Precolonial Period

Esiel Cabrera

February 26, 2016

https://esielcabrera.wordpress.com/2016/02/26/philippine-literature-during-pre-
colonial-period/

Filipinos often lose sight of the fact that the first period of the Philippine literary
history is the longest. Certain events from the nation’s history had forced lowland
Filipinos to begin counting the years of history from 1521, the first time written
records by Westerners referred to the archipelago later to be called “Las Islas
Filipinas”. However, the discovery of the “Tabon Man” in a cave in Palawan in
1962, has allowed us to stretch our prehistory as far as 50,000 years back. The
stages of that prehistory show how the early Filipinos grew in control over their
environment. Through the researches and writings about Philippine history, much
can be reliably inferred about precolonial Philippine literature from an analysis of
collected oral lore of Filipinos whose ancestors were able to preserve their
indigenous culture by living beyond the reach of Spanish colonial administrators.

The oral literature of the precolonial Filipinos bore the marks of the community.
The subject was invariably the common experience of the people constituting the
village-food-gathering, creature and objects of nature, work in the home, field,
forest or sea, caring for children, etc. This is evident in the most common forms of
oral literature like the riddle, the proverbs and the song, which always seem to
assume that the audience is familiar with the situations, activities and objects
mentioned in the course of expressing a thought or emotion. The language of oral
literature, unless the piece was part of the cultural heritage of the community like
the epic, was the language of daily life. At this phase of literary development, any
member of the community was a potential poet, singer or storyteller as long as he
knew the language and had been attentive to the conventions f the forms.

Thousands of maxims, proverbs, epigrams, and the like have been listed by many
different collectors and researchers from many dialects. Majority of these
reclaimed from oblivion com from the Tagalos, Cebuano, and Ilocano dialects. And
the bulk are rhyming couplets with verses of five, six seven, or eight syllables, each
line of the couplet having the same number of syllables. The rhyming practice is
still the same as today in the three dialects mentioned. A good number of the
proverbs is conjectured as part of longer poems with stanza divisions, but only the
lines expressive of a philosophy have remained remembered in the oral tradition.
Classified with the maxims and proverbs are allegorical stanzas which abounded
in all local literature. They contain homilies, didactic material, and expressions of
homespun philosophy, making them often quoted by elders and headmen in
talking to inferiors. They are rich in similes and metaphors. These one stanza
poems were called Tanaga and consisted usually of four lines with seven syllables,
all lines rhyming.

The most appreciated riddles of ancient Philippines are those that are rhymed and
having equal number of syllables in each line, making them classifiable under the
early poetry of this country. Riddles were existent in all languages and dialects of
the ancestors of the Filipinos and cover practically all of the experiences of life in
these times.

Almost all the important events in the life of the ancient peoples of this country
were connected with some religious observance and the rites and ceremonies
always some poetry recited, chanted, or sung. The lyrics of religious songs may of
course be classified as poetry also, although the rhythm and the rhyme may not
be the same.

Drama as a literary from had not yet begun to evolve among the early Filipinos.
Philippine theater at this stage consisted largely in its simplest form, of mimetic
dances imitating natural cycles and work activities. At its most sophisticated,
theater consisted of religious rituals presided over by a priest or priestess and
participated in by the community. The dances and ritual suggest that indigenous
drama had begun to evolve from attempts to control the environment. Philippine
drama would have taken the form of the dance-drama found in other Asian
countries.

Prose narratives in prehistoric Philippines consisted largely or myths, hero tales,

fables and legends. Their function was to explain natural phenomena, past events,
and contemporary beliefs in order to make the environment less fearsome by
making it more comprehensible and, in more instances, to make idle hours less
tedious by filling them with humor and fantasy. There is a great wealth of mythical
and legendary lore that belongs to this period, but preserved mostly by word of
mouth, with few written down by interested parties who happen upon them.

The most significant pieces of oral literature that may safely be presumed to have
originated in prehistoric times are folk epics. Epic poems of great proportions and
lengths abounded in all regions of the islands, each tribe usually having at least
one and some tribes possessing traditionally around five or six popular ones with
minor epics of unknown number.
 Filipinos had a culture that linked them with the Malays in the Southeast Asia, a
culture with traces of Indian, Arabic, and, possibly Chinese influences. Their epics,
songs, short poems, tales, dances and rituals gave them a native Asian
perspective which served as a filtering device for the Western culture that the
colonizers brought over from Europe.

