PHILIPPINE

ARCHITECTURE
History of Architecture 4: Part 2
Ar. Diane A. Jose, MBA

BETWEEN EARTH AND SKY:

Early Philippine Shelters
NORTHERN ETHNIC HOUSES
MOUNTAIN HOUSES OF THE CORDILLERAS

Comprised of the six provinces:

Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, and
Mountain Province

Six ethno-linguistic groups:

Bontoc, Ibaloi, Ifugao, Isneg (or Apayao), Kalinga,
and the Kankana-ey
CLASSIFICATION
According to William Henry Scott
¨ Northern Strain

¤ a. Isneg (Apayao)
¤ b. Kalinga

¨ Southern Strain
¤ a. Bontok
¤ b. Ifugao

¤ c. Ibaloi

¤ d. Kankanay
Ifugao, Bontoc and Kalinga
¨ Known for the rice terraces
¨ Rice Terraces of the Cordillera - wonder of
engineering with massive towering walls and
skilfully devised irrigation
¨ As terrace builders, they were also able to construct
sturdy dwellings remarkable for both simplicity and
ingenuity
Northern Strain
ETHNIC HOUSES
NORTHERN STRAIN
a. ISNEG
ALTERNATIVE/ASSOCIATED NAMES:
Isnag, Dibagat-Kabugao- Isneg, Apayao
LOCATION: Northern Apayao
DIALECT: Isnag

¨ Inhabits the banks of the Apayao River and its tributaries in

Northern Luzon.
¨ Like most erstwhile head-hunters, they are slash-and-burn
farmers who have recently, under the influence of their
neighbors, begun to practice wet-rice agriculture.
¨ As dry rice farmers, the male head of a household annually
clears a fresh section of tropical forest where his wife will
plant and harvest their rice.
NORTHERN STRAIN
a. ISNEG
¨ Isneg women also cook the meals, gather wild
vegetables, and weave bamboo mats and baskets,
while the men cut timber, build houses, and take
extended hunting and fishing trips.
¨ Often when a wild pig or deer is killed, its meat is
skewered on bamboo and distributed to neighbors and
relatives.
¨ Nearly all Isneg households also harvest a small grove
of coffee trees since the main cash crop grown is coffee.
NORTHERN STRAIN
ISNEG - BINURON
¨ Before the building an
Isneg house - 4 posts are
dug into the ground to
form a rectangle.
¨ Ginger and "taxalingda"
herbs are then placed in
the center.
¨ Holes are then dug for
the 6 "adixi", or roof-
bearing posts.
¨ No work is done until the
third day.
NORTHERN STRAIN
ISNEG - BINURON
¨ One room used also as sleeping
room, kitchen, dining room,
storeroom and shrine for rituals.
¨ Next to this house stands its twin - a
granary with the same design as the
house.
NORTHERN STRAIN
ISNEG - BINURON
¨ Husband , wife and youngest
child or children in infancy
live in this house. Upon
reaching the age of reason,
sons and daughters sleep in
separate communal
dormitories.
¨ The roof is bowed like an
upside down boat. This may
be related to their
boatbuilding tradition
The main section, datag or
xassaran, is surrounded on
three sides by narrow, slightly
raised platform, tamuyon,
and at the remaining end by
the slightly raised floor of the
annex.
NORTHERN STRAIN
b. KALINGA
ALTERNATIVE/ASSOCIATED NAMES:
Linimos, Limos; Limos-Liwan Kalinga
LOCATION: Kalinga Province
DIALECT: Kalinga, Limos

¨ Inhabits the area in the middle Chico River

¨ Noted for their strong sense of tribal awareness and the
peace pacts they have made among themselves.
¨ Practice both wet and dry rice farming
¨ Developed an institution of peace pacts which has minimized
traditional warfare and head hunting and serves as a
mechanism for the initiation, maintenance, renewal and re-
enforcement of kinship and social ties.
NORTHERN STRAIN
b. KALINGA
¨ The Kalinga are divided into
¤ Southern group
¤ Northern group - most heavily ornamented people of
the northern Philippines.
¨ The Kalinga society is very kinship oriented and
relatives are held responsible for avenging any injury
to a member.
BINAYON or FINARYON
NORTHERN STRAIN
b. KALINGA
Southern Strain
ETHNIC HOUSES
SOUTHERN STRAIN
a. BONTOC
ALTERNATIVE/ASSOCIATED NAMES: Bontok, Bontoc
LOCATION: Central Mountain Province
DIALECT: Bontok

¨ Live in the banks of the Chico River.

