The Gumaca Petition of 1710

The Gumaca Petition of 1710:© Ditto sa Bayan nang Gumaca, nadalawang pouo at pitong arao nitong bouang Abril, at taong sanglibot pitong daan, at sang pouongtaon Bruce Cruikshank December 2020 In 1710 the citizens of the Gumaca municipality (pueblo) dared to present a petition to their parish priest and the Alcalde mayor of their province alleging hardships and suffering due to labor exactions. It took courage to do so, suggesting that the sufferings were of such a nature that continued silence under the burden of forced labor demands would be insufferable. We do not know the full context of the demands and hardships. The manuscript is singular, containing a copy of the petition in Tagalog, a translation into Spanish, and the signatures of male residents. The only copy I have found is archived in Mexico. Fondo Franciscano, Biblioteca Nacional del Museo de Antropologia e Historia. Vol. 151, ff. 102-109v, 27 April 1710. Reference in the petition is made to the parish priest, a Franciscan named P. Fr. Pedro Arias Vinagre, O.F.M. He was born in Spain around 1654, came to the Philippines after some years in Mexico, arriving in the Islands about half way through his 85-year long life. He died in the Philippines in 1739. Three years after he arrived in the Philippine colony, Father Pedro served as parish priest in Paete (1699 and 1700) and as a minor administrator in the Franciscan Province in 1705. He then was assigned to Gumaca in 1706 as its cleric, with the posting renewed in 1708, 1709, and 1711. He then served in two positions as a senior administrator of the Province, then was re-posted to Gumaca in 1714. In 1715 he was sent to Los Baños, then to Pililla (1717), to Pagsanhan (1720 and 1721), Maoban (1723), and Pila (1724, 1726, and 1727). His last position was as Presidente of San Francisco del Monte (1729). Father Pedro did not receive a posting in 1702, 1703, and 1718; we do not know why but illness might have been the cause. This information is taken from Bruce Cruikshank, Spanish Franciscans in the Colonial Philippines, 1578-1898. Catalogs and Analysis for a History of Filipinos in Franciscan Parishes (Hastings, NE: Cornhusker Press, 2003), v. 5, p,. 24; and from Eusebio Gómez Platero, O.F.M., Catálogo biográfico de los Religiosos Franciscanos de la Provincia de San Gregorio Magno de Filipinas desde 1577 en que llegaron los primeros a Manila hasta los de nuestros días (Manila: Colegio de Santo Tomás, 1880), 357. Ultimately most of the information comes from the years of posting determined by the Franciscan Province, about 18 months in length each time. We lack contextual material for this petition. Even information available on the size of the pueblo brackets the year of the petition. In or about 1649, the population was reported at 800; in or about 1751, it was about a thousand people larger, 1,892 almas or souls. Figures taken from sources cited and used in Cruikshank, Spanish Franciscans, v. 2, pp. 5 and 7. We do have a manuscript from the Archivo Franciscano Ibero-Oriental (AFIO), also dated 1710, which complains in general about the sufferings and oppressions inflicted by forced labor demands on Filipinos in the Philippine colony. AFIO 7/18. Informe al Gobernador General sobre Reducción de Infieles. Dilao, 1710. Two copies, one of 7 and one of 4 ff. The title is misleading since the range of issues addressed is larger than hill tribes. While the points presented by the Provincial of the Franciscans do not reference Gumaca, it is reasonable to link the AFIO ms. to the Gumaca petition as part of the same sort of imperial oppression they both lament and decry. The author, the Franciscan Provincial, speaks of the cost in human suffering due to forced labor requisitions demanded from unnamed pueblos to cut timber to construct galleons. It speaks as well, again without specifics, of the frauds committed against those conscripted, abuses actually in some cases perpetuated by pueblo officials as well as by alcaldes mayores (provincial governors). Documents by