extremely
wealthy.
Belief and Religion Island had made already
great inroads by the arrival
in 1512 of the first
European who came to
stay, the Catholic
Portuguese. From the mid-
18th century, the Christians
dominated the Moluccan
history. Pre-Islamic custom
also affected the 5 Pillars of
Islam; Syahadat – man’s
fate is not seen as utterly in
God’s hands but the
ancestors retained their
power within the social
sphere bringing both
blessings to the living and
meting out punishment for
transgressions of adat.
Salat – the way the ritual is
executed may support the
supposition that the animal
offer has become, a dances
replacement for earlier
human sacrifice. Puasa –
this holiday can be
celebrated on the 4th day of
the following month; the
entire fasting period may
occur after Ramadan is
people. The Mexican
independence from Spain
(1882) only hastened the
collapse of the mission
system.
There was no priest or a
man of religion to attend to
religious matters except old
men. People believed in
omens and superstitions
which the devil inspired
them to do, so that they
could tell whether the sick
person would live or die.
Reptiles were involved to
the oaths and execrations
hurdled to their hated
people. Morga complained
of the religious of the
islands who, with their
restless dissension, among
themselves and their
readiness to interfere with
everything, were a source of
lamentation and trial. The
island’s religion revolved
around elaborate ritual
with dancers
wearing colorful regalia
and tribal members
communing in the tribal
sweat lodge. t
 over. Sundown is an
ominous time to break the
fast as it is the time when
evil spirits enter the village.
Zakat – in a tightly knit-
community where family
relations and obligations
are of outmost importance,
traditional adat was
already required that those
less fortunate were taken
care off by their family and
fellow villagers. Haj – the
participants give sermons
in the mosque and take on
honorific haji (title
reserved for someone who
has made actual pilgrimage
to Mecca.
Society and The Christian Moluccans In relationships, the groom
Government were given an opportunity contributes a dowry that he
to receive a western had received from his
education and served as parents, while the bride
administrators and soldiers does not bring anything
colluding with the Dutch. until she inherits some
In addition, the Christian from her parents.
Ambonese continued to Furthermore, namamahay
play an important role in are those who help build
education, professional their master’s house and
fields, and the provincial serve frequently as helpers
governmental structure. when there are guests and
Society itself also contained serve their master as well.
suppliers of fertility and He also mentioned that in
strength – descent groups every island, many
with whom marital principals were known
 relationships were among the people. Some
established. Nowadays, this being more important and
is still referred to through having followers which
ritual exchange of families and barrios obeyed
valuables. Society on all the and respected. These
islands revolved around known families form
fertility and status, with friendship and relationship
clear roles for men and with each other and in
women, and this was some cases, due to
reflected in the traditional differences, war. Over the
art. course of generations, the
society shifted from a
traditional focus on
hunting and gathering to
agriculture to having
blended mission identities.
Franciscan conversion
practices began largely
through attraction rather
than conquest.
Remarkable Practices The inhabitants of The Valley of Oaks, 200 to
Moluccas have produced 500 people, enjoying a diet
works of art of impressive of fish, shellfish, water
beauty and profound bowl, venison, acorns,
meaning. The statues of rabbit, and wild berries.
Leti and Tanimbar, as well The tribal sweat lodge and
as the fabrics of Kisar and colorful regalia’s purpose is
Tanimbar, heave been for ensuring good hunts,
highly desired by collectors healing illness, and
for so many years. Clothes expelling impurities. The
referred to as cool and mission system included
symbolize the fertility that harsh punishments for
through bride will flow people who tries to leave.
from the wife-givers to the Conversely, there was
wife-takers. On many another motivator for
 Moluccan islands, weapons
used to be an art of the
bride price as well – for aid
and protection. Gifts define
relationships between
individuals and families.
joining the mission; herds
of cattle, horses, sheep,
pigs, and goats imported by
the Spanish.

References:
https://collections.dma.org/essay/O1V4M94Z
https://opinion.inquirer.net/96417/santa-clara-in-ph-history-and-culture
https://www.scu.edu/missionchurch/historical-information/
https://www.jstor.org/stable/27651727?read-now=1&seq=6#page_scan_tab_contents