PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS 11 



Prognathism is marked but variable according to the. testimony of Montano, who took the 

 anthropometrical measurements of many crania which he obtained from caves in northeastern 

 Mindanao. 



The forehead is somewhat high and prominent, and the superciliary ridges are salient. 

 The eyes are brown in color. The palpebral opening is elongated as compared with that of 

 the Mandaya, whose eye is round. There is no trace of the Mongolian falciform fold, and 

 the transverse axis is perfectly horizontal. 



The nose is prominent and well-developed but short, and, as a rule, straight. Toward the 

 confines of the Banuaons we sometimes notice a slight curve upward at the top. The nostrils 

 are somewhat slender, but otherwise well developed. They are a little larger than those of 

 Bisayas. The ridge is broader than that of Bisayas, and the root is lower down. 



The lips bear resemblance to those of the Bisayas except that the upper Up of the Manobo 

 is more prominent and more developed, due, it is suggested, to the universal, incessant practice 

 of carrying a quid of tobacco partly under it and partly protruding out between it and the 

 lower lip. 



The chin is round and well developed, but is not prominent. 



The above statements hold true of the women in all details except that of stature. The 

 difference between the stature of the male and female Manobo is much greater than that between 

 the sexes among Bisayas and other civilized people of the Philippines. This difference in the 

 stature of the sexes is apparent in all the tribes of eastern Mindanao with the exception of 

 certain groups of Mandayas, and may be attributed, on the one hand, to the excessive burdens 

 carried, and the onerous labor performed by the women in the discharge of their household 

 and other duties, and, on the other, to the unencumbered outdoor life pursued by the men in 

 their hunting, fishing, and trading expeditions. 



The other parts of the bodies of both sexes are in good proportions. The thorax is espe- 

 cially well developed, and the feet are, perhaps, inordinately large. 



The general appearance of the men is somewhat unpleasing and, perhaps, among the 

 Manobos of remote regions, might be said to be coarse. This is especially noticeable among 

 the latter, as their eyes usually bulge out and give them a somewhat wild and even vindictive 

 air. The blackening of the teeth and lips, the quid of black tobacco between the lips, the look 

 of alarm and suspicion, and various other characteristics all tend to heighten this expression. 



The women have a more pleasing expression, but the timid furtive look, the ungainly gait, 

 and the ungraceful contour of their abalcd skirts, detract from the moderate beauty that they 

 possess in their youth. After marriage their beauty wanes incredibly fast. 



Comparing the Manobo's physical and general appearance with that of neighboring peoples, 

 we may say that he stands fifth, the Mandaya, Mansaka, Debabaon, and Banuaon leading, 

 while below him stand without any question the Mafigguafigan and the Mamanua. He has 

 not the height, the proportions, the fairness, nor the gentility of the first three. He lacks the 

 nobility, courage, and intelligence of the fourth, 4 but he maintains his superiority over the Maiig- 

 guafigan, whose repellent features, sparse hair, scanty clothing, and low intelligence put him 

 only a little above the Mamanuas. These latter are only poor homeless forest dwellers like 

 the Negritos of Luzon, and physically, mentally, and culturally stand lowest in the plane of 

 civilization of all the people of the eastern Mindanao. 



RACIAL AND TRIBAL AFFINITIES 



With our present lack of knowledge concerning the great number of tribes that inhabit 

 not only the island of Mindanao but Borneo, Sumatra, and other islands of the Indies, it is 

 impossible to make any definite statement as to the racial and the tribal affinities of the Manobo 

 people. 



' My acquaintance with Banuaons is so slight that I can not make any definite physical comparison. 



