Pangasinan people
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Pangasinan |
|---|
    |
| Total population |
|
1.5–2.4 million |
| Regions with significant populations |
 Philippines:Pangasinan Metro Manila ----- Elsewhere |
| Languages |
| Pangasinan, Bolinao, Ilokano, Filipino, English |
| Religions |
| Predominantly Roman Catholic |
| Related ethnic groups |
| Ibanag, Igorot, Ilokano, Ivatan, Kapampangan, other Filipino peoples, other Austronesian peoples |
The Pangasinan (Spanish: pangasinense) are the ninth largest Filipino ethnic group. They are the residents or indigenous peoples of the Province of Pangasinan, of the provinces of the Republic of the Philippines, located on the west central area of the island of Luzon along Lingayen Gulf. The term Pangasinan can also refer to the indigenous speakers of the Pangasinan language, or people of Pangasinan heritage.
The name Pangasinan means "land of salt" or "place of salt-making"; it is derived from asin, the word for "salt" in the Pangasinan language. The Pangasinan people are also called taga-Pangasinan, which means "from Pangasinan" in the Pangasinan language.
The population of Pangasinan is 2,434,086 (National Statistics Office, 2000 Census). The estimated population of the indigenous speakers of the Pangasinan language in Pangasinan is 1.5 million. The rest of the population are mostly indigenous speakers of Ilocano, Sambal Bolinao, and Tagalog.
The Pangasinan language is of the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian family of languages. The culture of Pangasinan is a blend of the indigenous Malayo-Polynesian and western Hispanic and American cultures, with some Indian, Arabic, and Chinese influences.
Although most Pangasinan are agriculturalists, Pangasinan literature is well-known throughout the Philippines. One famous piece is about the legend of Princess Urduja. Pangasinan people came to the fore in the public arena 1992, when the first president of Pangasinan origin (and the first Protestant Philippine president), Fidel V. Ramos, was elected. Other prominent people of Pangasinan heritage include President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo whose mother was from Binalonan, Pangasinan; Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., who was born in Dagupan City, Pangasinan; and the late actor and presidential candidate Fernando Poe, Jr., whose father was from San Carlos City, Pangasinan.
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[edit] History
[edit] Prehistory
[edit] Human evolution
Modern humans or Homo sapiens migrated to the Maritime Southeast Asia by at least 50,000 years ago. The two widely accepted scientific theories of the origins of modern humans or Homo sapiens are the single-origin hypothesis and the multiregional hypothesis. The single-origin hypothesis proposes that modern humans evolved in Africa and later migrated to other regions of the world, displacing other hominid populations. The multiregional hypothesis proposes that modern humans evolved from hominid populations in separate regions of the world.
The most widely accepted view in paleoanthropology and genetics is that modern humans originated in the African savanna between 100 to 200 thousand years ago and later migrated to Asia, Europe, island Southeast Asia, and Australia by at least 40,000 years ago.
Human societies of hunter-gatherers and nomads, which probably included beach-combers and sea gypsies, migrated to other regions of the world. Evidence from paleoanthropology suggests that Homo sapiens or modern humans existed in Palawan at least 50,000 years ago. These inhabitants are called the Tabon Man, after the name of the Tabon cave in Palawan where human fossil remains were found. Genetics studies of human DNA markers confirm the presence of modern humans in Southeast Asia and Australia at least 55,000 years ago.
[edit] Austronesian languages
Austronesian-speakers emerged in island Southeast Asia, South China, Taiwan, and the Pacific islands, perhaps more than 5,000 years ago. Proto-Austronesians may have been the first Americans and reached the Americas by a coastal route from Southeast Asia, perhaps as early as 15,000 years ago. The fossil remains of the Kennewick Man, which was found near the coast of the State of Washington in the United States, has features that was more South Asian and Polynesian and was dated to be more than 9,000 years old.
A widely accepted view of the origin or homeland of the Austronesian-speakers is that they emerged in Taiwan or southern China. Another view suggests that the Austronesian-speakers emerged in Sundaland, a pre-historic landmass in Southeast Asia that was once connected to the continent of Asia, or around the same area of island Southeast Asia where they are now mostly found. Sundaland must have been a biogeographic tropical paradise; some have speculated that the Garden of Eden and the mythical lost land of Mu were located in Sundaland. However, Sundaland was flooded and is now largely under the sea as a result of the rise in sea-level that was probably caused by global warming after the most recent ice age.
The prehistoric Austronesian societies adapted to the flooding of Sundaland and the rise in sea-level; they mastered the seas with their ocean-going sailing ships, and they built houses on stilts that could withstand frequent typhoons and flooding. They also built agricultural terraces in the mountains, like the Banaue Rice Terraces. The Austronesians also had to cope with cataclysmic earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions because they lived in a seismic zone, called the Pacific Ring of Fire.
