CHAPTER 2:
LAYERS OF
IDENTITIES
IN THE
CORDILLERA
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TAWID
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OBJECTIVES:
a. Traced the different labels and names
used for the general Cordilleran identity.
b. Identify label used for highlanders.
c. Differentiate Igorot and Cordilleran
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Spanish Colonialism 1600s-1898
Ygollotes, Ygollote, Igorrotes
➢People from the mountain
➢Infieles(pagans) and salvages (savages)
➢Bandits and murderers
➢Kidnappers,lawbreakers and delinquents
Central Cordillera is believed to have been peopled by migrants. The earliest are
Negritos whose descendants are still found in Apayao and Abra. A major migration
after was the Austronesian movement from Taiwan to the Philippines, which
occurred between 4000 B.C. and 1000 A.D (Bellwood, 1985). All people in the
Cordillera Central, except the Negrito descendants, descended from the Austronesian
migrants (Reid, 2018). Figure 1 shows linguistic relations of the different languages in
the Cordillera, indicating diversions in the Austronesian language over time.
Austronesian movements within northern Luzon are unclear but Keesing (1962)
writes that Ibaloys are a result of migration from Pangasinan, and Kankanaey of
Benguet and Mountain Province, Bontoks, and Tingguians came from Ilocos.
Isneg came from coastal Cagayan. Southern Apayao and Kalinga came from the lower
Chico River in the border of Kalinga and Cagayan.
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REBUS- form a word that the picture
depicts
INFIELES (PAGAN)
During Spanish colonialism, Cordillera region was penetrated by Spaniards from both
east and west. The colonial interests combined gold, proselytization campaigns,
extension of conquered territories, and punitive expeditions. Such interests brought
to the Cordillera Spanish soldiers, lowlander recruits and carriers, Spanish
missionaries, miners and gold prospectors, and, much later, Spanish colonial
administrators (Scott, 1987).
Igorot responses were varied but most are expressions of refusal to be colonized. A
common reaction to Spanish military expeditions was retreat into deeper parts of the
mountain, which resulted in population dispersions and muddled ethnic distinctions.
Such a response also redefined Igorot territory as Igorot in the lowlands and close to
the lowlands eventually abandoned these areas. As for Christian conversion, there
were successful cases where highlanders were relocated to the lowlands like those in
the La Union-Ilocos areas and Nueva Vizcaya-Cagayan areas (Scott, 1993). Others saw
the connection of Christian conversion to tribute collection and forced labor, as well
as the whole inconvenience of colonization, thus rejecting offers of conversion. By
the time the Spaniards were driven out in the late 1890s most highlanders remained
pagans, and free.
There was no systematic identification of ethnic groupings during the Spanish rule but
scattered classifications during this period were consolidated in the works of
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Blumentritt (1890) who listed 36 “tribes” of Northern Luzon, around 29 of which are
found within the
Cordillera. These include, among others, Igorrotes, Busaos, Panuipuy, Mayoyaos,
Ifugaos,
Gaddanes, Itetepanes, Guinaanes, Calingas, Tinguianes, Apayaos, Ilamut, and
Ileabanes.
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SAVAGERY(Fierce,
violent, cruel)
In general, though, Spaniards adopted geographic identifications, which
they apparently learned from lowlanders, such as Ygolottes (gold
traders-Benguet, Kayan, Ifugao), Tingguianes (Abra, Ifugao) and Mandaya (Apayao).
Ygolotte, which was later respelled as Igorrotes, was consistently applied to Benguet
people, particularly the Ibaloy, but was also used on other and all people of the
Cordillera region. The term literally means “people from the mountain” in an old
Malay language. Tingguians, from an old Malay word tinggi meaning “high” or
“elevated,” also persisted as a group label for Itneg-speaking people of Abra.
Mandaya literally means “those up above” and was applied to some Apayao groups
(Scott, 1987).
Others were just labeled as infieles (pagans) and salvajes (savages) owing to the
refusal of mountaineers to adopt Christianity. Igorot resistance also prompted
Spaniards to attribute repugnant characteristics on them like “bandits, and murderers
who killed for purposes of revenge, robbery, intimidation or extortion and mutilated
the bodies of their victims.” They were also charged with preventing “other Filipinos
from becoming Christians, kidnapped baptized children to be raised as pagans and
gave refuge to ex-convicts, lawbreakers and delinquents” (Scott 1987). These
descriptions were eventually attached to the infieles and Igorrote identities, so that
during the Spanish period, to be Igorrote is not only to be from the mountains, but
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also as infieles, bandits, murderers, robbers, kidnappers, and wild.
