Answer:
The poem "I Higaonon" by Telesforo Sungkit Jr. powerfully expresses the sentiments of the Higaonon tribe and their struggle against prejudice and oppression by colonial forces. The poem uses vivid imagery and pidgin English to convey the narrator's anger and frustration at the hypocrisy of the colonizers, who claim to be Christian and civilized yet have committed atrocities against the indigenous people .
The narrator forcefully rejects the labels of "pagan", "savage", and "brother" imposed on the Higaonon by their oppressors, asserting his people's dignity, cultural values, and right to self-determination . The poem highlights the ethnic inequality and discrimination faced by the Higaonon, who are ridiculed for their language and traditions, even as the colonizers have taken their land, resources, and lives .
Despite the oppression, the narrator maintains his Higaonon identity and pride, refusing to accept the colonizers' demands to abandon his culture and beliefs . The poem stands as a powerful testament to the resilience and resistance of indigenous peoples in the face of colonial domination .
