Governor of the Cordillera: John C. Early Among the Philippine Highlanders

NIU Southeast Asian Series

By: Shelton Woods

Narrated by: Shelton Woods

Governor of the Cordillera tells the story of an American colonial official in the Philippines who took the unpopular position of defending the rights of the Igorots, was fired in disgrace, and made a triumphal return.

During the first 15 years of colonial rule (1898–1913), a small group of Americans controlled the headhunting tribes who were wards of the nascent colonial government. These officials ignored laws, carved out fiefdoms, and brutalized (or killed) those who challenged their rule. John Early was cut from a different cloth. Battling colleagues and supervisors over their treatment of the mountain people, Early also had run-ins with lowland Filipino leaders like Manuel Quezon. Early's return as governor of the entire Cordillera was celebrated by all the tribes.

In Governor of the Cordillera Shelton Woods combines biography with colonial history. He includes a discussion on the exhibition of the Igorots at the various fairs in the US and Europe, which Early tried to stop. The life of John Early is a testament to navigating political and racial divides with integrity.

©2023 Cornell University (P)2023 Cornell University

So much more than a biography!

Don't be deterred by the simple title--this is no textbook biography of a backwater politician. Perhaps something like "Early Rising, the Unlikely Ascent of John C. Early" would have been better suited in describing the book.

Politicians rarely inspire, as even the highly accomplished ones usually have an unspoken asterisk next to their names indicating something in their character we must overlook. John Early's story is remarkable in terms of who he was, what he accomplished, how he did so from such humble beginnings, and because of the relative obscurity in which he lived and worked. How could so few know this story before now?

And yet this is more than a story about Early, as it's intertwined with the stories of famous generals, governors, presidents and a fledgling democracy. Dr. Woods deals frankly and deftly with issues of race, religion, culture, corruption, ambition, and even head-hunting. And, he does so in a way that few others could, having grown up in the Philippine highlands of which he writes--lending fluency to the language and culture of the region.

I highly recommend this book. It's a fascinating story, well told, and you end up learning a lot about American and Philippine history in the process (and a bit about head-hunters too).

Brilliantly told and highly original

Woods weaves together so many parts of two decades of American ownership of the Philippines, and yet manages to keep the story cohesive. More than that, it is history that moves, lives, and excites.

A Gripping Enthralling Story

In school, the only thing I learned about the Philippines was that Spain ruled that country for more than three hundred years. But this book has opened my eyes to so much more about the Philippines and the way American history and Philippine history come together. I was surprised to learn about the Igorots being displayed in world fairs. I liked how Woods developed the characters of the different people in the book. John Early is a man I would like to meet if he were around today. We heed officials with integrity who will stand up to bullies.
Anyone connected at all with the Philippines, or anyone interested in American history has to read this book. In fact, anyone who wants to listen to a page-turner of a book, this is one for you. Finally a true story where integrity wins out in the end.

The story was meant to be told.

Knowing this book was completed over decades simply reflects the passion for the subject by Professor Woods. One learns so much at so many levels. This book deserves a wide audience. A life lived so long as an underdog, but with a strong moral compass and a never quit attitude. Early was a man way ahead of his time in his beliefs about human beings in developing areas. I am so grateful Professor Woods was able to finish the book he was meant to write. You will not be disappointed.