the fakery with the supposed pristine Philippine aborigines
Wasn't it amazing how everybody fell for it, from National Geographic on down? They wanted so badly for it to be true. The guy behind the hoax was a real piece of work, a total loony with some unbelievable kinks, came from one of the old rich families. He had a total obsession with the tribals, and talked his way into a position as head of the agency concerned with tribal peoples under Marcos. He liked to arrive by helicopter and see people dressed up in traditional outfits, bowing like extras in a bad '50's movie. The real tribals wouldn't play along, so they'd dress up lowlanders and choreograph them to please The Great Man. He ran a "scholarship program" for tribal youths. They lived in his house, every one of the "scholars" was female, and they never went to school. You can guess the rest.
Oddly, there is a group on Palawan that is what the Tasaday were supposed to be. Fortunately they decided not to make a big fuss over them. |
