THEIR PRACTICES

THE EMERGENCE OF THE ELITE

    Before the coming of the Spaniards, the Philippines already had an existing social structure and political organization, which consisted of small chiefdoms. Archeologists and anthropologists describe chiefdoms as societies headed by individuals with unusual rituals and political entrepreneurial skills. While still based on family ties and kinship like the tribes, chiefdoms are more hierarchical with the power concentrated in the hands of powerful kin leaders. These leaders are in turn responsible for the redistribution of resources within their political domain.
    Analysis of the earthenware pottery recovered from the excavation in the Bais Region of eastern Negros Island, central Philippines reveals the existence of a "prestige goods" trade between the Philippines and its neighboring countries. According to Junker, the operation of such a prestige goods economy and trade between the Philippine chiefdoms and the complex societies of mainland Asia began in the 10th century AD and intensified just before the coming of the Spaniards in the 15th and 16th centuries. Participation by the leaders in this trade was strongly linked to a centralized control of an interregional system of production, exchange and resource mobilization. Studies indicate that lowland-produced earthenware varied from region to region before the coming of foreign luxury trade goods in the 10th century. After the emergence of foreign trade, archeological evidences show earthenware that was more or less standardized. This indicated a change in pottery production modes: from scattered household production to full-time, large-scale production. These changes in pottery production, according to Junker, may be linked to a powerful lowland "government" which tried to gain control of upland raw material acquisition for improved participation in foreign trade.

CHIEFDOMS ALONG THE COASTLINE

 At the time of European contact, the coastlines of most of the major Philippine islands and some regions already had numerous, politically complex, and regionally centralized societies. These societies also had well-developed systems of social stratification.
    Just like the chiefdoms in Mexico and Hawaii, the members of the chiefly class in the Philippine chiefdoms played a central role in the administration of a complex regional economy. The chiefs controlled agricultural livelihood by restricting land tenure. They mobilized surplus through a system of tribute payments and gained wealth through sponsorships of raiding or trading expeditions for sources of prestige goods like porcelain and jewelry. They used this wealth for building political alliances with other chiefdoms which would then result in a stronger economy.
    Aside from mobilizing resources within the lowland agriculturists under their direct sovereignty, Philippine chiefs, according to Junker, also facilitated the exchanges between lowlanders and interior tribal swiddening societies and the hunter-gatherers. Interior resources gained from this upland-lowland trade like metal ores and other forest products were directly tied to prestige goods production and acquisition.

THE STONES OF THE SEA

     Because chiefdoms were founded near bodies of water, civilizations during the precolonial era were prone to sea attacks. The question about how they protected themselves against these attacks were answered mostly by speculations brought about by the presence of ruins. Among these are prehistoric monuments in Batanes, the northernmost region of the country. Called ijangs or idyangs, these castle-like structures are prominent landmarks found near the towns and barrios and are high rocky formations which, archeologists surmise, served as fortresses and refuge against enemies. Ijangs were hills with shaven tops, giving them a plateau-like appearance. Florentino Hornedo speculates that people from warring clans used to climb the ijangs when attacking. To defend themselves, the attacked stayed on the flattened top of the hills and threw stones at the climbers from above the fortress.

Unearthed within the vicinity of the ijangs are burnt wood and pottery. These artifacts have been unearthed from the ashes of Mt. Iraya after its eruption at around 350 BC, and suggest that the Batanes region had already been inhabited as early as more than 2000 years ago.

  

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