Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-06-19
PHILIPPINE PEOPLES.
Researches of Professor Worces-
ter Among the Natives.
THEIR CUSTOMS AND CHARACTER.

Some Eighty Distinct Tribes or Peo-
pies Are Found-Chief Among Them
Are the Tag logs-Negritos Are Be-
lieved to Be the Lowest Of All the
Tribes.
Through the extended researches of
Dean q. Worcester, professor Of zoology
in the University of Michigan, it has
become possible for the citizens of the
United States to learn something of the
native population Of the Philippines,
estimated to be between 5000, 900 and
10, 900, 900 in number and divided into
some 80 distinct tribes or peoples.
Chief among these are the Tagologs,
who are also the most familiar to Amer
leans, since they are the largest COM
ponent Of the folk on the island of Lu-
zon, where Manila is situated. They
may safely be called civilized, though
among them, as elsewhere in the archi-
pelago, there is a strong tendency to es-
cape from the burden Of Spanish taxa
ton and set up ~brigandage as a species
Of competition. They are not a fighting
race, taken as a whole, though they
make excellent soldiers under efficient
officers, but they are nevertheless deca-
dent. They reached their high water
mark on the island Of Mindoro, 1870
miles from Manila, but there today the
fierce Moro, a Malayan Moslem, holds
un~disputed sway, and the entire coast
is Stunned by whites.
Next in number to them are the less
we'll known Ilocanos and the Visayans,
who differ from them more in language
than in other respects, physical or in.
tellectual. The Ilocanos are in Luzon
principally, while the Visayans inhabit
the group of islands known by their
name, including Panay, Guimeras,
Negroes, Zebu, Bohol, Samar and Leyte.
These, too, have yielded to the Moro
when brought face to face with him,
and are Christians. though not a pro-
gressive component Of the population in
any respect.
The aborigines of the entire Philip
pines are believed to be Negritos, a mis-
cradle, puny, dwarfish folk. They are
quite black and have curly hair, with
features heavy and stupid. General i'll
health adds to the feeling Of repulsion
they cause in Europeans or Americans.
They have been worsted in the struggle
for life since the discovery Of the is.
lands, and are decreasing in numbers
year by year. Some Of them can be
found on Manila bay, though their
home is in the tropical forest, where
they shoot game with poisoned arrows
and dig roots and tubers. They are tho
lowest of all the island peoples, and are
wholly incapable of civilization through
lack Of mental capacity.
1t must not be assumed that Spain
has extended her sway over the area of
even a single one of the Philippines.
In Luzon itself, the likeliest Of all the
group to be civilized, it is only needful
to leave the coast to find complete saw.
agery. The hills contain numerous
tribes, some of them descended from
Chinese pirates, certain others of Malay
extraction and head hunters to the pres
ent day, while most Of them follow an
unpleasant tradition which requires the
kinsmen Of a person newly dead to kill
the first man he comes across in order
to provide company for the departed on
his long journey. The name Igorrote is
applied to a series of these fellows, who
are not necessarily related one to an
other. Among other tribes Of head
hunters are the Gaddanes, the Altasanes
and the Apayaos. But there are mild
hammered folk ever among the wild
tribes, the Tinguianes among others be-
ing kindly by nature and not given to
warlike pursuits.
On the island Of Palawan Battaks are
found in the northern mountains and
Tagbanuas along the northern coasts.
the southern being under the rule Of the
fierce Moros. The Tagbanuas Professor
Worcester found to be we'll intentioned.
They have an alphabet and can read and
write. But they 60 unclad for the most
part-a European hat being the most
highly priced article in their wardrobe.
They have many curious customs and a
religious belief which is quite distinc-
tive. They believe in a future beyond
the grave, down under the earth, scout
ing the idea Of a residence in the heav-
ems by the simple argument Of inaoces-
sibility. Though superstitious, they
were not groveling under any ceremonial
o~bservances, but lived a moral life un
der wise laws administered by the elders
in each community.
In Mindor, lying due south Of Manila
bay and at no great distance, live the
Mangyans, a simple folk, quite without
beliefs Of any d%iscoverable kind, though
Worcester lived among them for
months. When he had gained their con.
lidence he asked il they went anywhere
death and had for reply, "When
a Mangyan 10 dead, he is dead" Nor
was there any form Of prayer or invoca-
tion to show the slightest belief in any
divine being, whether on earth or in
heaven. They had no fetiches, and
amulets and charms Of any kind were
not usual with them. They do not ill.,
fict death upon members Of their own
tribe. co%nfscation Of property being the
for murder. They have an ap-
peal Of the sort known to the old COM
mon law, the accused being required to
pick up a piece Of hot iron with his
barred hand. II he drops IT, be is fined
guilty. They are strictly honest, and
marital infidelity is unknown among
them. In. fact, Professor Worcester
sums up the native situation in the
Philippines thus, AFTER making some
what extensive observations / am in
clined to formulate the law that their
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