Revisiting The Bow Wow Fest- St. Louis Expo 1904



The Igorots gained the label "dog eaters" on a global stage when a group of them was presented in a pavilion at the 1904 St. Louis Exposition in Missouri. In a spectacle resembling a giant terrarium, visitors were treated to the live demonstration of dog butchering and dog eating. Some imaginative American writers would later refer to this dog-eating display as the "Bow-Wow Fest." While there were protests from some sectors of the American public, there were also show entrepreneurs who were determined to keep the spectacle going and went to great lengths to supply the Igorots with live dogs.
There is also an urban legend suggesting that the famous American food, sausage in a bun, was influenced by what happened in the Philippine pavilion at the St. Louis Expo. Dog eating became a novelty, and enterprising individuals began calling their frankfurter and wienerli in a bun "hotdogs."
The "bow-wow" fest was such a significant draw in St. Louis that subsequent expositions in other countries featured repeat performances of the Igorots and their canine cuisine, solidifying their global reputation as "dog eaters" during that time. Consequently, some American officials and visitors to the Philippines considered a visit to the Mountain Province to see the Igorots an essential part of their itinerary. Articles and photos were published describing them and their customs, with the St. Louis reputation taking center stage. One image even depicted a dog market in Baguio City. Print companies also produced postcards featuring images of Igorots butchering dogs.

Butchering a dog at the Philippine pavilion


"Bow-Wow Feast"- Dog eating live just a few steps from the audience.






                          
                       Philippine postcard featuring Ifugaos butchering a dog.












                                                           
Official  daily program of 1904 fair




The souvenir program of the Philippine Reservation at the St Louis Fair.



 Postcard featuring Ifugaos with their dogs. Popular among tourists in the Philippines in the 1900s.
                           



                                                    
Photo done in bad taste,  definitely just to stir curiosity.




Another photo of an alleged "Ifugao dog Market."

                                                   

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