The Bago and its origin: the phoenix reborn from the ashes of other tribes
Posted by Edison Macusi on Thursday, October 8, 2009
Under: Notes on culture and society
Can a nation be born again? Can it emerge from where it was mixed up and bring a distinct culture, language and practice that it is? This is the story of the Bago tribe as remarkable as this must be, yet in the story of nations and how they evolve into a distinct race and culture of their own, the Bagos can be called to be a nation of their own. The word nation means ethnos in Greek, which distinctly applies to every tribe that is found on earth today having come from different parental sources and evolving a distinct language, culture and practice of their own. This is paralleled in nature when birds such as finches, or rats or mammals get trapped and isolated in a mountain range so that they develop a distinct habit and reproductive practice that separates them from their mother group keeping them reproductively isolated or different so that they cannot co-mix together prompting them to be called of different species due to this isolation. 
Fig. 1. The welcome banners in the Dungog festival at Roxas City held last October 2-6, 2009.
In human anthropology and the evolution of different tribes, it can be said that language, color of skin, practices and mores can isolate people groups from each other so that they develop into distinct subgroups or tribes that can be so different from the others as it necessitates the recognition to call them as notably different. In the annals of history, the ethnic distinction of mankind into different nations did not come about until the confusion of language in Babylon prompting later historians to call it “Tower of Babel” (see Genesis 11:4, see Edison Macusi, Unmasking Evolution, pp 124-132.) And from this debacle, man spread from Shinar into the different parts of the world including the Philippines because of shallow land bridges connecting the different continents. According to John D. Morris, continents were probably all connected together because of the shallow water level as a consequence of the Ice Age (John D. Morris, Ice Age causes and consequences. Acts and Facts vol. 38 #8 2009).
This could have led to the first peopling of the Philippines and when these land bridges melted because of the surging water level, the next waves of migration came through Balangay riding groups of people such as the Indones and the Malays (H.Otley Beyer, Wave Migration Theory) which Beyer expounded in his well known wave migration theory.
In Contrast, Fritjof Voss tells that the Philippines was never a part of mainland Asia because crustal studies indicate that the 35-Km. thick continental crust underneath China does not extend to the Philippines, this according to Dr. Voss is proof that the Philippines was never a part of mainland Asia. In accordance to this theory, F. Landa-Jocano theorize that the Filipinos arose as distinct from other Asians such as the Malays and the Indonesians. Because of these two main contrasting theories, it is probable that knowing the main origin cannot be completely designated but anecdotal accounts can be understood and from these we can examine the present origin of the Bago tribe. Even if there were waves of migration in the Philippines this did not produce immediately the Bago tribe. Like the formation of the other Mountain Tribes in Luzon which were mainly borne by the effects and consequences of the Balangay migration, these formed as a result of cohesive and settlement of those related together who rode the boats (Horacio de la Costa, Readings in Philippine History).
As to exactly how the Bago tribe came, there are several anecdotal theories as to how this tribe first came about. This paper will discuss at length the theories of origin and the accounts of those who supports these different theories and the recommendation for further study of how to validate scientifically the origin of this tribe. The two relevant questions for us are, how did these Bagos came to be? Are they the descendants of Igorots or are they part of the Malayan invasion that came to our shores? There were three main theories which are being ascribed as to the origin of this nearly forgotten tribe.
1. New Christians theory-this is the belief that during the process of Christianization by the Spanish Catholic missionaries, there were certain groups who were dubbed as “Bagong Kristyano” by those who preceded them. The name calling stuck and these are now called Bagos to this day.
2. New Settler’s theory-this theory says that a certain group who came in latest in the sense of migration in the country were called “Bagong tribu” by those who came in earlier. The name Bagong tribu simply became Bago through time. Another cited theory is that there were about 6,000 people who were called “Bagos” or new settlers because these were led by the Spanish friars into the fertile fields just below the Northern Mountains.
3. Neo Tribe theory-this has similarity with theory number 2 which tells that Bagos came from migrating families hailing from the people of Besao and Sagada of “Mountain Provinces” as well as other places of the present political subdivision of Mountain Province and Benguet.
