Culture of the Philippines

Philippines is a country that contains different cultures and influences. Most of these
influences are results of previous colonization and derived mainly from the cultures of Spain
and the United States. Despite the visual Hispanic and Western influences, the older Asian
aspects of Filipino culture are seen through the way of life, beliefs and customs of the people.

The Philippines is one of the two predominantly Roman Catholic nations in Asia-Pacific, the
other being East Timor. Over 90% of the Philippine population are Christians, about 5% are
Muslims and the rest either practice other religions or practice no religion at all.

The early music of the Philippines featured a mixture of indigenous, Islamic and a variety of
Asian sounds. Spanish settlers and natives played a variety of musical instruments including,
guitar, ukulele, violin, trumpets and drums. They performed songs and dances to celebrate
festive occasions. Modern day Philippine music features several styles. Most music genres
are contemporary such as Filipino rock, hip hop and other musical styles. Philippine folk
dances include the Tinikling and Cariñosa.

The Nipa Hut or Bahay Kubo is the typical form of housing of the early Filipinos and until
now in remote areas. It is characterized by the use of simple materials such as bamboo and
coconut as the main sources of wood. The Spaniards introduced stones as housing and
building materials. Spanish architecture can be found in Intramuros, Vigan, Iloilo and other
parts of the Philippines.

The Philippines is considered as the melting pot of Asia. Eating out is a favorite Filipino
pastime. A typical Pinoy diet consists at most of six meals a day. Rice is a staple in Filipino
diet and it is usually eaten together with other dishes. Filipinos regularly use spoons together
with forks and knives; some also eat with their hands. Popular dishes in the Philippines are
adobo which is a meat stew made from either pork or chicken; lumpia, a meat or vegetable
roll; pancit or noodle; and lechon or roasted pig. Some interesting delicacies are balut which
is a boiled egg with a fertilized duckling inside; and dinuguan which is a soup made from
pork blood.

Traditional Filipino games include yo-yo, piko, patintero, bahay kubo, pusoy and sungka.
Popular sports in the Philippines include basketball, boxing, billiards, chess, volleyball,
bowling, horse racing and cockfighting.

The school year in the Philippine starts in June and ends in March, with two-month summer
break from April to May, two-week semestral break in October and Christmas’ and New
Year’s holidays. Philippine students enter school at about age four, starting from nursery and
kindergarten, followed by a six-year elementary education; four years in high school; and
three to five years in college or university.
The Visayan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visayans)
Pre-Christianity

Prior to the arrival of Catholicism, precolonial Visayans adhered to a complex animist-Hindu

system where spirits in nature were believed to govern all existing life. Similar to other ethnic
groups in the Philippines such as the Tagalogs who believed in a pantheon of gods, the
Visayans also adhered to deities led by a supreme being. Such belief, on the other hand, was
misinterpreted by arriving Spaniards such as Jesuit historian Pedro Chirino to be a form of
monotheism.[34] There are Kaptan and Magwayan, supreme god of the sky and goddess of the
sea and death, respectively. They in turn bore two children, Lihangin, god of wind, and
Lidagat, goddess of the sea. Both aforementioned gods had four children namely Likabutan,
the god of the world, Liadlaw, the god of the sun, Libulan, the god of the moon, and Lisuga,
the goddess of the stars.[35] People believed that life transpires amidst the will of and
reverence towards gods and spirits. These deities who dwell within nature were collectively
called the diwata.[36] This is analogous to devata (देवता) in Sanskrit. Meanwhile, spirits were
referred to as umalagad (called anito in Luzon).[37] These refer to ancestors, past leaders or
heroes also transfigured within nature. Beside idols symbolizing the umalagad were food,
drink, clothing, precious valuables or even a sacrificial animal offered for protection of life or
property. Such practice was a form of ancestor worship. Furthermore, these rituals
surrounding the diwata and umalagad were mediated by the babaylan who were highly-
revered in society as spiritual leaders. These intercessors were equivalent to shamans, and
were predominantly women or were required to have strong female attributes such as
hermaphrodites and homosexuals. Old men were also allowed to become one.[38] One notable
example is Dios Buhawi who ruled a politico-religious revolt in Negros Oriental at the
beginning of the Philippine Revolution.[26]

Present-day

According to 2000 survey, 86.53% of the population of Western Visayas professed Roman
Catholicism. Aglipayan (4.01%) and Evangelicals (1.48%) were the next largest groups,
while 7.71% identified with other religious affiliations.[39]

The same survey showed that 92% of household populations in Central Visayas were
Catholics, followed by Aglipayans (2%) and Evangelicals (1%). The remaining 5% belonged
to the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Iglesia ni Cristo, various Protestant
denominations or other religions.[1]

For Eastern Visayas, 93% of the total household population were Catholics, while 2%
identified as "Aglipayan", and 1% as "Evangelical". The remaining 15% belonged to other
Protestant denominations (including the Iglesia ni Cristo, the Seventh-day Adventist Church,
and various Baptist churches) or identified with Islam and other religions.[40]

Festivals

Visayans are known in the Philippines for their festivities such as the Ati-atihan,
Dinagyang,[41] Pintados-Kasadyaan, Sangyaw, Sinulog festivals. Most Visayan festivals have
a strong association with Roman Catholicism despite apparent integration of ancient Hindu-
Buddhist-Animist folklore particularly the tradition of dances and the idols in the image of
the Child Jesus commonly named as the Santo Niño. The oldest Catholic religious image in
the islands still existing today is the Santo Niño de Cebú.

