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
Some Moros believe also that the sherif can by his mere will send a
sickness on whom he pleases. All is for the purpose of terrifying them
and so that the sherif can get whatever he wishes from them. Whenever
I have opposed this error, I have asked them why, if the sherif had
this power, he did not send diseases upon the Christian village,
since he is hostile to the Christians, but they do not reply to the
question, but remain in their obstinacy.
Once when there was an eclipse of the moon, the Moros of Pasanjan began
to make a great racket with their culintíngans and other things. When
they were asked why they made so much noise, they answered that it
was in order to scare the serpent which was eating the moon. [119]
For their long voyages they look at the cuticáan, which is a book
containing certain figures. By means of that they try to discover
whether they have fortunate voyages or not.
Follies
He who knows most among them is the sherif yet his learning does not
go beyond the ability to write a few words in Arabian characters. In
regard to heaven and hell they know nothing more than their
existence. In regard to the soul they know almost nothing.
The following is what a sherif asserted regarding heaven and
hell. There are seven heavens and seven hells to express the various
rewards or punishments:
1. A heaven called Yattu Atúan. Here there is only rest.
2. A heaven, [called] Firdéos. Here there are good things to eat.
3. A heaven [called] Naím. If one wishes to eat, there is plenty of
food [here].
4. A heaven [called] Nauá. The water [here] has the taste that one
desires.
5. Aínum naím. Here [there is] great wealth.
6. Salsabila. Here [there are] golden vessels from which to drink.
7. Jatard al Cots. Here [there are] pearls and diamonds.
Hells
1. Naruk Yahanna. Here [there is] confusion.
2. Naruk Sacar. [Here there are] contrivances and animals for
inflicting torture.
3. Naruk Sigmilti. [Here there are] tortures in language.
4. Naruk abus. [Here there are] most ugly things.
5. Naruk Jauya. Here one is run through with spears.
6. Naruk Zaalt. Here one suffers thirst.
7. Naruk Jamia. Here one is tortured with fire.
So did one Tuan Sarib describe heaven and hell. On a certain occasion
several chiefs and imams gathered together; and when speaking of Adam
and Eve, they did not succeed in telling who were their parents, and
they had recourse to the missionary in order that he might instruct
them on that point. They do not know either, the day on which their
Mahomet was born, or much less any of his history.
They scarcely know their era, nor do they know how old they are. Once
a man asked me to tell him how old he was. They count by moons, saying
"Only two moons have passed;" "Three moons from now we shall do this;"
etc., etc.
Much more might be said of their errors and foolishness, but I consider
this sufficient, and it would be a prolixity to adduce more facts to
prove those errors and follies.
Dress
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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