2 - Settling at the Fringes of Pueblos: The Foundation of Towns and its Effects on Natives' Land Relations in Early Modern Philippines

The establishment of pueblos at the beginning of the Spanish colonial era in the Philippines brought about massive changes in native society. Among them was the regulation of native settlements and their use of farming lands exemplified by the case of the town of Majayjay in the 17th century. In 1678 the Royal Audiencia issued a decree ordering the provincial government to compel the natives of Majayjay to refrain from residing permanently in the fields that they tilled, and instead ensure that these natives had permanent houses in the pueblos. The order even specified the type of shelters that natives could build in the fields during farming season. The rationale for this was to make sure that natives were properly listed in the annual census of the pueblos, which was the basis for tribute collection. Those lists could only be drawn if natives were physically present in the pueblos. Despite the regulation, cases of natives who preferred to live just at the border of the pueblos proliferated. They opted to reside at the margins of towns to escape tribute collection. Residing at the fringes of pueblos also allowed them to continue working on the fields in relative peace. Using the case of Majayjay and other neighboring pueblos in the Laguna province in the 17th-century, this paper will discuss the effects of the foundation of towns on the natives’ land relations.