Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-12-16
People Of LuzOn,

|
New York Sun from Manila to say
that there are wrong impressions in
the United States concerning the Igor
rotes of Luzon. He says:
1.-The Igerotes are much larger than
| the Tagals, straight and muscular in
fact more like our Sioux Indians
Their hair is straight and most of the
tribes are friendly with us.
Arriving at an Igerrote village you
see the president or headsman. He
gives you a man to gather your wood,
another to bring water, another to feed
and care for your horses etc. You pay
each from one to five cents. They
guard your things during the night,
and in the morning you may wake up
and see your horses off on the side
Of mountain, three to five miles
away, grazing; but they are at hand
when wanted, having been carefully at
tended all night.
The women are strong and sturdy.
Some of the younger ones are quite
good-looking. All have fine eyes. and
the married are very modest in strang-
ers' company.
"They are great packers. You can
see long line of them, men and wom-
en-, with packs weighing from so to 100
pounds, ascending a mountain, twang-
ing their different toned bamboo tun-
ing forks where it would be difficult
for an American to ascend with an
alpenstock. The packs are held by
straps to shoulders and waist, and
there is band around the forehead.
Others out their little babies on top
of their pack, leaving their hands and
arms free to sound their bamboo tun-
ing forks. These are made from pieces
of bamboo, of different lengths, like the
old fashioned tuning forks They
strike them against one hand. keeping
time as they march along and pro-
ducing a sound or melody that is quite
pleasing to the ear, as each gives
different tone.
"a number of prospecting parties
have formed mining districts ip the
Igorrote country, elected recorders,
presidents and staked their claims. and
now dream of untold wealth soon to be
enjoyed with wife or sweetheart in
far away America. Some of them will,
| am afraid, have anything but pleas
ant awakening. That is. those who
have gone through the to them mean
ingles5 form of the Igerrote marriage
service, and large percentage have
done so considering it but a form of
purchasing a slave. But the United
States will | think, be compelled to
recognize the marriage laws or customs
of these people and consider them as
binding as p marriage in the cathedral
solemnized by the Archbishop himself.
THE Igorro;e courtshiD and mar
riage ceremony is simple. The young
swain sees the apple of his eye, meets
the stern parent and asks for the
daughter. The parents ask what he
can furnish for the fiesta or ceremony
itself, suggesting COW and a hog and
plenty of tobacco. native beer. tuba or
a calf, and some chickens. The young
man offers young calf. small pig,
chickens and plenty to drink. IN
decd this young man knows the worth
of our charming daughter think the
parents, and after consent is given the
day is named for the ceremony (Which
is generally within a day or so, or on
the same day.) The bridegroom takes
the calf, pig, chickens, etc. to the
fa.her-in-law's house, The young lady
is told of her good fortune. the neigh
bors come in and help kill and dress
the food Then the fiesta begins
"a large fire is built. the meats are
barbecued and all the relatives. neigh
bors, friends and everybody else ga5h-
or around the fire in a circle. dance,
eat, drink and make merry until mCrn-
ing or until the cares and strlfes of
this world are knocked gally west by
the oyerlndulgence in the liquid re-
freshments. During all this time the
blushlng bride and her lovelorn cap
tive sit Within the circle. AT the close
of the fiesta they are man and wife"