The Austronesian-speakers were part of the prehistoric human migrations that are widely believed to have originated in Africa. The Pangasinan people, like most of the people in Maritime Southeast Asia, are descended from the Austronesian-speakers who settled in Southeast Asia since prehistoric times. The Pangasinan language is one of many languages that belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian languages branch of the Austronesian languages family.
[edit] Southeast Asian Maritime Trade Network
[edit] Distant Voyages of the Prau
The ancient Malayo-Polynesian-speakers were expert navigators who had sailing ships capable of crossing the distant seas. The ancient Malagasy sailed from Maritime Southeast Asia to Madagascar, an island across the Indian Ocean. The ancient Polynesians navigated the distant Pacific islands as far away as Hawaii and Easter Island. At least several hundred years before the arrival of Europeans, Macassans, from Makassar in Sulawesi, Indonesia, sailing with their prau, established settlements in the north coast of Australia, which they called Marege. In many Malayo-Polynesian languages, the words for canoe or ship and settlements or villages are often used interchangeably, like prau or parao and barangay, meaning "ship" or "village."
[edit] Maritime Trade
The Malay prau, perahu or parao probably even reached the land of the Pharaohs in Egypt. Malay ships may have been among the ships coming from the overseas lands of Dilmun, Magan and Melluha mentioned in Sumerian and Akkadian literature. It is possible that the original Sumerian names for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers are of Malayo-Polynesian origin. In Pangasinan, the word siglat, which means "swift," "fast" or "rapid," appears similar to the Sumerian name Idigna and Akkadian name Idiglat for the Tigris. In Pangasinan, the word burakan, which means "wave," "wavy," or "surf," appears similar to the Sumerian name Buranun and Akkadian name Pu-rat-tu for the Euphrates. A vast maritime trade network connecting the distant Malayo-Polynesian settlements from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean probably existed in ancient times.
Archaeological evidence and early Chinese and Indian records show that the early inhabitants of the Philippine archipelago conducted trade with India, China and Southeast Asia as early as the 8th century C.E. Chinese merchants traded with the people of the Philippines as early as the 8th century C.E..
[edit] Maritime Empires
Agrarian and maritime societies arose in Maritime Southeast Asia in ancient times. Several Malay kingdoms and empires, which were influenced by or converted to Hinduism and Buddhism, flourished and competed for hegemony in Maritime Southeast Asia from the 2nd century C.E. to the 15th century C.E., like the Langkasuka kingdom of the Malay Peninsula in Malaysia, the Srivijaya empire in the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, and the Majapahit empire in the island of Java in Indonesia. The Srivijaya and Majapahit empires were maritime empires and influenced much of Maritime Southeast Asia. It appears that the wars and chaos after the collapse of the Srivijaya and Majapahit empires contributed to the disruption and decline of the extensive maritime trade network that connected much of Maritime Southeast Asia and other countries.
[edit] Princess Urduja and Luyag na Caboloan
It seems that Pangasinan was connected to a maritime trade network that once flourished in ancient Southeast Asia. The extent of the influence of the Srivijaya and Majapahit empires in Pangasinan is not clearly known. An ancient kingdom called Luyag na Kaboloan once existed in Pangasinan. Princess Urduja, a legendary woman warrior, is believed to have ruled in Pangasinan around the 14th century. The first references to the Pangasinan people are found in the Legend of Princess Urduja, allegedly written by Ibn Batuta, an Arab sailor. It was written that the Pangasinans have women as leaders and that women are considered the more optimal gender, especially when it comes to the ruling of the country. The legend of Urduja is shared by the Ibaloi people in the northern province of Benguet. Most likely, the Pangasinan people and the Ibaloi people were once united or had a common origin. It appears that Pangasinan enjoyed full independence before the Spanish conquest.
[edit] Religion in Pangasinan before Christianity
Although there were Muslim settlements in pre-colonial Philippines, Islam was not able to establish itself in Pangasinan. When the Spanish arrived in Pangasinan, the people of Pangasinan were practicing their own set of beliefs, which is Shamanist in character. The people of Pangasinan maintained this set of beliefs through a strong priesthood: a hierarchy of priestesses and healers who represent pantheon of anitos. One of the temples was dedicated to an anito called Ana Gaoley, which spoke through the medium of some women called manag-anito, the officiating priestesses. These priestesses wore a special costume when serving an anito and they offered it oils, ointments, essences and perfumes in exquisite vessels; and after the offerings the anito is supposed to reply in a secret room to their questions. (page 274 of "Culture and History" by Nick Joaquin)
[edit] Spanish Conquest and Spread of Christianity
[edit] Ferdinand Magellan
The Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan sailed by the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, with a fleet of ships under the Spanish flag, and reached the Philippine islands in 1521. In 1511, before the arrival of Magellan in the Philippines, the Portuguese invaded the Sultanate of Malacca in Malaysia. Magellan had been in the nearby Spice Islands before and probably was already aware of the location of the Philippines. He was also accompanied by a Malay native from the nearby Moluccas during the voyage. Magellan was killed in the Battle of Mactan in 1521, but his voyage proved to others that the earth can be circumnavigated. One of the Spanish ships returned to Spain by the Indian and Atlantic oceans with news of a new route to the Spice Islands, the Orient, and the islands that came to be called the Philippines.
