History of Physical Education in the Philippines: Pre-Spanish Times

SPEAR 201 Historical and Philosophical Background of Physical Education

Prepared by: Noralie B. Morales

HISTORY OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION

IN THE PHILIPPINES

PRE-SPANISH TIMES

( - 1521)

PRE-SPANISH TIMES ( - 1521)Philosophy: Survival, Enculturation &

RecreationActivities: Children were instructed in the

proper use of spears, bows and arrows, and swords.

Essential in their living because the skills involved were useful in:catching animals for their daily mealssecuring clothing articlesfinding shelter materialsfighting off enemies whether man or beastproviding props for their religious ceremonies

As the elders worked, the children took time out from their household chores to indulge in frolics such as:climbing treesrunning and jumping all over the wide open spaces

crossing streams and rivers

PRE-SPANISH TIMES ( - 1521)

Activities:

Philosophy: Survival, Enculturation & Recreation

playing their own game of make believe imitating their parents in such activities such as:

-hunting

-fishing

-housekeeping

-making weapons and tools

-worshipping


Activities:


The men and boys were involvedin:

long-distance underwater swimming

double underarm stroke diving to fish for pearls which

they sold at a profit to neighboring countries

rowing/paddling the banca


Activities:


Rituals involving various body movements and deep breathing

exercises to glorify God.


Activities:


War Dances incite the fighting spirit to express the hatred the people

harbored against their enemies and the type of vengeance they had planned

oftentimes, the members of the war council danced solemnly while trying to decide the course of war


Activities:


War Dances

Saut - characterized by quick runs, distinct body elevations, and much body quivering performed to the rhythm of the guimba, or drum


Activities:


War Dances

Himog or death dance - a ceremonial dance executed to the accompaniment of the bangibang, or wooden clapper


Activities:


Head hunting tribe

If one was accused of committing a serious crime, the accused was subjected to trial by ordeal. It was assumed

that if a person was guilty, he would not be able to pass the ordeal that would have be given to him. If some persons

were suspected of stealing, they were brought to the deepest part of the river and required to jump. Whoever came out first was considered the guilty one. The elders

believed that the gods punished those who were guilty and absolved the innocent ones.

Funeral Dances In case of illness in the family, the people also danced to hasten recovery.

When a person died, the neighbors perform this type of dance characterized by slow swinging of feet up in the air by a line of men standing with arms on each other’s shoulders.


Activities:


Beneseew or witch dance- held precisely to drive away evil spirits that inhabit the balete tree


Activities:


Tabing Baila- An exotic ceremonial dance which was a prayer for a bountiful fish catch.

- The movements stimulated those of a fish, with the hands curling in and out like a fin, arms circle here and yon, and the body twisting and contorting much like a marine creature.


Activities:


Festival Dances

Bumayab-started auspiciously with a limliwa or chant

-notable for its elaborate footwork and hand movements

-music was provided by gongs, gongha, tubob, and habat


Activities:


Festival Dances

Tanggugo- a dance with hardly any arm

movement- men and women rotated bodily,

stepped sideways, and stamped animatedly with kulong-kulong around their feet to the accompaniment of the tanggungguan, or gongs suspended by ropes from a triangular rack


Activities:


Festival Dances

Unomey-umey- a thanksgiving dance for the diwatas for

a rich crop


Activities:


Courtship Dances

Tadek- both man and woman danced on tiptoe,feet remaining always on the ground carrying a piece of red cloth which they fluttered from side to side as they shook their whole body to the measure of the ganza, or native drum


Activities:


Courtship Dances

Tadek- the highlight of the dance was the exchange of symbolic keepsakes wherein the wife offers her husband a dagger to show that she looked up to him; in turn, the husband gave her a piece of cloth to signify their common bond


Activities:


Courtship Dances

Kinal-logong- the man remained in place as the womanteasingly sang and danced around him, trying each time to place a hat on his head


Activities:


Courtship Dances

Takik- the man danced with a blanket on his shoulders


Activities:


Courtship Dances

Pinanyo-wan- both man and woman danced with a handkerchief, the man chasing after his love like a rooster, until she showed acceptance by placing her handkerchief on the shoulder of the suitor


Activities:


Wedding dances- the babaylan or priestess usually climaxed a marriage ceremony with a dance at the end of which she threw her javelin to kill a sacrificial animal


Activities:


Wedding dances

Tagum Di Malahim- characterized by energetic birdlike movements of the bridegroom, enlaced with elegant, flexuous movements of the bride


Activities:


Mimetic dances

Munggayong- a line of men and another of women participants danced around a pile of pots


Activities:


Mimetic dances

Munggayong- the dancers sat down afterwards and went through the motions of making pots- as they did so, tapuy or rice wine was passed around in coconut shells


Activities:


Mimetic dances

Sayaw Tu Baud- a pigeon dance- an imitation of the flight of pigeons from hunters stalking them


Activities:


Mimetic dances

Ninanog- a hawk dance- feigned the movements of a hawk as it pounced on its quarry


Activities:


Funny/comical primitive dances

Kinnotan or ant dance- showed a man dancing and gesticulating to another person who had been attacked by ants- with deft movements, the former scratched the hurt parts of the body of the victim


Activities:



Camote or Yam dance- imitated the movements of a man attempting to steal yam


Activities:



Pinubag or bee dance- the steps and movements simulated a bee gathering honey


Activities:



Inamo-amo or monkey dance- mimicked the movements of a

monkey as it bounced and gamboled about


Activities:


The early Filipinos were hardy, adventurous, and energetic people endowed with a vigorous and strong physique. Valiant and unafraid, they frequently engaged in battles.

Even in early times, the Filipinos were religious people. They performed, for example, certain rituals which contributed greatly to their physical development.


Points to remember:


Dancing was a popular and common activity among the early Filipinos; almost all occasions were celebrated by dancing.


Points to remember:


HISTORY OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION

IN THE PHILIPPINESPRE-SPANISH TIMES ( - 1521)

Reference: History of Physical Education in the Philippines by Cecilia Bocobo-

Olivar

History of Physical Education in the Philippines: Pre-Spanish Times

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