Religion and Spanish colonialism in the Phillipines

Abstract

The indigenous Filipinos had religions of their own long before the arrival of the Spanish. After nearly four-hundred years of Spanish contact in the Philippines, the Filipinos appeared to have adopted Catholicism from the Spanish. It would be expected that a change in religious beliefs would be reflected in a change in practices that may be seen in the archaeological record, particularly in changes to burial practices. The location of burials, position of both the body and burial goods, and decoration of burial goods may indicate ritual. Despite claims made by the Spanish about the overwhelming acceptance of Catholicism in the Philippines, the influence of Spanish colonialism was not as widespread as was advertised. The indigenous Filipinos continued their own burial practices, and thus continued to follow their own religions, beyond the influence of Spanish colonialism which was centered in and immediately surrounding large trade cities.