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Callao Man: Earliest Human Fossil Found in the Asia-Pacific Region

Human bones in the Philippines were discovered by archeologists in the year 2007. It has been proven that there were early men that lived on the archipelago almost 70,000 years ago. Before the discovery of the bone, scientists believed that Tabon Man was the people who lived in the Philippines 47 years ago. However, Callao Man predated this by 20,000 years. It was discovered in the Callao Caves near Peñeblanca, where archaeologists from the University of the Philippines and the French National Museum of Natural History were excavating. While digging in the area, they discovered a foot bone that turned out to be a metatarsal bone from the right foot. After analyzing the 2.4-inch bone, it was revealed that it was significantly older than Tabon Man, making it the oldest human remains ever found in the Philippines. Professor Armand Mijares (from the University of the Philippines and joint leader of the project alongside Florent Detroit) stated that the evidence provided by the bone only proves that, so far, this could be the earliest human fossil found in the Asia-Pacific region. The discovery also revealed more about the lifestyle of the Callao Man. According to the archaeologists, cut marks found around the human remains suggest that the Callao Man was an efficient hunter. Thus, nothing man-made was found during the dig, so it cannot be confirmed that he had developed the skills to make hunting tools. Furthermore, Professor Mijares revealed to the public that this Callao Man resembles some traits of the Aetas, who are indigenous to the Philippines.

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CALLAO MAN

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Nomads of the Sea: The Neglected Tribe

The Badjao are a sea-dwelling tribe, frequently referred to as the "Sea Nomads," who have spent generations floating off the coasts of Southeast Asia. The Badjao, like several of the Philippines’ indigenous peoples, are a neglected tribe. As a nomadic group that lives in shallow seas in stilt huts or boat houses, they rely on traditional free-diving for fish and pearls. Due to their nomadic lifestyle, the Badjao are frequently unable to get government help, resulting in their extreme poverty as they belong to no official state and hold no official nationality. As a result, many Badjao have left the sea and settled on land, where they form beggar groups in major cities across the Philippines or dive for cash dropped by passing ships in order to make a living.

 

Their tribe was once feared by most people in Mindanao. However, these people are actually primitive and friendly, and they are known to be the most peace-loving people in the world, even though they were once feared by most people in the area. They are a non-aggressive tribe. In times when there are challenges with other tribes, they flee to other places, like the sea. They were called "God-forsaken" by other tribes, and the Muslim tribes forced them to move to the sea, which gave them a better chance of escaping from other tribes that were trying to attack them. In the long run, the sea has changed the Badjao's attitude and made them look very different from other groups in the Philippines. Their bronze-colored hair and dark brown skin have made them stand out from all the other groups in the country.

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The Origin

The Badjao have traditionally crossed the Sulu Sea long before international borders were established, and they see the Sulu Sea as their ancestral homeland, following the flow of fish, tides, and seasons. According to legend, these boat nomads originated in a remote region of Indonesia. There was this story that the princess wanted to marry a Sultan from Brunei, so she sent a vast fleet of war boats there, which the Sultan of Brunei intercepted, and he kidnapped her and sailed back to his home country. The accompanying fleets were unable to return to Indonesia without their princess, so they continued to sail the seas. There are people who have landed on uninhabited islands, people who have turned to piracy, and people who have set up shop on the coast.

 

By tradition, these people are considered to be hardworking sea nomads, moving from place to place in their little boats in pursuit of fishing harvests. They are a group of pagan people who have been sailing the seas for more than a thousand years now.

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To discover more about them: What is Badjao - (https://www.academia.edu/33895400/What_is_Badjao)

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The Unrevealed Treasure of Northern Luzon

Despite globalization and the advancement of technology, there are still indigenous people who choose to preserve their culture and firmly adhere to the traditions set by their ancestors. And the Philippines, albeit small, is abundant with tribal and indigenous people. One of them is the Kalanguya people of Northern Luzon.

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The Kalanguya is a shortened form of "keley ngo iya," which translates as "what in the world is this?" This is considered a word of comfort for them. The sanctuary of the Kalanguya is located in the center of Northern Luzon, Philippines, notably in the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Bengue. The Kalanguya people live in small groups in different parts of Northern Luzon. They bring their shared ancestry with them.

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Much like Ifugao, taro is their preferred food, even if sweet potato is the mainstay and rice is considered their luxury food. Planting takes place in low-terraced fields between mountain drainage systems and valley flood basins. One of their more prominent vocations is pig rearing. The Imugan and adjacent villages around Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya, are well-known for their basketry and broom production.

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Ikalahan culture is distinctive of the Cordillera, with elaborate rituals and animal sacrifices, as well as prestige feasts (padit) of males that last for days and are accompanied by the sacrifice of animals. Meat, like the I'wak, is mostly consumed during ceremonies and is painstakingly shared.

Indigenous peoples are a part of our history and culture. They are the ones who protect and prevent modernisation from annihilating our distinct cultures. As citizens of an urban community, we must not discriminate against these people. Instead, we must safeguard them and their havens.

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