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I pagan?
I savage?
I brother?
V.
I ancient.
I Higaonon.
EXPLANATION
The poem I, Higaonon by Telesforo Sungkit, tells us about the culture and beliefs of
a Higaonon tribe, and how other people look over their traditional life. In the poem,
discrimination and prejudgment happens because of the differences of beliefs and
culture. Before the colonization happens to Higaonon tribe, they were known to be
pagan, a follower of a polytheistic religion. Because of the diversities they become
inferior to other religion, which is why they received a lot discrimination and was
downgraded because of the way they live.
In general, it illustrates ethnic biases that they feel afraid of speaking their own
words as they go to cities. It is scandalous that we pretend to be civilized, when in fact
we practice acts of injustice and brutality. The Higaonon people respect and appreciate
their world and have firm convictions, for example, about stones, plants, weather, and
the strength of nature. We poke fun at them for being special, but we don't expect
them to assimilate with us. We've hurt them, destroyed their people, and abused
them, but they still love and trust us.