Historians say that the first datus headed by Datu Puti with their followers left Borneo to escape persecution by the Rajah of the House of Sri-Vishaya and landed after a long and exciting voyage in the island of Panay which was ruled by a Negrito chieftain, called Marikudo. After some haggling, they succeeded in buying the island from the Negrito chieftain for one gold “sandok” and a gold necklace for his wife, thereby enabling Datu Sumakwel to establish a permanent settlement in the island they called Hamtic, which is now Malandog in the Municipality of Kamtic. The name was taken after a specie of large ants called “hantic-hantic”, which abound in the place. The settlers occupied almost all coastal parts of the island forcing the native to live in the hinterlands and sliced the island into political unit called “sakop”, namely Hantic (Antique), Aklan and Irong-Irong (Ilo-Ilo). Datus Puti, Bangkaya and Paiburong headed these “sakops” but the entire island continued to be called Hantic under the supreme command of Datu Sumakwel. Antique was officially recognised as a seperate political unit in 1790 when the Spanish authorities made it a political and military province with Antique (San Jose) as the capital town. The institution of American authority over the island and the restoration of peace and order in Panay led to the formation of a civil government on April 13, 1901. During Japanese occupation, Mt. Baloy (elevation 1.729 meters), which straddlers part of Antique was the headquarters of the 6th Military District under Col. Macario Peralta.
There
are said to be 15.000 to 50.000 pure Negrito living in the Philippines;
estimates vary wildly. The various Negrito groups call themselves names
like Agta, Ayta, Alta, Ita, Ati, Ata and Aeta, which are variations of
“man” or “person”. They live dispersed over many islands
but principally found in eastern Luzon (Panay and Negros). They can be
readily distinguished from all other Filipinos by their physical characteristics:
they are darker and rarely taller than 1.50m. Their hair is cut short
and crinkly, often decorated with a bamboo ornament. Their traditional
clothing is made out of tree bark. The Negrito are nomads and only a few
of them have settled in one place. They often live in temporary huts built
from twigs, branches, foliage and grass. Sometimes they works small fields
in which they plant sweet potatoes, rice and vegetables. They also hunt
animals, using bows and poison-tipped arrows. Seafaring Negrito are called
Dumagat,. You meet them occasionally on secluded beaches on the Pacific
coast of North Luzon where they settle temporarily in hastily built huts.
The Negrito do not have laws as we know them, nor to they feel themselves
bound to any authority. When decisions have to be made, the head of the
family’s word is final.
(This article is taken from: Jens Peters, Philippines. Lonely Planet,
6.1997)
