Customs of The Tagalogs

CUSTOMS OF THE TAG
ALOGS
GROUP 2
JUAN DE PLASE
NCIA
Author:
JUAN DE PLASENCIA
Fray Juan was born to the illustrious family

of the Portocarreros in Plasencia in the regi
on of Extremadura, Spain in the early 16th c
entury.
His father, Don Pedro Portocarrero, was a ca
ptain of a Spanish schooner, who died in N
aples, Italy in 1574Juan de Plasencia died in
Liliw, Laguna in 1590
He is believed to have arrived to the Philippines in 15
78, 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, in Quezon Provi
nce, where he founded several towns.
During the following years they are also credited with
the foundation of a large number of towns in the pro
vinces of Bulacan, Laguna and Rizal, such as Tayabas,
Caliraya, Lucban, Mahjayjay, Nagcarlan, Lilio(Liliw), Pil
a, Santa Cruz, Lumban, Pangil, Siniloan, Morong, Anti
polo, Taytay, and Meycauayan.
As a friar, Juan de Plasencia lived up to his ple
dge, leading a lifestyle devoid of any luxury an
d in constant contact with the people he was t
rying to convert to Christianity.
He was also known to be a defender of the na
tive population, looking after the poor, ill, or n
eglected, and standing up for their rights on n
umerous occasions.
He was also very keen on creating primary s
chools, and requested official sanction for t
he creation of educational centers where "F
ilipinos could not only learn Christian doctri
ne, but also reading and writing, and some
arts and crafts, so they would become after,
not only good Christians but also useful citiz
ens", an initiative that was approved by Do
mingo de Salazar, the first Bishop of the See
of Manila (1512–1594
CUSTOMS OF TH
E TAGALOGS
It was written on the year 15
89 during the Spanish Colonia
l Period. After receiving the L
ordship’s letter, Plasencia wis
hed to reply immediately; but
he postponed his answer in o
rder that he might first thoro
ughly inform himself in regar
d to people’s request, and to
avoid discussing the conflictin
g reports of the Indians.
Therefore, he collected Indians from different district
s old men, and those of most capacity; and from the
m he have obtained the simple truth, after weeding o
ut much foolishness, in regard to their government, a
dministration of justice, inheritance, slaves, and dowr
ies.
Customs of the Tagalogs is a part (either chapters or s
ubsections) of longer monographs written by the chr
oniclers of the Spanish expeditions to the Philippines
during the early 16th and 17th centuries. They appea
red initially in Blair and Robertson’s 55 volumes, The
Philippine Islands (1903) and in the Philippine Journal
of Sciences (1958).
CONTENT ANALYSIS
• DATOS
the chief who governed the people and were ca
ptains in their wars whom they obey and revere
nce
• BARANGAY
a family of parents and children, relations and sl
aves.
THE THREE CASTES
• NOBLES
• COMMONERS
• SLAVES
Worship of the Tagalogs
• No temples
• Simbahan
Temple or Place of Adoration.
• Pandot
or a festival celebrated
• Sibi
• Sorihile
• Nagaanitos
IDOLS
• CUSTOMS OF THE TAGALOGS BY JUAN DE PLASENCIA
• Reader view
• IDOLS
• Bathala
• Lic-Ha
• Dian Masalanta (Patron of Lovers and of Generation)
• Lacapati and Idianale (Patrons of Cultivated Lands and of Husbandry)
• Tala
• Seven Little Goats (the Pleiades)
• Mapolon (change of seasons)
• Balatic (greater Bear)
• Buaya
• Tigmamanuguin
• bird
• No established division of years, months, and days
• Catolonan (officiating priest)
• Offerings and sacrifices
• Belief on bearingchild
• Distinctions among
• the priests of the Devil
SPECIAL CASES FOR THE THREE
CASTES
• SITUATION 1
Those who are maharlicas on both the father’s an
d mother’s side continue to be forever, and if it h
appens that they should become slaves, it is thro
ugh marriage.
• SITUATION 2
If maharlicas had children among their slaves, the
ir children and their mothers became free
• SITUATION 3
If maharlicas had children by the slave-woman of
another, the slave-woman was compelled when p
regnant, to give her master half of a gold tael. In t
his case, half of the child was free if the father (m
aharlica) recognized him. If not, the child will bec
ome a whole slave.
• SITUATION 4
If a free woman had children by a slave they were
all free, provided he were not her husband.
SITUATION 5
• If two persons married, of whom one was a m
aharlica and the other a slave (namamahay or
sa guiguilir ) the children were divided.
Odd birth order (1st,3rd,5th)
– belong to the father. Even birth order (2nd, 4t
h, 6th)
– belong to the mother. Only child
–half free, half slave.
Special Case
When one married woman of another village, the children
were afterwards divided equally between the two baranga
ys. 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; li
kewise witches, and others of the same class.
Dowries are given by men to the women’s parents before
marriage.
If the parents are both alive, they both enjoy the use of it.
Divorce and Dowries Death of Wife or Husband Dowry and
Arranged Marriage
HOUSES
Made of wood,bamboo and nipa
palm

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CUSTOMS OF THE TAG

Fray Juan was born to the illustrious family

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