By Fr. Nono Alfonso, SJ
“The Human Zoo.” That was how the encampment would later be called. In 1887, about 50 tribal Filipinos would be brought to Spain for the Exposición General de las Islas Filipinas in Madrid. Such an exposition or exhibit was a trend in the 19th century. It was in particular the unique way that developed countries announced that they had arrived as an economic power on the global stage, an international player, an Empire. In these expositions or fairs, they put on display their scientific and technological inventions such as the steam engine that was the centerpiece of the 1851 Great Exhibition of the British Empire. But they also exhibited artifacts from their colonies including at times the “savages” that they had conquered in their new-found territories. And this was what happened to the 50 indigenous people that were brought to Madrid.
At this point, the Philippines had been under Spanish colonial rule for over three hundred years. Maintaining colonies not only in Asia but also in the Americas was straining the Empire’s economy. It didn’t help that their colonies were waking up to a sense of nationhood and were beginning to revolt. Spain had already lost Mexico early in the century; it would soon lose Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the Philippines. It was against this backdrop that the Exposicion was mounted. It was meant to draw Spanish and European attention towards the Philippine archipelago, perchance to eventually attracting economic activity there. Spanish high officials from the mainland and the colony orchestrated the whole affair, with the support of the local Church, that prided itself of converting the savages into Christians. And so in June 1887, no less than the Queen of Spain opened the Exposicion for the Philippine archipelago. On exhibit were collections of species of the country’s flora and fauna, with the former being housed in the beautiful Crystal Palace that still stands today at the Retiro Park in Madrid. Also on display were samples of craftsmanship and art from the Philippines. Juan Luna, who had won top prize for his masterpiece Spoliarium in an international Art Exposition held three years earlier, participated by exhibiting other paintings.
But it was the group of the 50 tribal Filipinos that stole the show. Made to wear their tribal costume despite the cold weather, they regaled the adoring public for four long months, performing various “barbaric” rituals, including war dances that piqued the minds of civilized Europe. There were those, however, who saw the spectacle for what it really was. The intellectual circles of Spain, including the Filipinos who were studying there like Jose Rizal, condemned the show as an exploitation of the tribal Filipinos. The message to them was clear, here was a civilized country demeaning a people for what it judged as their barbaric and primitive culture. In today’s terminologies, it would be an instance of white supremacy, racism and imperialism. In the end, three from the tribal troupe would die from illness contracted in the foreign land. Most would be able to come home, forever scarred from their experience at the Exposicion. Reportedly, their tragic story would add fire to the already smoldering nationalism among Filipino intellectuals led by Jose Rizal.
But the Filipinos would be exploited again in the same manner or mode. Notoriously, in 1904, the country’s new master, the United States of America, would put up its own Exposicion which it christened as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. Held in St. Louis, Missouri, the Exposition made the Spanish Exposition looked amateurish. The St Louis Fair occupied 510 hectares and was bankrolled by federal government with a stunning $15 Million. And yet again, taking pride of place was the Philippine exhibit which was given a special section in the entire complex, including a huge enclosure for some 300 to 400 Tribal Filipinos. The latter was the highlight of the US World Fair for the 19 million who visited it from April to December 1904. Highly promoted as the primitive and primeval peoples of the East, the tribal Filipinos were again made to don their tribal costume and perform their rituals. It was in this Exhibition that Filipinos would be notoriously known as “dog-eaters.” For despite their protestations that dog-eating was reserved for special occasions, the Igorots were forced to cook dogs every day. The organizers even spread stories or fake news that the canine population in the area was being depleted because at night the Igorots would allegedly escape from their camp to hunt for dogs to eat. This macabre tale added to the success of the whole spectacle. It would have been perfect, for the organizers, except for the missing Emilio Aguinaldo. Reportedly, like the chieftain of an Indian tribe, he was also supposed to be captured and put on display in a special cell or cage to be gawked at by the Exposition’s patrons.
The US Exposition would end like the Madrid Exposition. It was another tragic instance of a powerful country exploiting an “inferior” race; it is another classic tale of imperialism, colonialism and racism. And history is repeating itself before our very eyes, with the US, Russia, and China, all imperialist powers, wreaking havoc in current world politics. We ought to have already learned valuable lessons from our misfortunes. The most important would have been the cliché that “walang mang-aapi, kung walang mag-papaapi.” In the Spanish Exposition, Igorot leaders recruited their own kin for their woeful adventure in Madrid. For the US World Fair, Governor General William Howard Taft got the cooperation of the Filipino elite. This blight would continue in the country’s history, largely contributing to the country’s underdevelopment. In the Second World War, there were the makapili traitors. And now the country continues to be in the stranglehold of oligarchs. Until Philippine society can get its act together, it has no chance against foreign oppressors. We will never be treated like equals on the global stage but mere spectacles or sideshows.
Epilogue. After GOMBURZA, Jesuit Communications has embarked on another film project. LOS SALVAJES BRAVOS (The Brave Savages) is about the 1887 Spanish Exposition. To find out more about the film and how you can help us, please go to our FB Page: Los Salvajes Bravos.
Fr. EMMANUEL “NONO” L. ALFONSO, SJ, is Executive Director of Jesuit Communications, writer and TV and radio host at ABS-CBN (Channel 2), DZMM Teleradyo, Radio Veritas and Radyo Katipunan. In 2008, he was given a Special Citation Award for Best Opinion Column Category at the 30th Catholic Mass Media Awards. Read Fr. Nono Alfonso’s columns here.
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