Sinulog Festival of Cebu

MassKara Festival of Bacolod

The Sandugo Festival of Tagbilaran, Bohol is a celebration of one of the most significant
parts of pre-Philippine history. This festival revolves around the theme of the reenactment of
the blood compact between the island's monarch, Datu Sikatuna, and the Spanish explorer,
Miguel López de Legazpi, which is known among Filipinos as the Sandugo. The arrival of
the ten Bornean datus as mentioned in the legend of Maragtas is celebrated in Binirayan
Festival in Antique.[42]

The MassKara Festival of Bacolod, Negros Occidental explores more on the distinct cultural
identity of the city. Since Bacolod is tagged as the City of Smiles due to its fun-loving and
enduring people, the city government inaugurated the festival in 1980.[43][44]

Tagalog
The Tagalogs are one of the largest and most dominant ethnic groups in the country. Most
Tagalogs live outside the National Capital Region, in the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Batangas,
Quezon, Cavite, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Tarlac, Zambales, Marinduque, Bataan, and Aurora.
Significant Tagalog populations are also found in Mindoro and Palawan. The vast majority are
followers of Christianity, most of whom are Roman Catholics.

The Tagalog spoken in Manila is regarded as the most standard variation of Tagalog. It is
enriched by regional and international influences, considering that the city of Manila is the
country’s capital. Metro Manila (National Capital Region), of which Manila city is part, is the
national seat of business, commerce, education, and the arts has become the locus of
multiculturalism in the Philippines. Thus, Manileño Tagalog is the foundation of Filipino, the
country’s official language.

The Tagalog language has many dialectical variations, but all are mutually comprehensible to
each other. There are four main dialects in Tagalog; Northern, Central, Southern, and
Marinduque. Manileño Tagalog belongs to the Central dialects. In Batangas Tagalog, a
southern dialect, it is unusual to speak in Taglish or to instill English terms as it frequently
occurs in Manileño Tagalog. The largest contributions to Tagalog vocabulary come from
Spanish and English.

Tagalog culture is considered to be the most westernized of all Filipino ethnic groups. Tagalog
culture is influenced particularly by Spanish, Chinese and American cultural traditions.
Ilocano (http://www.ilocanopeople.com/ilocano-culture/)
Ilocanos make up the 3rd largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines. Large populations
are found in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Cagayan, Abra, La Union, Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan,
Tarlac, and Benguet. There is, in fact, a diaspora of Ilocanos; they are found all over the
country, as far south as Mindanao. The language has become the lingua franca of Northern
Luzon.

The Ilocanos are known for being hardworking, appreciative, simple and determined.
However, they are also known as stingy or “kuripot”. Of course, the Ilocanos being called
stingy and cheap is just treated as a joke or pun among Filipinos and not as a negative
regional stereotype. It is a regional characteristic that their Filipino brethren have grown to
understand.

The Ilocanos being thrifty

The Ilocos Region is situated in between the barren lands of the Cordillera mountain ranges
and the South China Sea. Although their rich land is blessed with agricultural benefits,
making a living in Ilocos is very difficult.

With a growing population, the Ilocandia is absolutely not enough to provide for every
resident. This harsh environment has made the Ilocano become a fighter and a survivor. His
attitudes and behavior are focused towards living a better life.

Unlike the Manileños, it is harder for Ilocanos to make money since they are very far from
the center of trade and industry. It would take long travel hours (by land) to send their
products (mostly fruits and vegetables) in Manila. By the time it arrives, these fruits and
vegetables are no longer fresh.

The Ilocanos value money so much that most people see them as stingy when in fact they are
just pennywise. They want to spend their earnings wisely.

Ilocano marriage

Like all Filipinos, the Ilocanos have a strong family tie. They follow the Filipino norm when
it comes to family structure wherein the father is the head of the family. The mother, on the
other hand, is the “light of the home” who disciplines the children and manages the house
finances. The Ilocanos have high respects to their parents, which is very evident in their
marriage traditions.

Before even planning for marriage, Ilocano children seek first the approval of both sets of
parents. The parents are to decide if they would agree to let their child marry or not. The
young man (groom) asks for his parents’ consent. His parents will pay the dowry and finance
the wedding.

Then, the young man formally announces (panagpudno) his intentions of marrying the young
woman to her parents. The groom’s parents visit the bride’s parents, in which they set the
date of the wedding. In setting the date, both parents go to a planetario to learn what dates are
the good-luck days.

Another meeting is set for the wedding (palalian or ringpas) wherein the groom and his
relatives to the bride’s house to finalize the wedding arrangements. The families set the
choice of sponsors, the dowry, sagut (wedding dress and accessories which will be provided
by the groom), and the parawad (cash that given by the groom to the bride’s mother as a
reward for raising his bride).

Ilocanos’ value for education

The Ilocanos are not only industrious in the fields but also in schools. Most Ilocanos are
literate (can read and can right). Parents are very passionate in giving their children proper
education and will give it to them at all cost.

By having formal education, the Ilocanos believe that their children will have better
opportunities aside from farming. The Ilocano parents want to ensure that their kids will have
better future and live a better way of life.

