Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1899-03-15
HOME LIFE OF FILIPIh0S
Characteristics and Customs of
 the Native Population.
THE PRIMITIVE BAMBOO sHAoKs
Queer Dwelling Places Of the Rural COmmunitIes In the Vicinity Of Ma nIIa-The Water Buffalo the Chief Beast of Burden-Dress of the Ma tive Women.
ICOpyrisht. l0s. by the AuthOr.l

ICopyright. 1Sos. by the Author.l
 II
 In order to form fair idea of native life in the Philippines one must visit the Filipino in bis bamboo shack. with the Filipino sonora and senorita and that most interesting of youngsters in the world, the Filipino pickRninny, who seems ss content in a bamboo bas- ket on the mothers head as in the wickerwork cradle or hammock. To American eyes the native home life presents ,02-- Cuique rui Interesting phases 1Et-g Is a v4.c ts.f- s-t acc be tween city and country life in the Phil ippines. and it is in the rural sections that the Filipino is seen in his natural ness and simplicity. Here. as in most other tropical countries. the houses are built with steep matched roofs. with the caves running nearly down tO the ground About Manila bay the native shscks are built of bamboo. and there are many villages of these queer houses Bacoor. Paraniqus. Pasig. Tun- gallo. Msricaban. MsIabsn and a hun dred other towns are scattered about the bay, and in all of these the natives are thickly crowded
 A native shack is usually only one story high. with the floor raised three feet from the ground. which is neces- sary on account of the swampy condi- ton of the land All about the native huts are piles of dirt and filth. and everywhere the most insanitary ccndi- tions prevail There are uSuaiiy thecs or four generations quartered in each shack Aside from the natives of al sizes and ages. from the gray haired padre and sonora down 10 the diuiuu- tive pickaninny. the gosts and other an imals are sheltered within The water buffalo is housed in an adjoining shacE
 Before we reached here our men had heard of the Philippine water ba.-3lo and had formed various ideas of the ani nal When one was first sighted. we were not little surprised. The water buffalo. which is the Filip;n0's chief beast of burden. closely n, mbles sn ox in size and form. thoCzh its horns are larger and more widely spread apart The natives are frequently seen bathing the buffalo in the waters of the Pasig. and to us it was a novel performance The animals disport themselves in the stream in real amphibious fashion. jus tifying the title of water buffalo.
 In a native village nearly all the peo- pie are related as a result of the system of intermarriage One family usually settles down in some place apart from the others. and as the family increases the town or hamlet grows. new shacks being added as they are needed In the original marriage customs of the natives the usuages of Pacific islanders were closely followed While some of the primitive customs have been lost sight of in the recent changes. many of them still prevail Like Jacob of old. the Filipino lover is still required to do a term of service for the father of his in- tended bride. and the courtship is filled with trying oeremcsies and unpleasant vicissitudes for the young couple before they wed and obtain a place in the household
 Great simplicity prevails i'd all phases of Filipino life A native wiR live upon