Iwitness: “Tasaday” a documentary by Kara David

REACTION PAPER
(1:39) 1986 Isang dayuhang mamamahayag ang bumalik hindi sa lugar ng thho, nakita niya
nakadamit na ang mga - ito kasama ang ibang anthropologict ideneklar nilang peke ang mga
tasaday mga magsasaka daw sila na binagbihis lang ni Elizable para umarte sa likod ng kamera
kinutya, pinagtawanan tinawag na sinungaling ang mga tasaday" (1:40)
REACTION
I feel upset with the foreign journalist and other Anthropologist, how can they declare the
tasaday as fake and accused them that they are just being manipulated by Elizalde to act as a
tribe. This foreign journalist don’t even know them. They just ruined the simple life that the
Tasaday is living.

(2:26) Mula South Cotabato limang oras na biyahe papunta sa pinaka malapit na bundok “san
ba banda dito "lampas tayo ng tatlong oras siguro" ang layo pa non" (4:35)
REACTION
Wow that was a pretty long ride, and knowing that they have to walk for 3 hours pass rivers,
walk along dangerous mountain makes me feel amaze. I mean we all know Kara used to live a
wealthy life. She can use a chopper but she choose to walk. Kara David is indeed dedicated to
her work. I admire and salute to this documentarist.

4:54 “Kalahating araw na kaming naglalakad pero wala pa daw kami sa kalahati. Makalipas
ang apat na oras pagod na ang aking mga paa pero kailangang tumuloy. Isang halaman ang
naging senyales na malapit na kami sa aming dertinasyon “bangi yung damit nila noon”.
Mahigit limang oras na kaming naglalakad akala ko wala nang katapusan ang aming kalbaryo.
“Narating din natin” “Thank You! 8:35
REACTION
Kara is a excellent documentarist. I thought I would get bored but seeing how Kara sacrifice
putting themselves on risk just to provide a excellent documentation really inspires me. She can
make people entertained and be curious about what’s going to happened.

(8:36) Kabisado ni Dul ang ibat ibang parte ng kweba. Bawat isa kabisado ni Dul kung saan
nakatira. Tanong ko sa aking sarili, kung sinungaling ang mga Tasaday, Bakit kabisado parin ni
Dula ang bawat sulok nito gayong labing tatlong taon na ang nakalipas. Kung totoong mag
sasaka sila tulaf ng sabi ng mga eksperto bakit kakaiba sila mag salita. “ Ang manobo Blit at
Manobo Tasaday ay magka-iba”. (12:00)
REACTION
The cave was fascinating. I can say that the Tasaday are true. The Tasaday never hesitated to
guide Kara through the cave showing who lives in which cave. If they are just lying how come
they can still remember it all. We’ll anyway let’s continue watching.

14:00 Kung si Dul ang tatanungin mas mabuti pang di nalang sila natagpuan. Kapag
nalulungkot siya bumabalik si Dul sa kweba kasama ang mga apo. “Bakit ka daw dinala dito?”
“Sinabi niya sa akin na doon sa baba maraming problema pag dito sa kueba walang
problema”. (12:49)
REACTION
I feel sad about them, If I were to ask or if I’m one of the Tasaday I would feel the same. I will
also wish that we were never discovered maybe we’re still living living peacefully I feel the
sadness of they’re feeling. And I totally agree that there are a lot of problems in the city. They
were already contented with their lives not until the journalist found them.

(12:35) Sa gitna nang kanyang paglalaro na alala ko ang larawan nang isang bata lobo raw
ang pangalan niyo (12:07)
REACTION
Woahhhh! How can they do that? He just hang there and climb like a pro. How can this be a
hoax? Lobo don’t even have any idea about the outside world. The pictures caught shows how
naïve and innocent Lobo is. The Tasaday is living a primitive life. And I am amazed by it.

