“The Filipinos possessed an elaborate civilization

in the past. This achievement didn’t become part

of the Filipino consciousness, even today,
because of the advent of colonization during
which a systematic distortion of our perceptive
about ourselves was carried out.”

The Vision of Our Future Must Be Rooted On Our

Image of the Past

-Prof. Felipe Landa Jocano

Barangay
The Philippine Pre-Colonial

History, Arts and Culture

Asst. Prof. RONWELL JASON L. BACANI, mgt, paea

CFAD Faculty Member
Fine Arts Department
The People of the Sea

Painting by Manuel Pañares

Ancient Filipinos were believed to be people of the

sea, living in coastal villages or near rivers.
1. The “Balangay”

Balangay were linked to many aspects of Filipino life

like fishing, trade, warfare, piracy (trade-raiding for
goods and slaves), travel, communication, dwelling.
The use of “Balangay”
The “Balangay” (Balanghai)

The first wooden watercraft excavated in Southeast

Asia, the Balangay is only found in the Philippines
where a flotilla of such prehistoric wooden boat exists
throughout the world.
The “Balangay” (Balanghai)

Balangay is a plank
boat adjoined by a
carved-out plank
edged through pins
and dowels.
The “Balangay” (Balanghai)

Balangay is a plank boat adjoined by a carved-out

plank edged through pins and dowels.
Parts of “Balangay”
Early boats in Butuan
The balangay boats were discovered in the late 1970s
in Butuan City, Agusan del Norte by archaeologists
from the National Museum. There were actually
nine balangays recovered in the province.

Year based on
Balangay Displayed Status radiocarbon
testing
Butuan Balangay Shrine Museum,
preserved 320 CE
Boat 1 Libertad, Butuan City
Butuan Maritime Hall, National Museum,
preserved 1250 CE
Boat 2 Manila

Excavated in Bancasi, Libertad

Butuan undergoing
and was transferred to Butuan 1215 CE
Boat 5 preservation
Regional Museum

Butuan
remain in their original to be
Boat 3, 4, ---
waterlogged condition excavated
6, 7, 8 & 9
Early boats in Butuan

The replica of a 15-meter-long balangay "Diwata ng Lahi," is now on

permanent display outside the National Museum in Manila.
Butuan “Mother boat”

In 2012, National Museum

archaeologists research
team lead by Dr. Mary
Jane Louise A. Bolunia
discovered what what
seems to be a massive
balangay "mother boat”.

The “mother boat” is estimated to

be 25 meters long.
Butuan “Mother boat”

The team reported the

treenails or wooden
pegs that were used in
the construction of the
mother boat to be
around 5 centimeters in
diameter.
'Nails' the size of soda cans

As of June 2013, excavations of the find are still

ongoing.
Butuan “Mother boat”

Comparison in size between the standard-sized balangay and the

newly-discovered “mother boat”
From balangay to barangay

In the 16th Century Chronicles

of Antonio Pigafetta, Balangay
was first mentioned as the
oldest Pre-Hispanic watercraft
found in the Philippines.

Portrait of Antonio Pigafetta

From balangay to barangay

Painting by Manuel Pañares

When the Spaniards reached Luzon, they found out

that the word “balangay” for boat also being used for
the smallest political unit of the Tagalog society.
From balangay to barangay

from an ancient
Malayo-Polynesian
boat called a
“BALANGAY”
(balanghai).

It is commonly believed that in pre-colonial

Philippines, each original coastal barangay formed as
a result of settlers arriving by boat from other places
in Southeast Asia.
11. The “Barangay”
Barangay is a well-organized independent village
which functioned much like a city-state.

It was the dominant organizational pattern among

indigenous communities in the Philippine archipelago.
The “Barangay”

A barangay is a small community of around 50 to

100 families. Most villages have only 30 to 100
houses and the population varies from 100 to 500
persons.
111. Ancient Class System
By the 9th century, a highly developed society had
already established several hierarchies with set
professions. Various Spanish chroniclers record
different levels of stratification, but these description
had in three to four common classes:

Nobleman: Warrior: Freeman: Servant:

“Maginoo” “Maharlika” “Timawa” “Alipin”
a. Nobleman: “Maginoo”

refers to the highest

social class among the
various cultures of the
Pre-Hispanic era.

Maginoo were the:

• ruling class
• educated class
• royal class, and the
• privileged class.
a. Nobleman: “Maginoo”

Members of this class

serve as the leaders of the
Barangay.

