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The Indigenous Black Filipinos
Growing up in the U.S, I often heard East Asians refer to Southeast Asians, more so Filipinos, as the “Blacks of Asia”, but never really thought much of it. I thought it had more to do with many Filipino-Americans affinity towards Black culture rather than their physical appearance, but after visiting the Philippines and seeing the indigenous people, it made a lot more sense. Origins The indigenous people of the Philippines, known as the “Aeta”, are a group related to the Negrito (Spanish term for “little black person”) ethnic group occupying parts of the Andaman Islands in India, Malaysia, and Thailand. They are characterized by their short statue, kinky hair,…
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Malaysia’s Indigenous Black People
Taman Negara is home to the world’s oldest rainforest, and unknown to many, home to a large number of Malaysia’s indigenous Black people. Months before my trip to Malaysia, I watched a documentary about the black presence in Asia. I was captivated by the natives of Malaysia. Their short statue, dark pigment, and Afro-textured hair was certainly far from the image I had of a typical Malaysian. I wanted to connect with these indigenous Malaysians and show the world that such people did exist. I was determined to meet them. The native people here are called the Batek people. Contrary to what people may believe, these people are some of the…
