The Philippine Prehistory Essay Example

hundred languages and dialects spoken in the country.

Out of these languages, there are eight major ones: Sugbuhanon (Cebuano), Tagalog, Iloko, Pangasinan, Hiligaynon (Ilonggo), Kapangpangan, Magindanaw, and Samarnon (Waray-waray). These languages are considered sister-languages and are part of the Austronesian or Malayo-Polynesian language family. The Philippine alphabet is known as syllabify because each letter is pronounced as a syllable. The Tagalog script was called baybayin, also known as alibata. It consisted of 3 vowels and 14 consonants, totaling 17 letters.

The writing system in the Philippines was horizontal, from left to right. Early people of the Philippines have a significant Asian cultural heritage. In 1962, archaeologist Robert Fox and Manuel Santiago, who both worked for the National Museum, discovered a skullcap and a portion of a jaw in the Tabon Caves of Palawan. These remains were presumed to be of human origin. Carbon dating revealed that they were 21,000 to 22,000 years old. This discovery provides evidence that humans arrived in the Philippines earlier than in the Malay Peninsula, indicating that the first inhabitants of the islands did not come from that region.

The “Tabon Man” is believed to resemble Java Man and Peking Man. He obtained food by gathering fruits, leaves, and plants. He utilized stone weapons for hunting. Although further research is still being conducted on his life and culture, evidence indicates his ability to use his brain for survival and self-preservation. The second group of migrants consisted of dark-skinned pygmies known as “Aetas” or “Negritoes”. About 30,000 years ago, they migrated across the land bridge connecting Malaya, Borneo, and Australia until they reached Palawan, Mindoro, and Mindanao.

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Aetas, pygmies who were adept at hunting, fishing, and food gathering, were often seen nearly naked and armed with spears and small flint stone weapons. They had already settled in the Philippines before the land bridges vanished due to melting ice glaciers and rising seawater levels. This compelled them to stay in the country and become its initial permanent residents. The disappearance of the land bridges led to the arrival of skilled seafaring migrants from Indonesia, who traveled to the islands by boat.

The Aetas were less advanced compared to the Malays. The Malays were more advanced because they used tools made out of stone and steel, which allowed them to construct stronger houses. They also engaged in farming and mining and utilized materials made of brass. Additionally, they wore clothing and various body ornaments. According to Beyer, the Malays were the last group to migrate to the Philippines. It is believed that they originated from Java, Sumatra, Borneo, and the Malay Peninsula over 2,000 years ago. Similar to Indonesians, they traveled by boat. The Malays had brown skin, medium height, straight black hair, and flat noses.

Their technology was believed to be more advanced compared to their predecessors. They practiced pottery, weaving, jewelry making, and metal smelting, and implemented the irrigation system for rice cultivation. The archipelago that now forms the Philippines has been greatly influenced by Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic civilizations, with Hinduism playing a significant role in the cultural, economic, political, and religious aspects. Currently, the influence of Hinduism is mostly confined to a small Indian community of recent immigrants, although traditional religious beliefs in most parts of the

country still bear strong Hindu and Buddhist influences.

Influences from the Indian subcontinent can be traced back to before the arrival of the Arabs and Europeans in the 15th and 16th centuries respectively. The rulers of many of the islands were known as Rajas or Rajahs. Christianity arrived with the Spaniards in 1521. While Hinduism is now a minority religion in the country, some of its beliefs still deeply influence the Filipino people, who are mostly either part of the Christian majority (Roman Catholic and Protestant) or part of a significant Muslim minority.

The locals readily understand the concept of karma and it is an integral part of their native ethics. The Sanskrit language has greatly influenced our language, leaving a lasting impact on every Philippine language across the archipelago. Many Buddhist and Hindu concepts, directly from the original Sanskrit, have become part of our languages. Approximately 25% of the words in many Philippine languages consist of Sanskrit and Tamil terms. India's two great epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, depict the battle between good and evil.

