AETAS

LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

Aetas or Negritoes are the aborigines of the Philippines who were called Negritos by the Spaniards at the
time of their reign in the Philippines because of the former’s darker skin color. It is the tribe inhabiting
the eastern rural community of Luzon and other parts of the Philippines. They are called in different
names: Agta, Ita, Aeta, or At. As a result of their nomadic life, they live in houses built out of grass and
tree branches to easily vacate upon scarcity of surrounding food. They do not have social rules and live
according to their ancient customs, which are most evidently shown in the way they dress.

LANGUAGE:

 Mag-indi,
 Mag-antsi,
 Abellen,
 Ambala,
 Mariveleño.

ARTS ANG CRAFTS

CRAFTS

 body scarificaton - A traditional form of visual art. They would intentionally wound
their skin in some of their body parts, irritate the wounds with fire or lime to form a
scar.
 "decoratve disfigurements" - chipping of the teeth. With the use of a file, the Dumagat
modify their teeth during late puberty. The teeth are dyed black a few years afterwards.
 Ornaments - Flowers and leaves are used as earplugs for certain occasions. Girdles,
necklaces, and neckbands of braided rattan incorporated with wild pig bristles are
frequently worn.

ARTS

 Indigenous dances of Aetas –

Anituan – a curing séance dance.

Batong Baboy – a dance that shows how to catch and transport a pig using bamboo pole.

Binabayani – a war dance of the Aeta.

Ehad – the way Aeta plant along hillside.

Himbu-Himbu – a dance that calls for the Nature Spirit.

 Lapinding – a dance that looks for a partner for making love.

Patetet – a dance to cure a sick person.

Pinapanilan – is a re-enactment of bee hunting.

Talek Bake – a dance that imitates / mimics the movement of a monkey.

Talek Barak – a dance that imitates / mimics the movement of a lizard.

Talek Hipon – a dance that imitates / mimics the movement of a shrimp.

Talek Langew – a dance that imitates / mimics the movement of flies.

Talek Manok – a dance that imitates / mimics the movement of a bird.

Talek Palo-Palo or Talek Lango – a dance that imitates / mimics the movement of a butterfly.
Talipe – is a dance where a woman acts as a medium

 MUSIC – they have different type of music for every situaton:

-harvest time
-wedding ceremonies
-burial ceremonies
-courtship
-birthday

LAWS, BELIEFS, RITUALS

 Aetas believe in supreme beings who rule over minor spirits. They believe that these spirits are
the inhabitants of rivers, sky, mountains, valleys and other places.
 KAGON - a healing ritual using song and dance to get the spirit out of the body.
 Their prayers mostly consist of healing and their spirituality is best manifested in their
concept of health and disease
 Burial practces – you will wrap a corpse in a mat and just put it in a hole.
 Apo Bukot – a human that was enchanted, and they pray Aeta prayers to him.
 Marriage-related cultural practces.

 “Bandi” is the obligation required from a man who wants to marry a woman of his
desires.
 “Maglanggad” is a punishment for hurting the feelings of a family, a friend or a neighbor
by an insult, a rumor or any other way.
 “Mamahabi” is the practice of formally asking the hand of a girl in marriage which
requires that gifts be given to the parents of the bride upon the first meeting.
 “ Pahungao”, on the other hand, refers to the obligations that a groom who eloped with
his bride must settle before they are forgiven and married.
LIVELIHOOD

 Livelihood resources are family or community-owned . Family-owned resources include lands,

farm animals and implements, transportation facility, and their dwellings.
 Gasak or swidden farm is maintained by most families as it manly provides them food and
shelter even on dire times.
 Patal or flat upland farms are planted into cassava, sweet potatoes, taro, yam and watermelons
because they can be prepared using farming implements like plow and harrow.
 Trading or vending is another enterprise that some of the residents undertake to derive
continuous income in the year. Small farmers sell their products to local buyers at prices lower
than the market price or send their commodities to certain buyers in town through the local
buyers
 Huntng is done by teams of 2-5 persons, twice or thrice a month catching wild fowls, alligators,
wild pigs or deers with the use of traps and nets. Hunters stay in the forest in 3-7 days.