Ten Reasons Why Life Was Better In PreColonial Philippines

Let’s look at some of the compelling reasons why we think life was really better
during the pre-Spanish Philippines.

• Women Enjoyed Equal Status with Men.

During precolonial times, women shared equal footing with men in society. They
were allowed to divorce, own and inherit property, and even lead their respective
barangays or territories.

In matters of family, the women were for all intents and purposes the working
heads, possessing the power of the purse and the sole right to name their children.
They could dictate the terms of their marriage and even retain their maiden names
if they chose to do so.

During this time, people also traced their heritage to both their father and mother.
In fact, it could be said that precolonial Philippines was largely matriarchal, with
the opinions of women holding great weight in matters of politics and religion (they
also headed the rituals as the babaylans).

As a show of respect, men were even required to walk behind their wives. This
largely progressive society that elevated women to such a high pedestal took a
serious blow when the Spanish came. Eager to impose their patriarchal system,
the Spanish relegated women to the homes, demonized the babaylans as satanic,
and ingrained into our forefathers’ heads that women should be like Maria Clara—
demure, self-effacing, and powerless.

• Society Was More Tolerant Back Then.

While it could be said that our modern society is one of the most tolerant in the
world, we owe our open-mindedness not to the Americans and certainly not to the
Spanish, but to the precolonial Filipinos.
 Aside from allowing divorce, women back then also had a say in how many children
they wanted. Sexuality was not as suppressed, and no premium was given to
virginity before marriage. Although polygamy was practiced, men were expected
to do so only if they could support and love each of his wives equally. Homosexuals
were also largely tolerated, seeing as how some of the babaylans were actually
men in drag.

Surprisingly, with the amount of sexual freedom, no prostitution existed during the
pre-colonial days. In fact, some literature suggests that the American period—
which heavily emphasized capitalism and profiteering—introduced prostitution into
the country on a massive scale.

• The People Enjoyed A Higher Standard Of Government.

The relationship of the ruler to his subjects was very simple back then: In return
for his protection, the people pay tribute and serve him both in times of war and
peace.

Going by the evidence, we could say that our ancestors already practiced an early
version of the Social Contract, a theory by prominent thinkers such as Thomas
Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau which espoused the view that
rulers owe their right to rule on the basis of the people’s consent.

Conversely, if the ruler became corrupt or incompetent, then the people had a right
to remove him. And that’s exactly the kind of government our ancestors had.
Although the datus technically came from the upper classes, he could be removed
from his position by the lower classes if they found him wanting of his duties. Also,
anyone (including women) could become the datu based on their merits such as
bravery, wisdom, and leadership ability.

• We Were Self-Sufficient.

In terms of food, our forefathers did not suffer from any lack thereof. Blessed with
such a resource-rich country, they had enough for themselves and their families.

Forests, rivers, and seas yielded plentiful supplies of meat, fish, and other
foodstuffs. Later on, their diet became more varied especially when they learned
to till the land using farming techniques that were quite advanced for their time.
The Banaue Rice Terraces is one such proof of our ancestors’ ingenuity.

What’s more, they already had an advanced concept of agrarian equity. Men and
women equally worked in the fields, and anyone could till public lands free of
 charge. Also, since they had little-to-no concept of exploitation for profit, our
ancestors generally took care of the environment well.

Such was the abundance of foodstuffs that Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, the most-
successful Spanish colonizer of the islands, was said to have reported the
“abundance of rice, fowls, and wine, as well as great numbers of buffaloes, deer,
wild boar and goats” when he first arrived in Luzon.

• We Had Smoother Foreign Relations.

We’ve all been taught that before the Spanish galleon trade, the precolonial
Filipinos had already established trading and diplomatic relations with countries as
far away as the Middle East.

In lieu of cash, our ancestors exchanged precious minerals, manufactured goods,

etc. with Arabs, Indians, Chinese, and several other nationalities. During this time
period, many foreigners permanently settled here after marveling at the beauty of
the country and its people.

Out of the foreigners, it was the Chinese who were amazed at the precolonial
Filipinos the most, especially when it came to their extraordinary honesty. Chinese
traders often wrote about the Filipinos’ sincerity and said they were one of their
most trusted clientele since they did not steal their goods and always paid their
debts.

In fact, some Chinese—out of confidence—were known to simply leave their items

on the beaches to be picked up by the Filipinos and traded inland. When they
returned, the Filipinos would give them back their bartered items without anything
missing.

• Our Forefathers Already Possessed A Working Judicial And Legislative System.

Although not as advanced (or as 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.