Filipinos surviving from the 17th and 18th century are uncommon. There is utility in hearing the voices of the colonized, even as we recognize that the petition and presentation would have been a polished and staged text for maximum effect from the Spanish administration. The copy of the Mexican manuscript I worked from was at times hard to decipher. Nonetheless, I present here the Tagalog text, the Spanish translation given in the manuscript, and a translation working from both the Tagalog and Spanish texts into English. I thank A.Cruikshank for the Tagalog transcription and the initial translation into English. The handwriting in the manuscript combined with often obsolete spellings or syntax made the task notably challenging. The orthography of the original Tagalog has been retained though differences in spelling and syntax from contemporary Tagalog are notable, as we will see. Some abbreviations have been spelled out. First the Tagalog text: Ditto sa Bayan nang Gumaca, nadalawang pouo at pitong araw nitong bouang Abril, at taong sanglibot pitong daan, at sang pouongtaon. Caming lagat namga maggagawa at magaatago, ay cami naglabas Nitong Peteszyon sapagcacami nag aamo amo saaming P.H.P. Deffinidor Fr. Padre Arias Vinagre, at Cami tolongan at yHingi cami sa Senor Hukom, naang Ibignamin ay ang siyam Natanoran at upang yCalouag nang aming lagat nadalita, at mga Casaquitan, caya ytoe GiniGingi namin at ycaauang ipagcaloob at opang cami gominhaua at nang cami maca pag sirveng maygui sa PD. at sa H P P. at saaming mga Pang. Caya Panginoon namin ang bagala natomolong Nitong aming Hingi; Nang ytoy totoo mandin, naytoy buhat saloob namin na Gindi liGim, at Gayag naytoy aming pinag cacaisapan, t pinag polongan saloob nang Tribunal sa garap nang Tgen. teng May Baras lugar Capitan D. Diego Liyas, at nang laGat naming mga Alagw. Capitan Nlatanda; Yto ang Gingi Namin, at cami napa aampon, at napatotolong saaming Panginoon Guardian at Diffinsor Fr. Padre Arias Vinagre, ay ang pagcatotoo, ay nagfirma caming laGat at ang Gindi maalam sumulat ay namintacasi sa maalam= Signatures follow, omitted here. … Acoy ang escrivabano Maybaras D P Manlisig binigyan con pagcatotoo ytong Hininge nang Manga tauo naytoy Gindi lihim at Gayag salagat; Caya ang pagkatotoo nito ay finirmaGangco nang pangalanco= sapag catotoo= D. P Manlisig=Escrivano= Silla Nang lahat na mga tauong nag Palagay nang Petsa nang pagGinge nang siyam natanoran ay ditomaquiquita samababa ang laGat namga Pangalan guinaoa ngaiong 21 de Abril de 1710. And here is the transcription again, but this time into contemporary Tagalog: Dito sa bayan ng Gumaca, na dalawampu at pitong araw nitong buwan ng Abril, taong 1710 [April 27, 1710]: Kaming lahat na mga manggagawa at mga tao, ay kami naglabas nitong Petisyon sapagka’t kami ay nagsusumamo sa aming P.H.P. Deffinidor Fr. Padre Arias Vinagre, at kami ay tulungan at ihingi kami sa Senyor Hukom, na ang ibig namin ay ang siyam Natanoran at upang ikaluwag nang aming lahat na dalita, at mga kasaquitan, kaya ito hinihingi namin at ikawaang ipagkaloob at upang kami ay guminhawa at ng kami ay maka pag silbing maigi sa PD. At sa H.P.P. at sa aming mga Pang. Kaya Panginoon namin ang bahala na tumulong nitong aming hingi; Na itoy totoo mandin, na itoy buhat sa loob namin na hindi lihim, at hayag na itoy aming pinag kaisipan at pinagpulongan sa loob nang Tribunal sa harap nang Tgen. teng [tenyente]May Bakas lugar Capitan D. Div. Liyas, at nang lahat naming mga Alagad. Capisanan Alatanda; ito ang hingi namin at kami ay napaaampon at nagpatutulong sa aming panginoon Guardian at Deffensor Padre Arias Vinagre, ay ang pagkatotoo, ay nagpirma kaming lahat at ang hindi maalam sumulat ay namintakasi sa maalam: [names listed not translated here)] Akoy ang escribano may baras D.P. Manlisig binigyan kong pagkatotoo itong hiningi nangmga tao na itoy hindi lihm at hayag sa lahat; kaya ang pagkatotoo nito ay pinirmahan ko ng pangalan ko- sa pagkatotoo. D.P. Manlisig=Escribano. Sila nang lahat na mga tao nag palagay nang petsa nang