Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-09-07
FILIPINOS.
ABORIGINES OF THE PHILIP
PINE ISLANDS.
PECULIAR CHARACTERISTIC AND HAB-
ITS THEIR DRESS AND
CUSTOMS.

CUSTOMS.
In the National Geographic Magazine
(Washington) Dean c. Worcester, OF the
University of Michigan, gives most in
teresting account OF "Some of the Prim-
tive Philippine Tribes" who still hold
possession of several Of the largest islands
ofthe group. Prof. Worcester went to the
Philippines in search of rare or new birds
and mammals, and his errsnd took him
into the widest and least-ex plored
islands, where he saw as few foreigners
have done, the savage tribes that inhabit
them.
"Wit bout doubt" he says, "the most
primitive OF Philippine peoples are the
Aetas or Negritos, race Of blacks OF al
most dwarfish stature, with fattened
noses, thick lips and closely curling black
hair. They are believed, and with reason,
to be the true aborigines OF the islands,
who, even at the time Of the Spanish con-
quest, had begun to go to the wall in the
fierce struggle for existence which was
then being waged between them and the
encroaching Malay tribes on the one hand
and between the Mohammedan and pagan
Malays on the other. We encountered
them but once. They wander through
the forest, living for the most part on
what they can pick from the trees or dig
out OF the ground, although the men
sometimes make use OF bows and arrows
or rude lanees in hunting. They sleep
wherever night overtakes them, often
without troubling to build so much as a
leaf shelter. They are becoming extinct
INHABITANTS OF MINDoRo.
The most interesting OF the Maayan
tribes encountered, by Prof. Worcesters
party were he MangyaDs, vino people the
interior of Mindoro.
although its capital is distant but 120
miles from Manila he writes, "Mindoro
is one OF the least known islands in the
archipelago, its pestiierous climate and
the unsavory reputation OF the renegade
Tagalogs who inhabit its coasts having
combined to discourage exploration,
while there has been little to encourage
exploration on the part OF the Spanish,
for the Mangyans have nothing to steal
and could not be taxed.
Even in the days OF its greatest pros
perity the cultivated district in Mindoro
was restricted to a belt along the coast.
The interior of the island stands to-day as
1t was in the beginning. Under the per-
petual shadow of the mighty low land for
ests and in little clearings on the noun.
tain sides dwell tribe OF natives who
show little kinship III speech or customs
and none whatever in dress with the re-
naming Philippine people"
DRESS AND CUSTOMS.
OF their dress and habits Prof. Worces-
ter says:
1.-The men were clad in the usual clout,
and in hat alone. The dress of he women
is different from that of any other Philip
pine tribe. 1t consists of numerous coils
OF cord braided of split rattan or other
similar vegetable substance wound around
the body at the hips and supporting
clout OF bark. This bark is made soft by
careful pounding between stones, and at
a short distance it looks exactly like ciot b.
The cord is usually stained black, al
though kind woven in black and yellow
is especially priced. Married women are
distinguis he'd by the fact that they ex-
cover them with a peel from one of the
plantains, ornamented with finely braid
ed rattan cord.
During the dry season the lowland
Mangyans often wander through the for
est with no fixed place Of abode. Where
night overtakes them there they sleep,
each person making a shelter for himself
by cutting off couple OF rattan leaves,
fastening their butts together and stick
ing them into the earth at such an angle
as to give the leaves suitable incina-
ton. Under the quickly extemporized
roof he sleeps, usually squatting on his
heels"
The indigenous fruits, vegetables and
roots supply the natives with food in
plenty, but says Prof. Worcester:
at should not be supposed, however,
that the Mangyan is a vegetarian. He fash
ions lance, bow and arrow for himself,
and makes the wooden tips OF his wea-
pons tremendously effective by dipping
them in virulent poison. No bird or