1.

How does the education system brought by the Spanish and American colonization led to
the discrimination of the upland Igorots in mainstream Filipino society?
The upland Igorots have their own way of learning back then, wherein, like other
indigenous people they were taught and trained by their parents to do a practical chores that
would help them survive. The government then thought of sending the indigenous children to
school which hours away from their villages. The Igorots needed to flee from home in order for
them to be able to continue their education. In high school and in the higher education, the
Igorots studied in the cities wherein they experience discrimination since the culture that they are
used to was different to that in the city. Due to the differences that the Igorots possess, the people
talk behind their backs and have a disrespectful stare towards them. The Igorots also find a hard
time for them to adapt the behavior and the language in order to have a smooth flow of life in the
urban city. Aside from the discrimination of their identity for the sake of their education, the
Igorots as well experienced distortion of their ways in learning, teaching, and knowing as they
encountered the colonizers. Aside from the aforementioned things, the Igorots experienced to
alter their waysb of learning that affects the culture of the Igorots. The effects of the colonization
tom the life and culture of the Igorots will be discussed further in the succeeding paragraphs.

The colonization of the Spaniards and the Americans bought the idea of the colonial
education through the different theories and strategies to imbibe the ‘western way of thinking.’ It
is important to note that prior to the colonization, the Igorots were then learning practical chores
and skills that can help them survive their lives. The Igorots have established their own language
as well in such a way that they can communicate with each other. The ‘development’ of the
society was then patterned in the western tradition as the framework were then designed by
western society. The discrimination of the upland Igorots began during the time of the
colonization, since they were abused and forced by the Spaniards to follow their command as
they aimed for the development of the society, which the Igorots undeniably needed it. During
the colonization of the Spaniards, they stole the properties of the indigenous people like the
Igorots, destruct their culture and ideas, but their main aim was to colonize the minds of these
people. In the Western way of thinking, from the colonial paradigm to Christian morals were
considered way to have a better life. These things led to the worse experiences of discrimination
of the Igorots that was bought by the Spanish colonizers through their education system. Due to
this system, the belief of the Igorots that the culture of the colonizers was superior to our own
culture. This mindset affects the confidence of the young people of their tribes.

Aside from the education systems, the religious beliefs and the way of life of the Igorots
were also greatly affected from the colonization of the Spaniards and the Americans in our
country. Back then, have different traditional structures from their daily living up to their
worship or spiritual life. The young people used to listen from the stories of their elders, in their
tradition dwellings, wherein the young girls are called “olog” while the young boys are called
“ato.” When the missionaries arrived here in the Philippines, they colonize the mind of the
Igorots by altering the culture that they used to. The colonizers and missionaries thought of
changing the religion of the tribe since they have observed that Igorots are pagan worshippers.
As a matter of fact, they claimed that they were able to convert at least 370,000 Igorots where
converted to Christianity. The missionaries as well were the ones who also gave the Igorots to
change their lives for the better. The Igorots are improving, especially that they are already a
professional workers. The colonizers used the religion in order for them to be able to implement
the other systems that the Igorot used to do. Throughout the years the education that was
implemented improved and became a private school. The Igorots finds it hard to cope up with
the changes of religious and educational system that the Americans and Spaniard gave to them.
We cannot deny the fact that the lifestyle of the Igorots improved, yet the culture that they are
used to, were being demolished by the colonizers.

In conclusion, the main source of the discrimination that the Igorots experienced
were brought by the colonization of both Spaniards and Americans, as they were eager to prove
something. First and foremost, the education that the colonizers implemented destruct the
original way of teaching and learning of the Igorot students. The destruction of culture happened
because the Igorots was persuaded by the promise that the colonizers that they can live in a more
prestigious living. The fact that they are living in the upland mountains, makes them struggle to
the urban lifestyle, wherein they would be able to pursue their dreams. The urban colleges and
other higher educational institution were built by the colonizers who destroyed the identity of the
indigenous people particularly the Igorots. They brainwashed the people who already established
their identity and way of life just to leave them empty-handed and still struggle to reach their
dreams. The Igorot scholars that became successful said that their fellow are left misinformed,
misrepresented, confused, and above all they became marginalized in the society. In a nutshell,
the Igorots were discriminated because the colonizers took advantage of their inabilities that lead
them to be easily persuaded. Igorots lost their sense of identity in which it is one of the important
things that a human being must be able to know. These things happened when the Spaniards and
Americans brought the colonial education system to our country, yet they did not impart the right
knowledge that the people need, instead they took away their identity that led to discrimination.
2. Considering the barriers and trials that the Igorots encountered in achieving higher
education, how will they face their fears on the possible loss of their culture and values?