pag hinge nang siyam natanoran ay dito makikita sa may baba ang lahat ng mga Pangalan ginawa ngayong 21 de Abril de 1710. And here is a rough transcription of the Spanish text, preceded by two paragraphs of procedural legalese, then the petition in one paragraph, ending with another six paragraphs of procedural material: Where best efforts failed to decipher the word or abreviation in the Spanish text, a ___ is substituted. Some abbreviations have been spelled out. I think I must have used the ’ to signify superscripts in the original. I worked from a sketchy transcription I made some decades earlier since the Spanish text ws not accessible to me in 2020. Fortunately the Gumaca petition’s translation is clear. En el Pueblo y Cavezera de Tayabas en quatro diyas [sic] del mes de mayo de mill setecientos y diez años: Ante me el Cappitan Don Juan de Revollo Alcalde mayor … de esta provinzia de Tayabas … haviendo visto el escripto presentada por los Naturales del Pueblo de Gumaca; y para proceder en derecho, devia demandar y mande que los Interpretes deeste Juzgado Lo trasumpten, en la lengua Castellana … En Cumplimiento del Auto de Arriva Yo, el Capitan Don Lucas Ramires, y Francisco Pasqual Interpretes deeste Juzgado … que su thenor a la letra … es, como se sigue. En el Pueblo de Gumaca, en veinte y siete dias del mes de Abril setessientos y diez años. Nosotros los Principales, y timaguas Timagua is an obsolete term, commonly translated “commoner” but with nuances and implications specific to the Philippine social economic, political, and historical context. Pressentamos este escripto sobre que le rogamos a nuestro amo, Amo literally means “owner” or a superior, a strange choice of term for their parish priest. It is clearly meant as an honorific and respect term. El Padre Definidor Fr. Pedro Arias Vinagre; y que nos ayuden, y pidan por nosotros Al Señor Alcalde mayor por ser nuestra voluntad, que los nuebe Tanorias para que tengamos algun alivio de todos los travajos, que padecemos: Y esto lo pedimos para que podimos acudir al servicio a Dios nuestro Señor a su Majestad, y a nuestro[sic] superiores y Padres Ministros y hizemos ayudara en lo que pedimos, por ser Verdadero. Y esto es nuestra Voluntad y ser publica consulta, mancomunida de todos, dentro del tribunal en press’a del ___ D. Diego Liyas lugar del Gov’or y do todos los Capitanes esto es lo que pedimos para que nuestro amo ampare y aude, como Guardian y … Fr. Pedro Arias Vinagre que por ser assi Verdad; lo firmams. de nros nom___ y los que no supieron firmar ___paron a los que supieren ___ [copies of signatures] Lista de todos las perssonas que pressentaron el escripto, sobre pedir nueve remudes del Tanoria que abaxo yran declarados que lo ser oy Veinte y Uno de Abril de mil setesientos y dies años. Ay una lista que pressentan queba adjunta en ciento y nuebe y al pie del ay el recaudo siguiente. Yo D. P.Manlisig escrivano del Pueblo de Gumaca doy fee y verdad testimonio que la Lista de todos las personas que pedieron en la Pettizion y los ___ no estar en dicha lista, y por ser assi Verdad lo firme de mi nombre, y Veinte de Abril de mill setessientos y diez años. Y por ser Verdad D. P. Manlisig escrivano. Es que dicho trasumpto lo hizimos anro leal saver y entender de ni engaño contra ninguna de las parte save de___erro de pluma, y assi ___mos a Dios y a la Cruz segun f___a de dro. Y lo firmamos en este pueblo y cavezera de Tayabas en tres dias del mes de Mayo de mill settessientos y diez años. Lucas Ramires Francisco Pasqual Por mi visto el Trasumpto ___por los Interpretes deeste ___pado en razon a lo pedido por los Naturales del Pueblo de Gumaca, sobre que tanoria que tienen puesta el M. Rdo Padre Diffinidor Fr. Pedro Arias Vinagre Ministro Guardian de dicho Pueblo, atento a lo que dichos naturales piden de via d___ y man’e que dicha Tanoria se mantengan y observe segun hasta aqu___me lo piden dichos naturales como assi mismo mando que el Governador y demanos p___ naturales de dicho Pueblo tengan gran Cuydado en que no falte en el