Historical Beginnings

Every time and space dimension has a characteristic trend or pattern. The ancient time and space dimension is said to be simple and primitive but never backward. The ancient man made use of his creativity to harness his natural environments. Elsewhere during the said period, man was typically a hunter and gatherer nomad. Ancient technology can be seen in the kind of tools, body coverings, dwellings, life support artworks’ and even ornaments. Though primitive, these things are world legacies that provided the modern man a glimpse of his ancestral past. Also, it would be prudicial for the present generation to describe ancient civilization as backward because its level of advancement bespeaks the period. Also, ancient and modern way of life must not be compared with one another not only because such condition belongs to different time and space dimension, rather, it is due to the uniqueness n character and quality of each dimension. Thus, to spell the difference on the level of advancement made by the Filipino   ancestors  in contrast with that of the American Indians is a better topic for discussion than to compute  both with the modern people’s way of life and technology.

          To compare and contrast one society with another is possible as long as it covers a similar time and space dimension. An example of a comparative study is on the above-mentioned two different ancient groups. Both native societies did practice the art of tattooing .Since the Filipino ancestors were thousands of miles away from the American Indians, there is no possibility that interrelation exist between them. This does not disregard the fact that all tribal societies during the said period do practice the art. Thus, to deduce certain conclusion, one can say that the art of tattooing was a unique characteristic of the ancient time. The point of contrast rests on the purpose of tattooing and its use among the Filipino ancestors and American Indians. One of the major reasons highlighted why the Filipino ancestors tattooed their body was for adornment, In contrast with the American Indians; the art of tattooing was a symbol of fierce courage to face death in a war engagement or personal vindication. Even animism or nature worship was prevalent by then. Each of the many tribal communities worshipped nature gods and goddesses with many respective names differently called by other tribes.

These and many other examples show what was typical and common among various groups in a particular period of history with a point of contrast on the context and motives.

          The above mentioned ideas fall under a bigger concept called civilization. It is the totality of what men accomplish in a society makes speaks of the culture of a society in a particular period of history. Filipino cultural matrix has both desirable and undesirable characteristic that trace their roots from the ancient time,it had provided a unfying force to distinguish a group of people  called today as Filipinos.