Aeta people

The Aeta ( " Aïta " pronounced), Agta or Ayta are an Indigenous people living mainly in separate, isolated mountainous regions of the island of Luzon in the Philippines. They are there attributed to the Negritos, a group of persons that has a dark brown to black skin and is characterized by a small stature, a thin build, curly hair, narrow noses, and dark brown eyes. They are regarded as the first inhabitants of the archipelago and were possibly even before the immigration Austronesian people in the Philippines home.

Origin of the name

Etymological studies indicate that Aeta from the word it derives that to itim with the passage of time or has changed itom, which must be translated into various Philippine dialects with black or dark.

During the Spanish colonial rule were referred to all locals as Negritos or " small brown ", whose appearance more reminiscent of the inhabitants of the African continent, as in South Sea Islanders. The members of the Aeta belonged also to this as " Negrito " people -characterized shock. Different groups of Aeta in northern Luzon are also under the term " Pugut " or " Pugot " known, a name that comes from the Ilokano language that is spoken in the vicinity of the Aeta. This name is a colloquial term for people with dark complexion and means as much as " goblin " or " forest spirit. "

History

The history of the Aeta ensures, among anthropologists and archaeologists for heated debates. It deals with the central question of when and how this ethnic group was once immigrated to the Philippines. One theory suggests that the Aeta are the indigenous people of the Philippines offspring that, in contrast to the sea-faring Austronesian neighboring peoples, have reached over land bridges, the islands that connected today's island state of 30,000 years ago with the Asian mainland. Traditionally, the Aeta, a people of hunters and collectors and are among the people who have the best conditions in order to survive in the jungle can.

Unlike their counter parts the Austronesian Aeta resists any form of change. While the people resisted the influence of other societies for hundreds of years, they have adapted with remarkable resilience to the social, economic, cultural and political pressure. Process, they created within their culture systems and structures that weaken a rapid change and dampen the influence exerted. This was one reason that the attempt by the Spaniards during their reign failed, they in reducciones, a form of reserves to resettle.

The advent and spread of mining, deforestation, illegal logging and slash and burn led to a steady decline of Aboriginal people in all parts of the Philippines. There were also natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides, which meant that the indigenous people had to leave their ancestral lands and over again. This was also the case for the Aeta. Today, this development has reached a point where their number is limited to only a few thousand individuals. The remaining groups are found primarily in central Luzon, where they live in mountain hollows of the provinces of Zambales, Pampanga, Tarlac, Bataan and Nueva Ecija.

The culture and lifestyle that have preserved the Aeta over thousands of years, burdened by a strong social and economic pressure exerted by the expansion of the surrounding civilization. Many members of the Aeta are nomadic and build only provisionally constructed accommodations, which consist of two sharp sticks that stuck into the ground, leaning against a tree or rock ledge and covered with banana leaves. Some modern Aeta have learned to live in villages on high plateaus and mountain clearings. They live there in houses made ​​of bamboo and Cogongrass.

For a long time was granted to the indigenous peoples in the Philippines not entitled to any government-guaranteed protection of their land rights and living habits. This changed in 1997, when the Republic Act 8371, otherwise known as the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (in short: IPRA ) was passed, and so the rights of the Aeta have been strengthened. In the fight for a country to claim the Aeta must nevertheless take legal action. 2005 were able to gain a political victory, the Aeta, as to them by the Philippine government a 48 sq km land area was awarded. This includes a protected area of the rainforest and the mangrove swamps of Subic Bay around the Pinatubo.

Population Science

The life expectancy of a born Aeta is just 16 1/2 years., With only one child reached the age of 15 years. But even after that the life expectancy is only 27.3 years in turn. Young women reach full body size ( average 140 cm) at the age of 12 or 13. A scientific research program focused on the San Ildefonso Aeta who live on the elongated peninsula of San Ildefonso, which is separated from the Casiguran Sound of the main land mass of Luzon. Your habits have been explored in more detail in a series of studies lasting 44 years, especially the birth rate, death rate and migration were the focus of the studies.

Culture

Language

Over time, the members of this ethnic group participated in the Austronesian languages ​​of their island neighbors. In the course of time, changes in the dialects and developed into its own language forms. Among these dialects, ordered by number of speakers, Mag- indi, Mag- antsi ABLES, Ambala and Mariveleño.

