EARLY FILIPINOS AND

THEIR CULTURE
(The Malayan Heritage)
Cyrelle P. Udtohan
Instructor
Ages before the coming of the Spaniards to the
Orient, our Malay ancestors had brought to our
shores their ancestral culture, housing, society,
government and laws, writing, language, literature,
music, economy, religion, arts and sciences,
superstitious beliefs and customs and traditions.
1. FOODS AND
DRINKS
• RICE – staple food
• Carabao meat, pork, chickens, sea turtles, fish, bananas and other
fruits and vegetables.
• Cooked in earthen pots and bamboo tubes

POPULAR WINE OF OUR ANCESTORS;

TUBA – made from coconut
BASI – an ilocano wine made from sugarcane
PANGASI – a Bisayan wine made from fermented rice
LAMBANOG – a Tagalog wine take from the coconut palm
TAPUY – an Igorot wine distilled from rice
2. MODE OF
DRESSING
 MEN
KANGAN – a collarless, short-sleeved jacket
- reached slightly below the waist
- dyed either in blue or black
- Red for the chief/datu
BAHAG – a strip of cloth wrapped around the waist and in between
the legs.
PUTONG - a piece of cloth wound around the head (instead of
hat).
NO SHOES
They had jewels (gold necklaces, gold armlets, gold anklets filled
with agates, carnelians and other colored glass)
 WOMEN
BARO – wide-sleeved jacket
PATADYONG – their skirt
- A piece of cotton cloth which they wrapped about their waists
and let fall to their feet.

Their jewel consisted of gold necklaces, gold bracelets, large gold

earrings, and gold rings (this jewels were filled with agates,
carnelians, pearls and other precious gems)

They tied their long black hair in a graceful knot at the back of their
heads
3. TATTOOS
• The early Filipinos tattooed their bodies with various designs
representing animals, birds, flowers, and geometric figures.

TWO PURPOSES:
1. To enhance their bodily beauty
2. To show their war record

• PINTADOS - the first tattoed people of the Visayas Islands.

4. HOUSES
• Their houses were made of wood, bamboo, and palm leaves
• Each house had a bamboo ladder that could be drawn up at night or
when the family was out.
• BATALAN – a gallery where jars of water were kept for household
purposes.
• Bagobos and Kalingas usually live in TREE HOUSES for better
protection from enemies.
• Badjaos of the Sulu Sea still live in BOAT-HOUSES as their
forefathers did in ancient times.
 5. NATURAL
COURTESY AND
POLITENESS
 Early Filipinos were courteous and polite
 When two persons of equal rank met on the road, they remove their putong
as a sign of courtesy.
 When a person addressed his superior, he took off his putong, put it over on
his left shoulder like a towel, and bowed low.
 He addresses his superior with the word “po” which is equivalent to “sir”.
 When a man and a woman walked together, the man was always behind the
woman
 Whenever the entire family went out, the mother and daughter walked ahead
while the father and sons followed behind.
 6.
CLEANLINESS
AND
NEATNESS
They bathed daily
Their favorite hour for bathing in the river was at sunset
They washed their hair regularly with gugo and water and anointed it
with coconut oil and other lotions
They washed their mouth and cleaned their teeth upon waking up in
the morning
They filed their teeth to make them even
They chewed buyo which made their teeth colored but strong
 7.
AMUSEMENTS
THEY CELEBRATE;
Good Harvest
Wedding
Religious Sacrifice
Victory in War
These banquets were celebrated with so much eating, drinking,
singing and dancing.
Other forms of amusements:
Carabao races
Wrestling
Fencing
Boat Races
Stone-throwing contests
8. MUSIC
They were lovers of music.
Their MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: Their songs expressed all aspects of
 KUDYAPI – tagalog guitar life – LOVE, WAR, LABOR,
 KALALENG – Tinggian nose-flute RELIGION, and DEATH.
 KULINTANG – Moro xylophone Their SONGS:
 TULTOGAN – Bisayan bamboo drum
 TAGUMPAY– Tagalog song of victory
 SILBAY – Ilocano reed flute
 DALLU – Negrito religious song
 SURACAN – Subanon cymbal
 AYOG-KU – Igorot serenade song
Their FOLK DANCES:  BACTAL – Tagbanua deaths song
 KUMINTANG – Tagalog love dance  DALLOT – Ilocano ballad song which
 MAHINHIN – Tagalog courtship dance recounts the exploits of Lam-ang, mighty hero
of Ilocandia.
 DANDANSOY – Bisayan tuba dance
 KUILAY-KUILAY – Tingian wine song
 KINNOTAN – Ilocano art’s dance
 TUDOB – Agusan harvest song
 PAUJALAY – Moro wedding dance
 TADOK – Tinggian love dance
9. MARRIAGE
CUSTOMS
It was customary for them to marry within their rank, however, there was no
strict prohibition against intermarriages between the nobility and the
commoner and between the rich and poor.
DOWRY or BIGAYKAYA – it was given by the groom to the family of the
bride before marriage (Gold, Land, Slaves, etc.)
Aside from dowry, the groom had to work in the house of the girl for a
certain period of time.
The early Filipinos practiced divorce
GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE:
Adultery on the part of the wife
Desertion on the part of the husband
Loss of affection
Cruelty
Insanity
Childlessness
10.GOVERNMENT
The early Filipinos had their own form of government.
Each settlement was an independent kingdom called BARANGAY
Each barangay consisted of about 100 families
SOME BIG BARANGAYS;
 Sugbu (Cebu)
 Maktan (Mactan)
 Bigan (Vigan)
 Maynila (Manila)
The ruler of the Barangay was called DATU.
He is also known as HARI or RAJA.
 Chief executive, legislator and judge (In time of peace)
 Commander of the Barangay warriors (In time of war)
Datu usually obtained his position by inheritance.
When the Datu died, his son inherited the datuship
If a Datu died childless,the barangay chose a man to be the datu on the basis of his wisdom, physical
strength and wealth.
 SOCIAL CLASSES
IN THE BARANGAY
• The barangay, as a social organization, was divided into three groups of people or classes: the
NOBLES, FREEMEN, and SLAVES.
• Each of these classes had a specific role to perform to ensure the survival and welfare of society.

