Abstract

This study looks into narratives written by Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae (CICM) missionaries on their encounters with indigenous populations of the Cordillera. These narratives, published within the period 1925–1960 are gleaned from the archives of the Diocese of Baguio, particularly, through the publications: The Little Apostle of the Mt. Province, The Apostle of the Mt. Province, and The Baguio-Mountain Sentinel: Catholic News Weekly. This paper examines the narratives using three key aspects. First, it probes into the religio-political dimension of the Catholic Church as an institution to provide a backdrop for the exploration of CICM missionary work and encounters upon colonial surfaces. Second, the paper investigates the methods and motives of the CICM mission in the Cordillera as modes of governmentality. And finally, the paper offers a critical perspective on how institutional archives constitute knowledge production and consumption on the indigenous.

Keywords: indigeneity, CICM mission, colonial, governmentality, archives

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64743/EVWP4885