The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 43, 1670-1700: Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 43, 1670-1700: Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
Father Pablo Pastells, in a letter to the father provincial,
written from Manila, April 20, 1887, devotes considerable space to
an ethnological survey of the peoples of Mindanao. The population
of that island is divided into Malays and Indonesians (although the
latter has no foundation), and Negritos; and there is still another
division into Old Christians, New Christians, and heathens. The first
named number 186,000, and their customs are influenced to a greater
or less degree by those of the heathens according as they are more
or less removed from them. Father Pastells describes their social
life in many details, which shows that they have become "reduced"
fairly well to a half civilized life. The New Christians date from
1876 (the date when the Jesuits reëntered Mindanao) and are scarcely
to be differentiated in life and customs from the heathens from whom
they have proceeded. The heathens (among whom are evidently numbered
the Moros) aggregate 300,000, and among them are found Chinese and
Japanese crossings, says Father Pastells. In greater or less detail,
is set forth information concerning the Mamanuas, Manobos, Mandayas,
Manguangas, Monteses, Guiangas, Bagobos, Calaganes, Tagacaolos,
Tirurayes, Tagabili, Sámales, Subánon, Lutangos Moros, Calibuganes,
and Moros. The worst of the last named, are the Moros of Jolo, and
the Sámales Laút, while the most pacific are the Yacanes.
Father Joseph Maclotet writes to the rector of the Ateneo Municipal,
from Talisayan, May 11, 1889, concerning the Buquidnons of Misamis
province who are divided into three groups, numbering in all about
13,000. Socially and religiously they resemble other natives of
that district. They are described and compared to the Visayans. They
are intelligent and modest, and have some idea of God, heaven, and
eternity. They are polytheists and have four gods. The spirit of evil
is also propitiated by them. The sacrifices, consisting of products of
the soil, wine, and fowls, are generally offered by the old men. Their
marriage ceremonies and various other social features of their life
are described. They are industrious and engage in various industries
and occupations, the chief being agriculture. Their implements are
described, among them being an ingenious cotton-gin. The Chinese
with whom they trade take every advantage of them and cheat them on
all sides. They have rude musical instruments. They punish crime
according to certain traditional laws, the dato being judge. Many
superstitions and omens, as in all other heathens of Mindanao, enter
into their lives.
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