TASADAY, REAL OR HOAX

I. Introduction:

The Philippine is to believe has 7,641 islands as of today, and is composed

of different tribes. The tribes contributed a lot with our culture and so with
our beliefs. Badjao’s from Mindanao, Igorots from Northern Luzon,
Ilongot’s from the East Mountains of Sierra Madre, Tumandok tribe from
the Visayas, are only few that is known to us.

Have you encountered about the Tasaday’s, the stone age tribe or so called
the “Cave People”, they are indigineous people from Mindanao, South
Cotabato to be exact. They were called stone age people for they resembles
the traits of People in the early neolitic ages called Stone Age. Primarily,
they used stones as the knives to cut and coo their food. They also use this
so called stone knives to hunt for wild animals. This is my first time to
know or heard about them.

With our modernized state of living nowadays. Imagine what if we have

live in their generation, I guess it would have been so hard for us. They are
using stones to cut while we have sharp ones made of metals and alloys.

For a curious one like me, lets encalculate more ourselves about this tribe.

The Tasaday.

II. Body:

The documentary was broadcast by GMA 7’s award winning show, “I

witness” which was hosted by one of the most trusted anchor, Kara
David.
It all started on the year 1971 where a certain man named Dafal
discovered the Tasadays. Manta Elizalde introduced them to the world
outside their caves. Elizalde and the late President Ferdinand Marcos
introduced the Tasadays to the foreign press and archeologist. They were
only then wearing leaves from the plants as their clothes to hide their
private parts and stone to cook their food. From the world full of lies and
negative things Tasadays was the image of PEACE. They were all over
the newspapers by that time.

On 1986, a foreign press came to the tribe again to see the Tasaday’s and
by that time they were already clothe with fabric as a normal people do.
Gone are the leaves which serves as their clothes, they were already
modernized. The foreign press was shocked, because he was expecting
to see a typical Tasaday’s, 15 years ago. It was then he called them a
hoax. That they have been dressed-up like a cave people for Elizalde had
told them as he filmed their lives.

On 2009, after more than 2 decades, Kara David, went to the tribe to
investigate why they call the Tasaday’s a hoax!

Mountains to rivers, rivers to mountains she have crossed to reach the

Tasaday’s. She was guided by Dul, one of the oldest Tasaday, and
members of the other tribe called Blit, headed by Mafalo. Until they
reach the Tasaday’s cave. Dul showed them the entire cave. Over all the
cave was composed of subdivided small cave, which serves as a room for
every Tasadays. On the lowest cave, stays the mother with babies whose
still can not climb. Other caves cater the woman with husband and Two
separate caves for male and female single Tasadays. Thinking the term
hoax as being given to them, how come Dul still remember every details
of the cave wherein they stayed until they were discovered by Dafal?

Kara David even met with Lobo, the 12 year old Tasaday’s poster boy,
and now their new chieftain, he was the son of the former chieftain when
Dafal discovered them. Lobo relates how their lives has changed after
 they were labeled hoax. If he were to choose, he wish that Dafal had not
found them. They were already contented with their lives before and was
blinded by lots of promises. One thing he had been thinking for is the
fact that they were thought to cultivate and plant. With this they were
able to reap foods for their living.

During the interview with Lobo, Kara even met the former chieftain and
his wife. With the whole conversation, they remembered every detail of
their life before.

If you were to ask me, If Tasaday’s are hoax, a big NO, with their eyes
and everything all you could see is plain sincerity and honesty. There
was a point as I was watching the documentary, that I have ask myself,
“What if they were not discovered and introduced to the world?” Maybe
until now they would still wear the leaves and still uses stones as their
tools. And maybe theirs lives had remained simple, naïve and at peace.

The documentary makes it interesting for it tackles our own country and
ancestors. Even different from others because they were able to
interview the real or oldest member of the tribe, who had open our eyes
and gave us the answers to every questions.

III. Conclusion:

Are the Tasaday’s a hoax, or is the Idea that they are hoax itself a hoax?
Which version of events are true?

For me I conclude, that the Tasaday’s are true and not a hoax. They may
not be living for about thousand years, yet they had living a life same as
the stone age people.
IV. Recommendations:

Hoax or not, we still need to give due respect to everyone. We should be

thankful that once a stone age tribe like Tasaday’s had put our country on
top of media all over the world. The Tasaday’s possesses trait of a
primitive men. They used stone tools, eat wild fruits, climb trees and
don’t know anything about farming. Their history may not be clear, but
their future together with the Manobo tribe proves to be promising.

V. Insights:

We do not have to call anyone a hoax just because they are not 100% of
what you have been looking for. Respect for each tribe. Its just an
evidence that people can adopt to any environment. There is a place for
change, for the betterment. The documentary had provided us a better
understanding about their practices. Patronize our own.
TASADAY, REAL OR HOAX?

SUBMITTED TO:
MS. VICTORIA ARCE

SUBMITTED BY:
EVA U. CORPUZ