 |
| The books that came from Gilbert Grosvenor 's collection. Gilbert Grosvenor was the founder of the famous National Geographics Magazine. His home (now a museum) is on Grosvenor Lane, just a few blocks from the author’s house. |
The time is almost
50 years ago in a place about as far from the Philippines as one can go. We
(Philippine Group 39) are being trained in Burlington, Vermont in a boy’s prep
school by the Center for International Living to become Peace Corps Volunteers.
We were really a “mixed-bag” assortment of trainees as new and older college
graduates in science or math from across the U. S. with different types of life
experiences. Some folks were hippy types and others were more serious like me.
My background was the least typical, a two-year leave of absence from my job as
a civilian engineer in the U. S. Navy.
The plan was to train us volunteers in just three months to work with
Philippine math or science teachers to introduce newer science/math teaching
methods into the Philippine curriculum.
After observing us for a month or so, they divided us into different
language groups. To be effective we would have to learn at least something of
the local language where we would be assigned. The language group I was
assigned was the Ilokano Group. We were informed that we were the luckiest of
all the other trainees because the Ilocanos were markedly different with a more
assertive middle class. The land was less productive in the Ilocos causing the
people to be more industrious and frugal.
I was eventually assigned, not to the Ilocos, but to Cagayan Valley,
District II which included Claveria, Santa Praxedes, Sanchez Mira, Pamplona,
Ballesteros, Allacapan, and Abulug. I would end up visiting almost every
barangay school in these towns, sometimes walking “saka-saka” for weeks because
the muddy trails between destinations. However, I spent most of my time
centered in Claveria where I helped teach in the Central School for a time even
though it seemed to rain half the year there. Ilokano language skills and
Ilocano cultural aspects were still useful in most of the district.
The assertion that we were lucky to be assigned to the Ilokano
group stuck with me, and I wondered what they might be talking about since I
didn’t have any other exposure to other location in the Philippine except a
mid-year conference in Cebu for a few days. I was further intrigued after my
attendance at the 26th Kannawidan Event in Fort Ilocandia in
Laoag City with my wife (from Batac, Ilocos Norte; we have been married for 49
years) and her classmates. The function of the Kannawidan was to explore
and expand Ilocano cultural studies.
In this context, I thought about some old volumes, I had come
across and purchased in a used book store a number of years ago. It comprises
of a three-volume set. The set is rather
large and is comprised of the Report of the Philippine Commission to the U. S.
Congress, submitted in 1900, shortly after the U. S. acquired the Philippines.
The total number of pages exceeds 1200. The marking on the volumes indicate
they were once part of the National Geographic Society Library. Based on
stampings on the pages, they were likely once the personal property of Gilbert
Grosvenor who was the head of the National Geographic Society and the first
full-time editor of their well-known magazine.
The volumes were transmitted and ordered to be printed by the
President of the United States, William McKinley, as the “Report of the
Commission Appointed to Investigate in the Philippine Islands”. The commission had been appointed on January
20, 1899 and signed out from the Executive Mansion on February 2, 1900. Members
of the commission included military (Major General Elwell Otis, Rear-Admiral
Dewey) as well as civilian participants.
The volumes simply sat on our shelf in our home library for
decades. Who has time to go through 1200 pages of old history? However, after
the Kannawidan celebration, it occurred to me that it might be possible
to gain some possible insights into Ilocano culture mixed into all the report’s
findings. It is possible to get something from people that have an outside view
of the Philippines as well as from internal discussions. Companies often employ
the “outside expert” to examine their operations and improve their performance.
It would be interesting to see how an outside group (the Presidential
Commission) would view the Philippines in 1900 and see if there are
associations with Ilocano culture.
Now, with all this introduction I need to preface this discussion
with the observation that in some ways there are some obvious “unconscious
biases” in the findings. Everyone is believed to exhibit some unconscious
biases, but these are rather notable in the report findings which occurred over
100 years ago. The framers of report note in volume I which is something of an
executive summary that the Filipinos belong to three sharply distinct races,
the Negrito (Aeta), the Indonesian race, and the Malayan race. The apparently,
more superior race, was the Indonesian race which was tall and well developed
with high foreheads, aquiline noses, and wavy hair and abundant beards. Their
skin was quite light. None of these people had been Christianized. This race
was found principally in Mindanao. The more typical Filipino was of the Malayan
race which included the Ilocanos. Out of an estimated 8 million inhabitants in
the Philippines, 441,700 were Ilocano.
