Mavulis

Mavulis Island is the northernmost of the Batanes Islands and the northernmost island in the Philippines. It is part of the province of Batanes.

The island is full of vegetation of mango and palm.

The island is uninhabited according to the 2004 Philippine census.

The island is part of the Luzon Volcanic Arc.

Alternative names

Older Batan natives was also called the island Dihami, meaning "north" in Ivatan. By some members of the Spanish colonial government it was called Diami, and it is known as Yami or Y'Ami on most American Colonial Era maps of the Philippines.

The latter should not be confused with the aboriginal Yami of Taiwan that live on islands farther north beyond Philippine territorial limits, but are geographically, culturally and linguistically related to the Ivatan people.

See also

References

Coordinates: 21°07′N 121°57′E / 21.117°N 121.950°E / 21.117; 121.950

Yami people

The Yami people, also known as the Tao people, are a Taiwanese aboriginal peoples native to the tiny outlying Orchid Island of Taiwan. These indigenous peoples have been more commonly recognized as the Yami people, following a Japanese anthropologist's coining of the name. However, as a collective, these Orchid Island inhabitants typically prefer Tao people as their group identifier. They are part of the Austronesian family, and designated members of the Taiwanese aborigines. Despite being linked to both Taiwan and the Philippines indigenous populations, the Tao people remain unique in their customs and cultural practices.

Composed of approximately 3,100 individuals, the island populace relies heavily on fishing for survival. The Tao people's emphasis on fishing and ocean culture reflects their intense connection to the sea as being about much more than survival; they use fishing and the building of boats as an extension of themselves, and as a way to honor their spiritual beliefs. Their ways of life have been threatened by the continued emigration to the mainland of Taiwan in search of jobs and education. As a result, the continuation of past traditions has been hindered.