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Who Are The Aetas?

aetaboyThe Aetas are the aborigines of the Philippines, considered to be the first migrants to the Philippines during the last glacial period about 20,000 years ago when the sea level sank nearly 100 meters and land bridges appeared. Belonging to the Negrito ethnic group, these mountain dwellers have a small stature, kinky hair, dark brown skin and big round eyes. They resembled the American Negroes or the Africans, only they are much smaller averaging 4 to 5 feet in height (CCP Encyclopedia of Philippines Art, 1994). Based on research, the Aetas preciously occupied the outlying areas near the coastline and riverbeds of Zambales, but were forced to resettle in the mountains by the coming of later migrants of Indonesian and Malay type people. The Aetas are also known to be nomadic in nature, that is, they do not reside in a permanent location rather, they tend to keep on moving. However, according to Shimizu (1989), it is important to note that the movements of the Aetas take place within a particular fixed area only. At present, the Aetas are scattered around certain areas in the Philippines and the Pinatubo Aeta is the largest group with thirty or forty thousand population including those of mixed blood (Shimizu, 2001).

Duldulao (1987) in his book said that for centuries, the Aetas have never improved their lives economically and after the Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991, their situation became worst. The eruption has forced this people to abandon their homeland around the Mt. Pinatubo area and mingle with the lowlanders in evacuation centers and resettlement areas. In doing so, they have also lost the cultural isolation they have struggled to maintain for many years. The problems that the Aetas face since their evacuation and resettlement are very similar to what confronts the Tasadays and the Agtas in Sierra Madre, of which one of the most pertinent is how to secure an adequate position in Philippine society with stable livelihood and human dignity, once they could no longer maintain the active isolation and the traditional way of life in their homeland.

Twenty years have passed since the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. The Aetas could have extricated themselves from poverty and malnutrition and begin gradual recovery in many cases or full recovery in some. However, that is not the case today. Despite the various efforts of the government and NGOs, the lives of many Aetas remain to be poor. Hampered by a lot of restrictions and forced to survive in difficult situations, the Aetas have chosen different alternatives of livelihood depending on their own hopes, speculations, and life plans. Truly, in this struggle for survival, their way of life has been tremendously diversified since the eruption. As they mingle with the lowlanders day by day and adjust to their way of life, little by little, they are heading to the brink of their ethnic existence.

 

Source:

  • CCP Encyclopedia of Philippines Art
  • Duldulao, Manuel D. (1987). The Filipinos : Portrait of a People. Quezon City: Oro Books.
  • Shimizu, Hiromu (1989). Pinatubo Aytas : Continuity and Change. Quezon City : Ateneo de Manila University Press.
  • Shimizu, Hiromu (2001). The Orphans of Pinatubo. Manila : Solidaridad Pub. House.