(12:05) Kung di mo alam ang nakaraan himdi mo iisipin na isa pala siyang Tasaday. Nagsasaka
na siya ngayon, nakadamit tulad ng ibang Manobo Blit. Nagbago man siya ng bihis hindi niya
hinubad ang pagiging Tasaday. ( 11:30)
REACTION
I totally agree to what Ms. Kara said I didn’t even notice that he belongs to Manobo Tasaday
tribe. I’m happy that they learned how to live in their nee environment but still treasure their
tribe as Tasaday.
(11:30) “Nomo Dakan”. Tulong yun daw ang pirming pangako ng mga bisita sa kanila pero
lalo lamang daw gumulo ang buhay nila. “Si Oswald ang nag sabi na hindi kami totoo” (10:30)

REACTION
Indeed promises are really meant to be broken. How dare this man talk about them being a hoax
where in fact you could see the sincerity and honesty in their eyes. I can say that they are true.

(10:30) Dinala sa Maynila si Lobo kasama ang mga Tasaday. Takot na takot daw siya noon at
galit na galit. “Nagpunta kaming Maynila para patunayan na kami ay totoo , masama sa loob
na sabihan na hindi kami totoo. (9:11)
REACTION
Having the courage to fight for thereselves is something to be proud about. His feelings is
acceptable and valid. Imagine someone you don’t even know accused you as a fake. We’ll for
now we only have a few minutes for this amazing documentary. Let’s continue.

(9:08) Pero wala daw nakinig sa kanila tila naging mga bingi raw pagkatapos silang
pakinabangan. Ngayon sa tuwing nay bibisita sa kanila takot na siyang mag tiwala. “Sabi nila
takot daw po kayo sa tao”. “Hindi ako sanay sa maraming tao natatakot ako na baka patayin
ako. (8:46)
REACTION
I feel sad about them. They have been traumatized about what happened. I truly understand the
fear they’re feeling.

(8:38) Nagulat ako ng makilala ko ang kangang nanay na si Itet. “Ni”, “Ito ikaw, ito sino to?”
“Belangan, Balangan ang asawa ninyo” (7:48)
“Wala kayong ganitong bihis dati” 6:49
REACTION
Wowww! It’s surprising to meet the mother of Lobo. She looks old but the way she narrates
everything and remember every detail is awesome. Funny how she moves her blouse just to
make Kara see how they look back then. She was so pure and innocent I think she’s thinking that
she can still go around without any clothes. Her smile is also beautiful.
(6:04) “Noon kami pumupulot ng pagkain kung saan saan pero ngayon kailagan mo nang mag
bungkal ng lupa mas gusto kong tumira sa kweba pero mas gusto ng asawa ko at mga anak ko
na dito kami tumira sa labas”.
Dalawang dekada na ang lumipas mula ng tawagin silang peke ng ilang mamamahayag at
anthropologist pero hanggang ngayon dala parin ni Loboa ang matagal nang kinikimkim na
galit.
“Kung gusto nilang sabihin na sinungaling kami patunayan nila. Masama ang loob ko sa
sinabing kami ay sinungaling”. (1:11)
REACTION
I Strongly believe that the Tasaday are true. In my own opinion they really lived that way and
that was their way of survival, their way of living. They are not just acting around. I also agree to
Lobo, if the journalist accused them as fake they must prove it. They are living a simple, safe,
and harmonious life together not until the journalist and anthropologist ruined it.
It make me sad that despite of the popularity they’ve gained due to media controversy about
them being a hoax, no one had bothered to help them escape poverty not even out government.
I can see the honesty through their eyes. Despite all the hardship they still choose to live, they
maintain the progressive lifestyle . The future generations of the Tasaday are being taught how to
read and write all to help them survive and understand our modern world.
Hoax or not, we still need to give due respect to everyone. We should be thankful that once a
stone age tribe like Tasaday had put our country on top of media all over the world. Respect for
each tribe. It’s just an evidence that people can cope up in any environment. This documentary
gave us a lot of lessons and understanding about this practices.