Pre-historic Ivatans lived in small communities near water sources.

When the Euro peans arrived in the 1600s, they found the people of Batanes living in organized communities called idjangs. They buried their dead in large earthen jars, a pra ctice that continued until well into the 18th century. It wasn't until 1782 that B atanes was brought under Spanish rule. In 1909, Batanes was finally established as a separate province under American administration. Because of its location, B atanes was the first area attacked by the Japanese during World War II. In the 1 950s and 60s, the Philippine government encouraged Ivatans to relocate, thus the re are now Ivatan communities in Mindanao.