Pre-colonial Philippine Names used by Indigenous Group

DOSE of Disbelief

9 Jul 202309:48

Summary

TLDRBefore Spanish colonization, the Philippine archipelago was known by various names reflecting its rich maritime history and cultural diversity. Ancient Filipinos were skilled traders with Indian scholars referring to the region as 'Panyupa Yana,' meaning 'land surrounded by water.' The region was also known as 'Sealand' by Arab travelers and 'Tawalisi' for its prosperous kingdom. Pre-colonial Philippines was home to powerful kingdoms like 'Mayu' and 'Tondo,' with 'Pangaasinan' being a significant trade hub. The indigenous Lumid people called the Philippines 'Kudeiwan,' symbolizing abundance, a term revived in the 1980s to celebrate their culture.

Takeaways

🗺️ Before the Spanish arrival, the Philippines was not unified under one name; it was home to various indigenous groups with their own languages and cultures.
🏝️ The term 'Panyupa Yana' from Sanskrit, meaning 'land surrounded by water', was used by Indian scholars to describe the Philippines due to its many islands.
👳‍♂️ Indian traders engaged in trade with ancient Filipinos, who were known for their exceptional maritime trading skills.
🌊 The term 'Silangan' was used by the Malay people to refer to the eastern part of the Philippines, indicating its location in Southeast Asia.
🛶 The Sama Bajau people, known for their seafaring lifestyle, used the term 'Tawali' to describe the Philippine islands, meaning 'wandering people of the sea'.
🏰 'Mayu' or 'Mai' was a wealthy kingdom in the South China Sea, known for trade in gold, pearls, and other goods.
👑 The Tagalog people referred to their land as 'Kaharian nang Tando', a powerful kingdom that was a major trading hub and later became Manila.
🛍️ The Kingdom of Pangasinan was a significant trading center where goods from China, Japan, and Southeast Asia were exchanged.
📜 The Pangasinan people had a script called 'Babayin', indicating a rich culture and value for learning.
🏔️ For the Mangyan people, Mount Banaha was a sacred place, believed to be the dwelling of gods and a source of life and abundance.
🌾 The Lumad people referred to the Philippines as 'Kudeiwan', meaning 'abundance', reflecting their belief in the land's prosperity.
🎉 The word 'Karawan' was revived in the 1980s by the Lumad people to celebrate their culture and heritage through the Catawan festival.

Q & A

What was the situation of the Philippines before the arrival of the Spanish?
-Before the arrival of the Spanish, there was no unified name for the entire archipelago. The islands were inhabited by various indigenous groups each with their own languages, cultures, and names for their respective territories.
What does the term 'Panyupa Yana' mean and who used it?
-The term 'Panyupa Yana' is an ancient Sanskrit term meaning 'land surrounded by water'. It was used by Indian scholars due to the Philippines' abundance of islands surrounded by water.
Who was Aryabata and how did he describe the Philippines?
-Aryabata was an astronomer and mathematician who lived in the second century AD. He mentioned 'Panyupa Yana' in his astronomical treatise and described it as a land of golden spices located in the eastern seas.
What is the meaning behind the term 'Silangan' and which ethnic group used it?
-The term 'Silangan' originates from the Malay word, which translates to 'East'. It was used by the major ethnic groups in Southeast Asia, specifically the Malay people, because the Philippines is located in the eastern part of Southeast Asia.
What does the term 'Tawalisi' refer to and who used it?
-The term 'Tawalisi' comes from the Sama Bajau language and refers to a prosperous and influential kingdom. It was mentioned by Ibn Batuta, a Moroccan traveler who visited the Philippines in the 14th century.
What was the significance of the kingdom of Mayu or Mai in the pre-colonial Philippines?
-The kingdom of Mayu or Mai was a wealthy and important trade kingdom known for its trade in gold, pearls, and other goods. It was a significant player in the South China Sea trade.
What was the Tagalog people's term for their land and what does it mean?
-The Tagalog people called their land 'Kaharian nang Tando' or 'Kingdom of Tondo'. This major kingdom existed from the 10th to the 16th centuries and was located in the area that is now Manila.
How did the Kingdom of Tondo maintain its independence before the Spanish conquest?
-The Kingdom of Tondo was ruled by powerful kings like Lakandula, who was known for his military prowess and diplomatic skills. He was able to maintain Tondo's independence and even managed to forge an alliance with the Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.
What was the Kingdom of Pangasinan known for and how did it contribute to the region's prosperity?
-The Kingdom of Pangasinan was known for being a bustling hub of commerce where goods from China, Japan, and Southeast Asia were traded. It brought wealth to the kingdom and had a rich culture that valued learning.
What is the significance of Mount Banaha to the Mangyan people?
-For the Mangyan people, Mount Banaha was not just an ordinary mountain; it was considered the dwelling place of the gods and held great importance in their culture. They believed that the mountain provided them with life and abundance.
How did the Lumad people perceive the Philippines before the Spanish arrival and what term did they use?
-The Lumad people perceived the Philippines as a land of abundance and prosperity. They called it 'Kudeiwan' in their language, which means abundance or prosperity.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Pre-Colonial Names and Trade in the Philippines

