Any schoolchild in the Philippines would be familiar with the Negritos, the dark-skinned people with kinky hair and short stature who were the first to live in the Philippines. With all those lessons in my Sibika at Kultura, I have never seen one until I moved to Iloilo for college.
My first encounter with them was not as pleasant or totally opposite of what I have learned in school. I saw many Atis as they are called in Panay island in streets usually beggars with little children tagging along. Still, my interest with them gradually came back as I learned more about their culture as I hang in my ropes to pass my Anthropology classes.
Known by many names in places where they live from Aetas to Agtas, the Atis are one of the keepers of our own history and heritage. Prior to the coming of the Malays and even the Spaniards, they lived in the lowlands especially in the Visayas. The Visayan island of Negros was named as such by the Spaniards due to the Negros or “black skinned” people that lived in the area.
In the island of Panay which that is consists of Iloilo, Antique, Capiz and Aklan, most of them live in the mountainous areas along with the hilly areas of Boracay Island with some lived along with non-Atis. Some intermarried with other groups but most of them prefer to marry their own kin.
The Atis survived through simple agriculture working in their fields. Though most of them are marginalized some have educated themselves and improved their way of living.
In general, Panay Island takes pride with the Atis, one of the indigenous peoples of the country. As seen in their festivals like the Ati-Atihan of Aklan and the Dinagyang, Panay pays homage to the Atis.
During the Dungog Festival, the Atis performed one of their traditional dances:
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