¨ Used to be a group that was known because of its head-hunting
practices.
¨ Present day Bontocs are peaceful agricultural people who have,
by choice, retained most of their traditional culture despite
frequent contacts with other groups.
¨ The pre-Christian Bontoc belief system centers around a hierarchy
of spirits, the highest being a supreme deity called "Lumawig"
who personifies the forces of nature and is the legendary creator,
friend, and teacher of the Bontoc".
SOUTHERN STRAIN
a. BONTOC

¨ A hereditary class of priests hold various monthly

ceremonies for their crops, the weather, and for healing.
¨ In addition the Bontoc believe in the "anito" -- spirits of
the dead who must be consulted before anything
important is done.
¨ Ancestral anitos are invited to family feasts when a death
occurs to ensure the well-being of the deceased's soul.
¨ The Bontoc social structure used to be centered around
village wards "ato”, containing about 14 to 50 homes.
¨ Traditionally, young men and women lived in dormitories
and ate meals with their families.
SOUTHERN STRAIN

BONTOC: FAYU / SAGADA

SOUTHERN STRAIN
BONTOC: FAYU / SAGADA
SOUTHERN STRAIN

BONTOC: FAYU / SAGADA

SOUTHERN STRAIN

BONTOC: FAYU / SAGADA

SOUTHERN STRAIN

BONTOC: FAYU / SAGADA

SOUTHERN STRAIN

BONTOC: FAYU / SAGADA

FAYU
Bontoc
SOUTHERN STRAIN
b. IFUGAO
ALTERNATIVE/ASSOCIATED NAMES:
Ifugao, Amganad, Ayangan, Kiangan, Gilipanes, Quiangan, Tuwali Ifugao,
Mayoyao (Mayoyao, Mayaoyaw)
LOCATION: Central Mountain Province
DIALECT: Bontok

¨ The term "Ifugao" is derived from "ipugo" - earth people or

mortals or humans, as distinguished from spirits and deities.
¤ Also means "pugo" - from the hill
¨ Southern part of the Cordillera region best known for its rice
terraces.
¨ Aside from their rice terraces, the Ifugaos are known for their
literary traditions of the 'hudhud' and the 'alim' .
SOUTHERN STRAIN
b. IFUGAO
¨ The Ifugaos’ highest prestige feasts are the "hagabi", for the most
wealthy; and the "uyauy", a feast for those immediately below
the wealthiest.
SOUTHERN STRAIN
IFUGAO - FALE
SOUTHERN STRAIN
IFUGAO - FALE
SOUTHERN STRAIN
IFUGAO - FALE
IFUGAO: BALE
IFUGAO - FALE
SOUTHERN STRAIN
IFUGAO - FALE
FALE / BALE HOUSE
Ifugao
SOUTHERN STRAIN
c. IBALOI
ALTERNATIVE/ASSOCIATED NAMES: Ibaloi/Nabaloi
LOCATION: Southern Benguet
DIALECT: Ibaloi

¨ Live mostly in the southern part of Benguet

¨ Agricultural people cultivating rice in terraced fields,
and have some affinity in language with Pangasinan,
its southern neighbor
¨ Baguio City, the Cordilleras lone city and known as
the “Summer Capital of the Philippines” is also
situated in Ibaloi country.
SOUTHERN STRAIN
c. IBALOI
¨ Major feast is the Pesshet, a public prestige feast of the
wealthy that could last for weeks and involving the
butchering and sacrifice of dozens of animals.
¨ One of their more popular dances is the Bendiyan dance
that could be participated in by as many as a hundred men
and women dancers.
¨ The Ibaloi house has a larger room, a flaring roof, and a
small porch.
SOUTHERN STRAIN
IBALOI HOUSE
SOUTHERN STRAIN
d. KANKANA-EY
ALTERNATIVE/ASSOCIATED NAMES:
Northern Kankana-ey; Sagada/Besao, Igorot, Western Bontoc, Applai
LOCATION: Western Mountain Province, Southeastern Ilocos Sur Province,
Northern Benguet
DIALECT: Northern Kankana-ey

¨ Domain includes Western Mountain Province, Northern

Benguet and Southeastern Ilocos Sur.
¨ Kankana-ey’s major dances include takik, a wedding dance
and ballangbang.
¨ Built sloping terraces to maximize farm space in the rugged
terrain of the Cordilleras.
SOUTHERN STRAIN
d. KANKANA-EY
¨ House is a variation of the Ifugao prototype. The roof is
higher and wider, providing a spacious loft above the living
space. On the ground level, wooden planks are laid to
create more livable space.
¨ Two famous institutions:

¤ dap-ay - the men’s dormitory and civic center,

¤ Ebgan - the girl’s dormitory where courtship between young men
and women took place.
SOUTHERN STRAIN

BINANGIYAN
Kankanai/Kankana-ey
 Coastal and Inland Dwellings
Mostly referred to as Muslim Houses… TO BE
CONTINUED

Reference: Arkitekturang Filipino: A History of Architecture and

Urbanism in the Philippines by Gerard Lico