Note 1 — RELATION OF THE ZAMBAL1 INDIANS OF PLAYA HONDA, THEIR SITUATION AND CUSTOMS. BY FATHER FRAY DOMINGO PEREZ, OF THE ORDER OF PREACHERS AND VICAR-PROVINCIAL OF THE RELIGIOUS WHO ASSIST IN THE SAID MISSION. YEAR OF 16802

Wm. Reed (Negritos of Zambales) says, (p. 27): “Everything in the history of the Zambal people and their present comparative unimportance goes to show that they were the most indolent and backward of the Malayan peoples. While they have never given the governing powers much trouble, yet they have not kept pace with the agricultural and commercial progress of the other people, and their territory has been so steadily encroached on from all sides by their more aggressive neighbors that their separate identity is seriously threatened. The rich valleys of Zambales have long attracted Ilokano immigrants, who have founded several important towns. The Zambals themselves, owing to lack of communication between their towns, have developed their separate dialects.... [but] Zambal as a distinct dialect is gradually disappearing.” “The Zambals, however, lived in so close contact with the Negritos that they impressed their language on them so thoroughly, that no trace of the dialect of the latter people remains in Zambales” (p. 28).

As pointed out in a recent communication from James A. LeRoy, the Zambals were mountaineers, kin to the Igorot of today, and of Malay origin. They probably formed a portion of a very early migratory movement from the south who were pushed back into the hills. They must not be confused with the Negritos, who are not Malayan. The Malayan origin of the Zambals can be easily seen from Perez’s description. ↑