You Don't Look like an Igorot!!!

by: Felisa Daskeo

This is a pure blooded Igorot's house. She's a CPA-Lawyer.

During the time when Jeyrick Sigmaton, the Carrotman from Mt. Province got the attention of the internet and went viral, I have seen a few awful remarks about Igorots on Facebook. One man was barking like a wild dog and expressing his own wrath over Igorots. I don’t know why. Another woman talked about Igorots being like pigs, to my utter disgust.


The most annoying part is, every time I say, "I am an Igorot"; I hear the words, "But you don't look like an Igorot.

What exactly do they mean by that phrase?

We, Igorots, don't go online injecting obscenities and expletives about Ilocanos, Tagalogs, Warays, etc, because we believe that everyone is entitled to his own way of life no matter what kind of life you have. To shorten it, we are all Filipinos and we are all the same; there is no difference. Physically, Igorots are not far different from other Filipinos. There are several Igorot men and women who are as good looking as some actors and actresses around.

To set it straight, IGOROTS are not short, small, dark and with curly hair people.

Surprised to see a good-looking Igorot? Don't be.

Here are 9 things that you should know about Igorots.

·        1.  Igorots are perhaps the humblest people to be around.

An Igorot will tell you that he is living in a shanty but you will find out soon that he is living in a beautiful house complete with good furniture and appliances. She will tell you that she has no money but look into her wallet and you can find thick wads of bills. You can meet a dirty-looking man or woman that you can easily describe as a farmer or vendor, only to find out that he can either be a lawyer, a doctor or an engineer and she, an accountant, a manager or business owner helping in the fields or garden. They will not ask to be called sir or ma’am even if they have master’s degrees and doctorate degrees. They want respect, but they don’t ask for more.

A cute Igorot boy.

·         Igorots value education so much.

Parents can go without shoes or good clothes in order to send their children to school. You can see a man or a woman that you will easily mistake as a beggar, but mind you, that man may be the father of a lawyer and that woman may be the mother of three big-time businessmen. They can live without good clothes and other accessories, but they cannot live without a good education for the children.

·        2.  Igorots are not fashionistas.

An Igorot is definitely not fond of fashion. But of course, the young generation has different tastes nowadays and could be fashionistas too, but definitely, most Igorots do not go with the flow of fashion trends. Being the rugged type of people in the mountains, they prefer jeans and shirts. She can try wearing a dress for a while but she will always go back to her jeans and shirt because that is what she is used to. Men love to wear all types of jackets, except of course the jackets with so many embellishments. They would prefer the simple leather jacket even if it is expensive. Men also love wearing leather boots.

·       3.  Igorots love Country Music and Cowboy Stories/Action Movies.

Igorots love the songs of Kenny Rogers, Don Williams, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Scotty McCreery,, etc. I guess it has something to do with the weather and the geographical setting too. Igorots aren't the drama-type people when it comes to movies. They love action that is why they love Western movies.

·       4.   Igorots are practical.

This is just a portion of Tadian, Mt. Province. Tadian is now crowded with big, beautiful houses.

Igorots are very practical people. They think first of their necessities before the luxuries and what’s beyond necessary. First thing first, a sturdy house, food on the table and education for the kids. Although some can afford to be sometimes luxurious, they shrug off their shoulders if someone will offer them products that are unnecessary for their daily life. If an Igorot buys something, it must be useful and not something to display or use once in a while.

·         5. Igorots are simple.

Igorots live simple lives. They only avail things that are important even if they have the means to be extravagant. They have inherited the frugal lives of their ancestors up to this stage. If made to choose between a sports car and a truck, he would readily choose a truck.

·        6.  Igorots always think of the future.

      Igorots always set aside something for tomorrow. They are not one day millionaires. An Igorot man will work hard and save because he knows that nothing is permanent in this world. He will always think of the future of his family. Before spending, he will ask himself first, "What if?"

·         7. Igorot men value their family so much.

The number one priority of an Igorot man is a stable family. He works very hard to provide the necessities of the family. He is a responsible man, and he makes sure his family is secured.

·        8.  Igorot men and women are DIY people.

Igorots are “do it yourself” people. They can easily organize things even if they didn’t learn about it by using simple common sense. Like me, I am not a carpenter, but I usually do simple carpentry work at home. It is part of being an Igorot to do things on your own and not hire other people to do it for you.

·        9.  Igorot women are not frigid. 

A few years ago I read an article in a newspaper talking about women in the mountain regions being frigid. The article further said that this is the reason why more and more men are looking for wives in the lowlands. I almost laughed. Igorot women may not be that very sweet and showy, but they are definitely not frigid.

I am a pure-blooded Igorot and I am definitely not short, small, dark and with curly hair. The next time you hear someone say, "Igorotak" and you can't believe it; don't open your mouth to say, "Oh, but you are so beautiful to be an Igorot." Just admire the Igorot beauty that is in front of you' because out there, there are so many beautiful and handsome Igorots circulating around with you that you aren't aware about.

Copyright Felisa Daskeo 2016