Lesson 4: Government and society of Early Filipinos

-basic unit of the government

-term " BARANGAY" comes from the "Malayan word meaning BOAT".

-consisted of 30 to 100 families

Datu- head| chief judge| Commander -in-chief

-larger barangay- Rajah or Lakan = Head

-Datu: depends the barangay from the enemies, richest, fittest, bravest and brghtest.

• agreement between datus of barangay
• ritual performed by the two leaders in an agreed place with their people as witnesses.
• act of submission by the leaders to the laws of each barangay
• mutual cooperation
• harmonious relationship

-leader of the confederation

-provide total protection to its members

"confederation of Madya-as" of Panay is believed to be the first barangay confederation in the country.

(1) Inherit

-come from the line of prophet Mohammed

-people woulf easily follow such leader

(2) By Wealth

-the richest man in the country could be the sultan

1. Ruma Bichara- Council of elders- richest and most influential
2. Qadi or judge and Uleme or scholar -experts in Qur'an
3. Rajah Muda- heir to sultanate
4. wzir- prime minister
5. mulik bandarasa- secretary of sultan
6. mulik cajal- secretary of war
7. pandita- religious dvisers
8. panglima- representatives to faraway provinces

-stable and centralized

-unified Mindanao

-established and fostered relations with Muslims in other countries

• Mindanao ws not colonized by the Spaniards.