a brief narrative of the primary source Customs of the Tagalog

1. CUSTOMS OF THE
TAGALOGS
BY
FATHER PLASENCIA

2. Datos- the chief who
governed the people
and were captains in
their wars whom
they obey and
reverence.

3. Tagalog or Barangay
The name originated
when the people came
to this land by means
of boat called barangay.
The head is called Dato.

4. The three castes namely:
1.Nobles-the free-born
whom they call Maharlica.
They do not pay tax or
tribute to the Dato.

5. 2. The Commoners- who
are called Aliping
Mamamahay.They live
in their own houses and
are lords of their own
property and gold.

6. 3.The Slaves-who are
called Aliping Saguiguilid.
They serve their master
in his house and on his
cultivated lands and may
be sold.

7. > In these three cases,
those who are maharlicas
on both the father’s and
mother’s side continue to
be so forever, and if it
happens that they should
become slaves, it is

8. through marriage.
> If two persons married
of whom one was a
Maharlica and the other
a slave, the children
were divided.

9. > Maharlicas could not
after marriage move
from one village to
another without paying
a certain fine in gold
as arranged among them.

10. > Investigations made and
sentences passed by the
datos must take place in
the presence of those of
his barangay.

11. > They had laws by which
they condemned to
death a man of low birth
who insulted the
daughter or wife of a
chief and witches.

12. > For loans, the debtor
is condemned to a life of
toil. Borrowers become
slaves and after the
death of the father, the
children pay the debt.

13. > For inheritance, the
legitimate children of a
father and mother
inherit equally.

14. > Dowries are given by
men to the women’s
parents before marriage.
If the parents are both
alive, they both enjoy
the use of it.

15. > In case of divorce, if
the wife left the
husband for the purpose
of marrying another, all
her dowry will go to the
husband but if he did not
marry another, the dowry
was returned.