The DATU (tribal chief), his

family and relatives were
members of this class.

Datu Mandi of Zamboanga &

wife. ca 1900.
a. Nobleman: “Maginoo”
Titles used for Native Royalty
• Datu
In ‘banwa’ of the Visayas
& Mindanao.
• Lakan & Gat
In most part of the
Tagalog regions (Luzon)
• Apo
In most part of Central &
Northern Luzon.
• Sultan & Rajah
In ‘puod’ (collection of
barangays), which had
Muhammad Jamalul Kiram contacts with other southeast
Sultan of Sulu Asian cultures through trade.
b. Warrior: “Maharlika”

The Maharlika had all the rights of the Timawa,

but they are specifically the warrior class.
They were well respected by the barangay. They
were not expected to pay taxes.
b. Warrior: “Maharlika”

They are expected to provide protection to the

barangay, and were responsible for providing and
preparing the weapons at their own expense.
b. Warrior: “Maharlika”

A Maharlika could change

their allegiance to another
barangay by marrying or
by simply moving to a new
barangay.

This however required

paying a certain amount
to his Datu. A feast would
be given in his honor when
leaving the barangay.
'Moro Warriors with Spear and Shield'
c. 1904.
c. Freeman: “ Timawa”
This class probably made up the bulk of the
barangay community. They were free commoners.

Tausug Moros ca 1900. Philippines

They could (1) acquire property, (2) acquire any job

they want, (3) pick their own wives, and (4) acquire
an Alipin.
c. Freeman: “ Timawa”

Timawa were expected to

pay taxes, and support the
Maginoo class.

from time to time, the

Timawa were obliged to
work on a Datu’s land and
help in the projects and
events of the barangay.
c. Freeman: “ Timawa”

The Timawa are the only

class to pay taxes.

They were free to

change their allegiance
to another Datu if they
married into another
community or if they
decided to move.
d. Servant: “ Alipin”

The Alipin. Water carriers in Iloilo, 1899

refers to the lowest social class among the various

cultures of the Philippines in pre-Spanish era.
d. Servant: “ Alipin”

This class had the least rights. They are not exactly
slaves in the traditional sense, but they were
indentured servants. Basically they served their master
who belonged to one of the classes above them.
d. Servant: “ Alipin”
SUBCLASSES:

a. Aliping Namamahay - an
alipin that has his own
house, which usually sits on
the property of the person
whom he serves.

b. Aliping Sagigilid - an alipin

without a house and whose
existence is completely
dependent on the graces of
the person whom he serves.
1v. The Datu’s Court

A Datu was expected to govern his people, settle

their disputes, protect them from enemies, and lead
them into battle. He was assisted by considerable
staff:

Chief Minister: Tax Collector: Law Enforcer:

“Atubang” “Paragahin” “Bilanggo”
a. Chief Minister: “ Atubang”

The chief minister or

privy counselor of
the datu was known
as the atubang sa
datu (literally "facing
the datu")
b. Tax Collector: “ Paragahin”

the steward who collected

and recorded tributes and
taxes and dispensed them
among the household and
dependents of the datu.

The paragahin was also

responsible for organizing
public feasts and banquet,
and communal work.

Painting by Manuel Pañares

c. Law Enforcer: “Bilanggo”

the one responsible for

maintaining law and
order.

His own house served

as the community jail
or the bilanggowan.

Painting by Fernando Amorsolo

c.1. Laws & Judicial Process
Although not as advanced (or complicated) as our
own today, the fact that our ancestors already
possessed a working judicial and legislative system
just goes to show that they were well-versed in the
concept of justice.
c.1. Laws & Judicial Process

3 FORMS OF
JUDICIAL TRIAL:

• Trial by Datu

• Trial by ordeal

• Trial by combat
c.1. Laws & Judicial Process
TRIAL BY DATU
The Datu or the chieftain serves as the judge of the
accused and the council elders as the jury.

