The indigenous Aeta people are dispersed throughout the Luzon Group of Islands in the Philippines. The particular group I met lives in the northern tip of the Luzon. Their culture survived the Spanish colonial era. They are dark-skinned, have dark brown eyes, and have curly hair--very different from an average Filipino. They are the first people to live in the Philippine Islands predating the Austronesian migration. They are The Royal Tribe, yet they are treated as if they are strangers in their own land.
#teammelanin
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Photographers Without Borders® has featured my trip as I engaged with the Aetas, particularly addressing the issue of colorism and internalized racism in the Philippines and the role of photography on framing such issues on a local context.
Short Documentary Film "A Narrative of Noise," where the Northern Aeta People are featured (c) Daniel Ignacio
