The Early Civilization of Filipinos

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During 800 BC, metal started to spread in the archipelago but its not a steel yet. Few kinds of these are gold, bronze & yellow bronze. Decoration was the primary usage of these metals during those time and its usage is not yet focus on using it a source of living. In this time, pottery is the trend source of living which is already widespread since the first burial in a jar.

This burial is usually granted to those who are not ordinary citizens. Wooden coffin were also use. Grave markings that were use during this time are carnelian beads. The colorful beads are not just for decoration, these were also use as artifact of the early Filipinos.

Changing Appearance and Communication
The determined advent of steel in the Philippine is on the year 200 BC. Though there are those who claim that it was already use during 300 BC, but the year 200 BC were chosen due to the carbon date that were taken from the sample found in the cave of Manunggul.

The melting of steel if the most important process learned during this time that is why blacksmith bellows is a characteristics during this time. The bellows is made up of two long bamboo shoots, the holder will blow through this to amplify the fire that will melt the steel.

The expertise in using the steel brought about the prosperity of fishing, hunting and agriculture. The Rice Terraces of the Ifugao is one example of the agricultural prosperity during that time. They also made a good irrigation system due to the improve equipment. They were also able to weave cloth from plants especiall from abaca. Socialization and the creation of ethnic state were started during this time and were improved on the coming years.

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State People and Overseas
Early Filipinos could not establish communication to the state overseas if they could not improve their knowledge in making ocean vessels. This ocean vessel is called "Balanghay." In Butuan City Mindanao, people were able to dig a remains of long boat made from wooden lumber and its age were estimated to be around 300 AC - 900 AC. This could be the reason why the said city is known skills a good fabricator of the ocean vessels until now.

Due to this prosperity, state village were able to build a commercial system between them and the villages overseas. The system of government and organization also started to surfaced. The system of writing also started to spread. In the river of Lumbang, Laguna, they found a 20x30 cm copperlate with writings of agreement which looks like a mixture of Malaya, Tagalog and Javanese.

This copperplate is important not only that it will prove the existence of system in writing but because the places that were mentioned in the writings are the places involved in commercial during those times. Tondo, Pulilan, Bulacan are the few places that were mentioned in the Laguna Copperplate, likely that they were part of the socialization in Bulacan and Manila during that time. The time written in the copperplate is 900 AC.

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The State Community in Islam Propagation
The time before the arrival of the 1280 AC, Islamd could not enter in the Philippines anymore. During this time, Sulu became the center of commercial. Because of this, Tuan Masha'ika arrived, a Malay Muslim. It was stated in genealogy of Sulu that this Tuan Masha'ika were the first to introduce Islam in the Philippines. The "Tuan" in his name means "Mr." and the "Masha'ika" means "old leader." Masha'ika lived in Maimbung Sulu and married the daughter of Rajah Sipad, a leader in Sulu.

In that wedding, Tuan Masha'ika started to unite the Muslim tradition with the early traditions. We could not only see here the combination of Muslim and the Autronesian traditions. Most of the Muslim grave in Sulu even until now has figures of boat like other places in the Philippines.

The continous growth of Islam will not occur if not because of the continuous arrival of other Muslims that had a strong influence towards the residents of Sulu. One of them is Karim-ul Makhdum. He was to be good in magic and were respected as a teacher and a prophet. He initiated the erection of mosque in Tubig Indangan in Simunol Tawitawi. When he died, his body were buried at Tandau banak.

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The Claims of Islam
It was 1450 when Abubakr arrived in the Philippines. He came from Palembang Indonesia and upon his arrival in Sulu he was united with Rajah Baginda. It was believed that Abubakr gotten the title as "Sultan" when he married Paramisuli, the daughter of Baginda. Sharif-ul Hasim and Zein-ul-abidin are the few titles or names of Abubakr.

The estaslishing of Qur-an schools is one of his contribution in claiming the state villages of Sulu in Islam. Abubakr use the traditional teaching of the prophet of Qur'an which is called Hadith. He had taught a lot of people to become teachers of Qur'an. The huge influence of Abubakr is in the political aspect of Islam. He has also many contributions in the laws of Sulo about Islam and in the government.

On my next post, I will be sharing the Filipino civilization in the 16th century.

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Source:
History of Filipinos
By: Zeus Baltazar