The Igorot Quarterly began in March 1992, as a “folksy”
quarterly newsletter for Igorots around the world, with Rex Botengan as editor.
Published under the original auspices of BIBAK Los Angeles, its general purpose,
as stated in its masthead is:
“To share with the human community the story of
the Igorots – their culture, arts, and letters, their history, and their
struggles to rise above themselves; and to be a medium of communication of
Igorots around the world.”
This experimental folksy newsletter began with 28 subscribers, which
gradually increased through the years when subscription peaked to about 800. For
several years, the IQ followed a format with the following department headings:
BIBAKs
Around the World
Newsbriefs
News
from the Cordillera
The
Igorot Youth; The Seniors, The Igorot Professionals
Igorots
in the Military
Igorot
Culture and Rituals:
Obituaries;
A Social Register
Letters
to the Editor
Miscellaneous
In later years, IQ content included news items on the Igorot
International Consultations, debates on the word “”Igorot”, formation of
an Igorot Global Organization, Profiles of Prominent Igorots, and serious
articles, such as on the following topics:
·
Profile
of the Igorot Today in America, by Albert Bacdayan, Ph.D.
·
On the
Igorot Exhibit at the 1904 St. Louis Expo,
o
by
Patricia Afable, Ph.D.;
o
by
Virgilio Pilapil, M.D.,
o
by Eng.
Arthur Butic,
o
by
Martha R. Clevenger, Director at the St. Louis Museum and Library
·
Reflections
of an Igorot Economist (A Series), by Andrew Bacdayan, Ph.D.
·
Legal
Updates (A Series), by Mandares Dornagon, Esq.
·
The
Igorot as a Gift from God, by Artemio Zabala, Dr. Of Theology
·
On the
preservation of the environment, by Michael Bengwayan, Environmentalist
·
Culture
and the Igorot, by Gerard Finin, Ph.D., and by Gary Pekas
·
On
William Henry Scott, by Harold C. Conklin, Ph.D.,, and by Andrew Tauli, MD
With a very small staff of volunteers, giving of
their time and sometimes treasure, and at times suffering from “burn-out”,
the campaign for new subscribers and renewal of existing subscriptions has
suffered greatly. It has now become necessary to deliver IQ mails to Philippine
subscribers via chance travelers to the Philippines to a distributing center in
Baguio City.
In March 2002, the aging editor of the IQ, after ten
years with this “folksy” newsletter, has stepped down as editor. In his
place have been named two young interim Editors, Michael Wandag and Rex
Botengan, Jr., until IGO, that has taken over publication of the IQ from the
Center for Igorot Studies, names a regular editor, or editors. (Volunteers are
welcome to apply as editor, circulation manager/coordinator, advertising
manager, or as correspondent.)
Your ideas for a continued publication of the IQ are welcome.