Conclusions 489 



movement has taken place since the arrival of the Spaniards, while 

 the distribution of the great ceremonies gives a further suggestion that 

 the dominant element in the Tinguian population has been settled in 

 Abra for no great period. The probable explanation for this distribu- 

 tion is that the interior valleys were sparsely settled with a population 

 more akin to the Igorot than to the Tinguian, prior to the inland move- 

 ment of the latter people; that the Tinguian were already possessed 

 of the highly developed ceremonial life, before they entered Abra, and 

 that this has been spread slowly, through intermarriage and migration, 

 to the people on the outskirts of their territory. 



These ceremonies are still practised by some families now residing 

 in Christianized settlements in Abra and Ilocos Sur, while discreet 

 questioning soon brings out the fact that they were formerly present 

 in towns which have long been recognized as Ilocano. The relation- 

 ship of the Tinguian and Ilocano has already been shown by the 

 physical data and historical references; but were these lacking, it re- 

 quires but a little inquiry and the compilation of geneaological tables 

 to show that many Ilocano families are related to the Tinguian. It is 

 a matter of common observation that the chief barrier between the 

 two groups is religion, and, once let the pagan accept Christianity, he 

 and his family are quickly absorbed by the Ilocano. 



Uninterrupted trade with the coast in recent years, Spanish and 

 American influence, have doubtless affected considerable changes in the 

 Tinguian. If, however, we subtract recent introductions, it is probable 

 that we have in the life of this tribe an approximate picture of con- 

 ditions among the more advanced of the northern Philippine groups 

 prior to the entry of the European into their islands. 