Datu Isugon by Edbon Sevilleno

c.1. Laws & Judicial Process

TRIAL BY ORDEAL was an ancient judicial practice by

which the guilt or innocence of the accused was
determined by subjecting them to an unpleasant,
usually dangerous experience.
c.1. Laws & Judicial Process

Classically, the test was

one of life or death and
the proof of innocence
was survival. In some
cases, the accused was
considered innocent if
they escaped injury or if
their injuries healed.
c.1. Laws & Judicial Process
TRIAL BY COMBAT OR JUDICIAL DUEL
an ancient method to settle accusations in the
absence of witnesses or a confession in which two
parties in dispute fought in single combat;

the winner of the fight was proclaimed to be right. In

essence, it was a judicially sanctioned duel.
v. Other Important Groups
In addition to the community leaders and the datu’s
council, there are other important groups in the
barangay who "intercedes for the community and
individuals" and is also someone who "serves".

Teacher: Doctor / Healer: Priest / Shaman:

“Paratabgaw” “Tambalan” “Babaylan”
“Tamyawan” “Catalonan”
a. Teacher: “ Paratabgaw”

an indigenous native leader (or sometimes an

elder), who functions as a teacher of the tribe.
a. Teacher: “ Paratabgaw”
Learning focus on the
following aspects:
• Behavior - make use of the
oral traditions (story,
legends, etc.) of implying
values to the offspring.

• Skills - engage the

practical activities that
enhance and develop the
physical function of the
body.
• Communication - This
aspect involves the use of
‘baybayin’- the traditional
writing system of the
natives.
b. Doctor: “ Tambalan”

Also known as “tamyawan”

is believed to be a person,
usually a man, in contact
with the spirit world and is
possessed of healing or
curing powers derived from
such contact.
b. Doctor: “ Tambalan”

Tambalan is a specialist in
the field of medicine.
He used mixture of various
plants called ‘haru’, a
local terminology, which
means anything curative
submerged in water and
thus render the liquid
material.
c. Priest: “Babaylan”
is an indigenous native
religious leader mostly
women, who functions as:
• a healer
• a shaman
• an oracle (prophet)
• a fortune teller, and
• a community "miracle-
worker"

Etymology:
“babai” – women, and

Babaylan, a detail from the mural

“belian” – spirits
“History of Philippine Medicine” by
Carlos “Botong” Francisco.
c. Priest: “Babaylan”

Babaylan is a folk therapist, not only of physical

ailments but more especially of the mental and
emotional stress experienced by an individual.
c. Priest: “Babaylan”
Two kinds of Babaylan:
• living babaylan
are babaylans who are still living
in the physical world, who serve
people and help to control day
to day negative happenings on
earth.

• “gabay”(heavenly babaylan)
are the babaylans who directly
receive heaven's messages from
God. They protect and serve the
living babaylan.

Babaylan Mendung Sabal,

South Cotabato
c. Priest: “Babaylan”
Powers of a Babaylan:
• A Babaylan can communicate
with ancestral and ecological or
environmental spirits through a
medium she alone knows.

• A Babaylan can make the

supernatural spirits enter and
leave her body at will.

• A Babaylan can persuade

back and lured or captured
“dungan”. This is done by
offering and thru negotiation to
the enraged or hostile spirits. If
all fails, he engages in a fight.
c.1. Babaylan: The “ Asog”
Spanish friars managed to record religious practices of
our ancestors headed by women. Yet they also found
male priest who preside during sacred ceremonies.

These so called male Babaylans were properly

called “Asog”, “bayoc” or “bayog” .
c.1. Babaylan: The “ Asog”
Fray Alcina, one of the Friars who took a keen
interest on the early religion of our ancestors,
elaborated Asog’s as follows:

“…impotent men and deficient for the

practice of matrimony, considered themselves
more like women than men in their manner
of living or going about, even in their
occupations…”
c.1. Babaylan: The “ Asog”

For impotent and effeminate

men who found themselves in
this kind of position, becoming
an Asog is an alternative way
to claim their lost honor.

Asog are “women” in nature

but biologically “male” and
incapable to bear offspring.

This further leads the idea that

our ancestors might tolerate
effeminacy because of their
association to the Babaylans.
c.1. Babaylan: The “ Asog”
The existence of “Asog” showcases that even
before a civic government was established in
our country, our ancestors already had this
innate sense of equality among themselves.

“They allow individuals whom they

saw as capable and trustworthy to preside
and guide them without any biases on
their gender.”
Barangay
The Philippine Pre-Colonial

History, Arts and Culture

Asst. Prof. RONWELL JASON L. BACANI, mgt, paea

CFAD Faculty Member
Fine Arts Department
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Prepared by:
Asst. Prof. RONWELL JASON L. BACANI, mgt, paea
CFAD Faculty Member - Fine Arts Department