The most emotionally charged description was reserved for the
Negritos (Aetas) with an estimated population of 25,000. It was stated that the
Negritos were a disappearing remnant of a people which once populated the
entire archipelago. They were physically weaklings of low stature, with black
skin, closely-curling hair, flat noses, thick lips, and large, clumsy feet. In
the matter of intelligence, according to the Commission’s report, they stood at
or near the bottom of the human series, and they were believed to be incapable
of any considerable degree of civilization and advancement.
Personally, I had a number of interactions with Aetas in my Peace
Corps assignments and grew to admire their capabilities and resourcefulness in
the dense forest. I have even met US special forces a few years ago who had
received training from the Aetas in jungle warfare. In their world I would be
the one with clumsy feet and a lack of intelligence. The Aetas are truly a resource for the
Philippines with different skill sets and a positive point of diversity. If I
were a businessman, I would think of copyrighting an Aeta sportswear logo that
would be a nexus for a new line of clothing for hiking and camping.
It wasn’t until the third volume of the Commission’s findings
that one encounters specific information that would distinguish the Ilocanos
from other Filipino groups. One of the areas that appears to have captured the
Commission’s attention was the large role that women occupied in Philippine
society. They note that Philippine women are dominant relative to the sale of
farm products, purchasing farm animals, or in pursuing industries because they
were better fitted for dickering and negotiation than men (page 382). They cleaned cotton, spun it, colored it, and
wove it for domestic purposes. In this effort the Ilocano women were models of
industry, and the blankets they produced were highly valued in Manila. Where
indigo was produced it was the women who prepared it by an operation that was
extremely hard and unhealthful, placing it in maceration, pounding it, and
extracting the juice, which they placed in earthen pans designed for this
purpose.
The authors of the report also allude to the role of women in
hemp production and their role in small industries like making hats and small
sacks. Regarding children, boys by preference were involved with taking care of
draft animals and supporting the older menfolk. Both girls and boys, without
distinction, shared in the work of pounding rice and making dinners. As the
children grew older, they became a great help to their parents, whom they
usually respected and obeyed. The girls, from their early years, showed great
shrewdness and good judgement. They went to the market to buy and sell their
wares. The Commission’s report reserved some judgement for the boys who they
felt were not so diligent and attentive.
The Commission also devotes some efforts describing construction
of houses in the Philippines which appears to focus on methods for erecting
nipa-type dwellings. They note that cleanliness in the houses was apt to be
lacking except among the Ilocanos who were so clean that no European would be
disgusted at living in their houses and using their things even though the
family may have been poor (page 381).
Other features relevant to all Filipinos were discussed like
strong proclivity for music and skills for picking up other languages. Again,
they allude to the role of women who were noted to be diligent and industrious.
According to the Commission, they had exceptional ability for weaving,
embroidering, and lace making, producing work equal to or better than that of
Europe.
In summary, the large effort undertaken by the Commission does
make some notable observations even though there are underlying tones of
unconscious bias. Culturally, cleanliness and industriousness appear to be
standout features of Ilokano practice. A strong role of female participation is
noted with an emphasis on excellence seems to be highlighted. It is perhaps
somewhat curious that all the comparisons are to European rather than American
performance, i.e. cleanliness, handicrafts, etc. One suspects that the authors
realize that American standards may be below par to that of the European in
when making their comparisons.
Regardless, it appears that the report authors, though somewhat biased
have made very positive assertions regarding the Ilocano life style. Their
findings make a useful addition to understanding Ilocano cultural values and
help me to see that I was really lucky to be assigned to the Ilocano Group in
Peace Corps training.
Acknowledgement: My wife
Noralyn Onto Dudt assisted in editing this discussion.
Philip John Dudt is a retired civilian engineer/architect
for the United States Navy, worked in research and development for
submarine design. In 1970, he took a two year-leave of absence to join Peace
Corps and was assigned as a Science teacher-trainer in Cagayan Division 2 with
the Bureau of Public Schools for 2 years. He is married to the former
Noralyn Onto of the City of Batac.
Comments
Post a Comment