Negrito "King"

[Todd m. Sullivan]

Hello all,

I haven't posted here in along time but I thought I would share some experience that you may appreicate when it comes to Ethnograhic weapons. Recently, browsing the internet, I came across a picture of a man that I had spent time with from 1986-1990 outside Clark Air Base in the Philiipines.

As a security policeman I was often times assigned to a post called "Negrito Gate". Outside the gate was "Negrito Village", mostly farmers but one man in the village was called "King". The first time I saw him, he came out to the gate surrounded by many Negritos who seemed to be escorting the man. I remember watching the Philippine Security Forces, that were posted with me, stand too when he approached and showed him the utmost respect.

I later learned that he was the last surviving member of the Negrito tribe that attacked Japanese when they occupied Clark Air Base during WWII.

At 19 years old, most of the Security Policemen didn't care about history, and instead just wanted to party. On my next day off I took a taxi out to Negrito village. The Filipino taxi driver asked why I was going to the village. I told him I was going to meet King. He then added what a great and respected man he was.

When I walked into the village, the Negritos, who are very polite and friendly, asked what I was doing there? I told them who I had come to see and they took me to his hut. I remember standing outside his hut to discover he wasn't there but was out walking in the paths outside the village. I departed with some villagers to find him. After about an hour we found him walking alone dressed and armed as his culture had been for centuries. I found his picture taken by an officer prior to 1986 and wanted to share. See Below. You will see he is armed with his bolo (the same weapon used to kill Japanese in their barracks).

My barracks were at the base of a large hill called "Lilly Hill". On the side of this hill were doors to tunnels, now cemented over and closed. My barracks were once Japanese barracks. King took me back to his hut and we sat and talked till after sunset. He told many stories about the days of WWII were they would go into Lilly Hill tunnels with only ethnographic weapons and kill the Japanese. They would also go into the barracks at night and kill every other soldier. The survivors would be left to tell of the horror of what the Negritos did to their now dead companions. An interesting and old tactic.

King showed me many ethnographic weapons. Being young....I should have purchased some of these antique peices and I have told Lee "if I only knew then what I know now".

I often returned to King bringing him gifts such as food and drink from the base comminssary. I remember sitting looking at him and his demeanor and physical stature where that of warrior and I knew then that he was still capable of killing men. He was still very fierce yet humble and quite the gentlemen. A true King. I did spend one night at his hut. I got up to go to the bathroom (going outside and the bushes). He spoke to me in the darkness as if he wasn't even asleep and said "Sullyman you o.k" I told him I had to go to the bathroom and he replied "careful cobras".

After that, when I was posted at Negrito Gate from 3-11 pm, he would come out and sit with me dressed in modern clothing. He often pointed at my M16 and say that "it's good you awlays have it in your hands" as many Japanese tried to get to thier weapons, leaning in the corner of a room, never to make it.

Cheers,

Todd




Not King but a picture of Negritos from WWII