Notions of Filipino Time on Know History Know Self

Kababayan Weekly


Summary

Before Spanish colonization, Filipinos had unique ways of reckoning time, based on agricultural cycles and celestial observations. Time was viewed as cyclical, divided according to natural phenomena like the sun and moon, with units differing from modern time divisions. Prehispanic Filipinos used the sun's position to create hour-like units, aligned weeks and months with the lunar calendar, and determined time based on harvest seasons and lunar cycles. Despite the introduction of Spanish terms for time during colonization, prehispanic concepts of time persisted, showcasing a continuity in time reckoning practices. Muslim peoples in the southwest deviated from traditional Filipino time reckoning practices in the 1300s by adopting Islamic notions of time.


Introduction to Filipinotime

Before the Spanish colonization, Filipinos had unique ways of reckoning time based on agricultural cycles and celestial observations.

Ancient Modes of Thinking of Time

Filipinos before the 1500s viewed time as cyclical and divided it based on natural phenomena like the sun and moon, with units different from modern time divisions.

Muslim Influence on Time Reckoning

Muslim peoples in the southwest began to reckon time according to Islamic notions in the 1300s, deviating from traditional Filipino time reckoning practices.

Hour-like Units and Lunar Calendar

Prehispanic Filipinos divided time into hour-like units based on the sun's position and had units like weeks and months aligned with the lunar calendar.

Harvest Seasons and Lunar Calendar

Ancient Filipinos determined time based on harvest seasons and lunar cycles, leading to varying calendar years unlike the fixed dates in modern calendars.

Spanish Influence on Filipino Time

Spanish colonization introduced Spanish terms for time but did not erase the prehispanic concepts of time, showing a continuity in time reckoning practices.


FAQ

Q: How did Filipinos before the Spanish colonization view time?

A: Filipinos before the Spanish colonization viewed time as cyclical and based it on natural phenomena like the sun and moon.

Q: When did Muslim peoples in the southwest of the Philippines begin to reckon time based on Islamic notions?

A: Muslim peoples in the southwest of the Philippines began to reckon time according to Islamic notions in the 1300s.

Q: How did prehispanic Filipinos divide time?

A: Prehispanic Filipinos divided time into hour-like units based on the sun's position and aligned weeks and months with the lunar calendar.

Q: What were the factors ancient Filipinos based their time reckoning on?

A: Ancient Filipinos based their time reckoning on harvest seasons and lunar cycles.

Q: What impact did Spanish colonization have on the concept of time in the Philippines?

A: Spanish colonization introduced Spanish terms for time but did not erase the prehispanic concepts of time, showing continuity in time reckoning practices.

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