Chapter XVI

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I have added to this account of them a list of such of their manufactures as I have seen or could learn of, and in most instances I have given the Igorrote name. The Igorrotes have several dialects, so that the names of the various articles may vary according to the locality. Herewith a list of the dialects and the places where each is spoken, taken from Spanish official sources.

Dialect. Locality.

Benguetano. The greater part of Benguet. Igorrote. Lepanto. Igorrote del Abra. Five villages of Bontoc. Igorrote de la Gran Cordillera. By the reduced Igorrotes and the independent tribes of the Caraballo. Igorrote Suflin. In fifteen villages of that Cordillera.

Many of the Principales or head-men and others under Spanish influence speak and write Ilocano, which they find necessary for their trade with that people. More than twenty years ago there were seven schools in Lepanto regularly attended by five hundred and sixty-two children, of whom one hundred and ten could then read and write Spanish. No doubt by this time these schools have considerably increased.

I am much impressed by the great industry of these people and with the great skill they show in everything they undertake. It is therefore disappointing to read in Foreman's book 'The Philippine Islands,' p. 213: "Like all the races of the Philippines, they are indolent to the greatest degree." Foreman goes on to say, Polygamy seems to be permitted, murders are common, their huts are built bee-hive fashion, they keep a Dr. and Cr. account of heads with the Negritos. All this is probably in consequence of accepting idle stories as facts, and is nothing less than a libel on the Igorrotes. A people who believe in a Supreme Being, Creator of heaven and earth, in the immortality of the soul, in an upper and lower heaven, in punishment after death, if it has been evaded in life, who are strict monogamists, and who have a high belief in the sacredness of the marriage tie; a people who guard the chastity of their daughters as carefully as the British or the Americans; a people physically strong, brave, skilful, and industrious, have nothing in common with the wretches Foreman described under their name. These people live in the fairest and healthiest parts of Luzon, no fevers lurk amongst those pine-clad mountains, no sultry heats sap the vital powers. What an opportunity for a grand missionary enterprise! What a noble material to work on, every condition seems favourable. The very fact of their rejection of the form of Christianity presented to them, and their distrust of the Spaniards, may influence them in favour of some simpler doctrine. I shall feel well repaid for my labour in describing these people, if the truthful picture I have attempted to present of them should interest those who have the means and the will to inaugurate a new era, to help them along the Path. A perusal of what the old chroniclers say about them convinces me that they have done much themselves to improve their moral condition, and that many detestable customs, at all events attributed to them, have long since been relegated to oblivion.

I now give a list of the Missions in the Igorrote and Tinguian territory that existed in 1892.

Missions in Tinguian and Igorrote Territory.

1892.

Province. Town. Population. Missionaries. Rev. Father--

Abra Pidigan. 2,418 P. Ornia. Bucay. 3,688 J. Lopez. La Paz y San Gregorio. 2,802 P. Fernandez. Villavieja. 1,912 M. Fonturbel. Bangued. 8,702 A. Perez. Tayum. 3,064 L. Vega. Dolores. 2,522 F. Franco. Lepanto Cervantes y Cayan. 2,200 A. Oyanguren. Benguet La Trinidad y Galiano. 849 J. Garcia. R. Rivera. -------- 28,157

All the inhabitants of these towns and villages are Christians, and either they or their ancestors were baptised by missionaries of the Augustinian order.

Some Manufactures of the Igorrotes.

Weapons.

Native Name.

Say-ang Lance, for war or for killing deer. Talibon Short double-edged sword. Ligua, or Aligua Axe used for decapitating the fallen enemy. Calasag or Calata Long narrow wooden shields. Bunneng Wood knife. Sayac or Dayac Sharp bamboo spikes to be set in the paths. Bows and arrows (the Igorrotes possess these, but are not skilful archers). Clubs. Gay-ang Javelins (favourite weapons of Igorrotes).

Accoutrements.

Alpilan or Sacupit Knapsacks. Lagpi. Haversacks. Saddles. Bridles. Rangan Saddle-bags. Baot Whips. Upit Pouch for medicine and antidote for snake bite. Sac-dey Uniform or war jackets. Bariques Chief's sword belt. Balques Ancient sword belts used by their ancestors are preserved as heirlooms in the family.

Clothing.

Tacoco Hat made of rattan for head-men. ,, for married men. Suebong ,, ,, bachelors, woven from cane. ,, ,, women. Sachong ,, ,, chiefs. Calogon or catlocon ,, made of rattan and cane used by Christian Igorrotes. Sarquet or Barguet Headcloth used by head-men. Loc-bo Caps. Olei or Ulas Cloaks or plaids. Cobal Loin-cloth of bark or cotton. Baag or Bahaque Aprons. Palingay ,, for women. Atten Skirts used by head-men's wives or daughters. Tachun Waterproof hoods to cover the head and the load carried on the back, e.g., to keep tobacco dry in transit. An-nanga Waterproof capes of Anajas leaves. Sandals. Clogs. Ampaya, Samit Tapis, cloth worn by women round the hips. Barique or canes Sashes. Baquet Woman's belt to hold up the tapis. Bado Woman's shirt. Shirts made of the bark of the pacag.

