Before the arrival of the Spaniards, ancient Filipinos lived in scattered villages ruled by chieftains and had their own distinct culture. They lived in houses made of light materials like wood and bamboo, and some built treehouses for protection. Men wore a jacket and loincloth while women wore a jacket and skirt. Society was organized into independent barangays headed by datus, and they had religious beliefs that included supreme deities and an afterlife. They also had superstitious beliefs in magical creatures. They adorned themselves with gold jewelry and practiced tattooing. Education was acquired through observation and parents taught literacy. They had musical instruments and dances for rituals, festivals, and war.

2. Pre-Spanish Period
Long before the arrival of the Spaniards, ancient
Filipinos were living in scattered barangays and
ruled by different chieftains. Although, they were
living separately, they were similar in many ways,
their religion, mode of dressing, houses, and
more. They were refined and civilized; they
possessed a distinct culture that distinguish them
from other race.

3. House
• Houses were made of light materials
like wood, bamboo and nipa palm. A
ladder was placed to prevent strangers
from intruding when the owner was not
around
• Some of them built tree houses to
protect themselves against their
enemies or from being attacked by wild
animals.

4. Dress
• 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”.
• Female clothing
- they wore “baro or camisa”, a jacket
with leeves. The lower part was called
“saya”.

5. Government
•The government was called
“barangay”.
•There was no national
government. There were many
independent barangays and datus.
But there was no datu strong
enough to unite the archipelago
into one nation.
•It was headed by a ruler called
datu or raja.

6. Religious Beliefs
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.
• There were aslo sacred place and sacred trees, which
nobody was allowed to cut down.
• They also worshipped the sun and the moon.

7. Superstitious Beliefs
Natives believed in;
• aswang (witch)
• dwende (tiny creatures like humans)
• kapre (tall and apelike creatures smoking cigarettes,
usually found on trees.
• mangkukulam (an old lady capable of harming others
using a doll and a pin)
• tikbalang (half-man and half-horse creature)
• tiyanak (a baby that sucks blood on human.
They also believed in magical power of amulets and
charms such as anting-anting, kulam and the use of
gayuma or love potion.

8. Aswang
Dwende
Kapre
Tikbalang
Tiyanak

9. Ornaments
• The natives wore ornament
made of gold and precious
stones. Women including men
wore armlet, leg lets,
bracelets, gold rings and
earring. Putting tattoos in their
body was practiced.

10. •To transmit knowledge, it was
acquired through observation,
imitation and practice.
•There was no formal education
during pre-Spanish period.
•Children were taught to read and
write by their parents. It was fair to
say that they were literate.
Education

11. Music
- cymbals (plantiles)
- nose flutes, bamboo mouth organs (aphiw)
- brass gong (gansa)
- flute (bansic)
- long drum (colibao)
- bamboo harp (subing)
- water whistle (paiyak)
- guitar (bugtot)
- xylophone (agong)
- drum (tugo)

12. Dances
•The most ancient dances could be
traced to the war dance in order to
incite the “warlike” enthusiasm of the
natives.
•They danced primarily to please their
gods, anitos and the spirit who it was
believed, were always jealous of the
action of the natives.
•Their dance could be described as the
pantomimes today.
•They also danced during festivals and
other merry-making occasions.

13. Alibata –
ancient
Philippine
alphabet.