A Study in Tinguian Folk-Lore

"A Study in Tinguian Folk-Lore" by Fay-Cooper Cole is an anthropological study written during the early 20th century. The work explores the rich tapestry of folk tales from the Tinguian people, a notable pagan tribe from the mountainous regions of Northern Luzon in the Philippines, providing insights into their cultural practices, beliefs, and social structure. The primary focus of the text is on the interrelationship between the folk tales and the religious and cultural ideals of the Tinguian, shedding light on their historical context and the evolution of their narratives over time. At the start of the study, the author introduces the collection of folk tales observed during his extended stay with the Tinguian tribe. He details the classification of these tales into three main categories: the mythical stories that illustrate foundational cultural beliefs, the ritualistic and explanatory myths that explain various practices and natural phenomena, and regular stories told for entertainment. The opening chapters establish a methodological framework for analyzing the tales, emphasizing the importance of understanding the Tinguian people's worldview and the values assigned to their traditions. Through this lens, the early sections of the book aim to reconstruct a sense of the Tinguian's historical culture, offering a glimpse into their daily life and social dynamics within the context of the tales chosen for study. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Fay-Cooper Cole was a professor of anthropology and founder of the anthropology department at the University of Chicago; he was a student of Franz Boas. Most famously, he was a witness for the defense for John Scopes at the Scopes Trial. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1903 and became Assistant Curator of Anthropology of at the Field Museum of Natural History the following year. He led the museum's Philippine expeditions, collecting more than 5,000 objects, traveling together with his wife, Mabel Cook Cole, with whom he co-authored The Story of Man. He helped establish the University of Chicago's graduate program in Anthropology and started an archeological survey of Illinois. Cole also played a central role in planning the anthropology exhibits for the 1933 Century of Progress World's Fair. He was elected a Member of the American Philosophical Society in 1941.