Ornaments.

Chacang A gold plate used by head-men or chiefs to cover their teeth at feasts or when they present themselves to Europeans of distinction. Balangat A coronet of rattan. Aponque Collar or necklace. Apongont A coronet of scented wood (candaroma). Ono Necklace of reeds and coloured seeds. Bariques ,, vertebrae of snakes. Siquel Necklace made of seed of climbing plant called Bugayon. ,, ,, white stones. ,, ,, crocodiles' teeth. ,, ,, boars' tusks. ,, ,, mother-of-pearl. Al-taque Coronet of polished mother-of-pearl. Garin Bangles or bracelets of copper. Bali Arm-rings, often of copper and gilt. Baney Leg rings of nito and fibre, or of copper, used by men. Arisud Ear-rings. Tabin ,, of copper, used by men. Bit-jal or Bit-hal Bracelets of boars' tusks. Galaong or Galang Bracelets of mother-of-pearl. Onon-ipit Necklace or collar of metal, having three pendants, the centre one being tweezers for pulling out hairs, the other two instruments for cleaning out the ears.

Household Goods.

Gui-pan Small knife for peeling roots and splitting cane. Lodo Ladle of cocoa-nut shell for water. Idas Wooden spoons. Latoc Large wooden dish, with receptacles for sauce and salt. Dalela Rice dish of copper. Sagatan Strainer of cane and rattan. Sarangos-an Funnel made of a cocoa-nut shell. Labba Basket used for carrying provisions. Pidasen Baskets for domestic use. Tinac-dag Alat or Minuiniata Small basket for collecting eggs. Babaco Provision basket. Bigao Basket for cleaning rice. Opit-daguil Provision basket. Opigan or Acuba-quigan Basket for keeping clothes in. Cal-culven Cane basket blackened by smoke. Tapil Small basket of cane. Hugones Great baskets to hold rice. Agabin Creels for carrying fish. Apisang or Sacupif Large basket used for carrying tobacco on the back. Sulpac Large bamboos for carrying water. Tang-tang Calabashes for measuring or holding basi. Ting-galon Goblet of plaited cane used at feasts for drinking basi. Pambian Spinning wheels. Paga-blang Looms. La-labayan Apparatus for holding skeins of cotton. Qui-tan-gang Wooden drainer for the spoons or paddles used for stirring up the basi when brewing it. Balai-ti-ado Rack to hold spoons. Quil-lit Earthen cooking-pot. Ongot Drinking-cup for water. Soled Dish of plaited rattan for boiled camote (sweet potatoes). Dapilag Dish of plaited rattan for boiled rice.

Personal Effects.

Palting Pouches for tobacco and gold. Upit Tobacco pouch plaited of rattan. Suput Purse made of cotton ornamented with copper wire. Cuaco Pipes of wood, stone, clay, or metal. Nupit Tobacco boxes. Sacopit Carved walking sticks. Tad Umbrellas. Pamiguin Pneumatic tinder-box, or fire squirt. Apit Pocket book of cane and rattan. Dubong Deer-skin pouch used when travelling. Quidatang Case with fittings for striking a light. Sagay say Combs. Tooth-brushes.

Miscellaneous.

Tali Ropes of Alinao bark. Sinal-lapid Ropes of Labtang bark. Raten Nets for taking deer and pigs. Chi-ay Traps for taking jungle-fowl. Anitos Images of the household gods. Sipas Foot-balls of rattan. Disig Humming tops. Casabang Branch of a tree used to frighten away snakes. Hammocks for sleeping or travelling. Tugas Throne for a chief and his favourite. Harrows. Ploughs. Cradles. Coffins.

Musical Instruments.

Sulibao or Culibao Large drum, played with one stick. Quinibal Small drum held between the knees and played with two sticks. Calalen or Bab-balasan Flutes played by single women. Cong-gala or Flutes (nose flutes) played by men. Tong-gala Ganza Large flat gong held in right hand, and played with left, vibrations stopped with right elbow. If a human jaw-bone, taken from a dead enemy, is fitted as a handle, the value is enhanced. Pinsac A small gong. Bating-ting or Triangles made of iron. Palas-bating-ting Cingo-cingco Violin played by single men. Guitar, the body made from cocoa-nut shell. Palgong-bocancang Cane instrument played by the women going to and coming from their work. Holding it in the right hand, they cover the orifice with the index-finger, and strike the other end on the left hand.

Mining Tools, etc.

Native names unknown Crow-bars. Hammers. Wedges. Outfit for gold washing. Blowers for smiths' forges. Furnaces for smelting copper.

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