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Journey of the Barong Tagalog, Addendum Part 12.5: 19th Century American Artist Illustrations of Life in the Philippines

Filipino Cowboys. Typical Carabao-Herders of Luzon by G. W. Peters - Filipino men on horses wearing Barong Tagalog

Harper’s Weekly was an American political magazine based in New York City published from 1857 to 1916. It was the weekly iteration of Harper’s Magazine, established by Fletcher Harper and his brothers James, John and Wesley. Harper’s Magazine was started in 1850 and modeled after the successful periodical the Illustrated London News. Harper’s Weekly covered foreign and domestic news and included fiction, essays and humor on various subjects, all of which were featured alongside illustrations.

The illustration above is titled Filipino Cowboys. Typical Carabao-Herders of Luzon (1900) by G. W. Peters. Five Filipino men on horses are featured amongst dozens of carabao on a vast field with houses, trees and the Philippine countryside in the background. These men all wear Barong Tagalog suitable for work, cropped work knickers, straw hats or salakot, and the front three men have either satchels or rope draped across their torsos.