The wave migration theory and the origin of the Bago tribe
Probably H. Otley-Beyer laid the foundation of the wave migration theory of peopling of the Philippines like no other one did. Whether this is correct, no one is sure of but it continues to hold a number of supporters in spite of the newer theories that arose and contrast this theory from the same Faculty that he founded in UP Diliman. In connection with this matter early German anthropologists such as Hans Meyer and Ferdinand Blumentritt (Blumentritt, “An Attempt at Ethnography of the Philippines”) suggested that the Malay invasion drove away Aetas or Negritos further into the interior mountains where they remained undisturbed until the second wave of Malayan invasions. This second wave of migration by the Malays forced the earlier settlers in the coast to enter the mountain interior as they retreated before the new settlers. It is assumed that the first Malay settlers formed the mother tribes of the Igorots, Apayaos, Catalanges, Gaddanes, etc.. who then inhabited the interior of the mountain ranges of Luzon.
Fig. 2. A collage depicting a typical Bago village and apparel for women; the maps below show portions of Bagoland.
While those that were displaced and whom the Spaniards later found in many coastal areas were Malays of the second wave of invasion composed of the Tagalogs, Pampangos, Visayas, Bikos, Ilocanos, Pangasinenes and Cagayanes. These accounts do not mention any Bago or specific tribes that today composes the Igorottes of Northern Luzon, proving that as early as the 18th century, all settlers of the Mountainous areas of Northern Luzon were called Igorots. One may wonder where specifically are the other tribes inhabiting the mountains of Northern Luzon, most specific of this is where is the mention of Bago here? It can however be speculated that the Bagos also came from the Bornean immigrants in the sense that they were a part of the Igorots or evolved from them and the mixture with the lowlanders. There is a sufficient contrast however with the latter in that the Igorots were much feared of kind of tribes causing the lowlanders to not comingle or commix with the Igorots so that these remain as distinct Igorots. The lowlanders have only contacts with the Igorots whenever they have trades of gold, clothing and salt. In another theory, it is much more probable that the Bagos truly came from the Igorots and were originally hill tribe dwellers but were convinced and told to dwell in the lowlands by Spanish missionaries who converted them.
Because of the known fierceness of the Igorots, and their resistance to the Spaniards and their gospel message, it is well understood that any single convert by Spanish missionaries is as precious as a town of lowlanders. Therefore it was necessary that to protect and keep them in the faith, the missionaries devised a way to isolate them from their old living ways in the mountains and assimilate them in the ways of the Christian lowlanders.
The rumors that the Spaniards gave favor and directed them into the lowland fertile fields so that in time, these communities developed into a distinct set of people group taking their culture with them and assimilating both the Ilocano and Kankanaey language could therefore be true in the light of these circumstances. As a further support to this, a Jesuit historian by the name of Father Collins whom Isabelo de los Reyes mentions in his “Historia de Ilocos,” theorized that migrants who came to these islands were originally from Borneo and Sumatra because of their dialect, color, clothes and customs.
Another priest, Fray Hilario Diez during a personal visit to the Ilocos mission reported on February 5, 1822 and quoted by William Henry Scott tells the following:
“In the year 1818, I had the supreme pleasure of visiting them town by town, and from Balaoan in the south to Pidigan in the north, there was not one that did not have some other barrio of new Christian Igorots to whom the parish priests assign placed for their residence; and between Tagudin, Santa Cruz, Santa Lucia, and Candon all in Ilocos Sur, are to be found some already organized as towns or with land to work with respected parish priests, on government order consigned them from the Christian towns or have land opened for the newly baptized, roads cleared and fruit trees planted such as the hamlets of Santa Cruz, San Rafael, Rondo and others, whose new settlers, all Igorots are already peaceable and taking roots among the old Christian families.”
It can be inferred that these new Christian converts who are all Igorots and whom the Spaniards took away from the mountain sides were greatly aided by the Spaniards to find land, till the earth and cultivate plants so that they can live peaceably and as assimilated group with other lowlanders. This act by the priests without question, aided the formation of the Bago tribe. In addition to this, we can also learn from this report that there were already Igorot converts (Christian Igorots) in the towns of Balaoan, La Union to Pidigan Abra since 1822. Also, it is mentioned that there were Christian Igorot settlers found in Santa Cruz, San Rafael, Rondo and others which could also explain why there were a number of Bago settlers within these places up to this time.
