THE barangay datu exercised all functions of government:
legislative, executive, judiciary. He made the laws, executed them and served
as judge in the community. In times of war, he commanded the army. People
rendered services and tribute in varying quantities of the crops they produced
in their meager fields. Some datus inherited their position from
fathers; in other cases, they secured the position through wisdom, cunning or
strength. Datu Malakala of the pre-Spanish village of Ilong (Hilongos) typified
this second case. Malakala was a slave.
Fr. Pedro de Gamboa whom Legaspi sent to Mexico in July 27, 1567, to report on the conditions of the Las Islas de Pintados, had this to say about the petty chieftains in the islands:"...they recognized those with servile fear, who, in each settlement, for more riches or cunning, are called in their own language, Datus; who tyrannize the wills of others... and led the continuous wars of some towns against others for very light causes; in other crimes as murders, adulteries, the relatives endeavored to avenge them by killing soon the aggressors."
Yet in the case of Leyte, tyrannical datus seemed to be unheard of, although inter-tribal wars were quite common as the practice of taking captives home to make them slaves.
But these natives were not as lawless as one would imagine them in pre-Magellan days. They were governed by laws which, though unwritten and handed down as part of the native customs and traditions, were looked upon as the unerring norm of conduct in the natives' public and private life. The natives regarded their rajahs with due respect, a trait shown in the meeting between Magellan and the chief of Limasawa. The Spaniards were deeply impressed by the obedience which the people matter-of-factly showed, by assembling together to visit the foreign guests, as their chief had bidden them. Of the event, the Jesuit historian Colin said:" The captain general (Magellan), well-impressed by the humane and the reasonable character of the indio, ordered them to pay courtesy. They (natives) responded to it and they offered them some big fish, a vessel full of tuba, a bunch of bananas, rice, coconuts and other fruits in great abundance."
Colin also wrote in the preface of his Labor Evangelica of the Leyteños as very sociable. Surely trade relations with other countries must have broadened their outlooks. These demonstrations of a well-established society were shown by the two barangays at Limasawa. Coming out to the shore, they welcomed Magellan with great affection and hospitality. The Portuguese captain was taken unawares by their lavish display of benevolence. The rajah gave Magellan a hearty embrace, offering him three huge jars of rice, two big fishes and other fruits.
The drinking ceremony between Magellan and the chiefs in Limasawa gave a hint on the high cultural level of the period. In the chronicles of Pigafetta, they would "lift their hands to the sky first...take the vessel where they drink with the right hand, extending their left fist towards the people." Uncultured peoples do not exhibits such ceremonies.(Blair and Robertson)
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Fr. Pedro de Gamboa whom Legaspi sent to Mexico in July 27, 1567, to report on the conditions of the Las Islas de Pintados, had this to say about the petty chieftains in the islands:"...they recognized those with servile fear, who, in each settlement, for more riches or cunning, are called in their own language, Datus; who tyrannize the wills of others... and led the continuous wars of some towns against others for very light causes; in other crimes as murders, adulteries, the relatives endeavored to avenge them by killing soon the aggressors."
Yet in the case of Leyte, tyrannical datus seemed to be unheard of, although inter-tribal wars were quite common as the practice of taking captives home to make them slaves.
But these natives were not as lawless as one would imagine them in pre-Magellan days. They were governed by laws which, though unwritten and handed down as part of the native customs and traditions, were looked upon as the unerring norm of conduct in the natives' public and private life. The natives regarded their rajahs with due respect, a trait shown in the meeting between Magellan and the chief of Limasawa. The Spaniards were deeply impressed by the obedience which the people matter-of-factly showed, by assembling together to visit the foreign guests, as their chief had bidden them. Of the event, the Jesuit historian Colin said:" The captain general (Magellan), well-impressed by the humane and the reasonable character of the indio, ordered them to pay courtesy. They (natives) responded to it and they offered them some big fish, a vessel full of tuba, a bunch of bananas, rice, coconuts and other fruits in great abundance."
Colin also wrote in the preface of his Labor Evangelica of the Leyteños as very sociable. Surely trade relations with other countries must have broadened their outlooks. These demonstrations of a well-established society were shown by the two barangays at Limasawa. Coming out to the shore, they welcomed Magellan with great affection and hospitality. The Portuguese captain was taken unawares by their lavish display of benevolence. The rajah gave Magellan a hearty embrace, offering him three huge jars of rice, two big fishes and other fruits.
The drinking ceremony between Magellan and the chiefs in Limasawa gave a hint on the high cultural level of the period. In the chronicles of Pigafetta, they would "lift their hands to the sky first...take the vessel where they drink with the right hand, extending their left fist towards the people." Uncultured peoples do not exhibits such ceremonies.(Blair and Robertson)
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