History of the Philippine Islands (Vol. 1&2). Joaquín Martínez De Zúñiga
not fail to examine, with great diligence and attention, the few words of the language of Chili which Ercilla mentions in his Araucana, and which I found perfectly conformable to the language Tagala. The name Chili is a derivation from this language: the Cormorant is called Cachile, and this is a name which the Malays give to the sons of their kings. Chilian, which is a town of Chili, is a compound from the language of Tagala, in which language the termination an gives the signification town. Thus from Cachile we draw Cachilian, meaning a town, where there are cormorants. Mapocho, which is the situation where the city of Santiago stands, is another word of Tagalic composition, signifying a town, and pocquiot being a kind of herb, we form the name Mapocquiot, a town in which there is abundance of this herb.
In Chili they frequently double the syllables in forming a word, as ytayta, biobio, lemolemo, colocolo, &c. and this occurs in the Tagala language; for instance, we say ataata, bilobilo, lebomlebom, colocolo. A great many other words are either actually of Tagalic derivation, or assimilate closely to that language. In examining the structure of these two languages we are compelled to conclude that they flow from one and the same source, and I dare affirm that the Indians of the Philippines are descended from the aborigines of Chili and Peru, and that the language of these islands derives immediately from the parent source, those of the neighbouring islands being dialects of this. Many will urge the absurdity of this supposition, on the plea that the more immediate vicinity of the Philippines to Malacca must have occasioned them to be colonized by the Malays, as our historians generally assert. I do not deny that these islands could easily have been peopled by the Malays, but how could they colonize the Isles de Palaos and Marianas, which are distant more than three hundred leagues? and it is still more improbable that they colonized the islands of San Duisk and Otaheite, which are distant two thousand leagues from the Philippines. All these people, however, have the same language, the same manners and customs, and consequently the same origin as our Indians. There is, in my opinion, this other reason for supposing these latter islands could not be peopled from the westward, viz. that in all the torrid zone the east wind generally prevails, which being in direct opposition to the course from Malacca and the adjacent islands, it is fair to conclude that the inhabitants of all the islands of the South Sea came from the east, sailing before the wind; for we have seen it often happen, that the Indians from the Palaos have arrived at the Philippines, precisely under those circumstances. On the contrary, we have no instance on record, of any of the Philippine Indians having been, even by accident, carried by the winds to the islands to the eastward. Indeed we know the reverse of this to be true, since at times the most experienced pilots, in attempting this navigation, have been compelled to return, without falling in with the islands they went in search of, from the necessity there is in the voyage of being provided with proper nautical instruments. Here, therefore, we appear to have found the most probable solution of our difficulties, that is, that the first settlers came out of the east, we may presume from the coast of South America, and proceeding gradually to the westward through the Pacific Ocean, studded as we find it with islands, and clusters of islands, at no very great distance from each other, and of course of easy access before the wind, it follows that to whatever point, in an eastern direction, we can trace the Tagalic language, we may conclude that at that point emigration must have commenced. Some however dissent from this, on the ground, that the mode of writing in use among the Malays, is similar to that practised by the inhabitants of the Philippines. This consists in forming the lines from the right to the left, like the Arabians, Persians, &c. and not like the Chinese, Tartars, and Japanese, from top to bottom. Their characters are totally different from ours; they have only three vowels, a, e, u, and by placing a point, either above or below the consonant, or leaving it without one, the corresponding vowel is readily known, and equal facility given as if the vowels were specifically inserted. Although they can write, they have no written laws; decisions are made on traditionary law generally, but too often by the right of the strongest. The Rajah, or chief, with the assistance of some of the elders, decides in all civil cases; but in criminal cases, the kinsmen are accustomed to compound with the aggressor, for a sum in gold, unless in cases of murder, when the only atonement admitted, is retaliation; and if the murderer is of a different tribe or village, all the community of which the deceased was a member, make a common cause, against the tribe or community of the murderer, and numbers are generally made slaves on both sides. When it is suspected that one man has robbed another, he is obliged to draw a stone, from the bottom of a cauldron full of boiling water, and if he does not accomplish this, which is the vulgar test, he is fined in a certain quantity of gold, the greater part of which goes to the Rajah or chief. Adultery is likewise punished with a pecuniary fine12, as is the crime of disrespect to the elders, but for fraud, and cheating in their dealings, there is no punishment, and usury is very general among them. Their matrimonial customs are peculiar; they are allowed to marry only one woman, and although the principal people have several concubines, yet they commonly are slaves. They are accustomed to marry a relation (not a sister), with whom if they find themselves unable to live, or if they become tired of her, they return her to her parents, without their being required to assign a cause for the divorce. The dowry given on the day of marriage is merely restored: this dowry is of two kinds, and which the bridegroom always pays. The one is called bigay suso, and is paid to the mother, as a compensation for the milk, with which she nourished her daughter. The other is called bigay caya, or green dowry, which is set apart for the maintenance of the newly married couple, although very often, by the expenses of the wedding and apparel, there remains little or nothing for this desirable end. Besides these dowries paid by the bridegroom, he is obliged, for some years, to serve the parents of the bride13, and assist them on certain days, particularly at the sowing of the rice, and getting in the harvest. It is incumbent likewise, on all the relations of the bridegroom, to behave with courtesy and respect to the bride, and her parents and family, during these years of service, and if they are guilty of any lapse in this respect, the marriage is declared to be annulled, which is always very agreeable to the parents of the woman, as a new suitor presents himself, and they reap the benefit of a new service. The bridegroom, to console himself for his sufferings, as soon as the term closes, and his service is at an end, treats his wife as a slave; she is obliged to work for the maintenance of the family, whilst the husband is quite idle, and thinks herself happy, if, after having done this, she is not beaten. The interest which the parents of the girl, thus have in her disposal, is highly pernicious to morals; and we have not succeeded to this hour, in the abolition of it, either by the influence of royal edicts, or the regulations of the bishops, by both of which, it is discouraged and prohibited. The ceremony of marriage is performed, by sacrificing a hog, which a priestess slays with a thousand grimaces; after which, she bestows many benedictions on the parties, and an old woman presenting them with some food, the ceremony is closed by many obscenities. Dancing, according to their fashion, succeeds, and drinking the rest of the day ends the feast, which is always proportionate to the circumstances of the newly married pair. The principal contributions to this feast, arise from presents made to the bride and bridegroom by their friends, of which particular notice is taken, in order that similar presents may be returned to the parties on a like occasion.
In their religious ceremonies, they use neither idols nor temples; their sacrifices are offered in arbours, which they raise for that purpose. They have priestesses, whom they call babailanas or catalonas, to whose function it belongs, to perform the sacrifices. The priestess, taking a lance in her hand, with extravagant and ridiculous gestures, works herself up to apparent frenzy, accompanied by foaming at the mouth, when uttering something, which is received as prophecy, she pierces the hog with the lance, and immediately distributes the carcase among those present: the ceremony, as usual, is closed by dancing and drinking.
These sacrifices are offered to the infernal deities, as well as to the souls of their ancestors, who they are taught to believe inhabit very large trees, rocks of uncommon appearance, or any natural object which, in point of magnitude or form, varies from the usual course. They are so fully persuaded of this, that they never pass any object of this description, without first asking the permission of its visionary inhabitant, and to this hour the custom prevails. When any person was dangerously ill, his friends offered up to their deities rice, wine, and flesh, which was then given to the sick person, and which they were of opinion would effect his cure, a custom even yet followed by some people. They have many other superstitions, as that of the patianac, a spirit or ideal being,