In William Henry Scott’s, “Discovery of the Igorots” he retold of a legend that exemplifies that there were already present relationship between the lowlanders and those living in the mountains even before the Spaniards came. Their relationship could have been peaceful coexistence with intermittent skirmishes as misunderstanding drove them to save their own skins. The story implies that there are Besao folks (Igorots) who have gone either up or down the mountain to buy salt, cotton, collect rentals or as laborers. It is assumed that through time and contact with the lowlanders there could have been great possibilities that some eventually remained in the lowlands so that they intermarried with these Ilocanos. Both the accounts of Fray Diez and Scott explains the fact that there are Bagos in the towns of Candon, Santa Lucia, Santa Cruz, and Tagudin. Some of these Bagos claim their ancestry from Besao and Sagada. If both of these accounts were true, this speaks of the plurality of the origin of the Bago tribe and this forms two theses as to the mechanism of the origin of the Bago tribe; 1) caused by missionary zeal to protect and make disciples of the Bago tribe by forming a homogeneous Christian community made of Bagos (the baptized Igorots) and influenced by Christian lowlanders 2) as caused by interchange between the hill tribe dwellers and the lowland occupiers.
Mr. Jaime Agpalo Jr. who wrote, “Ni Bago: iti minoridad ti Kailokuan” (Bannawag, August 10, 1998 p.48) tells that since the period of colonization there were already Bagos in the coastal plains of Ilocos. Accordingly, there were already interchange between the lowlanders and the Igorots even before the Spanish came to colonize the area. Some of the following testimonies can corroborate these reports and support thesis number 2 above
1. Mr. Simon Dangcatan, 102 years old of Saytan, Pugo, La Union spoke that his parents could speak in Igorot dialect but he could not discern if this was Kankanaey or Ibaloi. His parents moved to Pugo, La Union in search for greener pastures.
2. Mr. Damaso Bangaoet Sr. who is now 89 years old also from Pugo, La Union remembers well that his parents were from Sigay, Ilocos Sur and moved to Pugo, La Union and in the Bago meeting held at the Baguio City Hall, he was mistake as an “Igorot” though he does not deny nor accept that he is a pure one.
3. Mr. Eduardo Digma, 72 years old of Santa Cruz, Ilocos Sur recounted that his father was from Sagada and his mother was from Besao. His parents came down to avoid the tribal wars.
4. Mayor Leon Lais of San Emilio, Ilocos Sur also 72 years old says that his great great grandmonther was from Agawa, Besao and died at the age of 104 years old. Before her graduation to heaven, she narrated that they migrated to San Emilio where the present Mayor was born to also escape the prevailing tribal wars between the eastern and western Bontoks. He recalls that his great great grandparents and grandparents practiced the dawak, bagnas and ubaya and had been hearing them chant the daing, deg-ay, mallidum and others.
5. Mr. Crescencio Dakanay, 68 years old from Banayoyo and his wife from San Emilio of both Ilocos Sur have clear knowledge of their parent’s origin—they were from Sagada and Besao, Mountain Province.
6. Rep. Mauricio G. Domogan of the lone district of Baguio City claimed that he is a Bago because his ancestry came from Mountain Province and settled in the lowland plains of Quirino, Ilocos Sur.
7. Col. Alejandre Layagan a retired police office of Baguio City and a native of Santa Cruz, Ilocos Sur also claims that his parents were from Besao and Sagada.
8. Ms Anita Prado, 66 years old of Labayog Sison, Pangasinan also claims that she is a Bago whose mother were originally from Bauko, Mountain Province and his father is a Pangasinense.
9. Mr. Jaime Capuyan of Esperanza, Sison Pangasinan tells that his parents were originally from Sagada, Mountain Province but they chose to stay in the lowland. This he says makes him too a Bago.
10. Rev. Fr. Alejandro G. Abad a retired Anglican priest and now 70 also claims that he is Bago because he was born in Arangin Santa Lucia, Ilocos Sur.
11. Rev. Pstr Onofre Sunggay now 71 years old is a proud Bago whose roots were originally from the hill tribes of Duplas, Sudipen, La Union
Additionally we can add the descriptions and reports that were written by the Commandancia Politico Militar about the Igorots living in the foothills of the Cordillera during their terms in ruling the post in Amburayan. This could be accepted proofs that the Bagos came from the stocks of the Igorots. These reports assume that the pagans spoken of are all Igorots who were not baptized but have moved to the lowlands. For example in 1897, Fr. Mariano Ortiz reported that in Alilem there are 1, 721 Christians and 5,175 pagans; in Suyo there were 713 Christians and 930 pagans.
