The Inhabitants of the PhilippinesSawyer, Frederic H.
History
The Inhabitants of the Philippines
Sawyer, Frederic H.
Ethnology -- Philippines; Philippines -- Social life and customs
officers and men, however, are reported to have abominably mishandled
the Igorrote women. For this ravishing foray the late King Alfonso
XII. bestowed the title of Vizconde de la Union upon Primo de Rivera,
and showered promotions and crosses upon his staff.
The Igorrotes live in villages with a population of three or four
hundred souls. There is a chief to each, but the villages are
not organised into states, each being independent. The chief is
supposed to be chosen from the families called Mainguel, who have
distinguished themselves in war. As a matter of fact, the richest
man usually becomes chief. The wealthy families vie with each other
in the grand feasts which they give to all comers. The noble and
the illustrious guests are personally invited to these feasts, but
the common people assemble at beat of drum. The chief presides at the
meeting of the Bacuanes or nobles in whom are vested the village lands,
and who direct its affairs.
The common people are in a kind of bondage to the nobles, and
cultivate their lands for them. In Lepanto they are called cailianes
as in Ilocos. Their houses are square, and similar to those of
the other natives in the outlying districts, being raised on posts
above the ground-level. A framework of bamboos is supported on four
trunks of trees, the roof is thatched with cogon (elephant grass)
and the sides are closed in by canes, bamboos or pine planks. Each
house stands in an enclosure of its own, strongly fenced with rough
stones or posts. They are far inferior to the Christian natives
in the arrangement of their houses. Instead of having a separate
kitchen on a pantalan or raised platform, the fire is made in the
centre of the house, and the smoke finds its way out through a hole
in the roof. The rafters and inside of the thatch is blackened by
the soot. They make no windows to their houses and only a small door,
the ladder to which is drawn up when they retire to rest. They are not
clean in their persons, and neglect to wash their clothes, or clean
the interiors of their houses. They thus compare very unfavourably
with the Tagals as regards cleanliness, although, as we shall see,
in some other respects they are greatly above them. Each village has
its Town Hall, which they call the Balta-oa. This is where the Town
Council assembles to settle the affairs of the community, to hear
requests for divorces, and to administer the law to offenders. Public
festivities also take place here.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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