| “ | I am an Igorot. In my veins run the immortal blood of my gallant, peaceful, and freedom-loving forefathers – blood borne by them who openly defied the authority of Spain in the year 1601. Again, it was the blood that also freely flowed in the bloody battlefields of world famous Bataan and in the rocky bastions of Corregidor.
— Atty. Gabriel Keith Pawid
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” |
The Igorot (Tagalog for 'mountaineer'), or ethnolinguistically called the Cordillerans, are the various ethnic groups living in the mountains of northern Luzon, Philippines, all of whom keep or have kept until recently, their traditional religion and way of life. Some live in the tropical forests of the foothills, but most live in rugged grassland and pine forest zones higher up. The Igorots were one of the ethnic Filipinos whom the Spanish would meet during the colonization of the area in the 16th century.
The Igorot first came into contact with the invaders when the latter discovered gold in the Cordillera. Both gold and the desire to Christianize the Igorot were given as reasons for Spanish conquest. Although the Cordillera Mountains technically belonged to the Spanish, they gained no formal authority or hold of the region. In 1572 the Spanish started hunting for the gold. The Igorots would resist Spanish incursion in a revolt that lasted for decades, killing many Spanish and their Filipino allies in their wake. The Igorots would defy and defeat Spanish expeditions in the years 1601, 1608, 1635, and 1663. The Igorots, together with the Moros, were the only Filipinos to successfully resist Spanish conquest. The Igorot would also play a pivotal role during the Philippine Revolution, Philippine-American War, and World War II.
Battle vs. Mapuche Warrior (by Killermoves)[]
There was a dark place during a dark time in human civilization, where only the strong could survive, where the meek were subjugated and enslaved. Such a hell existed in the jungle, where nature was both a beautiful mother and a green inferno. The jungle was where many colonialists and conquerors met their doom. Nonetheless, it was also a place of refuge for the independent and freedom-loving people.
Tonight however, in a mountain pass filled with thick vegetation and unforgiving humidity, a place that could only have been designed by some twisted imaginator, peace was non-existent. War cries filled the air as two groups of men hurled spears and shot arrows at each other. On one side, standing on high ground were 5 loin-cloth clad Igorot warriors, who were determined to hold this pass and prevent these invaders from setting a foot into their territory. On the other side were 5 poncho-wearing Mapuche, in a desperate mission to raid and gather resources for their hungry people.
Bamboo spears flew towards the Mapuche, yet none landed anywhere near their flesh. The rain of spears proved nothing as the Mapuche kept mobile or took cover. But their bows, easy to aim and easy to fire, proved more accurate. To get out of this stalemate, the Mapuche officer tasked two men to stealthily crawl away and flank the Igorots, as the rest of them continued firing their arrows.
Soon, the Mapuche started to land their mark. One of their arrows passed cleanly through the head of one of the Igorots, killing him. 
Before the Igorots could register that they had lost one of their own, they were surprised by a couple of Mapuche who ambushed them from the side. Instead of fighting, the Igorots made a run for it, trying hastily to run back to the mountain. Not wanting to let them get away easily, a Mapuche aimed his bolas and threw, ensnaring one of the Igorot. The poor guy tripped and fell painfully downhill, crashing his head and body on the jagged rocks. The moment he landed near the Mapuche, he got his head bashed mercilessly by maces.
Finally tasting blood, the Mapuche chased the Igorot down. For half an hour they pursued their much faster opponents in the jungle. They cursed and spat as their ponchos got entangled in the vegetation. Unfortunately for one Mapuche, he laid his foot on a human-sized whole. He then fell into the trap, getting his chest penetrated by long bamboo poles. 
This further enraged the now tense and fatigued Mapuche, who resorted to end this battle in their favor.
As they walked through the jungle, another Mapuche began spitting blood. A bamboo pierced through his abdomen and he fell down with a cry. The surviving Igorots rushed the remaining Mapuche and a brutal hand-to-hand combat ensued. An Igorot managed to behead a Mapuche with his large axe, while another Mapuche impaled an Igorot with a stone spear. One of the Igorot failed to see a Mapuche charging at him with his lance, piercing his ribs. The last remaining Igorot avenged his friend by smashing the wooden shaft of his spear on the Mapuche's face. As the Mapuche laid down disoriented, the Igorot pinned the Mapuche through the soil with his spear.
The last Mapuche and Igorot circled each other, fear dripping from their foreheads. There was only one person leaving this mountain, both praying it would be them so their respective tribes could survive. The Mapuche charged first and tried to land a killing blow with his mace. The Igorot blocked the attacks with his shield but the heavy mace slowly chipped and crunched it away.
He knew he had to do something before his defenses finally fell. And so, with the remaining planks of his shield, the Igorot pushed the Mapuche away with all his might. He dodged one swing from a mace which almost took his head off, before burying his axe on his enemy's stomach. The Mapuche screamed in pain, and as he tried to retaliate with a wild haymaker swing, the Igorot took his arm, pulled the axe away, ripping his abdomen. The Mapuche's guts spilled on the ground, and so too was the Chilean jungle fighter.
The Igorot raised his axe and yelled in victory.
Expert's Opinion[]
Expert's believe that while the Mapuche has the edge in range, the more maneuverable spear and better defenses of the Igorot prevailed.
To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.Battles here were deemed to be unfair or otherwise not in accordance with wiki standards, and have been removed from the statuses of the warriors and displayed below.
