Meet the Negritos - a Friendly People

We, like others, were impressed by the friendliness of these small people. True, the early chronicles speak of them as a warlike race. There are stories of different tribes fighting among themselves for territory, and of the victors drinking out of the skulls of their vanquished enemies! Other accounts tell of the early days when the Negritos of Laguna ran a kind of "protection racket." Reportedly, these Negritos would appear at a certain time and demand tribute from the lowland Tagalogs. If it was not forthcoming, they would carry off a number of heads.

Modern researchers, however, insist that the disposition of the Negrito is quite gentle. It is said that these people never lie to one another. Also, there is real affection between marriage mates. They love their children and show respect for the aged. And the closest thing they have to a government in the forest is the advice and guidance of the eldest in a group.

Some individuals have claimed that the Negritos are slow learners. But the fact is that they have the sharpest memory and the keenest concern for matters having to do with the forest or hunting. On the other hand, material possessions are of very little interest to the Negritos. As long as they have food for the day, they do not trouble themselves about tomorrow. Happily, for many generations the forest has been a bountiful provider.

Religion Among the Negritos

We were interested in the religious background of our new acquaintances. They told us they were Methodists. Previously, however, they had been Catholics. Some remembered a day when they did not belong to any sect of Christendom. Negrito worship at that time was a little vague in their memories, but they did recall that they would do a ritual dance if someone got sick. If the harvest was exceptionally good, they would slaughter a pig, cut off its head, and dance around it, shouting "Grunt, pig! Grunt, pig!" Then, they claimed, the dead pig's head would grunt! Well, did they worship the dead pig's head? No. They did not think so, because afterward they would eat it!

The Negritos still dwelling in the forest have vague religious beliefs that vary from settlement to settlement. Some of these Negritos appear to believe in a supreme God, and they have myths to explain natural things that they do not understand. For example, some of them told John Garvan that the sun is a man, the moon is his wife and the stars are their children. The moon, however, fears that the warmth of the sun will harm her small children; so she and the stars are constantly running away from the advances of her shiny husband. Garvan tried to explain that the sun and the moon are not people. "What are they then?" he was asked. "Celestial spheres," he answered. At this seemingly absurd idea, the whole group burst out laughing.