The Bontoc Igorot

A remarkable snapshot of early‑20th‑century fieldwork, this study was compiled for the Philippine Ethnological Survey and presents the first systematic look at the Bontoc Igorot of the Cordillera highlands. The author, a chief ethnologist, recorded his observations during the 1903 expedition, offering a clear, scholarly voice that still feels immediate today.

The volume is filled with detailed descriptions of village organization, from the layout of Bontoc pueblos to the distinctive fay′‑ü and Kat‑yu′‑fong dwellings. Readers hear vivid accounts of rice terrace cultivation, intricate irrigation systems, and the daily routines of hunters, weavers, and families, all illustrated by dozens of photographs and sketches that bring the landscape and its people to life.

Beyond subsistence practices, the work touches on social customs, rites of passage, and the rich oral traditions that bind the community together. Listeners gain a nuanced portrait of a culture navigating its own traditions while confronting the forces of a rapidly changing world.