The First Filipinos

The Theories of the Origins of the Filipino People

Table of Contents

Prevailing theories on the origins of the Filipino people Theories on Filipino Evolution Origins of the Austronesian People

Wave of Migration Theory

Proposed by Henry Otley Beyer in 1920. According to Beyer, the Philippines was populated by a so-called wave of migration from the mainland and surrounding parts of Asia to the Philippines. At first, they came via land bridges during the last Ice Age. After the ice melted, other races came using balanghays.

Beyer theorized when the first people came to the Philippines:

Dawn Man - 250,000 years ago. Negritos - 25,000 - 30,000 years ago. Indones - 5,000 to 6,000 years ago through the use of balanghays. Malay brought metallurgical craft in the Philippines and became the dominant race before the coming of the Spaniards.

What are the basis of Beyer?

The physical similiarities of the Negritos, Indones, and Malay race in the Philippines and in other parts of Southeast Asia such as the Malay peninsula and Borneo. The similarities of the way of life of the Negritos from the Philippines and Malay peninsula wherein they still live in the mountains.

The similarities of archeological artifacts found in the Philippines and Malay Peninsula.

Aboriginal Hypothesis Theory

The first inhabitants of the Philippines are the Negrito race.

Theory of Malay Origin

The present-day Filipinos came from the Malay race because of similar physical traits and archeological artifacts found in both the Philippines and Malay peninsula.

Theories on Filipino Evolution

Felipe Landa Jocano

Professor of Anthropology at the University of the Philippines. According to Jocano, there is only one race in the entire Southeast Asian region. Later on, this race evolved into different races through the process of evolution eg.Tabon man, Java man

Discovered fossils in the Philippines are also found in Borneo, Australia and New Guinea thus, it is impossible to determine where these fossil remains first originated. With the discovery of the Tabon man, which is 21,000 22,000 years old, Jocano concluded that there are already people in the Philippines even before the coming of the last Ice Age. Jocano proposed that instead of the wave of migration as base, he prefer the Base Culture idea wherein, culture was formed as a response in adapting to the surrounding area.

Tabon Man

Homo Sapiens Sapiens Lived from 30,500 11,000 BCE Found in the caves of Tabon, Palawan by Dr. Robert Fox in 1962. Only the top part of the skull and the jawbone were found of the remains of the Tabon Man. Based on forensic analysis and measurements, the shape of the skull is from the Homo Sapiens an indication that the Negritos are not the first inhabitants of the Philippines. Also found in the Tabon cave complex are weapons and sharp tools. There are also remains of ash an indication of the use of fire.

Inside the cave Tabon Cave complex

The upper portion of the skull of the Tabon Man

Cagayan Man

Homo Erectus Philippinensis Lived from 250,000 500,000 BCE As old as the Java Man from Indonesia and Peking Man from China. Based on Java man and Peking Man, they stand upright, have a broad jawline, and have protruding foreheads. They also used tools and probably used crude form of language.

There were no skeletal remains of the Cagayan Man. But they left stone tools, Stegodon bones and other animal bones that were probably used as foods.

Austronesians

The Austronesians can be found in:

From west-east: Madagascar to the Easter Islands. From north-south: Taiwan to New Zealand.

There languages belongs to the Austronesian language family or Malayo-Polynesian language. Their way of life includes:

Sedentary Seafaring Boat-building Agriculture Planting of rice, yams, taro, and banana

Orange - Borneo-Philippines (Outer Western Malayo-Polynesian) Dark red - Sunda-Sulawesi (Inner Western Malayo-Polynesian) Green - Central Malayo-Polynesian (Bandanesian) Purple - South Halmahera-West New Guinea languages Halmahera-Geelvink Bay) Pink - Oceanic

(South

Origins of the Austronesian People

Mainland Theory

Proposed by Peter Bellwood. Happened 4,000 years ago. Migration from north to south. The use of balanghays.

To Easter Islands

To Madagascar

Island Hypothesis Theory

Proposed by Wilhelm Solheim. Happened 5,000 years ago. From Australia or Indonesia. Migration from south to north.

Assignment

Research on the way of life of the Early Filipino people. Discuss at least one of the following topic on Early Filipino people:

Politics Economy Religion Culture Society

Give an example of an early way of life that can be still found on contemporary Philippine society. Explain your answer.