Theories on the

Origin of the
Filipinos
The First
Filipinos


Many historians
and scientists
believe that the
first inhabitants
of the Philippine
islands emerged
during the
Pleistocene
period.


There are two
theories on
where the
inhabitants (first
Filipinos) came
from namely:1.

Beyers
Migration
Theory
-- Henry Otley
Beyer believes
that Filipinos
descendedfrom
different groups
that came from
Southeast Asia
in successive
waves
of migration. Eac
h group had a
distinct culture,
with its own
customs and
traditions.

2.

Jocanos
Evolution Theory
.
- believes that
Asians, including
Filipinos are the

result of a
lengthy process
of evolution and
migration.

Migration
Theory

Dawnmen
-
(or cavemen
because they
lived in caves.)
-

The Dawnmen
resembled Java
Man, Peking
Man,and other
Asian Home
sapiens who

existed about
250,000 years
ago.-

They did not
have any
knowledge of
agriculture, and
lived by hunting
and fishing.-

It was precisely
in search of food
that they came
to the Philippines
by way of
theland bridges
that connected
the Philippines
and Indonesia.-

Owing perhaps
to their
migratory
nature, they
eventually left
the Philippines
fordestinations
unknown.

Aetas
- The second
group of
migrants was
composed of
dark-skinned
pygmies called
Aetas or
Negritoes.
-

About 30,000
years ago, they
crossed the land
bridged from
Malaya, Borneo,
andAustralia
until they
reached
Palawan,
Mindoro
and Mindanao.-

They were
pygmies who
went around
practically naked
and were good
at
hunting,fishing
and food
gathering.-

They used
spears and
small flint stones
weapons.

-

The Aetas were
already in
the Philippines w
hen the land
bridges
disappeared due
to

the thinning of
the ice glaciers
and the
subsequent
increase in
seawater level.-

This natural
events forced
them to remain
in the country
and become
its first
permanent
inhabitants.

Indones
- Because of the
disappearance of
the land bridges,
the third wave of
migrantswas
necessarily
skilled in
seafaring.-

These were the
Indonesians,
who came to the
islands in boats.-

They were more
advanced than
the Aetas in
that:1.

they had tools
made out
of stone and
steel, which
enabled them to
build sturdierhou
ses:2.

they engaged in
farming and
mining, and
used materials
made of brass;3.

they wore
clothing and
other body
ornaments.

Malays
- Last to migrate
to the
Philippines,
according to
Beyer, were
Malays.-

They were
believed to have
come from Java,
Sumatra,
Borneo, and the
MalayPeninsula
more than 2,000
years ago. Like
the Indonesians,
they also
traveled inboats.

-

The Malays were
brown-skinned
and of medium
height, with
straight black
hair and

flat noses.-

Their technology
was said to be
more advanced
than that of their
predecessors. T