Here’s the full Open Letter of Habi Collective to Dr. Jimmuel Naval and the researchers of Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho.
Open Letter to Dr. Jimmuel Naval & Researchers of KMJS (GMA7)
HABI COLLECTIVE·SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2016
By now, the entire Cordillera intelligentsia is probably boiling mad at Dr. Jimmuel Naval’s statement in Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho — that the aquiline nose of “Carrot Man” could be due to the intermarriage of Caucasian missionaries/colonialists with Cordilleran people, resulting to “improvement of the race” as Dr. Naval so carelessly mouthed. At this very moment, it is highly likely that we are not alone in writing about this blunder. And we are more than willing to join the fray.
“Improvement of the race” is just so wrong in so many levels. We’re focusing on two.
Level One: across dictionaries, “improvement” means “to make better”. Is an aquiline nose inherently better than a round nose? We expected better from Prof Jimmuel, who comes from no less than the University of the Philippines, an institution that has taught us multi-layered pride for the multi-faceted Filipino identity.
Level Two: take a look at these early 20th Century photographs, depicting the many different Cordilleran noses, if you may:
The photos above, most notably the last one, were all taken circa 1903, when the American colonialists were still very new to Cordillera soil. Given that according to historians of the Cordillera, Spanish missions were never successful in establishing a stronghold in this mountainous region… this means that even before the rest of the Caucasian missions came (American, Belgian, etc.), Cordillerans already had a motley line-up of noses, INCLUDING AQUILINE NOSES.
So, no, please do not hastily nor automatically credit sharp noses to American bloodlines, thank you!
NEXT TIME
We’re not going to call for a public apology, as we are not in the position to do so. We may already be virtually “adopted” by Bontoc, Mountain Province, but we humbly leave the move to call for a public apology to Cordillerans themselves. We’re very sure this move is not far behind.
There would definitely be a “next time” for Prof Jimmuel and KMJS. But with this incident, we would like to tell them this:
Prof Jimmuel Naval: we respect you and the many things you have selflessly contributed to the academe and to the cause of Philippine studies, but we are dumbfounded as to why you agreed to be interviewed on a subject that you could have re-directed to the best people to talk about the subject, i.e. the UP Baguio academe.
Researchers and creative leaders of Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho: you’ve already reached the innards of the Cordilleras; could it have been a stretch for your team to go directly to UP Baguio? Miss Jessica Soho is a UP alumna; we are very sure she has an idea about UP Baguio being the best place for Cordillera studies. Ergo, background information about all things Cordilleran would be best obtained from this institution (and actually, from many other reputable universities in Baguio).
We smile at Jeyrick Sigmaton’s sentiment that his sudden fame has brought the spotlight to the identity of the Igorot. It could have been a very welcome development. But the way this segment was constructed left quite a bitter taste to the mouths of hundreds who watched the show. Something should be done to make amends for it.
Respectfully yours,
Habi Collective
