[0:02]The customs of the Tagalog written by Friar Juan de Plasencia is one of the most important primary sources of the Philippine history. It tackles about the everyday living of the ancient Filipino, their system of government, their social statuses and their customs, traditions and beliefs. Fr. Plasencia was a Spanish missionary from the Franciscan order of friars who came in the Philippines around 1578 for the purpose for preaching the good news of Christianity and convert Pagan natives from the Catholicism. Unlike other abusive friars, he lived a life free of luxury and always stood with his people, being their defender and voice in times of oppression. He studied their language and understood their customs and beliefs. The production of the Doctrina Christiana as the first book to be printed in the Philippine islands is attributed to him, along with other books that tackled the pre-colonial era of the Philippines. It was by the order of the King of Spain that Fray de Plasencia documented the practices and traditions of these natives. The provided text of this historical document was divided into two parts. The first chapter tackled the earliest recorded legal systems of the country, detailing the social relationships of the Tagalogs and their form of government. The second section revolved the pre-colonial religion and beliefs of the people, primarily their form of worship. Before the Spaniards came to the Philippines, there were settlements composed of villages called BARANGAY. The name barangay originated from balangay, a Malay word meaning "sailboat". Each barangay was ruled by a Datu. He was the Chief executive, law giver, Chief Judge and Military head. He was assisted by the Council of elders called "The Maginoos", which served as his advisers. The form of government in each barangay was monarchial in nature with the Datu as the monarch. The Social Classes: Chieftain (Datu): chief, captain of wars, whom governed, obeyed and reverenced. Nobles (Maharlika): Free-born, they do not pay taxes. Commoners (Aliping Namamahay): They live in their own houses and lords of their property and gold. Slaves (Aliping Saguiguilir): They serve their master in his house and his cultivated lands and can be sold. Houses: Made of wood, bamboo, and nipa palm. Mode of Dressing Male: Headgear is called Putong (symbolizes the number of persons the wearer had killed). (Upper) a jacket with short sleeves called kanggan. (Lower) bahag. Female: (Upper) Baro or Camisa, (Lower) Saya. Ornaments or Palamuti: A decorative object or detail that adds quality or distinction to a person, place or thing. Inheritance: The 1st son of the barangay chieftain inherits his father's position; if the 1st son dies, the 2nd son succeeds their father; in the absence of male heirs, it is the eldest daughter that becomes the chieftain.
[4:47]A person becomes slaves: 1. by captivity of War, 2. by reason of debt, 3. by inheritance, 4. by purchase and, 5. by committing a crime.
[5:04]A slaves can be emancipated through: 1. forgiveness, 2. paying debt, 3. condonation, 4. bravery or marriage (where a slave can possibly become a Datu).
[5:27]if the man wins the trust of the parents, he does not immediately marry the woman, but he has to satisfy several conditions: - give a dowry or bigay-kaya - pay the panghihimuyat - pay the wet nurse bigay-suso - pay the parents himaraw - bribe for the relatives called sambon (among the Zambals).
[5:51]Several grounds of divorce are: 1. Adultery, 2. Insanity, 3. Cruelty, 4. Abandonment on the part of the husband.
[6:09]Among his various documentation is a list of “distinctions made among the priests of the devil”. Some of the 12 “devils” listed are very similar to the creatures of Philippine mythology we know today. 1. CATOLONAN: The first, called CATOLONAN, was either a man or a woman. We know today that the Catalonan were the Tagalog equivalent of the Visayan Babaylan and functioned as a healer, shaman, seer and a community leader. 2. MANGAGAUAY: The second they called 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. In Jocano's Outline of Philippine Mythology he wrote: “The most wicked among them was Mangagauay. She was the one responsible for the occurrence of disease.” 3. MANYISALAT: The third they called MANYISALAT, which is the same as mangagauay. 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. If the woman, constrained by these means, were abandoned, it would bring sickness upon her; and on account of the desertion she would discharge blood and matter. 4. MANCOCOLAM: The fourth was called MANCOCOLAM, whose duty it was to emit fire from himself at night, once or oftener each month. This fire could not be extinguished; nor could it be thus emitted except as the priest wallowed in the ordure and filth which falls from the houses; and he who lived in the house where the priest was wallowing in order to emit this fire from himself, fell ill and died. 5. HOCLOBAN: The fifth was called HOCLOBAN, which is another kind of witch, of greater efficacy than the mangagauay. Without the use of medicine, and by simply saluting or raising the hand, they killed whom they chose. But if they desired to heal those whom they had made ill by their charms, they did so by using other charms. 6. SILAGAN: The sixth was called SILAGAN, if they saw anyone clothed in white, to tear out his liver and eat it, thus causing his death. Today, Silagan are considered “witches” in Catanduanes who preys on anyone who is dressed in white. They tear the liver and eat it afterwards. 7. MAGTATANGAL: The seventh was called MAGTATANGAL, and his purpose was to 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. 8. OSUANG: The eighth they called 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. 9. MANGAGAYOMA: The ninth was another class of witches called MANGAGAYOMA. They made charms for lovers out of herbs, stones, and wood, which would infuse the heart with love. Thus did they deceive the people, although sometimes, through the intervention of the devil, they gained their ends. Today the Gayuma is known as a Filipino love spell to help the love lives of those with lonely or broken hearts. 10. SONAT: The tenth was known as SONAT, which is equivalent to "preacher." It was his office to help one to die, at which time he predicted the salvation or condemnation of the soul. It was not lawful for the functions of this office to be fulfilled by others than people of high standing, on account of the esteem in which it was held. 11. PANGATAHOJAN: The eleventh, PANGATAHOJAN, was a soothsayer, and predicted the future. 12. BAYOGUIN: The twelfth, BAYOGUIN, signified a "cotquean," a man whose nature inclined toward that of a woman.
[9:32]Due to Plasencia's Catholic mindset and the Spanish mission to cleanse the lands of "heathens", early Filipino's were trained, forced, or convinced to associate some of these beings. The Spanish were successful in eliminating the belief in deities and de-powering the spiritual leaders.
