The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-08-27
.IGORR0TTE
VILLAGE There
Pe-a"ar Little People from
the Philippines to be Fea-
ture at State Fair.
WILL EyEsaIFY The LIFE The NATIVES LIVE

In Religious Belief They Are Anim-
ists-The Name lgorrotte SimplyN
Means Mountain People,"
Among the special attractions Of
the 25th annual state fair of South
Dakota, none perhaps is more worthy
of particular mention than the Igor
rotte village. Forty of these mem
bers of one of the most interesting
tribes of the Philippines will exem-
plify and demonstrate the usual vii
lage life Of their tribe.
These Bantoc Igorrottes are head
hunters, and have the distinction Of
being counted the most savage in war
and the most peaceful in peace Of all
the Philippine tribes. They have al
ways been friendly to the American
soldier and have demonstrated that
attachment in many a heroic and I'M
selfish deed. To make their exhibit
the more complete, accomplished lee
turers having intimate knowledge Of
them and their country and its Gus
toms will tell Of their habits and us
ages and fully explain their peculiar
tiles. a special feature of their de
monstration is the "Ganza Ganong"
dance, a graceful and very pleasing
ceremony which so far has attracted
much attention and study. Altho
their only musical instrument is the
Tom Tom, its crudity is marked by
perfect time as the graceful motions
Of the dancers express their ardent
but symmetrical emotion. Another
dance Of special import is. the war
dance always held just before the de-
parture of a head hunting eXpedi-
ton.
In warfare the Igorrotte use a
double pronged wooden shield and
carries upon his back a basket called
the 'shead basket in which he car
ries not only his provisions for the
march but the heads which prove his
prowess as a warrior. Upon his re-
turn to his village the contents of his
basket determine his standing and
honor among his people and the tat
too mark he may hereafter veal
These people are from the interior
of Luzon, $50 miles from the coast.
They wear only their native clothing;
the only garments of the men being
the breech clout and the peculiar lit
tie hat. The women wear a home
woven cloth, wrapped in a curious
manner from neck to knee.
Among their religious ceremonies
the dog feast is n Of special import
and prominence. This is given to
propriate "Anito'' the spirit who con-
trolls the rain clouds, and failing this
plactory observance this work is evil
and %unfriendly. With the lgorrotte
spirit control. all things and must be
placed according to the conditions Of
the petitioner. Those among them,
who die Immediately join these spir-
its and must be reckoned with as dom
inators over the affairs Of their sur.
yiyors, AS the Indian is the aborigi.
nee of America SO the 1gorrotte is the
aboriginee Of the Philippines, many
Of whom have never seen these noun
tain people, that being the meaning
of the term Igorrotte. There are at
least eight or ten tribes of these, each
occupying a separate river valley with
several miles Of territory and eacl
having a distinctive dialect, Print
tive they are but not repulsive; th'
Igorrotte is generally ola kindly dis
position, trustworthy, but not serylle
o~bseryant and progressive.
In religion these people are Amin
lists, theirs being a spirit belief. The,
hold that the soul lives on after tn
body's death, and in the same form
though Invisible to man and has it
home in the neighboring mountains
: where it is supposed in all respect
and relations to live as it lived Will
in mortal form. The Igorrotta bt
lieves in great spirit sLunawig'
! who they say has twice lived amon'
/ them in Bontoc and now exercises
| supervision in material things. TIL
! interesting people may be seen an
| studied at the South Dakota Annus
! Fair, September 1918 next and wi
!, richly repay as well as deeply interes
| the student of humanity.