THE BICOLANOS (http://www.livinginthephilippines.com/culture-and-

people/philippine-culture/culture-and-traditions/1285-bicolanos-customs-and-traditions)

The Bicolanos observe an annual festival in honor of the Virgin of Penafrancia every third
Sunday of September. The towns of Naga comes alive. During the celebration, a jostling crowd
of all-male devotees carries the image of the Virgin on their shoulders to the cathedral, while
shouting Viva La Virgin! For the next seven days people, mostly Bicolanos, come for an annual
visit light candles and kisses the image of the Virgin. To the Bicolanos, this affair is religious
and cultural, as well. Every night, shows are held at the plaza the year's biggest cockfights take
place, bicycle races are held and the river, a lively boat race precedes the fluvial procession.

At noon of the third Saturday of the month, the devotees carry the Image on their shoulders
preceded to the packed waterfront. The image is boarded onto the barge and the procession
begins. With much splashing back to the old chapel until next year's celebration.

ABOUT THE ART....

Bicolano art is shown in their love songs such as Sarong Bangul, Burac na Magayon and
others. Among the young songs about nature are popular. To the Bicolanos, the Ibalon, a
story of heroism, is an impotant epic.

THE BICOL REGION....

The Bicolanos live in the provinces south of Luzon Community namely Camarines Norte,
Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Albay and Sorsogon. With large tracts of land,
farming has become the chief occupation of the people. They also engaged in fishing,
logging, cattle-raising and handicraft.

The Bicolano is conservative. They believe it is safe to stick to the old than take a risk in the
new. To some extent however, the educated Bicolano has begun to change gradually.

His way of life resembles those of the other people of Luzon. He loves songs and dances. In
them, he expresses his feeling and sentiments. He spends his leisure time dancing, singing,
playing musical instrument like the guitar, and in cockfighting. He also plays game similar to
those played by Tagalogs.

Historian Mr. Teodoro A. Agoncillo said that the Bicolano is know for their religiosity.

Their views on the life with studied calmness and seldom shows their rough edges. Their
preference for spicy food is such that no food is good for them without red pepper and
coconut milk. Can this the be the reason why he is brave?

Kapampangan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapampangan_people)
Culture & cuisine
Many Kapampangan festivals display an indigenous flavor unique only to the Kapampangan
people. Consider the Curaldal or "street dancing" that accompanies the Feast of Santa Lucia
in Sasmuan or the Aguman Sanduk were men cross-dress as women to welcome the New
Year in Minalin or the Batalla Festival to reenact the battle between the native Muslim Moor
and the new colonist Native Capampangan Christians, the historical battle between the two
religious native Kapampangans. They start the battle in Ugtung-aldo or afternoon and they
end it in Sisilim or sunset with the tune of what Macabebeanons and Masantuleñios called
BATTALA Masantol, Macabebe and Lubao.

The Pistang Danum of the barrios of Pansinao, Mandasig, Lanang and Pasig in Candaba -
where food is served on floating banana rafts on the waters of the Pampanga River - was
originally a non-Christian holiday that is now made to coincide with the baptism of Christ.
The Kapampangan New Year or Bayung Banwa that welcomes the coming of the monsoons
and the start of the planting season is made to coincide with the feast of John the Baptist. The
colourful Apung Iru fluvial procession of Apalit, once a thanksgiving celebration in honour of
the river, has become the feast of Saint Peter.

The most dramatic festivals can be witnessed during the Mal ay Aldo, which is the
Kapampangan expression of the Holy Week. These include the erection of a temporary shrine
known as the puni where the pasion or the story of Christ's suffering is chanted in archaic
Kapampangan. The melody of the Kapampangan pasion was said to have been taken from
their traditional epic, whose original words were lost and replaced by the story of Christ. The
highlight of the mal ay aldo celebration is the procession of the magdarame or sasalibatbat
penitents covered in blood from self-flagellation. Some of them even have themselves
crucified every Good Friday at the dried up swamp of barrio Cutud in San Fernando.
Kapampangan cuisine, or Lutung Kapampangan, has gained a favourable reputation among
other Philippine ethnic groups. Some popular Kapampangan dishes that have become
mainstays across the country include sisig, kare-kare, "tocino" or pindang and their native
version of the longaniza.

Other Kapampangan dishes - which are an acquired taste for the other ethnic groups - include
buru (fish fermented in rice), betute tugak (stuffed frogs), adobung kamaru (mole crickets
sauteed in vinegar and garlic), estofadong barag (spicy stewed monitor lizard),
sisig,kalderetang asu (spicy dog stew), sigang liempu, "dagis a tinama"(marinated rats),
laman panara and bobotu.

Pangasinense (http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php/Pangasinan_people#Culture)

Culture
The culture of Pangasinan is a blend of the indigenous Malayo-Polynesian and western
Hispanic and American cultures, with some Indian, and Chinese influences. Pangasinan
culture is closely related to the Cordillerano and Ilocano cultures. The Cordilleranos are
believed to be descendants of Pangasinan people.

People

The Pangasinan people are called Pangasinan, Pangasinense or simply taga Pangasinan,
which means "from Pangasinan." The population of Pangasinan is 2,434,086 (National
Statistics Office, 2000 Census). Pangasinan is the most populated province in the Philippines.
The estimated population of the indigenous speakers of the Pangasinan language in the
province of Pangasinan is 1.5 million. The rest of the population are mostly indigenous
speakers of Ilocano, Sambal Bolinao, and Tagalog.

The people of Pangasinan are related to the Polynesians of the Pacific islands, the Formosan
indigenous peoples of Taiwan, the Cham of central Vietnam and Cambodia, the Malagasy of
Madagascar; and probably distantly related to the Ainu of Japan.