Rama, along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, symbolizes the ultimate triumph of good over evil as personified by Ravana, the ten-headed demon king. Rama receives assistance from his devotee Hanuman and an army of monkeys led by Sugriv, the monkey king. Various versions of the story exist among different ethnic groups in the Philippines. The Maranao version is known as the Maharadia Lawana (Maharaja Rava?a). The Ilocanos have their own version called Lam-Ang. Additionally, the Hud-Hud of the Ifugao contains many verses influenced by the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

The early Filipinos

acquired various skills and practices from the Chinese. They learned about using porcelain ware, umbrellas, manufacturing gunpowder, and certain mining methods. The influence of China can also be seen in the loose clothing style of the early Filipinos, particularly in the sleeved jackets and loose trousers worn by Muslim Filipino women. Even the use of slippers reflects Chinese influence. Another example is the tradition of noble individuals wearing yellow clothing and commoners wearing blue garments in pre-Spanish Philippine society, which originated from China. During mourning and burial ceremonies, the wearing of white dresses and the use of a white background was also adopted from the Chinese. Furthermore, numerous Chinese words have made their way into the Tagalog language.

Some of the items that have Chinese origins in Filipino culture include sangko (elder brother), pansit (noodles), tinghoy (oil lamp), hibi (dried shrimp), petsay (Chinese cabbage), dikyam (dried fruit), ampaw (cereal), and susi (key). Additionally, many Filipino families have surnames of Chinese origin, such as Cojuangco, Lim, Tan, Limjoco, Tongko, Juico, and Ongsiako. The early Filipinos also adopted certain Chinese customs, such as the parents arranging marriages, the use of a go-between for proposing a marriage, and the deep respect children have for their parents and elders.

The Japanese had a significant impact on Philippine life, as they introduced various industries to the early Filipinos. These included the manufacturing of arms and tools, the tanning of deerskin, and the artificial breeding of ducks and fish. On the other hand, the Arabs played a crucial role in shaping the life of Muslim Filipinos by bringing Islam to the region, which remains a living religion in Mindanao

and Sulu. The calendar, law, form of government, art, and literature of Muslim Filipinos have origins in Arabic culture. Additionally, Maranaw decorative art's sarimanok design can be traced back to Arabic origins. Furthermore, many stories in Maranaw and Tausug literature have origins in Arabian tales.

In addition to that, there are several Arabic words present in the Tagalog language, including alam (know), sulat (letter), salamat (thanks), hukom (judges), and piklat (scar). This is in relation to the birth of national consciousness and the opening of the Philippines to world trade from 1834 to 1873, which led to increased economic activities in the country. While this brought prosperity to some Filipinos, it mainly benefited the Chinese and the Spaniards. As a result, a new social class known as the "Middle Class" or the "Ilustrados" emerged. They acquired material wealth, improved their social status and influence, and demanded social and political equality with the colonial rulers.

Through the opening of the Philippines to global trade, European concepts spread within the country in the form of printed books, newspapers, and treatises that were made accessible to the natives as they engaged in the exchange of goods. The knowledge and current events they obtained from external sources influenced their lifestyles and mindset. The Liberal Regime of Carlos Ma. Dela Torre implemented freedom of speech, granting Filipinos the right to express themselves openly during his tenure as governor general.

De la Torre was a popular leader due to his concern for the needs of the natives. He abolished flogging as punishment for military disobedience and enacted the Educational Decree of 1863 and the Moret Law, which aimed

to limit the secularization of educational institutions and grant government control over various schools and academic institutions. The Secularization Movement was a group of Filipino priests who advocated for the right to manage parishes in line with the Council of Trent's provisions.

The leadership of the organization changed from Father Pedro Pelaez to Fr. Jose Burgos. The Cavite Mutiny, which occurred on January 20, 1872, was a response by the arsenal and shipyard workers of Cavite to the repeal of their privileges, such as exemption from paying tributes and performing forced labor. The mutiny was led by Sergeant La Madrid. The Spanish authorities exaggerated the incident, making it appear as a widespread conspiracy involving Filipino clergy.