Origin of the Kalinga Axe

Nonoy Tan · 4th November 2008, 11:27 AM

A few points:

1. In fact, the axe was used to decapitate. So many evidence of that.
2. Not all Cordillerans traditionally use the axe for decapitation. Some use the bolo.
3. The Cordillera people are classified into different groups, and each may have different way of going about headhunting. Some keep the skulls and display them at the village, some bury them, some throw them away. Differences can be seen between the Ifugao, Applai, I-lagod, Bontoc, Kankaney, Ilongot, Gaddang, I'wak, Ibaloi, Kalinga, Isneg, Itneg, etc. It is difficult to generalize - differences between adjacent villages within the same "tribe" exists too. It is not easy studying the Cordillera peoples because there are so many groups - not to mention the Agta who also practiced headhunting in the past. Well, so did the Zambals, Tagalogs, Ilocanos, Visayans and almost everyone in the Philippines!

I think that there has been an over-emphasis on headhunting attributed to the Cordillerans (because of past writings by Americans in the 1900s) without including the rest of the Philippines. The key to understanding the headhunting ways of the Cordillerans (in its original form) is by knowing how the rest of the country's inhabitants practiced it. My 2 cents.

4th November 2008, 11:27 AM	#11
Nonoy Tan Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 293	A few points: 1. In fact, the axe was used to decapitate. So many evidence of that. 2. Not all Cordillerans traditionally use the axe for decapitation. Some use the bolo. 3. The Cordillera people are classified into different groups, and each may have different way of going about headhunting. Some keep the skulls and display them at the village, some bury them, some throw them away. Differences can be seen between the Ifugao, Applai, I-lagod, Bontoc, Kankaney, Ilongot, Gaddang, I'wak, Ibaloi, Kalinga, Isneg, Itneg, etc. It is difficult to generalize - differences between adjacent villages within the same "tribe" exists too. It is not easy studying the Cordillera peoples because there are so many groups - not to mention the Agta who also practiced headhunting in the past. Well, so did the Zambals, Tagalogs, Ilocanos, Visayans and almost everyone in the Philippines! I think that there has been an over-emphasis on headhunting attributed to the Cordillerans (because of past writings by Americans in the 1900s) without including the rest of the Philippines. The key to understanding the headhunting ways of the Cordillerans (in its original form) is by knowing how the rest of the country's inhabitants practiced it. My 2 cents.