Some prominent people of Pangasinan heritage include President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

whose mother was from Binalonan, Pangasinan; President Fidel Valdez Ramos, who was
born in Lingayen, Pangasinan; Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., who was born in Dagupan City,
Pangasinan; and the late actor and presidential candidate Fernando Poe, Jr., whose father was
from San Carlos City, Pangasinan.

Language

The Pangasinan language belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian languages branch of the

Austronesian languages family. It is the primary language of the province of Pangasinan and
the dominant language in central Pangasinan. The estimated population of the indigenous
speakers of the Pangasinan language in the province of Pangasinan is 1.5 million. The rest of
the population are mostly indigenous speakers of Ilocano, Sambal Bolinao, and Tagalog.
The Pangasinan language is similar to the other Malayo-Polynesian languages of the
Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Madagascar. It is closely related to the Ibaloi language
spoken in the neighboring province of Benguet and Baguio City, located north of Pangasinan.
The Pangasinan language is classified under the Pangasinic group of languages. The
Pangasinic languages are:

 Pangasinan
 Ibaloi
 Karao
 I-wak
 Kalanguya
 Keley-I
 Kallahan
 Kayapa
 Kallahan
 Tinoc

The other languages or dialects are spoken in some areas of the neighboring provinces of
Benguet, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, and Ifugao.

The Pangasinan language is an agglutinative language. Linguistics studies show some word
correspondences between Pangasinan and the ancient Sumerian
languageTemplate:Verification needed, the first known written language. Sumerian, which
was spoken in the ancient land of Sumer in southern Mesopotamia, is an agglutinative
language like Pangasinan.

Religion

The religion of the people of Pangasinan is predominantly Christian, although few are strict
believers and continue to practice their indigenous beliefs and rituals, like most of the people
of the Philippines. Spanish and American missionaries introduced Christianity to Pangasinan.
Prior to the Spanish conquest in 1571, the predominant religion of the people of Pangasinan
was similar to the indigenous religion of the highland Igorot or the inhabitants of the
Cordillera Administrative Region on the island of Luzon who mostly retained their
indigenous culture and religion. Pangasinan was also influenced by Hinduism, and Buddhism
before the introduction of Christianity.

MOROS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moro_people#Culture)

Moro culture is very Malay-influenced. Islam is the most dominant influence on the Moro culture.
Large and small mosques can be found all over the region. In accordance with Islamic Law, alcohol
and fornication are prohibited. Pork and pork byproducts are not permissible. Another practice is
fasting during Ramadan and providing charity for the poor. The Hajj is also a major ritual. Moro
women cover themselves using the veil just as in Malaysia and Indonesia. Moro men, especially the
elderly, can always be seen wearing the kupya or Muslim skull cap. The Bangsamoro share the
attitude of the related ethnic group, the Malay people in Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.
IBANAG (http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php/Ibanag_people#Culture)
Politics

The early Cagayanes lived in villages governed by an Urayan holding the executive powers,
an ukom or judge and a kammaranan who made policies and regulations or the community.

Livelihood

The Ybanags are lowland farmers that used to inhabit the area along the Cagayan coast but
migrated further inland. They conducted trade with neighboring areas using distinctive
seacrafts, and their commercial interests made their language the medium of commerce
throughout the region before the influx of Ilokano migrants. They are also excellent
blacksmiths and continue to make good bolos. . are agricultural, and they engage in fishing
and farming.

Marriage, community, and the family

The Ibanags are clanish: in a barrio, each one is a relative of someone.

Marriage customs, moreover, have been made simple to a certain degree. Wedding expenses
are shouldered by both the bride and groom, unlike before that only the groom's parents take
over all the expenses. Preparations need not be extravagant, but the umune-ca presents
(dowry) and maginterga are still part of the traditions.

Another Ibanag custom is placing a great value on children which is considered a gift from
God. Couples without children are deemed unlucky and are believed to be punished.In this
relation, many beliefs and rituals of Ibanag are associated with conception. One is a ritual to
free an expectant mother from sickness. It uses a lutung, a wooden container from a bark of a
tree. A small piece is taken from it, pulverized, burned, and mixed with coffee. Then, this will
be served to the woman on a full moon with chanting of prayers.

Language

Their language is also named Ibanag, which also serves as the lingua franca of other
neighboring ethnic groups such as the Gaddang, Yogad, and a few Aeta. This is spoken by
about 500,000 peoples in Isabela and Cagayan, especially in Tuguegarao, Solana, Cabagan,
and Ilagan.

However, most of the Ibanags can also speak Ilocano, one of Northern Luzon's dialects.

Ivatan
(http://www.mysmartschools.ph/web/ivatanbeliefs/ivatan_culture.html)

The cultures of the Ivatans are partly influenced by the environmental conditions
of the place. Together with its culture, the architecture, agriculture, religion and the
maritime technology are adopted. Unlike the old nipa huts in the country, the Ivatans
have adopted a distinctive stone house. These houses are built with thick walls of
stone and lime and thatched with thick layers of cogon which is designed as a
protection against the unfriendly climate. Sturdier sea boats call �faluas� serves as
the main mode of transportation in the islands.

Ivatans are considered to be hospitable, religious and industrious. Their religion is

mostly catholic. They are a Filipino Ethno linguistic Group. Their main dialect is
Ivatan. The Ivatan literacy rates and professional education index are comparatively
high. They are considered to be fluent in speaking Filipino as well as in English and
many other languages. The lyric song �Laji� is one of the most valued traditional
literary forms sung individually and its own lyrics are known to be the best Ivatan
Folk Poetry. The �Kalusan� a working song which was sung by the Ivatans while
working in the field wherein a �Vachi� or the song leader starts the singing is such.