MAHARLIKA or NOBLES
-Consisted of the members of the datu’s household, the council of elders or the datu’s advisers and
others who by wealth, heredity or deeds were highly respected by society.
-Their principal responsibility was that of keeping order within the barangay by ensuring that laws and
customs, as well as religious beliefs were observed by the people.
FREEMEN or TIMAWA
-Majority of the members of the Barangay.
-They helped the Datu and the maharlika in promoting the welfare of the barangay by engaging in
productive activities like cultivating lands, engaging in various crafts and industries, participating in
trade and other similar activities.

SLAVES or ALIPIN
-Basically debt peons serving individuals and families.
FIVE FACTORS THAT COULD EXPLAIN WHY AN INDIVIDUAL COULD BE AN ALIPIN:
1. Birth
2. Captivity in war
3. Purchase
4. Failure to pay debt
5. Penalty for crimes committed
 TWO TYPES OF ALIPIN
1. ALIPING NAMAMAHAY
- Resided in their own homes and could own property.
- They could marry even without the permission of their masters
- Could not be sold by their masters
2. ALIPIN SAGUIGUILID
- Had no property, stayed in the home of his master
- Had to seek permission of their master when they wanted to get married
- Could be sold anytime by their master
11. LAWS
 The early Filipinos had both ORAL and WRITTEN LAW
 ORAL LAWS were the customs (ugali) of the race which were handed down from
generation to generation.
 LUBLUBAN – their legendary law-giver
- great granddaughter of the first man and the first woman in the world
 WRITTEN LAWS were promulgated by the datus with the help of the elders and were
put into writing.
 UMALAHOKAN (town crier) – the one who announced the to the people the
promulgated laws.
 Earliest examples of these laws were:
 CODE OF MARAGTAS
 CODE OF KALANTIAW
 These written laws according to some historians are not genuine because of its suspicious origin, the
strange writing and modern words in the text, and un-Filipino harshness of its laws.
When the Barangay court found it difficult to determine who he guilty party was, TRIAL BY
ORDEAL was done to prove that God protected the innocent and punish the guilty.
SEVERAL WAYS:
 River Ordeal – suspects are required to plunge into the river. The one who first floats into the
surface of the river is declared the guilty party
 Boiling Water Ordeal – suspects are required to place a stone in a hollow container with boiling
water and ordered to dip their hands into the container to get the stone. The one who refused to
follow the order is pronounced as the culprit.
 Candle Ordeal – suspects are given lighted candles of the same length and thickness. The one
whose candle dies out is declared the perpetrator of the crime.
 Chewing Of Uncooked Rice Ordeal – Suspects are made to chew uncooked rice and are ordered
to spit their saliva. The suspect whose saliva comes out to be the thickest is deemed guilty.
12. RELIGION
 With the exception of the Muslims in Mindanao and Sulu, the ancient Filipinos were
PAGANS.
 Their supreme God was BATHALA (creator of Heaven, Earth and men)
 Below him were other GODS and GODDESSES
 The early Filipinos worship ancestral spirits called ANITOS (tagalog) or DIWATAS
(Bisayan)
 They WORSHIPPED:
 Rivers
 Mountains
 Old trees
 Crocodiles
 Fields
- In belief that such natural objects were the habitats of spirit.
 They also believed in life after death.
 KALUALHATIAN (heaven) – good souls go to
 KASAMAAN (hell) – bad souls go to
13. BURIAL MOURNING
AND
CUSTOMS
Because of their beliefs in the next world, the early Filipinos took care in
burying their dead.
The corpse were embalmed as in ancient Egypt and was buried amidst deep
sorrow near his home, in a cave, or on a headland overlooking the sea.
Clothes, food, weapons and sometimes slaves were buried with the dead
Relatives wore rattan bands around their necks, arms and legs.
They also abstain from eating meat and drinking wine.

