History Philippines Before Spanish Colonization History Education Pre-colonization Life Culture

1. FILIPINO CULTURE
DURING PRE-SPANISH
PERIOD
Prepared by: Raymar Luke M. Monteros, Rpm

2. PRE SPANISH PERIOD
Long before the arrival
of the Spaniards,
Ancient Filipinos were
living in scattered
barangays and ruled by
different chieftains.

3. HOUSING
Houses were made of light
materials like wood, bamboo and
nipa palm. A ladder was placed to
prevent strangers from intruding
when the owner is not around.
Strong post at the lower part of
the house was enclosed. A jar of
heart was placed in a gallery
called “batalan”

4. MALE CLOTHING
• Male clothing – the upper
part was a jacket with short
sleeves called “kangan”
while the lower part was a
strip of cloth wrapped
around the waist and in
between the legs called
“bahag” Males used a piece
of cloth or a headgear
called “putong”

5. FEMALE CLOTHING
•Female – they wore
“baro or camisa”, a
jacket sleeves. The
lower part was
called “saya”.

6. SOCIAL CLASSES
nobles
Freeman
Slaves
Composed of rulers and their families,
occupied the highest class. They were
usually addressed as Gat, Lakan, Raja or Datu
The working class
Slaves were classified into two; Aliping
na mamahay and aliping na sagigilid

7. ALIPING NA MAMAHAY
•Were not full pledge
slaves. They had their
own respective families
and their own houses.
They were required to
serve their masters only
during planting and
harvesting period.

8. ALIPING SAGILIDGILID
•Were the real slaves,
they were homeless,
forbidden to form their
own families, required to
stay in their masters
dwelling and they could
be used as payment for
debt.

9. GOVERNMENT
• The government was called
“barangay”
• There was no national
government. There were many
independent barangay and datus.
But there was no datu strong
enough to unite the archipelago
into one nation. Some barangays,
however, united to form a
confederation.
• It was headed by a ruler called
datu or raja.

10. TAXATION
• Ancient Filipinos started the
practice of paying taxes. The
purpose of paying taxes was
simple, it was for the protection
they received from the datu. The
collected tax was called “buwis”.
The chieftain’s family members
were enjoying exemption from
paying taxes. Non-payment of
taxes was already punishable
during this period.

11. ALLIANCES
• Alliances among barangays
were formed. The purpose of
forming alliances was for
trade, peace and mutual
protection.
• An alliances was sealed
through blood compact
(sanduguan) to ensure
conformity, sincerity and
commitment of the chieftains.

12. Courtship and Marriage
• The man was required to give a
dowry
• “Bigay-kaya” – was the type of
dowry consisted of a piece of land
or gold.
• The groom’s parent gave a gift
called “panghimuyat”
• “Himaraw” – was another payment
for raising the future bride during
her infancy period, to be paid by
the groom’s parent also.

13. RELIGIOUS BELIEF
• There were sacred animals,
which they venerate like white
monkey (manual) and
crocodiles.
• There were also sacred place
and sacred trees, which nobody
was allowed to cut down.
• They also worshiped sun and
moon.

14. ECONOMIC LIFE
• Domestic trades of different
barangays from different regions
and islands were made possible
using boats.
• Foreign trade was carried with
countries like Borneo, China,
Japan, Cambodia, Java and Siam
(Thailand)
• Others means of livelihood were
shipbuilding, weaving, poultry
raising, mining, weaving and
lumbering.

15. RELIGIOUS BELIEF
• Bathala – Supreme being
• Idiyanale – God of agriculture
• Sidapa – God of death
• Agni – God of fire
• Balangaw – God of rainbow
• Mandarangan – God of war
• Lalahon – God of harvest
• Siginarugan – God of Hell
They also believed in the immortality of
souls and life after death.