This province believes in �Spirits� World and Beliefs� but never deemed to
such �Anitos�. The entire archipelago is just like a living museum with six large
rooms, the six municipality- Basco, Mahatao, Ivana, Uyugan, Itbayat and Sabtang.

Time seems to be idle in this captivating place because of its well preserved
natural exquisite views. Aside from its terrific natural land resources, this paradise is
also rich in its marine resources, wherein most tourists are being fascinated and
identify this place to be the �Paradise of the North�.

SAMBAL (http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php/Sambal_people)
Like the Moros, the culture and customs of the Sambal are different from that of neighboring
groups. This is evident in their traditional dress, which consists of a single-shoulder short-
sleeved shirt, paired with short trousers. Usually worn at the chest and shoulder areas of the
shirt are badges that resemble multicolored crosses.<ref
name="AngMgaSambal">http://www.elaput.org/loarca05.htm</ref> The way they do their
hair is also different. They shave off half of their head at the front, the remaining hair flowing
from the top of the skull and hanging at the nape, and making their foreheads look wider.

The Sambal were known to be fierce

warriors<ref>http://www.elaput.org/chrmlong.htm</ref><ref>http://www.elaput.com/chrmal
mz.htm</ref>, notorious for their bloody raids on Christian settlements<ref
name="ZambalesProfile">_</ref>. They have been occasionally recruited by Indio
commanders (indio was the term used for the Austronesian inhabitants of the Philippines) in
campaigns against the Spanish, who then governed the islands. The Sambal were also once
known to have captured and enslaved Diego Silang as a child, eventually being ransomed by
a Recollect missionary in
Zambales.<ref>http://www.elaput.org/chrmslng.htm</ref><ref>http://www.globalpinoy.com/
ch/ch_category.php?category=heroes&name=Diego+Silang&table=ch_heroes&startpage=1&
endpage=15</ref>
It was recorded as customary for the Sambal to execute those who have taken another
person’s life, unless done by decapitation. Their manner of execution was to bore a hole at
the top of the skull and then scrape out the brains.<ref name="AngMgaSambal">_</ref>

During the first hundred years of Spanish rule, the Sambal, like most other non-Spanish
groups in the Philippines during the colonial era, had their village structures reorganized and
were forced into reducciones in order to assimilate them into Catholicism and Spanish
cultural norms.<ref name="AngMgaSambal">_</ref>

Language

Main articles: Sambal language and Bolinao language

The Sambal speak Sambal or Bolinao, both of which are Sambalic languages. The Sambalic
languages are most closely related to Kapampangan and to an archaic form of Tagalog still
spoken in Tanay in the province of Rizal. This has been interpreted to mean that the Sambal
originated from that area, later being displaced by migrating Tagalogs from Marinduque
around 600 BC, pushing the original inhabitants northward to what is now the province of
Zambales<ref>http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about_cultarts/ebook_subcont.php?subcont_Id=33</r
ef>, in turn, displacing the Aetas. Today, the vast majority of Sambalic-language speakers
belong to the Ilocano and Tagalog ethnic groups, who predominate in the province.

BADJAO (http://www.ethnicgroupsphilippines.com/people/ethnic-groups-in-
the-philippines/badjao/)

Widely known as the “Sea Gypsies” of the Sulu and Celebes Seas, the Badjao are scattered
along the coastal areas of Tawi Tawi, Sulu, Basilan, and some coastal municipalities of
Zamboanga del Sur in the ARMM. Amongst themselves, they're known as Sama Laus (Sea
Sama) and are found living on houseboats where they make their livelihood solely on the sea
as expert fishermen, deep sea divers, and navigators. They come to shore to barter their harvests
for farmed produce such as fruits and cassava, as well as, replenish their supplies and/or make
repairs to their houseboats. Unique to their cultural rituals is the concept of life and their
relationship to the sea: For example, as a childbirth ritual, a newly born infant is thrown into
the sea and members of the clan dive to save the newborn. Other traditions such as marriages
are prearranged by the parents for their sons and daughters; the process similar to other ethnic
groups, in that, a dowry is often presented to the parents of the woman a man wishes to marry.
And, only the Badjao leader can consecrate a marriage. Therefore a leader is chosen based on
individual inherent virtues, wisdom, and “charisma”...an inate ability to attract followers.

Sadly, due to the ongoing conflict in the region between revolutionary Muslim groups and the
government, many Badjao have migrated to Sabah in Malaysia and Sulawesi and Kalimantan
in Indonesia. As a result, they now comprise the second-largest ethnic group in Sabah, despite
the fact that many of them are illegal immigrants. There, the Badjao speak nearly (10)
languages of the Sama-Bajau subgroup of the Western Malayo-polynesian language family.
IGOROT(http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/282386/Igorot)
Igorot, ( Tagalog: “Mountaineer”) any of various ethnic groups 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 Igorot numbered about 1.5 million in the early
21st century. Their languages belong to the northern Luzon subgroup of the Philippine
languages, which belong to the Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) family.

The Igorot peoples are Austronesians. They were known in earlier days for their wars and
practice of headhunting. The Spaniards forcibly partially subdued them during the colonial
occupation of the Philippines, that process being completed during the period of U.S.
hegemony. Ethnologists distinguish about 10 main ethnic groups, each with its own dialect
and culture. There are also variations within these groups.