While in Tiagan it was noted by Commander Marion Rojo that there were 664 Christians and 8, 162 pagans. Also Fr. Ramon Rivera submitted a a report that there were 260 pagans among the population of Conception in 1891.
Fig. 3. The yearly gathering of different tribes to understand each other and celebrate their cultures can do more to mend the broken past.
In addition, Fr. Angel Oyanguren also wrote a report that there were 212 Christians and 749 pagans as population of San Emilio in 1891. Beside these, Fr. Rufino Redondo claimed that he distributed clothing to more than 700 pagans in San Emilio. What do these figures tell us? We can deduce from the words of Fr. Rufino Redondo that the cloth distribution are for those who need them because they are either naked or who have no clothing at all. And this describes foremostly the Igorots who usually wear his G-string to cover his sensitive parts and the women only doning their Tapiz to protect their lower extremities.
Conclusion
Although we have discussed the origin of the Bagos with three main proposals as to their origin and how this came about, it is most probable that we can validate the genesis of this tribe further by using modern genetic tests to contrast and compare how near of kin it belongs to the Igorots of Mountain Province. If we find common sets of alleles belonging to either Besao, Sagada or Bontoc peoples and also a common one to those from the lowlanders specifically the Ilocanos, we can be more conclusive that parentage and origin of the Bagos are truly hailing from the Igorots as proven by historical research and documents and genetic sampling eg geneological DNA tests and geographic origin tests. Then there would be no doubt that they indeed hailed as such from their forbears of Igorots.
What more, this opens up a further avenue of research that even the different mountain tribes could probably have evolved from one stock or ancestry of races and diverged because of isolation from each other and the terrain that so characterized the Gran Cordillera. Even so, our lists and the testimonies of many men do tell us that Bagos understood themselves to have originated from the Mountain Provinces and lived in the border areas near lowlands of the Gran Cordillera particularly the places of Commandancia Politico-Militar de Tiagan (created in 1847) and Commandancia Politico-Militar de Amburayan (created in 1890) and its rancherias. Because they alone could distinguish themselves from the other tribes and call themselves as Bagos with their own distinct dialect and practices which are near similar to those of their origin, without much ado, they should be recognized as what they call themselves, Bago tribe of the Philippines. (Main source: The Bago: it's origin and culture.)
Fig. 1. The welcome banners in the Dungog festival at Roxas City held last October 2-6, 2009.
In human anthropology and the evolution of different tribes, it can be said that language, color of skin, practices and mores can isolate people groups from each other so that they develop into distinct subgroups or tribes that can be so different from the others as it necessitates the recognition to call them as notably different. In the annals of history, the ethnic distinction of mankind into different nations did not come about until the confusion of language in Babylon prompting later historians to call it “Tower of Babel” (see Genesis 11:4, see Edison Macusi, Unmasking Evolution, pp 124-132.) And from this debacle, man spread from Shinar into the different parts of the world including the Philippines because of shallow land bridges connecting the different continents. According to John D. Morris, continents were probably all connected together because of the shallow water level as a consequence of the Ice Age (John D. Morris, Ice Age causes and consequences. Acts and Facts vol. 38 #8 2009).
This could have led to the first peopling of the Philippines and when these land bridges melted because of the surging water level, the next waves of migration came through Balangay riding groups of people such as the Indones and the Malays (H.Otley Beyer, Wave Migration Theory) which Beyer expounded in his well known wave migration theory.
In Contrast, Fritjof Voss tells that the Philippines was never a part of mainland Asia because crustal studies indicate that the 35-Km. thick continental crust underneath China does not extend to the Philippines, this according to Dr. Voss is proof that the Philippines was never a part of mainland Asia. In accordance to this theory, F. Landa-Jocano theorize that the Filipinos arose as distinct from other Asians such as the Malays and the Indonesians. Because of these two main contrasting theories, it is probable that knowing the main origin cannot be completely designated but anecdotal accounts can be understood and from these we can examine the present origin of the Bago tribe. Even if there were waves of migration in the Philippines this did not produce immediately the Bago tribe. Like the formation of the other Mountain Tribes in Luzon which were mainly borne by the effects and consequences of the Balangay migration, these formed as a result of cohesive and settlement of those related together who rode the boats (Horacio de la Costa, Readings in Philippine History).
