Agta sa Burabod Through a Marxist View

By: Vilclinton L. Ferrer

Agta sa Burabod introduces us to the sociological perspective through an

exploitation of contemporary social issue of discrimination on racial and economic
status.

Marxism believes that society is in conflict with each other and it claims that this
conflict is between the rich, the bourgeoisie and the poor, the proletariat which leads to
oppression. Marxist also believes that the proletariat can out throw the ruling class
through education and personal development so equality can be achieved through
revolution.
Looking at the text through a Marxist view, the young female agta clearly
belongs to the the lower class, the proletariat even worse. We all know that agtas way
of life is so primitive as their way of living is as simple as growing root crops, rice,
vegetables, fishing and hunting. Though todays agta also engages to work in town and
in cities usually helpers in houses or groceries stores. This economic status of them
made them belong to lower class of the society making them oppressed. Another big
factor for their oppression and discrimination is their black color as how the persona
describe herself in the lines Nagkukutab-kutab na kublit nin diklom and ta an kublit
ko nangingintab na baligang. The Philippine society associates color to economic status
wherein the dark color folks is believed to be poor and the fare ones are believed to be
rich.
The persona because of this leads herself to isolation. Though in Marxist view the
persona can escape this oppression and discrimination if she will be educated and be
able to love her whole being that what matters is how she sees herself more than how
other sees her and therefore the imaginary will become realty.