Two broader groupings may be made of the Igorot as a whole: one, by far the larger,
comprises the peoples of the higher country who cultivate wet rice, mostly in steplike terraces
on the mountainsides; the other comprises peoples of the lower rainforest areas, who grow
dry rice in seasonally shifting gardens. Within the first group the Nabaloi or Ibaloi, Kankanay
(Kankanai), Lepanto or northern Kankanay, Bontoc (Bontok), southern Kalinga, and
Tinggian nearly all live in populous villages, but one ethnic unit, the Ifugao, has small
farmsteads of kinsmen dotted throughout the rice terraces. The second group—the Gaddang,
northern Kalinga, and Isneg or Apayao—are sparsely settled in hamlets or farmsteads around
which new gardens are cleared as the soil is worked out; some Gaddang live in tree houses.

Cultural elements common to the Igorot peoples as a whole include metalworking in iron and
brass, weaving, and animal sacrifice. They believe in spirits, including those of ancestors, and
have complex rituals to propitiate them. There are no clans or tribes, and political
organization is generally limited to the village level. Kinship is traced on both the paternal
and the maternal sides, extending as far as third cousins.

ILONGOT (http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/e-books/e-
book.php?id=20&t=2)

Traditionally located at the junction of the Sierra Madre and the Caraballo mountains in the headwaters
of the Cagayan, Tabayon, and Conwap rivers in Luzon are three groups of people: (1) Italon, found in
the headwaters of the Cagayan River, (2) Engongot (Ipagi), found northwest of the coast of Baler, and
(3) Abaka (Ibilao), living in southwestern Nueva Vizcaya. All three are known collectively as the Ilongot.
The other names by which the decimated groups are known in literature are Ilonggot, Ibilao, Ibilaw,
Ilungot, Ligones, Bugkalot, Quirungut, Iyonout, Egonut, Ipagi, Engongot, Italon, Abaka, and Ibilao. They
are densest in the municipality of A. Castaneda (695) and Dupax Sur (685). In the whole of Nueva
Vizcaya, they number some 2,085, and in Quirino some 2,173 (NSO 1980). There is a total national
population of 50,017 (NSO 1990). The whole population is subdivided into some thirteen localized dialect
groups: Abaka, Aymuyu, Belansi, Beqnad, Benabe, Dekran, Kebinanan, Payupay, Pugu, Rumyad,
Sinebran, Taan, and Tamsi.

Of all the ethnic groups of the country, the Ilongot appears to have been the only one devastated
by its own harsh culture dispersing the population from the traditional areas of habitation to other
provinces: Bulacan (4,969), Cavite (4,781), Zamboanga del Sur (3,735), Palawan (2,745), and others
where the Ilongot populations are larger than in the original homeland.
 The people tend to live near tributaries and practice slash-and-burn cultivation. The pattern of
housing is dispersed and fortified, for the Ilongot are externally aggressive, traditionally conservative,
and resistant to external cultural pressures. Socially, the families in a locality are loosely grouped into
bands called alipan. Like all other Philippine groups, kinship is bilateral and there are no descent groups.

Formerly, the group subsisted on slash-and-burn cultivation, even in the watersheds of the
Pampanga river, but have been pushed slowly to the north and east. Planting is multicropped although
there is now a trend towards rice as the dominant cultigen. Cultivation is based primarily on root crops,
and subsistence is supplemented by hunting, fishing, and food gathering.

The society is traditionally egalitarian with no leadership structure. Leadership resides in sets of
skilled male siblings with powers of persuasion, especially in the art of oratory or puron.

In 1986, fifteen of the more than eighteen ICC in Mindanao adopted the term lumad, a Bisayan word for “native”
or “indigenous,” to distinguish themselves from the Christians and Muslims in Mindanao. Republic Act 6734,
enacted during Corazon Aquino’s time, used the term to differentiate these ethnic communities from the
Bangsamoro people.

LUMAD (http://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/features/293-the-lumad-of-mindanao)

Lumad are non-Muslim or non-Christian, although “the orientation of their cultural developments … appears to be
toward the Muslim groups” (Jocano, 1998). The anthropologist Felipe Landa Jocano stresses that “in most cases,
language is the only differentiating element in ethnic cultures, particularly among those which occupy adjacent
and contiguous territory.” Most of the ICC in Mindanao speak languages belonging to the Manobo family of
languages, except the Blaan, T’boli, and Teduray.

Broadly speaking, the ICC in Mindanao can be found in the following overlapping regions:

 South Central Mindanao (esp. Davao, Bukidnon, Cotabato): Bagobo, Tagakaolo, Teduray, Manobo,
Kulaman, Blaan, T’boli
 Eastern Mindanao (esp. Agusan, Bukidnon, Davao, Surigao): Mandaya, Ata, Mansaka, Dibabawon
 North Central Mindanao (esp. Bukidnon): Bukidnon/Higaonon
 Western Mindanao and the Sulu Islands (esp. Zamboanga, Cotabato, Lanao): Maguindanao, Iranun,
Maranao, Tausug, Samal, Yakan, Kalibugan, and Subanen

The lumad who live within the southern highland ranges are swidden farmers, and practice little trade. Like many
of its neighbors, Bagobo society is ruled by a class of warriors known as magani or bagani. The Bagobo’s
elaborate dress and personal adornment are well known among anthropologists. The T’boli and Teduray are also
known for their baskets, trinkets, bracelets, and earrings made of brass. The T’boli’s t’nalak are prized fabrics
believed to be inspired by the dreams of the woman weavers.

