Spiritual Beliefs of Early Filipinos

Introduction

• The term Philippines was named by Ruy Lopez de Villalobos in 1542 after Prince Phillip II of Spain.
• Filipino initially referred to Spaniards born in the colony and later to natives in some Spanish accounts.

Austronesian Migrations

• 897-775 BCE: Austronesian migrations reached the Philippines, with the Manunggul Jar used in burials.
• The Philippines was decentralized with local settlements known as barangay.

Spiritual Leaders

• Babaylan in Visayas and Catalonan in Luzon led spiritual life, often women or effeminate men.

Primary Sources and Cultural Accounts

Fray Juan de Plasencia

• Early Filipinos had no temples; worship took place in chiefs' houses during festivals called pandot.
• Worship included offerings to deities like Bathala and nature elements like the sun and moon.

Antonio de Morga

• Described early Filipinos as pagans deceived by the devil, worshipping nature and ancestors.

Miguel de Loarca

• Documented beliefs of the Pintados (Visayan people), emphasizing legends and rituals like baylanes.

Pedro Chirino

• Documented oral traditions and criticized them as devil's work through idols and superstitions.

Cultural Artifacts

Manunggul Jar

• Neolithic burial jar signifying belief in soul and afterlife.

Golden Death Mask

• Used in burials to repel evil spirits, showing cultural ties with China and local craftsmanship.

Mythology

"The Creation of the World" - Bicol Origin Myth

• Describes the universe's formation and the creation of man from bamboo, highlighting the role of gods Languit and Tubigan.
• Explains the origin of different races based on divine punishment.

Themes and Learning Objectives

• Compare Tagalog and Visayan spiritual beliefs.
• Understand the role of women in spiritual leadership.
• Analyze biases in historical accounts.
• Recognize the importance of myths and epics in cultural identity.

Guide Questions

• The role of catolonan in society.
• Biases of Spanish chroniclers in documenting Filipino beliefs.
• Importance of oral traditions as primary sources.
• Differences between Spanish accounts and native myths.