[Time Trowel] Ifugao’s evolving story as birthplace of Philippine anthropology
A trowel (/ˈtraʊ.əl/), in the hands of an archaeologist, is like a trusty sidekick — a tiny, yet mighty, instrument that uncovers ancient secrets, one well-placed scoop at a time. It’s the Sherlock Holmes of the excavation site, revealing clues about the past with every delicate swipe.
This week, August 23-25, Ifugao hosted the Global Indigeneity Conference. It is a fitting venue, as Ifugao holds a significant place in the history of Philippine anthropology. The region is often celebrated as the birthplace of four-field anthropology in the country. Yet, this designation is layered with contradictions — some rooted in the very origins of the field, others arising from the evolving understanding of indigeneity in a modern context.
Anthropology in the Philippines, like in many parts of the world, originally emerged as a tool for understanding colonized peoples. During the American colonial period, Ifugao was seen as a pristine, untouched landscape — an “uncolonized” space ideal for the nascent field. This notion of isolation became the bedrock for a common understanding of indigeneity, casting the Ifugao as living relics of an ancient past, with their culture and the famed Rice Terraces dating back over two millennia.
But time, like anthropology, is not static. Recent research has upended the long-held belief that the Ifugao Rice Terraces are 2,000 years old. Instead, evidence suggests they are only about 400 years old, constructed during the Spanish colonial period. This temporal revision doesn’t just challenge the terraces’ age, but raises deeper questions about the timeline of Ifugao cultural development, suggesting a society that was dynamic and adaptive rather than merely ancient.
This is just one of many contradictions in Ifugao anthropology. The idea of Ifugao as a region untouched by colonialism is another. While early anthropologists viewed Ifugao as a pristine society, free from external influences, modern scholarship paints a different picture — one of active resistance, adaptation, and interaction with colonial forces. Far from being isolated, the Ifugao were deeply engaged with the world around them, negotiating their place within a broader colonial and postcolonial context.
These shifts in understanding reflect a broader tension within anthropology itself: the clash between viewing cultures as static, rooted in primordial traditions, and recognizing them as fluid, adaptive, and constantly in dialogue with their environment and history. The Ifugao have often been portrayed as guardians of a timeless heritage, yet this image oversimplifies the complexity of their society and the diversity within it.
Even the designation of Ifugao as the “birthplace” of Philippine anthropology is not without its critics. While the region’s prominence in early anthropological studies is undeniable, some argue that this focus has overshadowed other equally rich and diverse cultures in the Philippines. Thus, the centrality of Ifugao in the narrative of Philippine anthropology both highlights and marginalizes, adding a new layer of complexity in how Philippine cultural diversity is understood and represented.
The very first American anthropologist to conduct long-term fieldwork in the Philippines was Roy F. Barton, who began his work in Ifugao in 1906. His foundational studies on Ifugao society, culture, and law significantly shaped the field of Philippine anthropology. While his work “Ifugao Law” remains his most famous, Barton also published several other articles and monographs on Ifugao culture, greatly contributing to the understanding of indigenous legal systems and social organization in the Philippines. Around the same time, Claude Russel Moss published on Kankanaey and Nabaloi cultures, enriching the anthropological study of the Cordillera.
However, the first widely recognized anthropology article written in the Philippines was “The Tinguian: Social, Religious, and Economic Life of a Philippine Tribe” by Fay-Cooper Cole in 1909. Cole’s research, part of the extensive work during the early American colonial period, aimed to document the cultures, languages, and social structures of various indigenous groups in the archipelago. This early anthropology, often published as ethnographic reports, monographs, or collections of field notes, was heavily influenced by the colonial administration’s desire to understand and manage the colonized populations.
Among these early American anthropologists, Henry Otley Beyer stands out as perhaps the most impactful. Often referred to as the “Father of Philippine Anthropology,” Beyer moved to the Philippines in 1905 and began his research in Ifugao in 1908. Initially interested in archaeology, Beyer quickly became deeply involved in the broader study of Philippine archaeology, ethnography, and anthropology, establishing research programs that would lay the groundwork for the discipline in the country.
For many years, the development of anthropology in the Philippines was dominated by these American scholars. However, a significant shift occurred with the emergence of Filipino anthropologists like Felipe Landa Jocano. Jocano’s “Growing Up in a Philippine Barrio,” published in 1969, is considered one of the first anthropology articles written by a Filipino. His research marked the beginning of Filipino-led scholarship in the field, focusing on documenting and analyzing Filipino culture from an insider’s perspective. Jocano’s work played a crucial role in the localization of anthropology in the Philippines, paving the way for Filipino anthropologists to make significant contributions to the field.
As contemporary anthropologists and indigenous community members revisit Ifugao with fresh eyes, there is a growing emphasis on integrating old narratives with new findings. Traditional stories about the ancient origins of the terraces are not discarded but supplemented by recent evidence, creating a more nuanced understanding that honors both indigenous knowledge and scientific inquiry.
This collaborative approach extends beyond academia, as will be highlighted by the conference. Anthropologists today often work hand-in-hand with communities, combining local perspectives with scholarly research. This partnership encourages outcomes that are more reflective of the community’s lived experiences and cultural practices, ensuring that research is not just about the Ifugao but with them.
The field also benefits from cross-disciplinary collaboration, history, environmental science, and ethnography coming together to explore the complex interactions between societies and their environment. This synergy of disciplines offers deeper insights into the resilience, adaptation, and perseverance of indigenous cultures.
In the case of Ifugao, the dialogue between global and local perspectives strengthens the understanding of Ifugao culture within broader discussions on indigeneity, colonialism, and cultural heritage. This global-local synergy ensures that Ifugao anthropology remains relevant, not just in the Philippines, but in wider conversations about indigenous rights and the impacts of globalization.
In this light, the narrative of Ifugao as the birthplace of Philippine anthropology becomes not just a point of pride but a living, evolving story. It is a story of cultural and historical continuity that acknowledges the dynamic nature of Ifugao society and the active role the community plays in shaping its future.
By focusing on synergy rather than contradiction, anthropology emerges as a field where diverse elements — past and present, local and global, scientific and indigenous — come together to create a richer, more inclusive understanding of Ifugao society and its significance in the broader context of Philippine anthropology. This approach doesn’t just resolve contradictions; it celebrates them as part of an active and evolving tradition.
The Global Indigeneity Conference was co-sponsored by the Partido State University (Goa, Camarines Sur), Sorsogon State University (Sorsogon City), Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology (Agusan del Sur), Mindanao State University-General Santos, Pangasinan Polytechnic College, Ifugao State University, Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement, and the UCLA Center for Southeast Asian Studies. The event is supported by grants from the Henry Luce Foundation and the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research. – Rappler.com
Stephen Acabado is professor of anthropology at the University of California-Los Angeles. He directs the Ifugao and Bicol Archaeological Projects, research programs that engage community stakeholders. He grew up in Tinambac, Camarines Sur. Follow him on IG @s.b.acabado.