Indigenous Hues: The Color Categories and Symbolisms of the Alangan-Mangyan

Abstract

This article is based on firsthand fieldwork materials and interprets the color categories and their symbolic meanings in local rituals as practiced by the Alangan-Mangyan. The Alangan people have three basic color terms: black (maksēngēn), white (mabuksi), and red (malimbaēn). Their color categories originate from the local tropical forest environment and their shifting cultivation practices, and they are utilized in their rituals and supernatural healing practices. These three basic color terms and the corresponding derivative words are deeply embedded in the construction of symbols in the Alangan’s local knowledge and even carry interesting meanings.

KEYWORDS: COLOR CATEGORY • BASIC COLOR TERM • CULTURAL SYMBOLS • COGNITIVE LINGUISTICS • INDIGENOUS PEOPLE