Before the Spanish colonization, the Philippine archipelago lacked a unified name, with various indigenous groups having their own languages and cultures. The ancient Filipinos were skilled traders with a rich maritime history, engaging in cultural exchanges and trade with distant civilizations. Indian traders referred to the Philippines as 'panyupa Yana,' meaning 'land surrounded by water,' due to its many islands. The term was used by Indian scholars, including Aryapada, an astronomer from the 2nd century AD. Southeast Asian ethnic groups, like the Malays, called the islands 'seal' and 'Ganon,' with 'Silangan' indicating the eastern part of Southeast Asia. Arab traveler Ibn Bachuda mentioned the Philippines in the 14th century, referring to it as 'silangan.' The Sama Baja people used 'Tawali' to describe the islands, reflecting their seafaring lifestyle. The prosperous and influential Kingdom of Tawalis was noted by Moroccan traveler Ibn Batuda. The pre-colonial Philippines was home to many kingdoms, including 'Mayu' or 'Mai,' known for its trade in gold, pearls, and other goods. The Tagalog people referred to their land as 'Kaharian nang Tando,' a powerful kingdom that existed from the 10th to the 16th centuries, located in what is now Manila.

05:02

🏰 Kingdoms and Cultures of Pre-Colonial Philippines

The Kingdom of Tondo was a significant trading hub with ties to China and other Asian countries, ruled by powerful kings like Lakan Dula, who maintained Tondo's independence and even formed an alliance with Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. However, Tondo was eventually defeated and incorporated into the Spanish Empire in 1571, with its capital renamed Manila. Another powerful kingdom was Pangasinan, founded by the Pangasin people known for their trading and navigation skills. Pangasinan was a key trading post for goods from China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. The kingdom had a rich culture, with a script called 'Babaylan' used for reading and writing. However, Spanish conquest in the 16th century brought the encomienda system, forcing native labor and tribute. The indigenous Mangyan people revered Mount Banahall on Mindoro as a dwelling place of the gods, integral to their spiritual practices. The Lumid people referred to the Philippines as 'Kudeiwan,' signifying abundance, reflecting their strong connection to the land and beliefs in its prosperity. Despite Spanish influence and the adoption of their language and culture, the Lumid people reclaimed their heritage in the 1980s, reviving the word 'Karawan' for their festival celebrating their culture and history.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Archipelago

An archipelago refers to a group of islands, which is the geographical context of the Philippines. The video script discusses the pre-colonial period when there was no unified name for the entire archipelago, highlighting the diversity of the islands and their indigenous inhabitants.

💡Indigenous Groups

Indigenous groups are the native populations that have lived in a region for many generations. The script mentions various indigenous groups in the Philippines, each with their own languages, cultures, and names for their territories, emphasizing the cultural diversity that existed before the arrival of the Spanish.

