Religious Beliefs During Pre-Colonial Period in the Philippines
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
❖ The ancient Filipinos believed in the immortality of the soul and in life after death. Their rituals were based on beliefs in a ranking deity whom they called Bathalang Maykapal and a host of other deities, in the environmental spirits, and in soul-spirits. ❖ The ancient Filipinos believed in the immortality of the soul and in life after death. Their rituals were based on beliefs in a ranking deity whom they called Bathalang Maykapal and a host of other deities, in the environmental spirits, and in soul-spirits. • God of agriculture – Idiyanale • God of death – Sidapa • Rainbow God – Balangaw • War God – Mandarangan • Fire God – Agni • God of the Other World – Magwayen • Goddess of Harvest – Lalahon • God of Hell – Siginarugan • God of Love – Diyan Masalanta And scores of other deities with their respective functions ❖ Disease or illness was attributed to the temper of the environmental spirits and the soul-spirits of the dead relatives. • Tigmamanukin – a kind of blue bird Thus, the ancient Filipinos venerated almost any object that was close to their daily life, indicating the importance of the relationship between man and other objects of Nature. ❖ The veneration of the soul-spirits was universal among the ancient Filipinos and may be termed the “Cult of the Dead”. • They kept alive the memory of their dead relatives by carving idols of stone, gold, or ivory, which they called likha or larawan. This “special” relationship was rooted in the belief that the spirit of the dead would be offended if food and wine were not shared with him and, having been offended, the spirit of the dead would take vengeance on the living by causing disease or illness. ❖ Like the moderns, the ancient Filipinos adored idols called anito in Tagalog and diwata in Visayan. • For safe navigation or a good catch, the ancient fishermen offered food and prayer to the
❖ The ancient Filipinos believed in the immortality of the soul and in life after death. Their rituals were based on beliefs in a ranking deity whom they called Bathalang Maykapal and a host of other deities, in the environmental spirits, and in soul-spirits. ❖ The ancient Filipinos believed in the immortality of the soul and in life after death. Their rituals were based on beliefs in a ranking deity whom they called Bathalang Maykapal and a host of other deities, in the environmental spirits, and in soul-spirits. • God of agriculture – Idiyanale • God of death – Sidapa • Rainbow God – Balangaw • War God – Mandarangan • Fire God – Agni • God of the Other World – Magwayen • Goddess of Harvest – Lalahon • God of Hell – Siginarugan • God of Love – Diyan Masalanta And scores of other deities with their respective functions ❖ Disease or illness was attributed to the temper of the environmental spirits and the soul-spirits of the dead relatives. • Tigmamanukin – a kind of blue bird Thus, the ancient Filipinos venerated almost any object that was close to their daily life, indicating the importance of the relationship between man and other objects of Nature. ❖ The veneration of the soul-spirits was universal among the ancient Filipinos and may be termed the “Cult of the Dead”. • They kept alive the memory of their dead relatives by carving idols of stone, gold, or ivory, which they called likha or larawan. This “special” relationship was rooted in the belief that the spirit of the dead would be offended if food and wine were not shared with him and, having been offended, the spirit of the dead would take vengeance on the living by causing disease or illness. ❖ Like the moderns, the ancient Filipinos adored idols called anito in Tagalog and diwata in Visayan. • For safe navigation or a good catch, the ancient fishermen offered food and prayer to the