Philippine Postcard
 

A nice old postcard I picked up in a group purchase of Philippine items brought back in the 1920's or 30's. The card shows a group of Igorot warriors standing with drums, shields, and spears. The one gentleman brandishing what looks to be possibly a bolo is standing by and pointing at a severed head on the ground in front of him. The printing on the card reads "Igorot Dancing Mt. Prov. P.I." As this card is not dated, does anyone here know of any way to find out when this card might have been originally photographed and printed? My thanks to anyone who might be able to help.

Robert

THE PHILIPPINE WARRIOR USED A METAL GONG FOR THESE CEREMONIES OR VICTORY DANCES. THE HANDLE OF THE GONG WAS A CORD ATTACHED TO THE LOWER JAW (MANDABLE) OF A HEAD TAKEN IN BATTLE OR ON A RAID. YOUR PICTURE IS LIKELY FROM AROUND 1920. I HAVE ADDED 9 PICTURES
#1. SHOWS A SHELL DISK THAT MAY BE WHAT IS SHOWN BEING WORN IN YOUR PICTURE AS A BELT THIS EXAMPLE IS 7 INCHES IN DIAMETER AND SAID TO BE IFUAGO TRIBE.
#2. BALANGBANG VICTORY DANCE MOUNTAIN PROVENCE.
#3. 1920 TITLED (DANCE FOR THE GHOSTS)
#4. 1900 TO 1920 DANCE WITH GONGS
#5. IFUGAO HEADHUNTERS AND HEAD THIS LOOKS LIKE YOUR PICTURE WITH A DIFFERENT ANGLE.
#6. WAS IDENTIFIED AS IGOROT WARRIORS WITH GONGS AND HEAD.
#7. & #8 WARRIORS WITH GONGS
#9. ONE WARRIOR CLOSE UP SHOWING JAW BONE HANDLE ON GONG.

I HAVE NOT RESEARCHED THE BALANGBANG VICTORY DANCE BUT IT IS LIKELY THE CEREMONIAL VICTORY DANCE AFTER A SUCESSFUL HEAD HUNT BEING SHOWN IN THESE PICTURES. I JUST NOTICED YOUR PICTURE WAS ALREADY IN MY FILES AS #7

Vandoo, Thank you very much for the photos and information. Now I have to add these to my files as well. The card came with two "ballaka" ? woven hats like the ones shown in the photo, two other cloth hats, four pipes for smoking tobacco, six textile items, a necklace made of brass and some sort of boars teeth (I think) and another item I have yet to identify.

I HAVE SEEN THE HATS REFERED TO AS BACHELORS HATS BUT DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE ONLY WORN BY BACHELORS. OFTEN A MANS HAT SERVED TO STORE HIS TABBACO AND OTHER SMALL ITEMS THE PIPE WAS OFTEN WORN INSERTED THRU THE HAT STRAP AND THE HAIR. PERHAPS A PICTURE OF THE COLLECTION OF ITEMS WOULD ADD TO THE POST AND PERHAPS SOME OTHER ITEMS CAN BE IDENTIFIED.

Robert, by what I see of the shield in your picture, it looks Bontoc to me, so I am wondering if the group is Bontoc.

I THINK ALL OF THESE PICTURES ARE EITHER POSED OR BEING PUT ON FOR A CEREMONY MOSTLY FOR OUTSIDERS. SORT OF LIKE OUR REINACTMENT GROUPS DO HERE IN THE USA. IT IS UNLIKELY OUTSIDERS WOULD HAVE BEEN INVITED TO A REAL VICTORY DANCE WITH REAL HEADS AS HEADHUNTING WAS FROWNED ON OR AGAINST THE LAW. THE WAY THE HEAD SITS UP IN THESE PICTURES MAKES ME DOUBT IT IS THE REAL THING. THE PICTURES IDENTIFY THE TRIBES PICTURED AS IGOROT, IFUGAO AND KALINGA AND AS JOSE MENTIONED THE WEAPONS /SHIELDS LOOK LIKE BONTOC. A TROUPE PERFORMING FOR OUTSIDERS EVEN IN THE 1920'S MAY HAVE USED VARIOUS TRIBAL ITEMS AS PROPS FOR THEIR PERFORMANCES.

Hi Robert,

Those are soldiers of the Philippine Constabulary. Notice their haircut. The head is a prop, not real.

The photo was taken for whatever purpose intended by the American colonial administration.

Nonoy

Those infantry soldiers dressed for the act.

That may explain the mixed textiles they are wearing (opinion closer examination)

Hello and my thanks for every ones help on dating this. I have always thought that most if not all of the photos like this one were staged shots akin to the ones that were printed and sold by Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and others. I would have never caught or even thought about the military hair cuts though if Nonoy Tan had not pointed them out. Knowing nothing about textiles if it was not for Jose pointing it out I would also have never know that the clothing being worn by the men in the photo were from mixed tribal groups either. It is amazing what can be learned from something as simple as an old postcard. As the individuals pictured in the postcard are wearing them I think that it should be appropriate to show a couple of the two ballaka hats that came with the card. The buttons on the tops of these are made from bone except for the center one on the one hat which is glass. I expect that the one missing from the other hat was probably made from glass as well. If someone would like to help me identify the origin of the textiles that came in this lot just let me know and I will email you photos of them as I am not sure if posting them here would be within the forum guidelines. Again my thanks for all of the help offered on this.

Best,
Robert

I must admit this is one of those things that I have to look at several times. Some of the photos I have I now take with a grain of salt due to staging, bad lighting, or mislabeling, etc.