As to exactly how the Bago tribe came, there are several anecdotal theories as to how this tribe first came about. This paper will discuss at length the theories of origin and the accounts of those who supports these different theories and the recommendation for further study of how to validate scientifically the origin of this tribe. The two relevant questions for us are, how did these Bagos came to be? Are they the descendants of Igorots or are they part of the Malayan invasion that came to our shores? There were three main theories which are being ascribed as to the origin of this nearly forgotten tribe.
1. New Christians theory-this is the belief that during the process of Christianization by the Spanish Catholic missionaries, there were certain groups who were dubbed as “Bagong Kristyano” by those who preceded them. The name calling stuck and these are now called Bagos to this day.
2. New Settler’s theory-this theory says that a certain group who came in latest in the sense of migration in the country were called “Bagong tribu” by those who came in earlier. The name Bagong tribu simply became Bago through time. Another cited theory is that there were about 6,000 people who were called “Bagos” or new settlers because these were led by the Spanish friars into the fertile fields just below the Northern Mountains.
3. Neo Tribe theory-this has similarity with theory number 2 which tells that Bagos came from migrating families hailing from the people of Besao and Sagada of “Mountain Provinces” as well as other places of the present political subdivision of Mountain Province and Benguet.
The wave migration theory and the origin of the Bago tribe
Probably H. Otley-Beyer laid the foundation of the wave migration theory of peopling of the Philippines like no other one did. Whether this is correct, no one is sure of but it continues to hold a number of supporters in spite of the newer theories that arose and contrast this theory from the same Faculty that he founded in UP Diliman. In connection with this matter early German anthropologists such as Hans Meyer and Ferdinand Blumentritt (Blumentritt, “An Attempt at Ethnography of the Philippines”) suggested that the Malay invasion drove away Aetas or Negritos further into the interior mountains where they remained undisturbed until the second wave of Malayan invasions. This second wave of migration by the Malays forced the earlier settlers in the coast to enter the mountain interior as they retreated before the new settlers. It is assumed that the first Malay settlers formed the mother tribes of the Igorots, Apayaos, Catalanges, Gaddanes, etc.. who then inhabited the interior of the mountain ranges of Luzon.
Fig. 2. A collage depicting a typical Bago village and apparel for women; the maps below show portions of Bagoland.
While those that were displaced and whom the Spaniards later found in many coastal areas were Malays of the second wave of invasion composed of the Tagalogs, Pampangos, Visayas, Bikos, Ilocanos, Pangasinenes and Cagayanes. These accounts do not mention any Bago or specific tribes that today composes the Igorottes of Northern Luzon, proving that as early as the 18th century, all settlers of the Mountainous areas of Northern Luzon were called Igorots. One may wonder where specifically are the other tribes inhabiting the mountains of Northern Luzon, most specific of this is where is the mention of Bago here? It can however be speculated that the Bagos also came from the Bornean immigrants in the sense that they were a part of the Igorots or evolved from them and the mixture with the lowlanders. There is a sufficient contrast however with the latter in that the Igorots were much feared of kind of tribes causing the lowlanders to not comingle or commix with the Igorots so that these remain as distinct Igorots. The lowlanders have only contacts with the Igorots whenever they have trades of gold, clothing and salt. In another theory, it is much more probable that the Bagos truly came from the Igorots and were originally hill tribe dwellers but were convinced and told to dwell in the lowlands by Spanish missionaries who converted them.
Because of the known fierceness of the Igorots, and their resistance to the Spaniards and their gospel message, it is well understood that any single convert by Spanish missionaries is as precious as a town of lowlanders. Therefore it was necessary that to protect and keep them in the faith, the missionaries devised a way to isolate them from their old living ways in the mountains and assimilate them in the ways of the Christian lowlanders.
The rumors that the Spaniards gave favor and directed them into the lowland fertile fields so that in time, these communities developed into a distinct set of people group taking their culture with them and assimilating both the Ilocano and Kankanaey language could therefore be true in the light of these circumstances. As a further support to this, a Jesuit historian by the name of Father Collins whom Isabelo de los Reyes mentions in his “Historia de Ilocos,” theorized that migrants who came to these islands were originally from Borneo and Sumatra because of their dialect, color, clothes and customs.
