Analysis of Pigafetta\'s Chronicle - Readings in Philippine History PDF

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Republic of the Philippines Bicol University COLLEGE OF EDUCATION Daraga, Albay(GEC 12)~ Library Research on “A Brief Summary of the First Voyage around the World by Magellan by Antonio Pigafetta”~ Prepared and respectfully submitted: JOELLE MAINE R. BERGONIO BSED Filipino- Noted: MYRNA A. PEREYRA S...

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Republic of the Philippines Bicol University COLLEGE OF EDUCATION Daraga, Albay

(GEC 12) ~ Library Research on “A Brief Summary of th thee First Voyage around the World by Magellan by Antonio Pigafetta” Pigafetta”~ ~ Prepared and respectfully submitted: JOELLE MAINE R. BERGONIO BSED Filipino-1 Noted: MYRNA A. PEREYRA Subject Professor

An Analysis and Discussion on a Primary Source in Philippine History This analysis and discussion on a primary source in Philippine History was done through a library research about the brief summary of the first voyage around the world by Magellan that was documented by Antonio Pigafetta. The library research was an alternative plan for the subject on Readings on Philippine History class shedule last August 29, 2019. The library research has two main objectives. First, the students should identify a primary source in Philippine history. Second is to write an essay discussing the importance of the text; the background of the author; the content of the document, and the text’s contribution to understanding Philippine history.

Historian’s most important tool in understanding, analyzing, and interpreting past events is historical sources. These historical sources will supply them necessary historical facts. Students who study important events in the Philippine history need to make use of primary sources in tracing and connecting the past to the present times.

One of the most important primary documents is Antonio Pigafetta’s First Voyage around the World. His documentation is an important travelogue in studying the Philippines’ precolonial and Spaniards colonialization time. It served as the prime evidence in the discovery of the Philippine archipelago by Ferdinand Magellan. It contained on how he encountered with local leaders, his death in Lapulapu’s place in the Battle of Mactan and the departure of the survivors from the islands. Pigafetta’s work shows a great importance in the chronological study of Philippine history.

As Filipino students who study our country’s history, we must be observant and must be able to recognize the different views of the author’s text. There are certain factors which can affect the contents of the text like the

background of the author, and the situation or condition he was in during the documentation. These also influenced his narration of the events including the inclusion of details in the text, his characterization of the community he had encountered and his point of view in interpreting the events. Antonio Pigafetta was born into a wealthy Vicenza family in Italy. He was a scholar on cartography and geography. He was commisioned by King Charles I of Spain to join and document the voyage of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his Spanish crew on their way to Moluccas or Spice Islands. He was among one of Magellan’s original crew who completed the first circumnavigation of the world. The First Voyage Around the World by Magellan was published after Pigafetta returned to Italy.

The content of Pigafetta’s text was written from his perspective during sixteenth century European perspective. For example, when their fleet reached what he called the Ladrones Islands or the Islands of the Thieves, he stated that the people have no arms, but use sticks. People are poor, but ingenious, and great thieves, and that’s why they called these three islands as the Ladrones Islands. His observations and assessments of the indigenous cultures employed European standards. For him, wearing indigenous attires was still like naked because Europeans viewed that wearing fewer clothes was like wearing nothing. But those indigenous attires suit the tropical climate of the islands. He also described the materials used by the natives for their houses like palm and bamboo. These materials helped the natives adapt to the warm climate of the country. In the sixteenth century, European economy was mercantilist. They measure the wealth of the different kingdoms based on the precious metals like gold and silver. So in order for Spain to be on top of all European nations, they need to explore for new lands where they could find more gold and more wealth The beliefs of indigenous people were different from the Christian’s beliefs and they were sometimes considered as barbaric and demonic. Hence, one of their ultimate purposes was the domination of Christianity all over the world. They were also after in exploiting the abundance of spices like ginger which can be used to blend the taste of European cuisines. Understanding the context would reveal that spices were seen as prestige goods in Europe.

Analyzing and examining the primary document became the pool of our knowledge and understanding of the precolonial period in the Philippines which is a great help in the study and understanding phase in our own history. Primary sources have different kind of analysis and have different importance depending in the occurrence of situation. Pigafetta’s text played a major role in understanding the Philippine history especially during its precolonial periods. It can be considered as the most credible and most detailed historical source in the study of Philippine history.

Sources of informations during the library research are included for truthfulness of data gathered wherein a brief summary of the First Voyage around the World by Magellan by Antonio Pigafetta is written or cited. Candelaria, John Lee P. and Alporha, Veronica C. (2018). Readings in Philippine History (GEC Series). Manila: Rex Book Store, Inc.

Halili, Maria Christine N. (2014). Philippine History Second Edition. Sampaloc, Manila: Rex Book Store, Inc....