ACTIVITY 2 - IGOROTS

Igorots are one of the marginalized groups in the Philippines. What made them different and special among the others? Let me walk you through the simple living of the Igorots in the mountains of the Cordillera.

Blame it to earlier books that taught us in school or inadequate research about us. This had inculcated wrong information for us since then and until now. To exemplify, we were described as people with tails, dark skin, and curly hair and physically short. Additionally, others still think that we are head hunters. In contrast, it is only true to a specific Igorot tribe found in the northern province of Cordillera region. Now, most of us are civilized and educated thus culture and traditions are starting to be modified especially to the new generations where social media has a huge impact on their way of thinking.

Though we live up north, we remain abreast on every change. We aim for education and save values enlightened by our beliefs. Our appearance is diverse but we are still recognized uniquely based on our common values. For instance, Jeyrick Sigmaton, popularly known as “Carrot Man” became an instant internet sensation in the social media. Netizens are amazed how simple yet good looking he is, making him famous in the Cordillera region and even the entire country.

We Igorots prefer a simple way of living and we don’t have the luxury of wearing clothes. We instead only one brand for our jeans and we call it Levi’s. Just imagine how we prefer to sacrifice a pair of Levi’s with a price of three more pairs of other local brands. It’s not about the price nor the comfortably of these brand but it’s more of the belonging that an Igorot always wears this jeans.

Igorots are fighters. We have the spirit of a fighter and excel with sports like Wushu, Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts. Our body built is quite different maybe because of the food we eat or maybe because of how we train ourselves to become physically fit by walking the terrains of the mountains every day. We don’t have much choice but to walk every day since our community is far from each other. Hospitals and schools are a few mountains far from each other. However, this has been our training ground for a better endurance and to excel in these combative sports.

We may not reached by internet and cable services but it doesn’t mean that we don’t know what happening around us. In fact, we Igorots prefer to be quite if our opinion doesn’t matter. We only talk if we are being asked to. What matters most is that we know what’s happening around us.

By and large, tarnishes about us Igorots in the past are now being made right. We leave the past and adapt to changes to conform to the society. Somehow our values still remain intact. We are born in our land because we’re blessed on how we look and what we have just as many of us are. We are the Igorots and forever we will be proud of it.