Outline on I, Higaonon Analysis

ALAMIA, HASAN II S.

1. Introduction
a. Hook
b. Author and title
c. Background Information
d. Thesis- Civilized individuals who came to colonized the Philippines put stereotypes and
oppressed the Persona in the poem, as well as his family, his tribe, his belongings, and, in
general, his identity as a cultural minority. Like any other oppressed individuals, the persona
stood up for his beliefs despite the oppressors’ monopoly over them.
2. Body
a. Topic Sentence #1-The persona is being unjustly judged and ridiculed by the oppressors
because of his beliefs.
i. Textual evidence #1- In the first stanza, the persona told his oppressor(s), “I you
called pagan, you say pagan is bad people. You say you is Christian and Christian
is good people. You laugh I kneel on big rock or I pray before big tree. You angry
I call Migbaya, you say my God is devil.”(Sungkit, 1)
1. Commentary- The persona was given a preconceived judgment due to
his religion being different from the oppressors’. The oppressors
emphasizes that being pagan is “bad” simply because he wants to
proselytize the persona into his religion.
ii. Textual evidence #2- in the second paragraph the persona said, “You laugh I
speak wrong your tongue or I not knowing you say. You angry I speak my
tongue, you say I silent I not speak your tongue”. (Sungkit, 2)
1. Commentary- As evidenced by these lines, the oppressors laugh at the
persona, obviously, because he couldn’t correctly speak their language,
though he is trying to do so because: first, for communication purposes;
second, the persona, also, is being restricted from speaking his native
tongue.
b. Topic sentence #2- People of the persona’s tribe are being killed. Also, they are being
deprived of their belongings as these oppressors have taken it from them.
i. Textual evidence #1- in the second stanza and third stanza, the persona
respectively said, “You making all us sakop you killing my brothers not liking
you”. “You say love brother, skin also brown but you help kill grandpa baylan,
you help kill grandma bae, you help kill uncle bagani, you help kill dog talamuod,
you help kill even my balangkawitan rooster”. (Sungkit, 3)
1. Commentary-
ii. Textual evidence #2- In the first stanza, the persona said, “I angry you get my
lands, I angry you get my golds, I angry you burn my wood books, but you say I
should love enemy”. (Sungkit, 3)
 1. Commentary-
c. Topic sentence #3- in the entirety of the poem the persona repeatedly expressed his
anger towards his oppressors and their doings. Hence, his resistance pushed him to
stand firm with his identity and reject the negative change.
i. Textual evidence #1- in the poem, it can be read that the persona kept on saying
he is angry about the things the oppressors do to him and his fellowmen such as
in the first stanza where he said, “I angry you get my lands, I angry you get my
golds, I angry you burn my wood books, but you say I should love enemy”.
(Sungkit, 3)
1. Commentary-
ii. Textual evidence #2- in the latter part of the poem, the persona said, “I knowing
things yesterday, today, tomorrow. I ancient. I Higaonon”. (Sungkit, 5)
1. Commentary-

d. Concluding sentence- The oppressors, in the times of their occupation, have done unjust
things to many as recounted by the persona—the killings of his fellowmen, the taking
away of their belongings, the ridiculing of him and his tribe, etc. These doings led to a
revolt by the persona against his oppressors as he ranted about his sentiments and
thoughts.

3. Conclusion: Foreign invaders who colonized the country have unfairly prejudiced, especially,
the people of the marginalized sector just like the persona and his tribe. Hence, with
oppression, comes resistance. The narrative mainly gives its readers the moral of not letting
anyone monopolize another. One must stand firm with his identity and not let anyone force
him or her to change in whatever way just for that someone’s likings.