The Inhabitants of the PhilippinesSawyer, Frederic H.
History
The Inhabitants of the Philippines
Sawyer, Frederic H.
Ethnology -- Philippines; Philippines -- Social life and customs
The Dumágas, another hybrid race, occupy the eastern slopes of the
Sierra Madre from the northern frontier of El Principe district to the
Bay of Palanan, where the last Tagal village is situated, the Tagals
thinly peopling the shores. But from Palanan to Punta Escarpada the
whole coast is in the undisputed possession of the Dumágas.
The Dumágas keep up a friendly communication with the few Christian
villages near them, and do a small trade with them. They even work on
their lands and help in fishing for a small remuneration, generally
paid in cotton cloth.
They have no known religion, they marry without ceremony, and are
said to disregard the ties of kinship.
Those who live far from the Christian villages are said to be entirely
brutal and devoid of all virtue, for they will sell their own children
for a little rice. They are almost irreclaimable from their savage
and independent character.
Some of these Dumágas live amongst the Irayas and the Catalangánes,
two heathen and semi-independent tribes showing signs of Mongolian
blood, who occupy a considerable stretch of country in the province of
Cagayan between the Rio Grande and the Sierra Madre, say about twenty
geographical miles north and south of the 17th parallel. These Dumágas
intermarry with the tribes they live amongst, and have adopted their
dress, religion, and customs.
The Mamanúas, also a hybrid race, inhabit the mountains of the
north-east promontory of Mindanao. They are few in number. There were,
in 1887, four Jesuit mission stations amongst them, three of which
are on Lake Mainit, or Sapongan, as it is called on some maps.
The Manguiánes, who are probably a hybrid Negrito-Visaya race, occupy
almost the whole interior of Mindoro, up to within two leagues of the
coast. There are a few in the mountains of Romblon and Tablas. There
are three varieties of these people, those residing near the western
coast are much whiter, with lighter hair and full beards.
Those living in the centre of the island are of a darker colour, have
sloping foreheads and less intelligence, while those of the southern
part, by their oblique eyes, aquiline noses and olive colour, show
signs of Chinese blood.
They are docile and do not fly from civilised man. A primitive
agriculture and the collection of jungle produce enables them to
obtain from the Christians, in exchange, rice, knives, bells, gongs,
tobacco, and buyo. They are not much advanced in religion, but are
very superstitious. They believe that the spirits of their ancestors
and relations never leave the places where they lived, but remain to
protect their descendants and families. There is noted amongst these
people a strong sense of morality and honesty, which unfortunately
is not recognised by their Christian neighbours, who are accustomed
to oppress them with the most exaggerated usury.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account