💡Maritime Trade

Maritime trade refers to the exchange of goods across oceans or seas. The video highlights the ancient Filipinos' exceptional trading skills and their rich history of maritime trade and cultural exchanges, which played a significant role in the region's economy and cultural development.

💡Sanskrit Term

The Sanskrit term 'panyupa Yana' is mentioned in the script, which means 'land surrounded by water.' This term was used by Indian scholars to describe the Philippines due to its abundance of islands. It illustrates the historical connections and interactions between the Philippines and India.

💡Silangan

Silangan is a term that originated from the Malay word, meaning 'East.' It was used to refer to the islands of the Philippines, specifically the Eastern Visayas region, before the arrival of the Spaniards. This term reflects the geographical orientation of the Philippines from the perspective of Southeast Asia.

💡Tawalisi

Tawalisi is a term used to describe a prosperous and influential kingdom, as mentioned by the Arab traveler Ibn Batuta in the 14th century. The script suggests that it might refer to a kingdom located in the Philippines, indicating the region's historical significance in trade and power dynamics.

💡Mayu

Mayu, also known as Mai, was a wealthy kingdom located in present-day Mindoro or nearby regions. It was known for its trade in gold, pearls, and other goods, and was an important trade kingdom in the South China Sea. The mention of Mayu in the script underscores the Philippines' historical role in international trade.

💡Kaharian Nang Tondo

Kaharian Nang Tondo, or the Kingdom of Tondo, was a major kingdom that existed from the 10th to the 16th centuries and was located in the area that is now Manila. The script describes it as a powerful kingdom and a major trading hub, which was eventually incorporated into the Spanish Empire.

💡Pangasinan

Pangasinan was a kingdom founded by the Pangasin people, known for their skills in trade and navigation. The script mentions that it was a bustling hub of commerce where goods from China, Japan, and Southeast Asia were traded. The kingdom's wealth and culture were significant until it was conquered by the Spanish in the 16th century.

💡Mangyan

The Mangyan people are an indigenous group in the Philippines, primarily living on the island of Mindoro. They referred to a mountain in the Philippines as 'Bonahall,' which means a place with a mountain often shrouded in clouds. The script describes the mountain as a dwelling place of the gods, reflecting the spiritual importance of the landscape to the Mangyan culture.

💡Lumad

The Lumad are indigenous peoples of the Philippines who have a strong connection to the land and believe in its abundance and prosperity. The term 'Kudeiwan' used by the Lumad means 'abundance' in their language. The script mentions the revival of the word 'Karawan' in the 1980s as part of reclaiming their culture and heritage, now associated with the Catawan festival celebrating their rich culture.

Highlights

Before Spanish arrival, the Philippines had no unified name and was inhabited by various indigenous groups.

Ancient Filipinos were known for their exceptional trading skills.

Indian traders called the Philippines 'Panyupa Yana', meaning land surrounded by water.

Aryapada, a second-century AD astronomer, mentioned 'Panyupa Yana' in his astronomical treatise.

The major ethnic groups in Southeast Asia referred to the islands as 'Seal' and 'Ganon'.

The term 'Silangan' originated from the Malay word for 'East'.

Arab traveler Ibn Bachuda mentioned the Philippines in his 14th-century writings.

Tawalisi was a prosperous and influential kingdom, known for skilled sailors and a strong military.

The kingdom of Mayu was known for its trade in gold, pearls, and other goods.

The Tagalog people called their land 'Kaharian nang Tando', a major trading hub.

The Kingdom of Pangasinan was a bustling hub of commerce and rich in culture.

The Mengian people considered Mount Ben Hall the dwelling place of the Gods.

The Lumid peoples called the Philippines 'Kudeiwan', meaning abundance or prosperity.

The Spanish arrival in the 16th century brought their language and culture, influencing the indigenous peoples.

The Lumid peoples began to reclaim their culture in the 1980s, reviving the word 'Karawan'.

The word 'Karawan' is now used for the Catawan Festival, celebrating the Lumid peoples' rich culture.