Skills

The meaning of the Aeta are highly developed. In particular, their smell and their sense of direction can be described as exceptional. They are capable of a snake by smell emanating from their track, and they are able to identify different plant species and their inflorescence solely by its fragrance.

Aeta women are also known for their knowledge of herbal medicine throughout the country.

Religion

There are different views of who is the dominant ruler of the world in the religion of the Aeta. Those who grant them monotheism, arguing that various Aeta tribes believe in an Almighty, who rules more or less low spirits and deities. The Aeta of Mount Pinatubo called this supreme god " Apo Namalyari ", said Mamanua turn worship " Magbabaya ".

The Aetas are also part of the animistic peoples as groups who practice indigenous religions. Thus, the Aeta of Mount Pinatubo believe, for example various surrounding ghosts as Anito ( good spirits ) and Kamana (malignant spirits ) that inhabit their environment. Anito live in the woods, the tree trunks, in the bamboo, the streams and caves. Although they are benevolent, they can be nasty and occupy a sinful man with bad luck and illness. To tune the spirit of mercy again are gifts or sacrifices necessary. Other spirits are found in the rivers, the seas, the sky, the mountains, the plains and in other places.

They believe in Kaelwa or Kalola (soul), which inhabits the body as a separate entity. The soul can the body during the dream state to leave temporarily and leaves him for good after the demise back. However, you have no special vision of the world after death. Some believe that the soul ascends to heaven, while others claim they float to the top of Mount Pinatubo, which is one reason that they worship the mountain.

This ancient tribe does not need a special occasion for prayer, although there is a direct connection between the intercession and their economic activities. The women lead the night before they set out to collect shells, a dance, which can be partly understood as an apology over the sea animals and partially represents a spell that will save them luck in their search for food. In the same way the men pay homage to the bees by staging a specific dance of an impending search for honey. The pig hunting to be positively influenced by the dancing and, in the case of success are, a thanksgiving.

Clothing

Their traditional clothing is very simple and primitive. Thus, young women put fabric as a wrap skirt around the waist, while older women wear clothes made of tree bark, which rests between the legs to the body and is held by a rope that is tied around the hip. Older men, in turn, wear simple genital cords.

Today, however, one meets many Aeta who have approached Western customs and are dressed in T -shirts, pants and rubber sandals.

Craft

The Aeta are technically skilled weavers and braiders. Women weave almost exclusively designed and mats. Household items are usually made ​​from coconut shells and bamboo, while baskets are also woven from bamboo or rattan. Men is the manufacture of bangles reserved. Customize as raincoats made ​​of palm leaves, the lower part is placed around the neck of the wearer and their top like a fan spreading around the body.

Art and Jewelry

A traditional form of body ornament is the scarification, the carrying of ornamental scars ( tuktuk ). The Aeta add intentionally wounds to the back, arms, chest, legs, hands, calves and abdomen, which it then irritate with fire, lime and other means process to develop effective stigmata. (see also: Philippine tribal tattoos )

Other " decorative disfigurements " include the filing off and sharpening the teeth ( Tayad ). With the aid of knives or machetes Dumagat edit towards the end of puberty their teeth. The teeth are stained a few years after black.

In general, the Aeta decorate with objects that are typical of people who through which they meet their needs alone surrounding nature. So flowers and leaves are used as earplugs for certain occasions and belts, necklaces and collars are made of woven rattan, in which bristles were incorporated by wild boars. Both men and women wear necklaces and beads made of seeds and bones. The Baggery, made ​​a necklace made ​​of rattan and grass is, however, supported in general by men.

Music

Their conversation consists of singing and dancing, with their musical instruments are highly developed. The Aeta have a musical culture that include various types of agung Esembles - Musical groups using large hanging, worn or held hunchbacked gongs for their performances, where they play their tunes. The music develops a hum that is accompanied by any melodic instrument.

The other instruments of the Aeta are the Tabengbeng, a zither with two strings made ​​of bamboo, the Kulibaw, a Jew's harp made ​​of bamboo, a guitar with five strings made of solid wood and a bamboo flute, the Bulongodyong.