The Mandaya, Agusan Manobo, and Ata share numerous cultural traits and social institutions such as in clothing
and religious rituals. They practice slash-and-burn farming and trade with neighbors. Warriors, headed by the
datu, are greatly valued and respected.

On the mountains and plateaus of Bukidnon live a number of ICC collectively known as Bukidnon (from a
Bisayan word for “mountain people”) but who call themselves Higaonon, or “mountain dwellers.” The mountains
and ravines had separated them from their neighbors, and may account for why many of their traditions and
practices have been maintained. In recent years, however, the Higaonon are slowly being assimilated into the
prevailing lowland culture.

The Subanen also refer to a several ethnolinguisiticgroups found in the hills and coastal lowlands of Zamboanga.
They are slash-and-burn farmers who fish, hunt, gather, and practice little trade.
The Minoritization of the Indigenous Communities of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago outlines “what the
Lumads (sic) desire,” which can also be said to reflect the struggles of the lumad throughout history up to the
present. According to the book, the lumad want:

 the return of all lands taken from them through deceit, harassment, illegal manipulation, or simply
grabbed;
 the government to cancel permits secured by individuals and companies operating logging, mining,
pastures, rattan gathering, and other agri-based industries within lumad territories. These businesses
may operate within areas of ancestral domain only with the permission of individual “tribes”;
 the migration of settlers into ancestral domain controlled;
 their culture to be learned, respected, and taught as part of the DepEd curriculum;
 the government to stop militarization in lumad territories, stop the recruitment of lumad into paramilitary
units, and stop the improper use of the lumad pangayaw (revenge raids); and
 the government to stop recognizing “fake Lumad organizations and fake datu which has become
standard practice not only to foil or diffuse legitimate Lumad aspirations but also to advance selfish
interests among government officials and their influential friends.”

Mangyan (http://www.artesdelasfilipinas.com/archives/139/the-culture-
and-art-of-the-mangyan)
by: Jericho Paul Santos

September 2012--The Mangyan tribe has been included in the history of Mindoro.
Spaniards have long documented the life of the Mangyan people. However, much is
still to be learned from the culture of one of the Philippines’ richest ethnic group.

Mangyan refers to the Philippine ethnic group living in Mindoro Island but some can
be found in the island of Tablas and Sibuyan in the province of Romblon as well as
in Albay, Negros and Palawan. The word Mangyan generally means man, woman or
person without any reference to any nationality. Social scientists have documented
Mangyan tribes into several major tribes. One of the ways to categorize them is
through their geographical location. The Northern tribes include the Iraya, Alangan
and Tadyawan tribes while the Buhid, Bangon Batangon and Hanunuo Mangyan
comprise the tribes in the South.

The Culture

Despite being grouped as one tribe, Mangyans differ in many ways. In comparison to
the technological advance between the two geographical divisions, the Southern
tribes are more advanced as seen in their use of weaving, pottery and system of
writing. The Northern tribes, on the other hand, are simpler in their way of living.
Their language just like the whole Philippines came from the Austronesian language
family. However, even if they are defined as one ethnic group the tribes used
different languages. On the average, they only share 40% of their vocabulary words
on their mutual languages. The tribes have also varied physical and ethnogenetic
appearances: Iraya has Veddoid features; Tadyawan are mainly Mongoloid; and the
Hanunuo looks like a Proto-Malayan.

A Mangyan bracelet
Another difference between tribes is the date of their arrival in the Philippines.
Theory suggests that the Southern tribes are already present by 900 AD while the
Northern tribes are believed to have arrived hundreds of years ahead of their
Southern peers. The Spanish authorities have documented their existence since
their arrival in the 16th century. However, historians suggest that the Mangyans may
have been the first Filipinos to trade with the Chinese. Examples of these are seen in
the burial caves as porcelains and other potteries abound. However, not much
ethnographic research has been made except for the tribal and linguistic differences
that may lead to the indication that the tribes can be treated separately.

Some Mangyan crafts

Mangyans lived in peaceful societies as compared to the head hunting tribes of

North Luzon and the brave defiant warrior tribes of the South. Social scientists
theorized that some societies become peaceful because their system of norms and
values reward peaceful behavior but disapprove aggressive and impulsive
behaviors. Peaceful societies are characterized by egalitarian social organization
without status competition between men and without asymmetric relationship
between men and women. Another theory posited that populations adapt, therefore,
offering a more logical explanation why Mangyans preferred to retreat in the
hinterlands. They accept peaceful submissiveness when they encounter lowland
settlers, missionaries, traders and government officials.

NEGRITO (http://www.everyculture.com/East-Southeast-Asia/Philippine-
Negritos.html)