 LARAO – mourning custom for a deceased Datu

- No colored clothes were worn
- All wars and quarrels were suspended
 14.
SUPERSTITION
S
They believe in WITCHES such as;
 ASUANG – who assumed the form of dog, bird, or any other animal and devoured human flesh.
 MANGKUKULAM – who cause people to die or to be sick by pricking a toy with his magic pin
 TIANAK – sucked baby’s entrails by means of his elongated proboscis.
 TIGBALANG – who appeared in the form of a dog, horse, or an old man to deceive his victims
They also believe in the magical power of amulets or charms such as;
 ANTING-ANTING – was believed to make its possessor invulnerable to iron weapons.
 GAYUMA – a love potion which can arouse an adamant woman’s affection.
 ODOM – a Bicol magic herb which makes its possessor invisible to the human eye.
 UIGA – a Bisayan charm which enables any man to cross a river without getting wet.
15. LANGUAGES
The early Filipinos had different languages and dialects
MALAYO-POLYNESIAN LANGUAGE – mother tongue of the
Pacific races.

“There is no single or general language of the Filipinos

extending throughout the islands, but all of them, though there
are many different tongues, are so much alike that they may be
learned and spoken in a short time.
- Father Pedro Chirino, 1604
16. WRITING
and
LITERATURE
SIPOL – sharp pointed iron instrument as pen.
Early writings were done on perishable materials such as Bark of Trees, Leaves
and Bamboo Nodes so that scholars are unable to determine the exact date when
the earlier writing could have developed between 200 BC and 1200 AD and was
used initially for recording trading transactions.

BAYBAYIN – our forefathers alphabet

- consisted of 17 letters
- still being used the Mangyans of Mindoro and the Tagbanuas of
Palawan.
Early literature was ORAL and WRITTEN.
It consisted of AWIT, BUGTONG, SALAWIKAIN, MYTHS, LEGENDS and
POETRY which were handed down from generation to generation through oral
tradition.
Very little of the early written literature has been preserved because of the
ancient manuscript during the Spanish conquest.
Among the surviving specimens of the Pre-Spanish written literature are the
TARSILAS.
TARSILAS – Muslim genealogies of Mindanao and Sulu.
17. EDUCATION
The system of education in the Philippines before the arrival of the Spaniards
was generally INFORMAL.
The children studied in their own homes with their parents or with their
parents or with some old men in the barangay as tutors.
Both Boys and Girls were taught reading, writing, arithmetic, and tribal
customs.
BOYS taught : Warriors, Hunters, Fishermen, Farmers, Mariners and
Craftsmen
Girls taught : Cooking, Sewing, Stock Raising and other domestic work to
make them good housewives.
18. ARTS
 ARCHITECTURE
Revealed itself in the BAHAY-KUBO style of home and in the
trim sailing crafts which they built.

