The Philippine Journal op Science. 



D. General Biology, Ethnology and Anthropology. 



Vol. VII, No. 3, June, 1912. 



THE MANGYANS OF MINDORO. 



By Merton L. Miller. 

 {From the Division of Ethnology, Bureau of Science, Manila, P. I.) 



The Island of Mindoro lies directly south of Manila, distant 

 only twelve hours by the usual steamship routes. Notwith- 

 standing the facts that it is near Manila, that it has a varied 

 topography, much cultivable land and valuable forests, it is one 

 of the least known, least developed, and has one of the least 

 dense populations of all the Philippine Islands. For some reason 

 which Americans have never been able entirely to fathom, 

 Mindoro had the reputation in Spanish times of being an 

 unhealthful place. This to some extent may account for the 

 tardy development and scant population which the island presents 

 to-day. 



The Christian people of Mindoro number about 45,000. They 

 occupy a narrow coastal strip, extending with frequent inter- 

 ruptions around the entire island. By far the larger proportion 

 of them are on the north and east coasts. They are almost 

 entirely Tagalogs and Bisayas, the former in the northern part 

 of the island and the latter in the southern. It is only along 

 a few of the streams that the Christian people have made settle- 

 ments in the interior, and these settlements are but a few miles 

 inland. It does not appear to have been fear that has led the 

 Christian Filipino to cling to the seashore, but simply the natural 

 tendency of man to remain near the ocean until some necessity 

 arises to urge him inland or some advantage appears to be 

 derived from such a movement. Apparently, there has been 

 nothing to urge or induce the coast people of Mindoro to move 

 into the interior. 



The interior is to a great extent unoccupied, but scattered 

 all over this part of the island are a primitive people who gener- 

 ally are knovim by the name Mangyan and who probably number 

 from 5,000 to 20,000 souls. Owing to the lack of trails and the 



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