This article looks back at Father Morice Vanoverbergh, cicm, whose missionary work testifies to his commitment to Filipinos among whom he lived. It traces his fruitful missionary work from 1909-1982; his contribution to scholarship that made Filipino scholars more aware of the rich cultural heritage of the peoples of Northern Luzon, and; his invaluable contributions to the history and cultural heritage of the Philippines.
Keywords: Missionary • Morice Vanoverbergh • Philippine Missions • Igorots • Field Work1) Bellagamba, Anthony. Mission and Ministry in the Global Church. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1992.
2) CICM. Elenchus Defunctorum. Rome: 2015.
3) Depré, Albert. From a Tiny Shoot: The History of the RP CICM Province 1907-1982 (N.p.: n.p., n.d.).
4) Desmedt, Rafael. “Father Morice Vanoverbergh, 1885-1982.” Saint Louis University Research Journal 13, no. 4 (December 1982): 630-634.
5) Foronda, Marcelino A. Jr. “Portrait of a Missionary as Scholar.” Chronicle Magazine (July 20, 1968): 6.
6) Geeroms, Henry. “Fr. Morice Vanoverbergh, CICM, Reminisces…: Interviews of Fr. Morice Vanoverbergh, CICM”. CICM-RP Archives, Box 90.30, unpublished text.
7) Mamoyac, G. E. “Bontoc Priest Marks Golden Sacerdotal Jubilee among Flock.” Manila Times (July 22, 1959).
8) Phan, Peter C. In Our Own Tongues: Perspectives from Asia on Mission and Inculturation. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2003.
9) Pungayan, Eufronio L. “Reflections on the Life and Works of Fr. Morice Vanoverbergh in Northern Luzon.” Saint Louis University Research Journal 13, no. 4 (December 1982): 423-433.
10) Rahmann, Rudolf and Gertrudes R. Ang. “Dedication.” Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society 3, no. 4 (December 1975): 201.
11) Rahmann, Rudolf. “Obituary: Morice Vanoverbergh, CICM (1885-1982).” Anthropos 78, nos. 5-6 (1983): 872-873.
12) Rahmann, Rudolf. “The Philippine Negritos in the Context of Research on Food-Gatherers during this Century.” Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society 3, no. 4 (December 1975): 206.
13) Vanoverbergh, Morice. “The Isneg.” Publications of the Catholic Anthropological Conference 3, no. 1 (1932): 1-80.
14) Vanoverbergh, Morice. “Negritos of Northern Luzon again.” Anthropos 25, no. 2 (1930): 527-565.
15) Vanoverbergh, Morice. “Negritos of Northern Luzon again.” Anthropos 24, no. 3 (1929): 897-911.
16) Vanoverbergh, Morice. “Negritos of Northern Luzon.” Anthropos 20, no. 2 (1925): 420-1, 399-443.
17) Vanoverbergh, Morice. “Negritos of Northern Luzon.” Anthropos 20, no. 1 (1925): 148-199.
Articles and Books by Morice Vanoverbergh
(I did not consider it necessary to include all his articles and books in the following list. I only included those which have more or less a link to the topic of my article.)
Iloko Culture
18) “Iloko Games.” Anthropos 22, no. 1(1927): 216-43.
19) “The Iloko Kitchen.” The Philippine Journal of Science 60, no. 1 (May 1936): 1-10.
20) “Iloko Constructions.” The Philippine Journal of Science 62, no. 1 (January 1937): 67-88.
21) “Iloko Furniture and Implements.” The Philippine Journal of Science 64, no. 4 (December 1937): 413-33.
Iloko Language
22) Iloko Grammar. Baguio City: Catholic School Press, 1955.
23) Iloko-English Dictionary: Rev. Andrés Carro’s Vocabulario Iloco-Espaňol. Translated, Augmented and Revised. Baguio City: Catholic School Press, 1956.
24) English-Iloko Thesaurus. Baguio City: Catholic School Press, 1959.
Isneg Culture
25) “The Isneg.” Primitive Man 3 (April 1932): 1-80.
26) “The Isneg Life Cycle: I. Birth, Education, and Daily Routine.” Primitive Man 3 (March 1936): 81-186.
27) “The Isneg Life Cycle: II. Marriage, Death, and Burial.” Primitive Man 3 (December 1938): 187-280.
28) “Religion and Magic among the Isnegs: I. The Spirits.” Anthropos 48 (1953): 71-104.
29) “Religion and Magic among the Isnegs: II. The Shaman.” Anthropos 48 (1953): 557-68.
30) “Religion and Magic among the Isnegs: III. Public Sacrifices.” Anthropos 49 (1954): 233-75.
31) “Religion and Magic among the Isnegs: IV. Other Observances.” Anthropos 49 (1954): 1004-12.
32) “Religion and Magic among the Isnegs: V. Samples of Pakkáw.” Anthropos 50 (1955): 212-40.
33) “The Isneg Domestic Economy.” Annali Lateranensi 18 (1955): 119-256.
34) “Isneg Songs.” Anthropos 55 (1960): 463-504; 778-824.
Isneg Language
35) Isneg-English Vocabulary. Honolulu: University Press of Hawaii, 1972.
Kankanay Culture
36) “Prayers in Lepanto Igorot as It Is Spoken at Bauko.” Journal of East Asiatic Studies 2, no. 2 (1953): 1-28; no. 3 (1953): 69-107; no. 4 (1953): 39-105.
37) “Kankanay Religion.” Anthropos 67(1972): 72-128.
Kankanay Language
38) A Dictionary of Lepanto Igorot or Kankanay as It Is Spoken at Bauko. Vienna-Mödling: St. Gabriel’s Mission Press, 1933.
Negrito Culture and Language
39) “Negritos of Northern Luzon.” Anthropos 20, no. 1 (1925): 148-99; no. 2 (1925): 399-443.
40) “Negritos of Northern Luzon Again.” Anthropos 24, no. 1 (1929): 3-75; no. 3 (1929): 897-911; Anthropos 25, no. 1 (1930): 25-71; no. 2 (1930): 527-65.
41) “Additional Notes on Negritos of Northern Luzon.” Anthropos 31, no. 3 (1936): 948-54.
42) “Negritos of Eastern Luzon.” Anthropos 32, nos. 5-6 (1937): 905-28; 33, nos. 1-2 (1938): 119-64.