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| ETHNOGRAPHY |
While the artifacts of ethnology are classified according to tribal divisions of the Mountain
Province, Cagayan Valley, Bataan, Zambales, Sierra Madre, Mindoro, Zamboanga, etc., the visitor
could as well view them according to objective groupings: weaponry, kitchen wares, religious
paraphernalia, personal decors, and musical instruments.
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All who view the weaponry collection can be acquainted with the fighting style of the early
Filipinos. Most interesting are the Ifugao arrows and axes, and the different examples of
Muslim weapons, particularly the Kris. To top all are the diverse bamboo arms, with
ingenious arrowheads of the Aetas from Nueva Ecija and Zambales.
The household wares, implements, and basketry give the observer an idea of daily life:
reminders of daily chores and domesticity, examples of an aesthetic unique to Filipinos.
Many of the religious objects used for non-Christian rituals can be considered belonging
to rare collection.
The recording of Philippine ethnology will not be complete without mentioning musical instruments:
flutes, strings, drums, and gongs. The wind instruments typify the North while the gongs typify
the South; the strings and drums are common to tribes everywhere. They were related to music for
burial, for victory, for courting and for religious celebrations.
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