Note 24 — The Origin of the Stars and the Explanation of Sunset and Sunrise

The Bontoks are sometimes wrongly called Igorots, but have no more right to that name than have the Ifugaos. They are a distinct people, occupying a part of the subprovince of Bontok. They are in some respects unique, and possess certain social institutions and traits which have not been found elsewhere in the Philippines. Most of our information concerning them is contained in the monograph by Jenks;24 in the bulky volume on the language by Seidenadel;25 and in my own observations on the general culture and ethnology of the Bontoks. Jenks’ monograph is excellent as an economic paper, but the few myths given are mostly children’s stories. Seidenadel26 gives several myths in the form of texts, and some of these I have freely translated as follows: