Clips of the tribe were featured on news programs, numerous documentaries were made about the stone age denizens of the jungle, and a bestselling book, The Gentle Tasaday, was written about them. Their pictures appeared on the covers of magazines, including National Geographic. Overnight, the Tasaday went from unknown to globally famous.
… they did not even know what rice was.” They were also complete pacifists: “ They have no words for weapons, hostility, or war“.Ĭover of a book about the ‘gentle Tasaday’. They didn’t realize there was a sea beyond Mindanao. As the discoverer of the Tasaday put it: “ They didn’t realize there was a country. Elizalde tracked down the tip, and was astonished to find that the tribe had been isolated for over a thousand years, with no contact with the outside world. Their way of living is approximately that of the Stone Age.” The discovery of the Tasaday was announced by Manuel Elizalde, head of the Philippine government agency in charge of protecting cultural minorities, and crony of dictator Ferdinand Marcos.Īs Elizalde described it, he discovered the Tasaday after he received a tip from a local hunter about encounters with primitive tribesmen deep in the jungles of Mindanao. Until now, the outside world didn’t know they existed… and they didn’t know the outside world existed. That evening, an amazing discovery was announced on NBC’s Nightly News: “ The outside world, after maybe a thousand years, has discovered a small tribe of people living in a remote jungle in the Philippines. The world of anthropology was roiled by an elaborate bit of deceit that began on July 16 th, 1971. It was hard-fought, but the outcome was a total Macedonian victory, thanks to the successful deceit. That contingent crossed the Hydaspes and fell upon the Indians’ rear and flank when they turned to face Alexander and the battle commenced. Porus’ army found itself between the main force under Alexander’s command, and the smaller contingent he left behind on the opposite side of the river to keep their enemy occupied. Once on Porus’ side of the Hydaspes, Alexander advanced to attack him, and caught the Indians in a pincer. In the meantime, Alexander hurried to a crossing upriver, and safely got his force across the river, unopposed. Over time, however, they became accustomed to them and grew complacent.Īlexander then quietly drew off the bulk of his army, and left behind a contingent to make noisy demonstrations in order to keep the Indians fixated on them. The Indians vigilantly shadowed those movements at first. The Macedonian marched his troops up and down his side of the river each day. So Alexander turned to a bit of brilliant deception to lull King Porus. They could also fall upon and overwhelm a portion of Alexander’s on the Indian side of the river before the crossing was completed. If the Macedonians tried to cross, the Indians would be able to strike them at their most vulnerable mid-river. A Brilliant Piece of Deceit to Lull an Enemy Into ComplacencyĪlexander found himself in a standoff at the Hydaspes River, with an Indian army camped across the water from his own. Phalanx attacks the center of King Porus’ army, by Andre Castaigne, 1898.
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