The Negritos of the Philippines are comprised of approximately twenty-five widely scattered
ethnolinguistic groups totaling an estimated 15,000 people. They are located on several major
islands in the country: Luzon, Palawan, Panay, Negros, Cebu, and Mindanao. They are
assumed to be the aboriginal inhabitants of the archipelago. The religion of most groups
remains animistic, often with a thin overlay of Roman Catholic influence. All the Negrito
languages are Austronesian, as are all the native languages of the Philippines. The Negrito
languages do not form a subfamily among the Philippine Austronesian languages. Rather,
they tend to be most closely related to, but usually mutually unintelligible with, the languages
of the non-Negrito peoples in their particular geographical areas. All Negrito adults in every
area are bilingual, able to converse in and understand the major languages of their non-
Negrito neighbors with only minor difficulty. The population of the Negritos has declined
greatly since the early Hispanic period (1600) and continues to decline today because of high
death rates resulting from encroachment by outsiders, deforestation, depletion of their
traditional game resources, and general poverty and disease. These Negroid peoples are
phenotypically quite different in appearance from the Mongoloid peoples of the Philippines,
who today outnumber the Negritos by 4,000 to 1. In spite of their Negroid appearance, all
scholars reject the theory that their ancestors came from Africa. Rather, the accepted theory
today is that Philippine Negritos are descendants of groups of Homo sapiens who migrated
into the Philippines during the Upper Pleistocene from mainland Southeast Asia, and
subsequently developed their phenotypic traits in situ, through processes of microevolution,
some 25,000 years ago. All of the Negrito groups are or were hunter-gatherers. Today they
are found in various stages of deculturation. Most practice some marginal cultivation
themselves, and all groups carry on intense symbiotic relationships with neighboring non-
Negrito peoples, trading forest products for cash or starch food (rice or corn), serving as
forest guides, and especially working as casual laborers on nearby farms.

PALAWAN TRIBES
(http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php/Ethnic_Groups_of_Palawan)

Molbog

The Molbog, which is also referred to as Molebugan or Molebuganon are concentrated in

Island of Balabac near Palawan. Some of their people are also found in other nearby islands
and as far north as Panakan. The tribe's name came from the word Malubog which means
"murky or turbid water".

The Molbogs probably migrated from North Borneo. They might be related to the Orang
Tidung pr Tirum, an Islamized indigenous group found in the northeastcoast of Sabah since
they have similar dialect and socio-cultural practices. However, some Sama and Tausug
words are incorporated in the Molbog dialect. There are also differences in their socio-
cultural life that separates them from the Orang Tidung.

The Molbog's livelihood is composed of farming and fishing. They also barter with the
nearby Sulu Bangsamoro and Sabah.

In the past, the Molbog and the Palawanon Muslims were under the Sulu Sultanate and might
be the cause for their conversion to Islam. Inter-marriages between the Tausug and the
Molbog has increased the rate of Islamization of the Molbog people. Offspring born of these
inter-marriages are called kolibugan which means "half-
breed".<ref>http://www.ncip.gov.ph/resources/ethno_detail.php?ethnoid=81 Ethnic
Profile:Molbog</ref>

Palawanon
The Palawanons (also known as Palawan or Pinalawan) are recently being converted to
Islam. Half of their estimated number are animists. They are found in the southern interior of
Palawan like the Apu Rauan on the west coast and south of Abu-abu on the east coast. Others
are found with other Bangsamoro groups in the Balabac-Bugsuk island group.

The Palawanons resemble the Tagbanuas are was of the same people in the past.

The Palawanons closely resemble the Tagbanua (literally "people of the village") and in the
past they were doubtless the same people. Some Tausug people in Palawan call them Traan
or "people in scattered places".

Like the Yakans of Basilan, they live in houses that are within sight of each other. Scattered
among them are plots of farmland that is mainly used to cultivate upland rice.
<ref>http://www.ncip.gov.ph/resources/ethno_detail.php?ethnoid=94 Ethnic Profile:
Palawanon</ref>

Tagbanwa
Main article: Tagbanwa

The Tagbanwas are found in the western and eastern coastal areas of central Palawan. Their
name means "people of the world". They are concentrated in the municipalities of Aborlan,
Quezon and the City of Puerto Princesa.

Two other ethinics groups called "Tagbanwa" (i.e. the Central Tagbanwa and the Calamian
Tagbanwa) are from a different family of languages and should not be confused the the
Tagbanwas discussed here. These are found Coron Island, Northern Palawan, Busuanga
Island and the Baras coast. The Central Tagbanwa language is dying out as the younger
generations are learning Cuyonon and Tagalog.

The Tagbanwas speak the Tagbanwa language and has several sub-dialects. They are able to
comprehend Tagalog, and, depending on their proximity to neighboring groups, Batak,
Cuyonen and Calamian languages.

They usually dress like the non-tribal lowlanders. However, elder men prefer to wear G-
string while tilling or fishing.

Houses are built from available forest materials. Bamboo and wood are used for the house's
frame anahaw leaves are used to create walls and the roof and bamboo slats are used as
flooring.

Their basic social unit is the nuclear family which is composed of a married couple and their
children.

Taaw't-Bato
The Taaw't Batos' (also called Ken-uy) name means "people of the rock". They are not
actually a separate language or ethnic group, but rather a small community of traditional S.W.
Palawanos who happen to reside in the crater of an extinct volcano during certain seasons of
the year, in houses built on raised floors inside caves though others have set their homes on
the open slopes. They are found in the Singnapan Basin, a valley bounded by Mt.
Matalingajan on the east and the coast on the west. North of them is the municipality of
Quezon and to the South are the still unexplored regions of Palawan. As of 1987, their
population was about 198.

Note that the common-seen spelling "Tau't Bato" or "Tau't Batu" is a misspelling based on
the Tagalog word for "human" (tao). The Palawano word is "taaw."

The men of the tribe wear G-strings while the women cover their lower bodies with bark or
cloth that is made into a skirt. The upper half is left exposed although some now wear blouses
that are bought from the market.
The people practice agriculture with cassava as the major source of carbohydrates. They also
plant sweet potatoes, sugarcane, malunggay (Moringa oleifera), garlic, pepper, string beans,
squash, tomatoes and pineapples. Others practice fishing, hunting and industrial arts.

Their social organizations are based on family (kin ties), band (type of substinence activity)
and settlement (geographic location).