Pearl of the Orient, 1945

[Music] on the blue green China Sea where Modern ships and plains have shrunken the great spans of water in our changing World lies the finest Port of the Far East Manila pearl of the Orient a pearl floating on a string of more than 7,000 Islands which form the Philippines one of the main Crossroads of the world for Commerce and travel between east and west and because of its strategic value it was one of the most heavily bombed targets of World War II the new Manila being rebuilt today more and more resembles American city people in Manila are much the same as people in any modern Metropolis but Filipinos are many peoples from many Island provinces north of Manila high in the Cordelia mountains of Luzon are the Primitive homes of the Hardy igorot tribes Hillbillies of the Philippines they hunt fish and are noted for their handicrafts under the new democracy women as well as men vote and have a voice in National Affairs not many years ago they were Fierce Head Hunters but today they've given up that gentle sport in favor of the more peaceful make believe of the Warrior dance igot are among the half million pagans who enjoy freedom of worship in a deeply religious country where less than 10% of the population is non-Christian when a igorot marries the groom flaunts his feathered crown and proclaims the traditional marriage vow the bride promises what Brides always promise and then the couple performs a rhythmic ritual to the fire god which climaxes three days of preparation and festivity relatives and friends show their approval by joint dance around the pot of fire to the Primitive Beat Of The Gangs but here is the backbone of the nation a symbolic portrait of the two things which spell life in the orient a family and rice soon the tiny seedling Springs into f fields of blossoming rice which is Nature's signal for the family to gather the ripened grain it's back breaking work Harvest Time Brooks no Idle Hands these brwy young arms reap long hours the caribo or water buffalo pitches in with the family for the threshing and then the tough husks are pounded in a mortar and broken in the win the husks are carried off by the wind and the heavy rice kernels fall back into the tray it has taken 5 months from the planting of the seed to fill these bags with a family treasure the children will enjoy an exciting holiday in the market Town mother will relax and take her first rest in long months of toil and worry father will bring home the necessities of life and perhaps a few luxuries if it's been a successful season his 20 million countrymen depend on Rice as we in America depend on wheat life and labor of these hardworking people is reflected in their folk music and dances like this beautiful rice belly [Music] [Applause] get [Music] [Applause] [Music] and the traditional dance ends as the wind sweeps up their rice husks along with the lilting strains of their tuneful music this is Lady where the wartime Jeep is now a peacetime taxi called a jeepney Believe It or Not There are 1,900 varieties of fish around these islands 100 kinds are here for the buyer life centers around the marketplace where gossip is a bigger problem than buying or selling fish are so plentiful customers are hard to get but not to a fish fry the smoke from glowing coconut shells imparts a unique delicious flavor however the favorite delicacy at a Holiday outing is Leon barbecued pigs stuffed with wild rice and [ __ ] what's this a poultry show no it's a [ __ ] fight they're as popular here as bull fights are in Mexico like boxes their weights are checked before entering the ring betting is an important feature of a [ __ ] fight the Spurs are fastened with an expert hand chees are attached to avoid bloodshed their handlers are ready and there they go the red rooster is a two to1 favorite [Music] [Applause] [Music] the southernmost area the Sulu islands is always a colorful Port of Call especially Holo whose teaming population is usually swelled by visiting Islanders like this pearl diver who is easily identified by the shape of his hat as we've already learned Filipinos are many people these people are morons their religion is Muslim unlike their Pagan countrymen the igorots moros have a formal wedding service the beating of the ganga the marrow church bell ushers in the bridal po the high priest or Imam reads from the sacred Quran the groom joins the solemn-faced Bride As the priest performs The Wedding Bond and asks for the blessings of [Music] Allah the painted bridegroom treats his guests to a one-man show but we can't leave these islands without a visit to the Pearl divers their houses are built on the water according to the traditions of their ancestors Pearl diving is a community occupation swimming is as natural to these people as walking is to us when a valuable Pearl is found the whole village shares in its sale it takes little effort to polish a beautiful Morrow Pearl but it will take a generation of har work and National financing to repolish the war rubbled pearl of the Orient and restore these ruins to their pre-war magnificence Manila the once beautiful Capital which Blended will have homes again yes Filipinos are many peoples with eight distinct languages and 87 dialects but the stirring music of their national anthem is a symbol of their Unity they work for a common cause confident of a bright future for there cannot be a Shadow Without light that light is their faith in our changing world