i've heard and read the term "igorot", "indio" and "negrito" in a couple of different contexts. one being in conversation with my mom, lola, and family when they refer to "mountain people" in their stories as "igorot" or when my dad (a dutch missionary) uses the term "negrito" or "indio" to refer to people he had some contact with during his time in negros during the 60's and 70's. the other context is in literature, particularly in the work of f. sionil jose, where he uses all three terms.

are these terms outdated or offensive? do they actually denote specific cultural minorities? i can't tell if they are being used satirically or with some sense of cultural sarcasm that im not privy to since i grew up in the usa. it seems to me that idio or negrito might be derogatory since they were first used by colonisers and so the language to me naturally implies that opresser/opressed dichotomy, but i don't know if they've since been flipped and reappropriated as a term of empowerment ... (i think i remember a fil rap group called "los indios bravos").

anyways... i wanted to get a modern take on these terms and how they fit into current popular, political and academic contexts in the philippines, since my sources (parents and satiric novels) are outdated or ambiguous.

thanks.
jr

indio= old term, now mostly derogatory, meaning "indian"...white spanish used the term to natives.

igorot= collective term for people of the mountain provinces, often more specific to those in benguet

negrito= aeta, aboriginal filipinos. not to be confused with "negrillos" or negrenses which are collective term for people of the island of Negros.

thanks for the answer. just have to find benguet on the map now.

well... im igorot and im not offended. actually im ever proud... i just hate moronic people goin "waaah? ur en igorot? how cum u aint got buntot"? how cum yer not dark?" idiots!!!

same with other ethnicities... some "baka" people just dont knoe culture n all thet....

well, so much foe my first post...
lol

so is igorot an independent cultural/ethnic/linguistic group in the philippines? in what way do they differ from other ethnic minorities in the PI and in what way are they similar. nice to hear you have pride for your identity!java script:emoticon('-thumbup',%20'smid_17')

Found this on Wikepedia and was wondering if you would agree that Igorot culture falls under the categorization of "Indigenous Minority":

"indigenous groups who live in remote areas of Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao have largely retained the pre-Hispanic beliefs of their ancestors. Having been somewhat isolated from mainstream society, their cultures differ greatly than that of the majority of Filipinos."

thanks! very curious

Some people mistake the term 'Igorot' for Negrito thats why they think Igorots are dark. I heard some Igorots are actually lighter than most lowland Filipinos

Benguet and Mountain Province, actually...



Hardly do they know that the purest torogis usually have the lightest skin. I have this pure Ibaloi classmate from La Trinidad and many classmates of ours refer to her as "mestiza". 0_o

It is not an uncommon lowland perception that the Igorots are "barbaric".

It's funny. I mean, of all provinces on Abra has NPA presence(which has a large Ilocano population) but the rest of the provinces in Igorotland are clean of them. And then when the CPLA waged war against the government(who formerly had ties with the NPA), only a few Igorot supported them, even the poorest and most deprived people didn't really support them for their cause. That means, not many Igoys use poverty as an excuse to rebel or to be a communist.


Torogi baby!

Hehehe

i

This is from benguet and Mountain province.



Yes they always do that mistake. Negrito is different from igorots.

Louelleg
___
Simulation prêt

Igorots have straight or wavy hair and Negritos have curly kinky hair.

indio= old term, now mostly derogatory, meaning "indian"...white spanish used the term to natives.


according to my prof. during old spanish colonial times the term indio was the term meant for the Filipinos.
meaning idiots.