Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-04-22
PHILIPPINE LANGUAGES
EIGHTY.FOUR TRIBAL LANGUAGES ARE
SPOKEN IN THE ISLANDS.
The Tribes Of the Islands Are all Of the
Malayan Type. With the Exception
Of One. the Dwarf Black
Negritos.

Manila, P. /. April 15:-As I said
in my last letter. in no equal area are
there so many different tongues
spoken as in the Philippines. A recent
classification gives eighty-four differ
ent tribal languages, and thirty-seven
dialects. When it is remembered that
native who speaks one of these dia-
lects or languages understands no
other, the condition is amazing.
With the exception of dwarf blacks.
the Negritos, who inhabit the forests
in great number of localities. all of
the tribes Of the islands are of the
Malayan type. Perhaps the greatest
departure from the Malayan type is
to be found. except in the case of the
Negritos before mentioned, in the In
donesians found dwelling in pagan
tribes in the hearth of Mindanao. The
Indonesians are q people of mixed
Caucasian blood, who. in primative
times. were distributed across the
Malay archipelago and we find their
purest living type in the Polynesians
Generally speaking the inhabitants
of the Philippines may be classified
as Negritos. Indonesians, whites.
Chinese. Half-bloods and Malays.
The Negritos. numbering about 25, 600
souls. are considered the aborigines
of the islands. They are cowardly
race of half-starved pygmy blacks. sub
sisting by the precarious fruits of the
chase in the forests. They are grouped
under no less than twenty-one tribal
names and have as many dialects.
The so-called Indonesians. number
ing $50. 600 souls. distributed among
sixteen tribes. make up considerable
portion of the wild pagan tribes of
Mindanao. Their predominant char
are their very considerable
height. great muscular development.
high forehead, aquiline nose, wavy
hair, abundant beard and light color.
OF staiwart frame they are readily
tractible and become most ecffiient
workers under intelligent supervision.
BY far the most important class next
to the whites are the Mestizos, or
half bloods. In this classification are
to be found much of the most intel
ligent and progressive population in
the archipelago. This population is
largely commercially bent and in
clined to the larger cities and towns
which have been reached by the COM
merce of Europe. An important COM
mercial element is found in the
Chinese Mestizos who are actively en-
gagged in mercantile and shipping en-
terprises throughout the islands
In parts of the islands the resem-
blance of the natives to the japanese
type is most marked. Among the
Igorrotes many tribes show markedly
Japanese traits. which is believed to
be due to Japanese piratical invasions
il the early times. 1t is an interest
ing fact that the Filipinos have an
intense dislike for the Japanese, be-
lieving them to be most barbarous
people. This idea grew out of the
efforts Of the Filipino priests who
went to Japan in early days and who
were tortured and put to death. They
were afterward canonized and the
story of their martyrdom was depicted
in the books of the ecclesiastical
schools The circumstance thus be-
came known throughout the archipela-
go resulting in deep-rooted aversion,
which time and closer association has
not obliterated.
Like the Japanese the Filipinos are
q homogeneous race, able to trace their
descent form common stock. Their
principle characteristics are pro-
and once recognized are un-
Save for their difference
in dress it would be impossible to
tell pagan Irrogote from the noun
tainous heart of Luzon apart from q
Christian Tagalog from the lower
parts of Manila, or the Mohammedan
Suln Moro. There is also strong
mentally and morally
all the Malayan tribes. It is
to note the influence Of re-
igions belief upon people of the same
.aGe. The Moros, being Moslemites.
ire inspired with the glory Of battle
md among the least civilized of them
he Christian of Christian in battle
8 much desired as it gives the perpA-
rator of the deed title to part of
Heaven. Christian Filipinos, on the
,ther hand. are averse to violent
'rimes, and particularly to the she'd
ling of human blood. The pagan
Malays. the lgorrotes. for instance,
he widest of whom believes in the
impliest forms of spirit worship. are
much given to superstitious rites.
many involving the shedding of human
,lood. Among these are the head
lunters, who believe that the killing
Il an enemy is not accomplished un-
ess the head be removed. These are
III of the same generic race but their
religions have taught them entirely
lifferent ideas regarding humanity.
Clarence +. Edwords.