Chapter

7
CULTURA
L
CHANGE
S
ANG
1600-1800
IDENTITY

 Efforts to quell the early uprisings and

revolts by force and imposition of the
principle of divide and rule (by exploring
the fragmented geogrephic features of the
country, its multicultural characteristics,
and regionalistic tendencies)
Spanish influence made an impact on the
indigenous culture through the change in
Filipino names, intermarriages, the plaza
complex, fiestas, and other religious rituals,
forms of amusement, attire and ornaments,
house styles, painting and engraving,
religion, and education.

 Many Filipinos did not change their names.

They used such names as Magiting,
Magtanggol, Bayani, Dimagiba, Dimalanta,
Gatbonton, Gatmaitan, and others.
Governor-General Narciso Claveria issued a
decree in 1849 allowing the Filipinos to
change their names to avoid confusion.
A very long list of Spanish names was
prepared so that Filipinos could choose th
names they wanted to use.
Thus, Spanish names such as Juan, Pedro,
Sixto, Teofilo, and surnames such as Cruz,
Reyes, Santos, Rivera, Santiago, San Jose, and
many more were adopted by most Christian
Filipinos.

Spanish Influences
Brought the Filipinos into contact with
Western culture. The Spanish way of
life introduced: their clothing, cooking,
eating habits, forms of amusements,
Spanish words, and Christianity-all
these resulted in the mixing of Spanish
and Filipino cultural elememts.
The combination of the two, so to
speak, which was neither native nor
Spanish, in the course time, became
the dominant culture.

Changes in Filipino Names

Before of the coming of the Spaniards, Filipinos
had no surnames. The name of a boy, for
example, was taken from his physical
appearance or from any natural event. Thus, if
a boy look strong, he was named Malakas. If a
girl looked beautiful, she was named
Maganda.
The Spaniards at first, made little changes in
the names of the Filipinos. Those who had
Christian surnames chose Spanish names,
usually the names of the saints. Thus, a boy
was named after a saint, such as Santo Tomas,
San Gregorio, or San Andres, and so forth.

Intermarriage
There were very few recorded marriages
between Filipino male and a Spanish
female. The child of the marriage of a
Filipino and a Spaniard was called Spanish
mestizo (mestizo Espanol)
Toward the end of the Spanish period, the
qualifying word mestizo was also used to
refer to children of a male Chinese and a
native woman, as in mestiza de Sangley.
Those who belonged to the pure
indigenous stock were called Indios or
Indias.

Social Life
Beside the church was the municipal
building called tribunal where the
gobernadorcillo or captain held office.
The proximity of the church and the
tribunal to each other symbolized the
union of Church and State.
The captain could not do anything
important without the knowledge and
consent of the friar-curate.
If a Fiesta was to be held, the captain
had to consult the friar-curate.

 The fiesta was always in honor of the

town patron saints. Religious
societies were very active in
preparation for the fiesta and other
religious events. The Pista or fiesta
gave the Filipinos a day or so of
relaxation from their toils in the
farms.
The staging of plays called moromoro, comedia, and later
zarzuela. (theatrical performances)
This practice was passed on from
father to children, through

Amusement
Cockfighting was the principal form
of entertainment of the Filipino men.
This game was already in the
Philippines long before the Spaniards
settled in the country. But the
Spaniards encouraged cockfighting
among the Filipinos.
Many terms used in cockfighting are
mostly Spanish innovations such as
soltada, kareo, ruweda,
sentensiyador, pusta, dihado,

 Cockfighting was a regular event during fiestas

and even to this day.
Lottery, horse race, and bullfighting were all
Spanish origin.
Wakes were held with mourners playing cards
(with or without stakes) or with juego de prenda
The ninth day after the death of a person was
celebrated by staging the duplo.
This was kind of debate in verse between two
men or between a man, called bellaco, and a
woman called bellaca.
The loser was punished by making him/her sing,
dance, or simply let his/her palm be hit lightly
by an object pr a piece of wood.

Changes in Clothing
The barong, or what is popularly called today
as barong Tagalog.
Filipino male learn to wear hats.
Gobernadorcillo wore salakot with a silver top.
He also wore a coat over a long shirt, and
carried a gold-hilted cane.
The well-to-do Filipinos wore slippers or shoes,
but the people went about barefooted.
Women still wore saya, tapis, and patadyong.
They learned to wear camisa, made of fine
material such as husi or pinya.

The Mestiza Dress

It consisted of an upper transparent
part called camisa which is made of
silk, hemp, husi or pineapple
filaments.

The Antillean House

Rectangular or square house made of
strong materials such as first-class
wood like narra, ipil, and molave. The
roof was made of either nipa or tiles.
The roof was made of red tiles. At the
back or at the side of house was the
azotea.

The Position of Women

They could not sell the property they
inherited from their parents before their
marriage without the consent of their
husbands.
The friar-curates taught the filipino women
to be very obedient to their husbands even if
their husbands were cruel and immoral.
They were taught prayers and how to
behave in public.
They were taught how to use fork, spoon and
knife in formal dinners.
They also taught how to be independent.

A Common Religion
The Spaniards introduced Catholicism to the
Filipinos who contrary to earlier views did not
readily accept the new religion.
For instance, the Mass, sacrament of
baptism, marriage, prayers for the dying,
among others,were similar to the ancient
rituals.
The intercession through saints were no
different from the ancient way of asking
deities for favors and guidance.
The colorful cenaculo and processions were
just as festive and unifying as the ancient
rituals and chanting of epics.

Geographical Identity
A central authority ruled the whole
country except the non-Christian
areas.
The Christianized Filipinos, who
constituted the great majority of the
people in the lowlands recognized
this central authority and followed
the laws promulgated either by the
government of Spain or by the
governor-general.

The Influence of the Spanish Language

Such contacts led to adoptions of Spanish
words among many Filipino languages.
Spanish words like silla, mesa, cama, and
many more, were incorporated into the
Philippine languages like Hiligaynon,
Sugbuhanon, Bicolano, Tagalog, Ilocano,
and others.
Tagalog words as sibuyas, kabayo,
bintana, balkon, kusina, and others were
Spanish words came from words cebolla,
caballo, ventana, balcon, and cocina.

Printing and Engraving

Printing by typography was introduced.
Filipinos and Christianized Chinese aided the
Spanish friars in their printing work.
One of the earliest printers was Tomas Pinpin.
He was called the Prince of Filipino printers
Another Filipino printer who became famous
was Nicolas de la Cruz Bagay.
He was not only a printer, but a good
engraver.
Domingo Loag was also a printer and an
engraver.

Education
With the rise of the middle class many
Filipinos were able to go to colleges like
San Juan de Letran, San Jose, and the
Ateneo Municipal.
Later, Filipinos were admitted to the
University of Santo Tomas where they
finished courses in law, medicine,
pharmacy, and surveying.
Spaniards allowed Filipinos to enroll and
colleges where they were taught Latin and
Spanish, arithmetic, philosophy, theology,
and others.

Impact of Cultural Changes

The overall impact or effects of
cultural changes brought by Spain in
the Philippines may be described as
both positive and enriching , as well
as negative and divisive.

Pictures

General Narciso
Claveria

Fiesta

Cockfighting

Zarsuela

Moro-moro

Barong

Meztisa Dress

Antillean House

Tomas Pinpin