ROUGHLY, two classes of people comprised the citizenry then: nobles and timawas. To the class of nobles belonged the datus/rajahs. These nobles did not acquire their position by blood line or heredity. Rather, they rose to power, wealth and influence through sheer industry, cunning and native wisdom, and sometimes they did so by force. At their death, children inherited their wealth and position. The nobles enjoyed privileges which were denied to the timawas.
Some were abusive and cruel to the members of the lower class. They imposed exorbitant interests for money borrowed from them. A princial in Alangalang was so feared that timawas cut branches along his way to make him pass without stooping. The least blunder of timawas meant slavery.
The freemen on the other hand were free-born or acquired their freedom from slavery. They were under the sway of the datus and rendered him tributes and services by attending feasts and accompanying him on his journeys. They composed the barangay's little army and fought the wars of the datus. However, they received no compensation for these services, except security afforded them by the datus.
A third class came into existence because of these inter-tribal wars and usury. This was the class of slaves, which some scholars further subdivided into two types: mamalay and the halom. The former were treated like hired servants. They had their own houses and rendered service only on a part timebasis. They were obliged to do household chores, prepare banquets, work in the fields especially during planting and harvest seasons, or rowthe boats when the master went to sea. They were not paid for their labors.
The halom were subject to harsher conditions. They could be disposed of at the master's will, and they could even be killed. (Many of such slaves were killed when their masters died because of the belief that they too would serve him in the afterlife.)
They had no houses of their own, except the shabby huts often given to them by their master. Now both types could be freed if they were able to pay their master the appropriate dues. Five taels for the mamalay, 10 for the halom. Their properties were subsequently divided into two: one for master, one for slave. A special banquet (at the slave's expense) must be prepared for the master and his friends. It was during this banquet that the slave received his freedom, witnessed by all in the community. (Next)
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