On April 27, 1565, the Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi arrived in Cebu with about 500 soldiers to establish a Spanish settlement and begin the conquest of the Philippine islands. On May 24, 1570, the Spanish forces defeated Rajah Sulayman, the Muslim ruler of Tondo, and the other rulers of Manila. On June 24, 1571, the Spanish declared Manila the new capital of their new colony in the Philippines. After securing Manila, the Spanish forces continued to conquer the rest of the island of Luzon, including Pangasinan.
[edit] Provincia de Pangasinán
In 1571, the Spanish conquest of Pangasinan began with an expedition by the Spanish conquistador Martín de Goiti, who came from the Spanish settlement in Manila through Pampanga. About a year later, another Spanish conquistador, Juan de Salcedo, sailed to Lingayen Gulf and landed at the mouth of the Agno River.
By 1580, Pangasinan was subjugated and made into an Alacadia Mayor by the Spanish Governor of the Philippines. Roman Catholic Augustinian, Franciscan, and Dominican missionaries arrived with the conquistadors and converted most of the inhabitants of Pangasinan to Roman Catholicism. In 1611, Pangasinan became a Spanish colonial province, comprising the territories of Zambales and some areas of La Union and Tarlac. Lingayen was made the capital of the province (and still is to this day). Continued resistance to Spanish rule was forced to go underground or flee to the mountains.
[edit] Kingdom of Pangasinán
On December 1660, a rebellion led by Andres Malong, a native chief of the town of Binalatongan, now named San Carlos city, liberated the province from Spanish rule. Andres Malong was proclaimed King of Pangasinan. Pangasinan armies attempted to liberate the neighboring provinces of Pampanga and Ilocos, but were repelled by a Spanish-led coalition of colonial tribal warriors and mercenaries. On February 1661, the newly independent Kingdom of Pangasinan fell to the Spanish.
[edit] Palaris Revolt
On November 3, 1762, a rebellion led by Juan de la Cruz Palaris erupted in Pangasinan, and the people proclaimed the independence of Pangasinan after the fall of Manila to the British on October 6, 1762. However, after the Treaty of Paris on March 1, 1763 ended the Seven Years' War (1756 - 1763) between Britain, France, and Spain, the Spanish colonial forces counter-attacked. On January 16, 1765, Juan de la Cruz Palaris was captured and Pangasinan independence was again lost.
[edit] Katipunan
[edit] Philippine Revolution
The people of Pangasinan widely supported Andres Bonifacio and the Katipunan's fight for independence as a common struggle. General Francisco Macabulos commanded the Katipunan forces in Pangasinan. Don Daniel Maramba of Santa Barbara was one of the revolutionary leaders from Pangasinan.
[edit] Republic of the Philippines
[edit] Spanish-American War
[edit] Philippine-American War
[edit] World War II
Lingayen Gulf was one of the strategic places during the Second World War. Japanese forces under Gen. Masaharu Homma landed on Pangasinan in December 1941, a few days after the attack on Pearl Harbor and started the Japanese occupation of the country. In January 9, 1945, American invasion forces numbering about 68,000 troops landed along the shores of Lingayen Gulf and joined with Filipino guerrillas to begin the assault towards Manila against the Japanese Imperial forces.
[edit] Martial Law
The imposition of martial law and the authoritarian rule of President Ferdinand Marcos resulted in countlesss human rights violations in Pangasinan.
Pangasinan fell victim to the gerrymandering of the Philippines by President Ferdinand Marcos when he made Pangasinan part of the northern Ilocos Region or Region I, although Pangasinan already enjoyed the status of a region because of its size, population and distinct primary language.
[edit] Post-Marcos era
[edit] Assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr.
General Fidel V. Ramos, who was born in Lingayen, Pangasinan, was one of the leaders of a military mutiny and a people power revolt that led to the overthrow of President Ferdinand Marcos.
[edit] President Corazon Aquino
Corazon Aquino, the widow of Benigno Aquino, Jr., was elected President of the Philippines.
[edit] President Fidel V. Ramos
General Fidel V. Ramos was elected President of the Philippines.
[edit] President Joseph Estrada
[edit] President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Vice-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, whose mother is from Binalonan, Pangasinan, was declared President of the Philippines after President Joseph Estrada was overthrown in another people power revolt.