BAHAY-KUBO – house of bamboo, wood, nipa and palm-

leaves, not as enduring as the colossal pyramids of Egypt but they
were cool, cozy and suitable shelters for the tropical climate of
the land.
 PAINTING
It was shown in their ancient tattoo art.
They use;
DAGGER or KNIFE – as brush
BLACK SOOT and JUNGLE SAPS – as colors
HUMAN BODY – as canvass

They painted on the human body gorgeous designs representing the sun,
stars, flowers, crocodiles, birds and various geometrical figures.
 SCULPTURE
Barangay sculptors carved statues in wood, clay, gold and
ivory.
These statues called LIKHA (tagalog) or LAGDONG
(Bicol), were made in memory of their anitos or ancestors
The early sculptors also made fine carvings on the handles
of daggers, kisses, bolos and knives
19. SCIENCES
 MEDICINE
Early Filipinos possessed some knowledge of science
They knew the curative value of medicinal plants and herbs
Their medicine men had herbs as ANTIDOTES for all
kinds of poison
 ASTRONOMY
They steered their vessels by the direction of the stars, the moons and
the sun.
The ancient Bisayans began the first month of their calendar at the
appearance of the Pleides in the sky.
IFUGAOS various constellations:
MONBUKOL – Dipper
PAUWIT – Blaster
KAMALIT – Shooting Stars
MONBATANG – Twin Stars
 ENGINEERING
They constructed forts (kuta), irrigation ditches and rice terraces
IFUGAOS RICE TERRACES – greatest engineering achievement
They could add, subtract, divide and multiply.
The native forms for numerals;
ISA (ONE)
PUO (TEN)
DAAN (HUNDRED)
LIBO (THOUSAND)
ANGAO (ONE MILLION)
KATI (TEN MILLION)
GAHALA (ONE HUNDRED MILLION)
20. WEIGHTS
AND
MEASURE
TALARO – a kind of balance with scales which they use for weighing things
Measure of capacity are the following;
 KABAN – 25 ganta
 SALOP – 1 ganta
 KAGUITNA – ½ ganta
 GATANG – 1 chupa
Measure for length are the following;
 DIPA – length between the tip of the thumb and that of the middle finger when extended.
 TUMURO – length between the tip of the thumb and that forefinger when extended.
 SANDAMAK – width of the hand with the five fingers pressed together.
 SANDALI – width of one finger.
21. CALENDARS
Ancient calendars of the Bisayans contained seven days in a week, and
12 months in a year.
Each of the 12 months contained 30 days, except the last month which
had only 26 days or a total of 365 days a year.
Ifugaos still use the calendar of their ancestors with 13 months in a year
having 28 days.
TUMUNOH – their tribal keeper
- 13 strings representing 13 months of the year
22. COINAGE
Several specimens of their ancient coins were found in jars
which had been excavated in Bataan and Manila.
These coins were cone-shaped gold pieces, usually bearing
the imprint of the Malayan letter M on their flat bases.
They are called PILONCITOS by local numismatists or
collectors of coins.
 23. DOMESTIC
AND
FOREIGN TRADE
Barangay traded with Barangay, island with island.
This early domestic trade was carried on by means of BARTER.
According to Captain Miguel de Loarca, the Filipinos of the inland
region exchanged their rice and cotton for fish, salt, and other
products raised by the dwellers of the coastal district.
Sometimes a price was set for the commodities, using gold dust and
bronze gongs as money.
 24.
AGRICULTURE
AND
INDUSTRIES
FARMING – the main industry of ancient Filipinos
TWO METHODS OF CULTIVATION;
KAINGIN METHOD – which the land was cleared by setting fire to the shrubs and
bushes after which holes were bored in the ground with pointed sticks and the seeds
were then planted there.
Regular means of tillage using wooden plows and harrows drawn by carabaos.
Other industries of early Filipinos were Fishing, Mining, Lumbering,
Weaving, Metal Work, Making of tools and weapons, Manufacture of wines,
Raising of poultry and stock, Tanning and Shipbuilding.