Another priest, Fray Hilario Diez during a personal visit to the Ilocos mission reported on February 5, 1822 and quoted by William Henry Scott tells the following:
“In the year 1818, I had the supreme pleasure of visiting them town by town, and from Balaoan in the south to Pidigan in the north, there was not one that did not have some other barrio of new Christian Igorots to whom the parish priests assign placed for their residence; and between Tagudin, Santa Cruz, Santa Lucia, and Candon all in Ilocos Sur, are to be found some already organized as towns or with land to work with respected parish priests, on government order consigned them from the Christian towns or have land opened for the newly baptized, roads cleared and fruit trees planted such as the hamlets of Santa Cruz, San Rafael, Rondo and others, whose new settlers, all Igorots are already peaceable and taking roots among the old Christian families.”
It can be inferred that these new Christian converts who are all Igorots and whom the Spaniards took away from the mountain sides were greatly aided by the Spaniards to find land, till the earth and cultivate plants so that they can live peaceably and as assimilated group with other lowlanders. This act by the priests without question, aided the formation of the Bago tribe. In addition to this, we can also learn from this report that there were already Igorot converts (Christian Igorots) in the towns of Balaoan, La Union to Pidigan Abra since 1822. Also, it is mentioned that there were Christian Igorot settlers found in Santa Cruz, San Rafael, Rondo and others which could also explain why there were a number of Bago settlers within these places up to this time.
In William Henry Scott’s, “Discovery of the Igorots” he retold of a legend that exemplifies that there were already present relationship between the lowlanders and those living in the mountains even before the Spaniards came. Their relationship could have been peaceful coexistence with intermittent skirmishes as misunderstanding drove them to save their own skins. The story implies that there are Besao folks (Igorots) who have gone either up or down the mountain to buy salt, cotton, collect rentals or as laborers. It is assumed that through time and contact with the lowlanders there could have been great possibilities that some eventually remained in the lowlands so that they intermarried with these Ilocanos. Both the accounts of Fray Diez and Scott explains the fact that there are Bagos in the towns of Candon, Santa Lucia, Santa Cruz, and Tagudin. Some of these Bagos claim their ancestry from Besao and Sagada. If both of these accounts were true, this speaks of the plurality of the origin of the Bago tribe and this forms two theses as to the mechanism of the origin of the Bago tribe; 1) caused by missionary zeal to protect and make disciples of the Bago tribe by forming a homogeneous Christian community made of Bagos (the baptized Igorots) and influenced by Christian lowlanders 2) as caused by interchange between the hill tribe dwellers and the lowland occupiers.
Mr. Jaime Agpalo Jr. who wrote, “Ni Bago: iti minoridad ti Kailokuan” (Bannawag, August 10, 1998 p.48) tells that since the period of colonization there were already Bagos in the coastal plains of Ilocos. Accordingly, there were already interchange between the lowlanders and the Igorots even before the Spanish came to colonize the area. Some of the following testimonies can corroborate these reports and support thesis number 2 above
1. Mr. Simon Dangcatan, 102 years old of Saytan, Pugo, La Union spoke that his parents could speak in Igorot dialect but he could not discern if this was Kankanaey or Ibaloi. His parents moved to Pugo, La Union in search for greener pastures.
2. Mr. Damaso Bangaoet Sr. who is now 89 years old also from Pugo, La Union remembers well that his parents were from Sigay, Ilocos Sur and moved to Pugo, La Union and in the Bago meeting held at the Baguio City Hall, he was mistake as an “Igorot” though he does not deny nor accept that he is a pure one.
3. Mr. Eduardo Digma, 72 years old of Santa Cruz, Ilocos Sur recounted that his father was from Sagada and his mother was from Besao. His parents came down to avoid the tribal wars.
4. Mayor Leon Lais of San Emilio, Ilocos Sur also 72 years old says that his great great grandmonther was from Agawa, Besao and died at the age of 104 years old. Before her graduation to heaven, she narrated that they migrated to San Emilio where the present Mayor was born to also escape the prevailing tribal wars between the eastern and western Bontoks. He recalls that his great great grandparents and grandparents practiced the dawak, bagnas and ubaya and had been hearing them chant the daing, deg-ay, mallidum and others.
