Early Customs of the Tagalog

(Las custombres de los indios

Tagalogs)
by:Juan de Plasencia
Author's Background

Juan de Plasencia
Fray Joan de Puerto Carrero
• Spanish Friar of the Franciscan Order
• came with the first batch of Franciscan missionaries in the
Philippines in 1577
• Author of Doctrina Cristiana (first book printed in the
Philippines
• died in Liliw, Laguna in 1590
Historical Background of the
Document
 After receiving your lordship’s letter, I wished to reply immediately, but I
postponed my answer in order that I might first thoroughly inform myself in
regard to your request, and to avoid discussing the conflicting reports of
the Indians, who are wont to tell what suits their purpose. therefore, to this
end, I collected Indians from different districts – old men, and those of
most capacity, all known to me; from them I have obtained the simple
truth, after weeding out much foolishness, in regard to their government
administration of justice, inheritances, slaves, dowries.
CONTENT

Datus
• the chief who governed the people and were captains in their
wars whom they obey and reverence
Barangay
• A family of parents and children, relations and slaves.
Three Castes
 Nobles (Maharlika)
• free born
• They do not pay taxes and tributes to the datu.
 Commoners (Aliping Namamahay)
• They live in their own houses and are lords of their
properties and golds.
• They serve their master, whether dato or not
 Slaves (aliping saguiguilir)
• they serve their master in his house and on his cultivated land
• they can be sold.
5 Situations that could change Social
Classes

1. Those who are maharlicas on both the father’s and mother’s

side continue to be so forever, and if it happens that they should
become slaves, it is through marriage.
2. If maharlicas had children among their slaves, the children and
their mothers became free.
3. 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.
4. If a free woman had children by a slave they were all free,
provided he were not husband.
5. If two persons married, of whom one was a maharlica and
other a slave( namamahay o sa guiguilir) the children were
divided.
 Odd birth order (1st, 3rd, 5th,…) will belong to the father class
 Even birth order (2nd, 4th, 6th,..) will belong to the mother class
 Only child – half free, half slave
 Maharlicas could not after marriage move from one village
to another without paying a certain fine in gold( ranging from
one to three taels and a banquet to the entire barangay) as
arranged among them

Special case
 When one married a woman of another village the children
were afterwards divided equally between the two
barangays.
 Investigations made and sentences passed by the datu 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
withes, and others of the same class.
WORSHIP OF THE TAGALOGS
 no temples
 Simbahan
• Place for adoration
 Pandot
• A festival which they celebrated in the Datu’s house
 Sibi
 Sorihele

 nag-aanito
IDOLS
 Bathala
• Believed to be the maker of all things
 Li-cha
• Various shape idols
 Dian Masalanta
• the patron of lovers and of generation.
 Lacapati and Idianale
• he patrons of the cultivated lands and of husbandry.
Distinction among the Priests of the
Devil
1. CATOLONAN was either a man or a woman.
2. MANGAGAUAY or witches, who deceived by pretending to heal the sick. These
priests even induced maladies by their charms, which in proportion to the strength
and efficacy of the witchcraft, are capable of causing death.
3. MANYISALAT, which is the same as magagauay. These priests had the power of
applying such remedies to lovers that they would abandon and despise their own
wives, and in fact could prevent them from having intercourse with the latter.
4. MANCOCOLAM whose duty it was to emit fire from himself at night, once or oftener
each month. If the fire were extinguished immediately, the victim would eventually
die. His name remains today as witch
5. HOCLOBAN is another kind of witch that could change herself into any form she
desired. She could kill someone by simply raising her hand and could heal without
any difficulty as she wished. Her name literally means “crone” or “hag.”
6. MAGTATANGAL show himself at night to many persons, without his head or
entrails. In such wise the devil walked about and carried, or pretended to carry, his
head to different places; and, in the morning, returned it to his body - remaining, as
before, alive.
7. OSUANG, which is equivalent to " sorcerer;" they say that they have seen him fly,
and that he murdered men and ate their flesh. This was among the Visayas Islands;
among the Tagalogs these did not exist.
8. MANGAGAYOMA another class of witches . They made charms for lovers out of
herbs, stones, and wood, which would infuse the heart with love.
9. PANGATAHOJAN, was a soothsayer, and predicted the future.
10. BAYOGUIN, signified a " cotquean," a man whose nature inclined toward that of a
woman.