Alipin

Members of the pre-colonial feudal Tagalog Society were Alipin on the island of Luzon, Philippines, called. They represented the social base of society and divided again into two different objects. The Spaniards translated the word Alipin with slave, which, however, the status of the Alipin inadequately describes. Rather, they were debtors or serfs, had to perform forced labor for the one aristocratic Maginoo, Timawa or Maharlika. A Alipin able to pursue his own business, so that he could buy the freedom after community service his debt by his master. The social model of Tagalog society was in contrast to comparable European societies permeable, so that the Alipin open to the opportunity to climb up into the class of Timawas.

Aliping namamahay

The Aliping namamahay were the highest level within the Alipin class. They had on their assigned piece of land for their Maginoo - Mr serve Trubute and work in addition to the other estates of the nobility. But they had their own house and land. In the European sense a Aliping namamahay was a serf.

The Alipin sa gigilid formed the second level within the Alipin class. In contrast to the namamahay they were totally dependent on their Lord. Both your food, accommodation and protection from their Lord was assigned. Nor could a sa gigilid be passed with velvet of his debts by a gentleman to another Lord. The word sa gigilid meant in pre-colonial times, an area where there was the toilet, symbolizing the low level of sa gigilid. It also happened that a sa gigilid a Aliping was namamahay belonging, these were then called bulisik and presented the lowest layer in the fabric of society dar.

Even deeper than the bulisik were only prisoners of war, as they stood outside the tribal society. However, the POWs had the opportunity as Alipin sa gigilid or to be namamahay added and integrated into the tribal society.

Since the beginning of the 17th century Alipin stalls disappeared from the Tagalog society, as in the course of colonization of the Philippines by Spain, the company was flattened to a mere dependent peasant society that contribute only Tribute to the Spanish monastic orders and the colonial officials had.

In the Visayas region also existed a class comparable to the Alipin, these were called oripun.