Life in precolonial Philippines was governed by a set of statutes, both unwritten

and written, and contained provisions with regards to civil and criminal laws.
Usually, it was the Datu and the village elders who promulgated such laws, which
were then announced and explained to the people by a town crier called the
umalohokan.
 The Datu and the elders also acted as de facto courts in case of disputes between
individuals of their village. In case of inter-barangay disputes, a local board
composed of elders from different barangays would usually act as an arbiter.

Penalties for anyone found guilty of a crime include censures, fines, imprisonment
and death. Tortures and trials by ordeal during this time were also common. Like
we’ve said, the system was not perfect, but it worked.

• They Had The Know-how To Make Advanced Weapons.

A lantaka (rentaka in Malay), a type of bronze cannon mounted on merchant

vessels travelling the waterways of the Malay Archipelago. Its use was greatest in
precolonial Southeast Asia, especially in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Via Wikipedia.

Our ancestors—far from being the archetypal spear-carrying, bahag-wearing

tribesmen we picture them to be—were very proficient in the art of war. Aside from
wielding swords and spears, they also knew how to make and fire guns and
cannons. Rajah Sulayman, in particular, was said to have owned a huge 17-feet-
long iron cannon.

Aside from the offensive weapons, our ancestors also knew how to construct huge
fortresses and body armor. The Moros living in the south for instance, often wore
armor that covered them head-to-toe. And yes, they also carried guns with them.

With all these weapons at their disposal and the fact that they were good hand-to-
hand combatants, you’d think that the Spanish would have had a harder time
colonizing the country. Sadly, the Spanish cleverly exploited the regionalist
tendencies of the precolonial Filipinos. This divide-and-conquer strategy would be
the major reason why the Spanish successfully controlled the country for more
than 300 years.

• Several Professions Already Existed.

Aside from being farmers, hunters, weapon-makers, and seafarers, the precolonial
Filipinos also dabbled—and excelled—in several other professions as well.

To name a few, many became involved in such professions as mining, textiles,

and smiting. Owing to the excellent craftsmanship of the Filipinos, locally-produced
items such as pots, jewelry, and clothing were highly-sought in other countries. In
fact, it is reported that products of Filipino origin might have even reached as far
away as ancient Egypt. Clearly, our ancestors were very skilled artisans.
• The Literacy Rate Was High.

Using the ancient system of writing called the baybayin, the precolonial Filipinos
educated themselves very well, so much so that when the Spanish finally arrived,
they were shocked to find out that the Filipinos possessed a literacy rate higher
than that of Madrid!

However, the high literacy rate also proved to be a double-edged sword for the
Filipinos once the Spanish arrived. Eager to evangelize and subjugate our
ancestors, the missionaries exploited the baybayin for their own ends, learning and
using it to translate their various works. Consequently, the precolonial Filipinos
became more easily susceptible to foreign influence.

• We Already Had An Advanced Civilization.

Contrary to foreign accounts, our ancestors were not just some backwards, jungle-
living savages. In reality, precolonial Philippines already possessed a very
advanced civilization way before the coming of the Spanish.

Our ancestors possessed a complex working society and a culture replete with
works of arts and literature. When the colonizers came, everything contradictory
to their own system had to go. Sculptures, texts, religious ceremonies, and virtually
anything else deemed obscene, evil or a threat to their rule were eliminated.

Conclusively, we can only speculate what would have happened had our ancestors
never been colonized in the first place. Although the Spanish era (and the
American period by extension) did have their good points, would it have really been
worth it all in the end?

Reflection:
Precolonial Literature in the Philippines by one means or another gave us an
illustration from the past. It underscores on how our literature began in the
country which is the Philippines. From that point forward, we Filipinos do truly
have beautiful and awesome literature that we can some way or another be
pleased with. Philippines indeed, without a doubt a nation that is rich in custom
and tradition through having diverse characteristics. It was evident that each of
the tribes we have had their own specific manner of living which some way or
another make them stand-out from others. As what have aforementioned, their
folk speeches, folk songs, folk narratives, indigenous rituals and mimetic dances
really affirmed our ties with our Southeast Asian neighbors. Even when their
lifestyle before was not the same as we have now, they really have these
techniques and ways on preserving their traditions for them to be able to pass it
from generation to another generation. The differing qualities and abundance of
Literature in the Philippines advanced next to each other with the nation’s history.
This can best be acknowledged in the sense that the nation’s precolonial cultural
traditions are very much abundant. Through these things, I can truly say that
Philippines is a home of diverse and unique culture, norms and tradition.