Battle vs. Celtic Warrior (by MilenHD)[]
On flat ground with bushes nearby and few hills nearby, an lost Igorot was trespassing through the area confused where is he? Not far away from the bushes emerged a Celt with long bow in his hands and the two faced each other and the Celt was first as he strung his bow and fired an arrow towards the Igorot, with the arrow getting stuck in the shield. The Igorot retreated, while the Celt aimed for another shot, but he failed to hit him, as the Igorot turned, he aimed his pana bow and fired at the Celt, but his giant shield blocked every shoot of the bamboo bow.
As the barbarian got close with his lancea, he hurled it at the Igorot, missing him. As the Igorot raised his spear and shield, he was pushed by the giant wooden shield of the Celt, who picked his lancea and both tribal warriors circled around each other, the Celt attacked first with a thrust from his lancea, but the Igorot dodged it and retaliated with a thrust from his spear, piercing the Celt's leg, making him groan in pain and after the spear was pulled, part of the Celt's leg was torn. The Celt thrusted his lancea, piercing the Igorot's shield and wounding his shoulder at the same time. As the wicker shield was destroyed, the Igorot dropped his spear and pulled his axe from his waist and swung it around a few times, destroying both the lancea and the shield. The Celt than pulled his longsword and started dueling with the Igorot, each time there a a clink sound when the two blades clashed and after a mighty swing from the Igorot's axe, the longsword was knocked out of the Celt's hands, but he quickly smashed the axe's handle with his burda club.
The Igorot grabbed his spear again and the Celt grabbed his sword again and after few hits, the spear got cut in two by the sword. The Igorot last weapon was his bolo and as he pulled it in the mid of the fight, he gave a loud war cry and started swinging it at the Celt, missing his throat by inches. Then the Celt swung his sword but the Igorot ducked under the slash and tried to slash the Celt's belly, but the bolo was not able to cut through the leather tunic.
As the Igorot tried slash through the Celt again, but this time he kinda succeeded, because the make made contact with the Celt's stomach, but the tunic soaked most of the damage and the bolo got stuck in the Celt's armor. The Celt stabbed the Igorot in the abdomen with his sword. The Igorot spat out blood and felt down dead. Then the Celt knelt down and cut the Igorot's head.
Then the Celt raise the Igorot's head and gave a loud shout in victory.
Expert's Opinion[]
The Celt had armor and better weapons than the Igorot, plus he had better physicality and presumably better training.
To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.
Reason[]
The battle was declared invalid because the Celt's lancea as depicted in this battle was not historically accurate.
Battle vs. Zulu Warrior (by JuanPerez33)[]
An Igorot warrior is training with his axe and shield somewhere deep in the jungle. Suddenly a spear hits shield square in the middle. Fortunately it doesn't penetrate the hard wood shield. He pulls it out and looks in the direction of the thrown spear. He sees a Zulu warrior chanting and screaming at him.
The Igorot aims his bow and fires hitting the Zulu in the side. The Zulu growls and pulls out the arrow and pulls out his short spear. He charges at the Igorot who fires another arrow. This time however the Zulu blocks it with his shield and carries on running. Once he is in the fighting range of the spear he lashes out at the Igorot while maintaining distance.
The Zulu tries to side step and narrowly escapes the triggered bamboo spike trap. Now more cautious, the Zulu uses the poison spit to try and subdue the enemy only for the igorot to use his shield effectively in blocking the spit.
The Zulu is undeterred and thrusts forward but this time into the igorots side but his armor keeps the spear from going any further. The igorot then uses his own spear to stab the legs of the Zulu, injuring him. The zande pulls out his wooden club while the igorot discards his spear to use his axe and the two warriors begin to duel.
The Igorot slashes the arm that holds the club rendering it useless. The zulu now injured from being able to run and fight due to his leg and arm being injured desperatly blocks with his shield. The igorot realizing that his opponent is incapable of fighting slashes across him across the stomach.
The Zulu coughs up blood and the Igorot yanks the axe up cutting through the zande’s right lung. The Zulu collapses and dies. The Igorot warrior shouts in victory and walks off into the jungle.
Winner: Igorot warrior
Expert's Opinion[]
TBW
To see original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.
Reason[]
The battle was declared invalid because the Zulu were given the spit of poison despite it not being a real weapon.
Battle vs. Mayan Soldier (by Samurai234)[]
In a dense forest, a Mayan Warrior is taking a scroll, keeping an eye for any enimies. Unaware to him, he is being watched by a Igorot warrior. Thinking the Mayan's head would make a great trophy, The Igorot raises his bow and arrow and fires a shot. It hits the Mayan, but bounces off his armor. The Mayan, in turn, raises his own Bow and Arrow, and fires, but the Igorot blocks it with his shield. The two warriors charge at each other, spears and shields in their hands. They thrust at each other, until the Igorot uses his spear in disarm the Mayan of his shield. Angrily, the Mayan thrusts his own spear in the Igorot's shield, but it ends up getting stuck. The Igorot pulls out his Axe and chops the Mayan's spear in half, causing him to fall over. The Igorot runs into finish him off, but the Mayan pulls out his Maquahuitl and slashes the spear head off. The Igorot holds his shield to defend himself, but the Maquahuitl manages to cut it. The Igorot grabs his axe and tries to fight back, but at one point ends up getting it stuck to a log. The Mayan prepares to end the fight, but the Igorot pulls out his Bolo Knife and slashs the Mayan across the chest, cutting the armor and leaving a large wound. The Mayan pulls out his last weapon, the Sickle, and slashes at the Igorot. The Igorot avoid them, though, and stabs the Mayan through the neck, before swinging the blade up, decapitating the Mayan. The Igorot raises the Mayan's head in the air and yells in victory.
Winner: Igorot Warrior
Expert's Opinion[]
The voters believed a combination of better metallurgy and superior close range capabilities gave the Igorot the victory.
To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.