Congressman Jose de Venecia, Jr., who is from Dagupan City, Pangasinan, was re-elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Actor turned politician Fernando Poe, Jr., whose family is from San Carlos, Pangasinan, ran for President against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The Pangasinan vote was split.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was elected President for another term. However, she was forced to declare a state of emergency to counter alleged destabilization plots. She immediately lifted the state of emergency, but her presidency is beset by demands for her resignation.
[edit] Demographics
- Main article: Demographics of the Philippines
[edit] Population
The population of Pangasinan is 2,434,086 (National Statistics Office, 2000 Census). Pangasinan is the most populated province in the Philippines, and is the only province in which Pangasinan people constitute the majority. Other provinces with significant numbers of Pangasinan are Zambales and La Union.
The population of Pangasinan is projected to double in about 30 years.
[edit] Education
The University of Pangasinan was founded in 1925.
Pangasinan State University
Pangasinan College of Science and Technology
Pangasinan has a basic literacy rate of 96%.
[edit] Health
Pangasinan has 51 hospitals and clinics and 68 rural health units, as of July 2002.
[edit] Culture
The culture of Pangasinan is a blend of the indigenous Malayo-Polynesian and western Hispanic and American cultures, with some Indian, and Chinese influences. Pangasinan culture is closely related to the Cordillerano and Ilocano cultures. The Cordilleranos are believed to be descendants of Pangasinan people.
[edit] People
The Pangasinan people are called Pangasinan, Pangasinense or simply taga Pangasinan, which means "from Pangasinan." The population of Pangasinan is 2,434,086 (National Statistics Office, 2000 Census). Pangasinan is the most populated province in the Philippines. The estimated population of the indigenous speakers of the Pangasinan language in the province of Pangasinan is 1.5 million. The rest of the population are mostly indigenous speakers of Ilocano, Sambal Bolinao, and Tagalog.
The people of Pangasinan are related to the Polynesians of the Pacific islands, the Formosan indigenous peoples of Taiwan, the Cham of central Vietnam and Cambodia, the Malagasy of Madagascar; and probably distantly related to the Ainu of Japan.
Some prominent people of Pangasinan heritage include President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo whose mother was from Binalonan, Pangasinan; President Fidel Valdez Ramos, who was born in Lingayen, Pangasinan; Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., who was born in Dagupan City, Pangasinan; and the late actor and presidential candidate Fernando Poe, Jr., whose father was from San Carlos City, Pangasinan.
[edit] Language
The Pangasinan language belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian languages branch of the Austronesian languages family. It is the primary language of the province of Pangasinan and the dominant language in central Pangasinan. The estimated population of the indigenous speakers of the Pangasinan language in the province of Pangasinan is 1.5 million. The rest of the population are mostly indigenous speakers of Ilocano, Sambal Bolinao, and Tagalog.
The Pangasinan language is similar to the other Malayo-Polynesian languages of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Madagascar. It is closely related to the Ibaloi language spoken in the neighboring province of Benguet and Baguio City, located north of Pangasinan. The Pangasinan language is classified under the Pangasinic group of languages. The Pangasinic languages are:
- Pangasinan
- Ibaloi
- Karao
- I-wak
- Kalanguya
- Keley-I
- Kallahan
- Kayapa
- Kallahan
- Tinoc
The other languages or dialects are spoken in some areas of the neighboring provinces of Benguet, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, and Ifugao.
The Pangasinan language is an agglutinative language. Linguistics studies show some word correspondences between Pangasinan and the ancient Sumerian language[verification needed], the first known written language. Sumerian, which was spoken in the ancient land of Sumer in southern Mesopotamia, is an agglutinative language like Pangasinan.
[edit] Religion
The religion of the people of Pangasinan is predominantly Christian, although few are strict believers and continue to practice their indigenous beliefs and rituals, like most of the people of the Philippines. Spanish and American missionaries introduced Christianity to Pangasinan. Prior to the Spanish conquest in 1571, the predominant religion of the people of Pangasinan was similar to the indigenous religion of the highland Igorot or the inhabitants of the Cordillera Administrative Region on the island of Luzon who mostly retained their indigenous culture and religion. Pangasinan was also influenced by Hinduism, and Buddhism before the introduction of Christianity.
The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Pangasinan is Oscar Cruz.
[edit] Sports and Entertainment
Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center
[edit] References
[edit] See also
- Pangasinan
- Pangasinan province
- Pangasinan language
- Philippines
- Salt
- Bagoong
- Milkfish, Bangus
- Fidel V. Ramos
- Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
- Fernando Poe, Jr.
- Jose de Venecia, Jr.
- Donita Rose
[edit] External links
| The Filipino People | Ethnic Groups in the Philippines |  |
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| Bicolano | Bisaya | Chinese | Ilocano | Kapampangan | Moro | Pangasinan Spanish | Tagalog | Tribal groups | Minority groups | Overseas Filipinos |
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