Mohave County miner., 1899-05-20
Nine Great Tribes that lnhabit the
Philippines.


Besides the Europeans, Chinese anG
half-casts, or "Mestizos," the popula
tion of the Philippines is made up OF
nine different tribes, or rather peoples
representing at least three distinct
races and differing from each other in
many essential characteristics. With
the exception of the Moors of the Sulu
archipelago and the southern part of
Mindanoa, the Malay origin. The Wis
ayas, Palawarl, Mindanoa and other is
lands in the south, besides the Moors al
ready mentioned and few "Negritos," :"
are peopled entirely by the Visayas, or
Biscayas, who number in all nearly
100000, or about one-third of the
total population of the Philippines.
OF the seven tribes found on the Is
land of Luzon, the Tagals are the domi-
nant race. Their numbers, now about
2,COOOOO, are increasing, as much by as
similation of other tribes as by the ex-
cess of births over deaths. They occu-
py the very best parts of Luzon, from
the southern to the extreme northern
end, aud Mindora, Mara adigue and
other adjacent isles have also been
"Tagalized"
After the Tagals the Negritos, though
fewest in number, are the most inter
esting people in the Philippines. They
are the aborigines, and like the Amos
of Japan have been driven back from
the coast and low country by the steady
aggressions of the Maylay invaders.
They have disappeared from some of
the islands altogether, but there are
few sections of the population that do
not show evidences of the infusion of
Negrito blood. In all the Aetas, as
these Negritos, or "little negroes" are
collectively called, number hardly
10000.
In general the Philippine Malays re-
semble those of Indonesia, but in Lu-
zon there is q visible leaning toward
the Chinese type. The almond eye,
rare among the Malays, is distinctive
feature of those of the northern is
lands.
The LuZonese are broadly grouped
in two classes, according to their re-
ligion and pursuits. Those who have
accepted the authority of the whites
and the ministrations of the Catholic
church are called "Indios," and the
very slow purging of the several tribes
of this class is the only promise of a
common nationality. The tribes that
have maintained their independence, or
submitted but impatiently to the
Spanish yoke, and still practice their
old pagan rites, form the class of an
fieles."
OF the Indios the most civilized are
the Tagals, and after them come the
Iloconos, Cagayans and others of the
upper part of the island and the Vicols,
some 100000 in number, of the south
western part, The pagan population,
often confounded by the Spaniards
under the general name of Igarrotas,
still form large section of the popu-
lation, both in Luzon and Mindanoa.
The Igarrotas, properly so called, con-
sist of number of tribes who occupy
a large part of the basin of the Cagayan
river. They mostly appear to be Ia
gals, who still preserve their primative
religion and customs. Hereditary feuds
and head hunting prevail among them.
OF foreigners settled in the Philip
pines the Europeans have never ex-
ceeded 10000, mostly men who return
to China after time, generally leaving ,
behind them half-cast family. Every
town in Luzon, indeed in the whole
group, has its Chinese quarter, and ,
these half-castes form large and i'm ,
portant part of the population, and are /
the most vigorous and enter ]
prising of all.-San Francisco Call.