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Batis
Readings of Philippine History (Velez College)
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Name: Culanag, Charles Zedriek V. Date: September 22, 2020
Year and Section: BSN1-A Subject: Readings in Philippine History
BRING HOME 2nd QUIZ (BATIS pg 41)
1. Who is Antonio Pigafetta? What is his role in the Magellan-Elcano expedition?
Antonio Pigafetta was Venetian scholar and explorer with background knowledge in
Astronomy, Geography and Cartography. He joined the expedition as a Supernumerary but
served as Magellan's assistant and kept a detailed journal of his accounts of the expedition.
2. According to Pigafetta, how did the locals of the island welcome Magellan and his crew?
Once the tension died down between Magellan and the natives, the two parties exchanged
gifts. Specifically, the natives presented Magellan and his crew with fish, a jar of palm wine
called uraca, figs more than one palmo long and two coconuts.
3. How are the islander's way of life, cultural practices, and religious beliefs described? What does
Pigafetta's account tell us about the conditions of the Visayan islands in the 16th century?
The cultural practices, religious beliefs, and the way of life of the islanders were very
primitive compared to that of the Spaniards. The islanders worshiped idols made of wood
and their main source of food were fish, coconuts and rice. Coconuts were also utilized to
create various ingredients food and beverages such as wine, bread, milk and vinegar. In
terms of tools, they utilized the coconut's filaments for binding their boats. In terms of
clothing, the natives were mostly using leaves and cloth as a form of covering. I nterms of
weaponry, the native's arsenal were mostly posion darts and spears. Lapu-lapu was otable
in terms of wielding a scimitar like weapon. Pigafetta's accounts describe a luscious island
paradise filled with creatures and fauna unknown to the Spaniards at the time.
4. Based on Pigafetta's account, how did the battle of mactan start?
It all started when Magellan slowly began to convert a large amount of islander's to
Christianity. In this process, Magellan and his crew burned down a village in the island of
Mactan called Bulaia which refused to be converted to Christianity. On the 26th of April,
one of the chiefs of the village of Mattan, Zula, sent two of his sons to present two goats
alone excluding the rest that was promised to Magellan. Through his two sons, Zula said
that he was unable to send the rest due to the refusal of the other chief, Lapu-lapu, to
obey the king of Spagnia in recognizing the Christian King as their sovereign. Whether the
burning of the village Bulaia was the cause, was unstated in the manuscript. With that
said, Zula, requested a boatload of men alone from Magellan in order to help fight Lapu-
lapu. At midnight, Magella, along with three boatloads of men, the Christian king, the
prince, the chief's men and around twenty to thirty balanghais made their way to Matan.
Before the battle itself, Magellan sent the natives a message through the Moro, stating
that he did not wish to fight them but will do so if they refused to recognize the Christian
king as their sovereign. They replied with a message, brandishing their military might, and
a favor to attack them only in the morning the next day so they might be able to gather
their men. Magellan anticipated this as a ruse and waited until morning to attack. When
lOMoARcPSD|9855204
Name: Culanag, Charles Zedriek V. Date: September 22, 2020
Year and Section: BSN1-A Subject: Readings in Philippine History
morning came, Magellan and his company made their way to the island. With the ear
splitting cries of the natives approaching Magellan and his men, the Battle of Mactan
commenced.
5. Why was pigafetta's journal not published?
Pigafetta's journal was not published because he was unable to find a financier for his
journol who would have paid for the printer's deposit. Furthermore, the account's of
Maximilianus Transylvanus and Peter Martyr were already released and the interest on
Pigafetta's accounts died down.
