Igorot resistance to Spanish colonization

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For three centuries, the Igorot peoples of the Cordillera mountain range resisted Spanish attempts at colonization.^[1] Despite efforts by the Spanish Empire to exert colonial control over northern Luzon, they never managed to fully subjugate the mountainous areas of the region.

The Spanish were heavily motivated to invade Igorot territory by the prospect of economic gain, particularly due to the gold deposits in the region.^[2] Religious orders were also motivated by the prospect of proselytizing and missionary work.

Igorot resistance was largely successful due to a combination of geographical and social factors. The mountainous terrain of Northern Luzon made excursions into the highlands relatively difficult and gave the indigenous Igorot an advantage. Existing social, religious, and political structures made the idea of subjugation under the Spanish unappealing and incentivized resistance.^[3][4]

Igorot resistance transformed Igorot society and views toward the Igorot people. Trade relationships between highlanders and the lowland population were relegated to a black market outside the colonial monopoly. Social and political relationships were shaped through the lens of colonial conflict.^[4] For the Spanish, the Igorot people gained a reputation for being rebels and backward pagans, and the continuing Igorot independence was a mark of shame for colonial officials.

Repeated Spanish incursions forced the Igorot people to retreat further inland, abandoning old settlements and weakening Igorot society as a whole. Advancements in technology in the 19th century also closed the gap between terrain advantage and numerical superiority, allowing the Spanish to make substantial gains into Igorot territory.^[3] The Spanish were, ultimately, unable to fully subjugate Igorot territory by the end of the Spanish colonial period in 1898.