Puerto ___mon Un Principal y dos timaguas sustistentes en dicho Bantay, sinque ___tizia llegue el que no se executa___ que de haver falta en lo d___ dicho Autto se procedera contra dichos naturales conforme a derecho y por este ___ lo prouee, y mande y firmo con dichos mis testigos acompañados de que ___fee—Don Juan de Revollo Jeez R’or Yto se ___sigres D. Juan Cordova Zertifico yo Fr. P. Arias Vinagre Ministro de este Pueblo de Gumaca, como el escripto de la Vuelta, que consta de dos foxas, en que se contiene una lista de ciento y nueve perssonas concuerda legalmente con el original que queda en el Archivo del Convento de dicho Pueblo y por Verdad lo firme, en dos de septiembre de 1714 años. Both the Tagalog and Spanish texts are followed by signatures, broken into groups. I have omitted the signatures and lists of names. The numbers of signatories or names listed are impressive (possibly 110), a good number (roughly 33) with the honorific Don; a Padron divided into nine Tanorias with 164 males listed, 54 of whom are Dons; a list of Reservados de las dichas Nuebe Tanorias; and then another Padron. Thirty separate lists, this one consisting of both Dons and Doñas, totaling about 479. There is then a section reading: De las quales listas assi dispuestas, y ordenad’s por el Minro, y por el Governadas, sale el que dando dho sust’o los Contt’dos en la primera lista, y lo mismo digo de los Contt’dos en las demas no les buelve atocar el Volver adarlo, hasta que pacen siete messes, y dias que quando eran Ordenadas, y dispuestas por el Capitan y Caussas, les toca va el dar dho susten ‘o de tres, a tres messes, poco mas, o menos, de donde se conoce claramente el a___raw que a los Pobres se les haze ensengover nadas por dho Capitan y Cavezas como el alivio de que sean poner ___ por el Minro.; followed by a list of 18, Pobres, que enfermos habituales no dar el dho sustento. Father Pedro signs the document at the end. The same or similar lists probably can be confirmed in a report by Father Pedro archived in AFIO 93/47. P. Fr. Pedro Arias Vinagre. Lista de las personas que componen las nueve Tanorias de Gumaca para la administración de los Sacramentos, etc. Gumaca, 21 April 1710. 8 ff., ms., orig. This may have the carta Father Pedro refers to in a note after the section with the names in the 9 Tanorias (the letter is not with the Mexican document): De las quales Tanorias háze despuestas y ordenadas por el Mnro y por el ___ segun la Voluntad de los que los pidieron, sale el que cumplien de su semana los Cont’dos en la primera Tanoria y lo mismo digo de los Cont’dos en los demas les queda dos messes despues para Poder buscar la Vida; Y quando Seran solo quatro tanorias y governadas por los cavezas, solo les quedava depueco tres solas sema___ y Poder buscar la ___ vida, fuera de los incombenientes que a los Pobres se les siguia, y de que ya hago mencion en la dha Carta adjunta. [Signed Fr. Pedro Arias Vinagre] And, to end this short essay, here is a composite translation of the Tagalog and Spanish texts of the petititon itself, shorn of its legalistic trimmings and compressed somewhat: I have retained the words amo and timaguas since there no comparable words conveying the meaning, import, and resonance in English. In Gumaca on the 27th of April 1710, we leading citizens and timaguas present this document to beg our amo and priest Father Pedro Arias Vinagre to aid us petition the provincial governor to provide us relief from the sufferings caused by our labor [obligation]. We request that God, the King, our superiors and priests aid us in what we beg, for it is true. The Tagalog is stronger and more passionate, with references to their current “despondent” lives, “That this is true, from the bottom of our hearts, not a secret,” “and we are begging”. This is our will and public statement by all of us joined together in front of the tribunal in the presence of Don Diego standing in for the Governor General. We ask that our parish priest P. Fr. Pedro Arias Vinagre support and aid us in this for it is true. 7