By the mid-1800s, the Spaniards set up their first political divisions in the form of
Commandancia-Politico-Miltares (CPM), or military posts. Following successful
campaigns of Guillermo Galvey, military posts were organized in Benguet (1854),
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American Colonialism 1898-1941
Igorot
➢non- Christian
➢Wild
➢Headhunters
➢The people less civilized
➢Backwardness, savagery and
paganism
American colonization of the region began with the organization of Benguet as a
province, the first civil government in the country. An office called the Bureau of
NonChristian Tribes (BNCT) was then organized “to investigate the actual conditions
of the pagan and Moslem peoples, and to conduct scientific investigation regarding
the ethnology of the Philippines” (Fry, 2006).
Ethnology-they are researching about the characteristics of the people especially the
Indigenous people.
Finally, in 1908, a single province was created and was called Mountain Province. The
new province grouped all the former provinces and sub-provinces including Benguet,
Amburayan, Alilem, Lepanto, Bontoc, Ifugao, Kalinga and Apayao.
Being assigned an administrative label as “Kalinga subprovince” or
“Benguet sub-province” also added to the layers of identities. Residents of these sub-
provinces began to associate themselves with these political organizations as
“IBenguet” or “Ifugao”. In becoming Mountain Province, labels such as Igorot, non-
Christians, tribes, wild, and headhunters became politically bounded and reinforced.
Mountain Province was, therefore, the home of non-Christian tribes who were
perceived as less civilized. It is for this reason that Abra was excluded from the
province because it was deemed “civilized” compared to the other groups that made
up the Mountain
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Province.
Under US rule, Igorots were also assigned other tags such as “Non-Christians”,
“Tribes”, “headhunters”, “savages”, and “wild”, a continuation of Spanish labeling. The
creation of the Bureau of Non-Christian Tribes (BNCT) was itself revealing of American
categorizations.
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MOUNTAINEER
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Post-colonial Identity Struggle and the 1966
Division (1950s-1970)
➢Non-Christians to Cultural minorities
➢Igorot to “mountaineer”, “native”, “highlander”
adopted to one’s liking
The 2nd World War also brought an end to American colonial rule in the country, and
the issue about the “non-Christians” was now placed in the hands of a new republic.
A new term, “Cultural Minorities”, as introduced as an official state label of
what used to be Non-Christians.
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INCLUSIVE
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Revival of Igorotism (1970s-1983)
“Igorot”, and “Kaigorotan”-inclusive name for
the entire Igorot population.
“Igorot” was somehow redefined as an identity
to a resistance.
Highlander students in Baguio responded to the discrimination by organizing
themselves, exemplified by the BIBAK (Benguet-Ifugao-Bontoc-Apayao-Kalinga)
organization that unified students from all corners of the region. BIBAK allowed
cultural expressions for the students, becoming the sanctuary of highlander students
in Baguio and nearby tertiary schools. Alternative labels were also raised to replace
“Igorot” such as “mountaineer”, “native”, and “highlander”, but these were adopted
individually according to one’s liking.
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“Cordilleran” Identity (1983-1987)
CORDILLERA
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✓ During the Spanish colonial period (1600s-1898), the Cordillera region
experienced penetration by Spaniards from both east and west.
✓ Spaniards adopted geographic identifications, such as Ygolottes and
Tingguianes, for different groups, but generally labeled them as infieles
(pagans) and salvajes (savages) due to their resistance to Christianity.
These negative labels were consolidated during this period.
✓ Administrative organization led to the creation of Benguet as a province
and eventually the Mountain Province, encompassing various
ethnolinguistic groups.
✓ The term "Igorot" was used by Americans to refer to all Cordillera people,
disregarding earlier associations. Other labels like "Non-Christians",
"Tribes", "headhunters", and "savages" were also applied, continuing the
negative connotations. Despite efforts to clarify ethnological classifications,
the term "Igorot" persisted with its negative meanings, leading to
prejudices and discrimination.
✓ By the 1930s, some Igorots preferred the term "native" or "mountaineer"
over "Igorot" due to its derogatory connotations.
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IGOROT
KA?
PILIPINO
AKO
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