The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1898-09-30
RACES IN PHILIPPINE
THE OLDEST ARE TRIBES OF
SAvAGEs.
Dwarfs Known a. Nsgritos I'D esc entl.nts
of Ancient 1nhabitants-The Most
Civilized Arc the T.gals. Of which
Aguinaldo 10 the Leader.

/
NOW that the Philippine islands are
IN the hands of Uncle Sam, it occurs
10 the average American that we have
taken into our fold, at least tempo
rarily, one Of the races Of the earth
regarding which but little is known,
ana tnat little showing that it is a
people as ignorant as our nation is adj
vanced In civilization. For, while Ma
MIA mas a population composed ~,of
whites largely, there is vast extent
OF surrounding land almost unexplored.
Inc few travellers, however, who have
penetrated the country give most in
terest1ng descriptions of the natives
popping the distant mountains and
plains.
The strangest and most unique of the
Philippine races is the collection of
tribes called Negritos, which is the
spanish for negro, that word meaning
black, thus denoting the tint Of the
persons to whom reference is made
when Magellan discovered the islands,
IN March, 1921, these people composed
large part of the population in what
was called by him the Island of St.
Lazarus. But at present they have
dwindled till there are but $4,000 left,
these mainly residing in three prov
inces and hiding themselves away from
contact with the whites.
In their wild mountain homes these
Negritos, or Agitas, as they are also
called, live pretty much the life they
did hundreds of years ago. Resenting
the approach OF the Spaniard, they
have kept up continual warfare, to
which strife is due their gradual de-
cline, and the retention of their bar
barous ideas and customs,
In appearance these people are so
small as to be properly denominated
as dwarfs, for they are as petite as the
tribe Of Bosjemans Of Africa, stand
Ing only little over four feet high.
They are brown as to complexion, with
rather good features, broad, flat noses,
woolly hair, worn in mop around
the head, while their eyes have a yell
low tint. Though some travellers say
they have good figures, there are 9TH
ers who assert that the Negritos' form
is bowed into ungainly curves.
The dress of the Negritos is hot
Partisan in style, but is admirably
adapted to warm climate, consisting
mainly OF sort Of fringe Of plated
bark worn around the waist, while
the brown skin is tattooed, as we find
amongst all savage nations. Their
manner OF smoking is to place the
lighted end Of the cigar between the
teeth: A popularity Of the race is
their wonderful dexterity with their
toes, being able with these members
to perform many acts commonly left
to the hands.
Being a wild people, there is no at
tempt made at agriculture, but they
live on game, fish, which they are ex-
pert in spearing from their light ca
noes; honey in the forests, wild fruits,
which grow abundantly in the tropics;
roots, cabbage and palms. The dog is
their only domestic animal In the
chase they are adopts in the use of the
bow and arrow, girls being quite as
proficient as the boys in this accom-
plishment. Their method of hunting
is to poison the tips of the arrows with
a peculiar substance, which induces
terrible thirst in the animal or person
wounded, and on drinking, death takes
place. The hunter then cuts immedi-
ately away the poisoned part, so that
the rest Of the meat will not be in
fected.
All efforts to civilize the Negritos
have so far proven futile and there is
a good story told on a former Bishop
of Manila, who had taken in charge
and educated for the priesthood a
young man Of the tribe. Growing rest
less under restraint, the man threw
aside his clerical garb, returned to his
tribe in the mountains, and out-Herod-
ed Herod in his savage ways. Having
no horses they wander about on foot.
camping in the forests where game
abounds, and when they have made a
good killing, remaining on that spot
till the meat is exhausted. Each tribe
numbers about sixty people and is
headed by chief, who is usually the
Oldest man in the party. With no
house to care for, they simply gather
about the fire, around which they lie
at night in a circle, with the head to-
ward the flames.
It is said that their speech is strange
ly like that of chirping birds, but that
fact may be due to the foreigners igno-
rance Of their tongue. Unlike most
barbarous races, each man has but one
wife, and their manners are remark
ably chaste. When a young man goes
counting his girl, the custom is for her
| to literally "take to the woods" at sun
rise and remain there till sunset, she
hiding from his sight. II he is skilled
enough to capture the coy maiden.
she becomes by this his wife. OF
course, 1t depends on the girls own
taste whether or not she shall be
found.
Great reverence is paid by these PEG.
pie to their dead, and it is their Gus
tom each year to lay on the grave of
a friend bit Of betel nut, while the
bow and arrows Of a man are always
buried with him.