5. Mr. Crescencio Dakanay, 68 years old from Banayoyo and his wife from San Emilio of both Ilocos Sur have clear knowledge of their parent’s origin—they were from Sagada and Besao, Mountain Province.
6. Rep. Mauricio G. Domogan of the lone district of Baguio City claimed that he is a Bago because his ancestry came from Mountain Province and settled in the lowland plains of Quirino, Ilocos Sur.
7. Col. Alejandre Layagan a retired police office of Baguio City and a native of Santa Cruz, Ilocos Sur also claims that his parents were from Besao and Sagada.
8. Ms Anita Prado, 66 years old of Labayog Sison, Pangasinan also claims that she is a Bago whose mother were originally from Bauko, Mountain Province and his father is a Pangasinense.
9. Mr. Jaime Capuyan of Esperanza, Sison Pangasinan tells that his parents were originally from Sagada, Mountain Province but they chose to stay in the lowland. This he says makes him too a Bago.
10. Rev. Fr. Alejandro G. Abad a retired Anglican priest and now 70 also claims that he is Bago because he was born in Arangin Santa Lucia, Ilocos Sur.
11. Rev. Pstr Onofre Sunggay now 71 years old is a proud Bago whose roots were originally from the hill tribes of Duplas, Sudipen, La Union
Additionally we can add the descriptions and reports that were written by the Commandancia Politico Militar about the Igorots living in the foothills of the Cordillera during their terms in ruling the post in Amburayan. This could be accepted proofs that the Bagos came from the stocks of the Igorots. These reports assume that the pagans spoken of are all Igorots who were not baptized but have moved to the lowlands. For example in 1897, Fr. Mariano Ortiz reported that in Alilem there are 1, 721 Christians and 5,175 pagans; in Suyo there were 713 Christians and 930 pagans.
While in Tiagan it was noted by Commander Marion Rojo that there were 664 Christians and 8, 162 pagans. Also Fr. Ramon Rivera submitted a a report that there were 260 pagans among the population of Conception in 1891.
Fig. 3. The yearly gathering of different tribes to understand each other and celebrate their cultures can do more to mend the broken past.
In addition, Fr. Angel Oyanguren also wrote a report that there were 212 Christians and 749 pagans as population of San Emilio in 1891. Beside these, Fr. Rufino Redondo claimed that he distributed clothing to more than 700 pagans in San Emilio. What do these figures tell us? We can deduce from the words of Fr. Rufino Redondo that the cloth distribution are for those who need them because they are either naked or who have no clothing at all. And this describes foremostly the Igorots who usually wear his G-string to cover his sensitive parts and the women only doning their Tapiz to protect their lower extremities.
Conclusion
Although we have discussed the origin of the Bagos with three main proposals as to their origin and how this came about, it is most probable that we can validate the genesis of this tribe further by using modern genetic tests to contrast and compare how near of kin it belongs to the Igorots of Mountain Province. If we find common sets of alleles belonging to either Besao, Sagada or Bontoc peoples and also a common one to those from the lowlanders specifically the Ilocanos, we can be more conclusive that parentage and origin of the Bagos are truly hailing from the Igorots as proven by historical research and documents and genetic sampling eg geneological DNA tests and geographic origin tests. Then there would be no doubt that they indeed hailed as such from their forbears of Igorots.
What more, this opens up a further avenue of research that even the different mountain tribes could probably have evolved from one stock or ancestry of races and diverged because of isolation from each other and the terrain that so characterized the Gran Cordillera. Even so, our lists and the testimonies of many men do tell us that Bagos understood themselves to have originated from the Mountain Provinces and lived in the border areas near lowlands of the Gran Cordillera particularly the places of Commandancia Politico-Militar de Tiagan (created in 1847) and Commandancia Politico-Militar de Amburayan (created in 1890) and its rancherias. Because they alone could distinguish themselves from the other tribes and call themselves as Bagos with their own distinct dialect and practices which are near similar to those of their origin, without much ado, they should be recognized as what they call themselves, Bago tribe of the Philippines. (Main source: The Bago: it's origin and culture.)
In : Notes on culture and society
Tags: the bago tribe and its origin ethnic tribes in the philippines
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