The Igorots are a very distinct group of people, a tribe who originate from the

Northern provinces of the Philippine archipelago. The word, Igorot in Tagalog

means mountain people. For a long time now, this term has been tacitly used in a
derogatory sense. It signifies that the Igorots were a backward tribe who couldn't
contribute any technological innovations to society (Fallon).

TRADITION
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.

FOODS

The Igorots formerly practiced headhunting. The Igorots are an ethnic people of the
Philippines, clustered in the Cordillera region of Luzon. It is true that they are famous for rice-
terrace farming but saying that some of them have been known to be cannibals in the past is an
exaggeration which only downgrades the

Pinikpikan

A famous dish served in the Cordilleras of a live beaten chicken. It is usually salty in taste and mixed with
other vegetables such as cabbage. Usually served with rice and it is eaten on a banana leaf.

Etag Salted pork served on special occassions. Just like Pinikpikan, it can be served with mixed
greens/vegetables.Sometimes, it is spiced.

CLOTHES

In the Philippines, one of the minority tribes inhabiting the Cordillera Region are called IGOROTS. They
are known for their colorful, handwoven and TRADITIONAL, native costumes. In Women, it is composed
of with or without lace,trimming Top called "KAMBAL" and a skirt - like Bottom called either "DIVIT" or
"TAPIS". In Men, they wear only a G-string like skirt called " WANNES". Both sexes matched their clothes
with a Headband called "PANJET
IFUGAO PEOPLE

The Ifugao call themselves as i-pugao or "inhabitants of the known earth"; other variations of the name are
Ifugaw, Ipugao, and Yfugao. They live primarily in the province of Ifugao in Central Cordillera, in Northern
Luzon. The name is supposed to have come from ipugo which means "from the hill." The Amganad Ifugao
(Ifugaw) populate the central part of Ifugao Province and has two dialects: Burnay and Banaue. Additionally,
their name is synonymous with the famous man-made Banaue Rice Terraces in northern Luzon, which had
once been hailed the "eighth wonder of the world", and attributed to their engineering knowledge and
agricultural terracing. Historically, Ifugao was one of the places in the Archipelago least influenced by the
Spaniards, even though they did venture into Ifugao territory; the Spaniards were unable to transform their
culture and values. Anthropologists have regarded the Ifugao as possibly the oldest residents of the
highlands; their origin attributed to Indonesian migration, dating back as early as 800-500 BC

Ifugao Clothes, Food and Crafts

Ifugao and Ilocano women have traditionally worn short, tight-fitting, hand-woven skirts with colorful
horizontal stripes, with a white short-sleeve blouse and a loose striped jackets. They have traditionally gone
barefoot and sometimes tied a colored band around their head. Some men still wear loincloths and go
everywhere barefoot. They are quite sure-footed on mountain trails. Their toes and feet grip on to rocks like
the hand of a pitcher grasping a baseball.

In 1912, Cornélis De Witt Willcox wrote in “The Head Hunters of Northern Luzon”: “ As elsewhere, but few
clothes are seen: the women wear a short striped skirt sarong-wise, but bare the bosom. However, they are
beginning to cover it, just as a few of them had regular umbrellas. They leave the navel uncovered; to conceal
it would be immodest. The men are naked save the gee-string, unless a leglet of brass wire under the knee be
regarded as a garment; the bodies of many of them are tattooed in a leaf-like pattern. A few men had the
native blanket hanging from their shoulders, but leaving the body bare in front. The prevailing color is blue;
at Campote it is red. The hair looked as though a bowl had been clapped on the head at an angle of forty-five
degrees, and all projecting locks cut off. If the hair is long, it means that the wearer has made a vow to let it
grow until he has killed someone or burnt an enemy’s house. We saw such a long-haired man this day. Some
of the men wore over their gee-strings belts made of shell (mother-of-pearl), with a long free end hanging
down in front. These belts are very costly and highly thought of. Earrings are common, but apparently the
lobe of the ear is not unduly distended. Here at Kiangan, the earring consists of a spiral of very fine brass
wire. [Source:“The Head Hunters of Northern Luzon” by Cornélis De Witt Willcox, Lieutenant-Colonel U.S.
Army, Professor United States Military Academy, 1912 <>]

“At Banawe we saw more examples of native arts and crafts than we had heretofore. For example, the pipe
is smoked, and we saw some curious specimens in brass, much decorated with pendent chains; others were
of wood, some double-bowled on the same stem. Some of the men wore helmets, or skull-caps, cut out of a
single piece of wood. Other carved objects were statuettes, sitting and standing; these are anitos, frequently
buried in the [122] rice-paddies to make the crop good; besides, there were wooden spoons with human
figures for handles, the bowls being symmetrical and well finished. Then there were rice-bowls, double and
single, some of them stained black and varnished. Excellent baskets were seen, so solidly and strongly made
of bejuco as to be well-nigh indestructible under ordinary conditions. Mr. Maimban got me a pair of
defensive spears (so-called because never thrown, but used at close quarters) with hollow-ground blades of
tempered steel, the head of the shaft being wrapped with bejuco, ornamentally stained and put on in
geometrical patterns.” <>

Since the end of World War II the production and sale of woodcarvings has become and important source of
income for the Ifugao. They also have skills in making bowls, baskets, weapons and clothing. The mountain
tribes of Luzon traditionally distinguished themselves by their cultural expressions, clothing and adornment.
The Ifugao still practice the same skills as in the past: Woodcarving and weaving clothes. They discovered the
tourists are a welcome clienta for their products as most young Ifugao prefer Western clothes.
[Source:philippines.hvu.nl]

Bender (1975, p. 78) notes that "The Ifugao of the Philippines eat three species of dragon fly and locusts.
These are boiled, dried, and powdered. They also relish red ants, water bugs, and beetles, as well as flying
ants, which are usually fried in lard." Showalter (1929) furnishes a photograph of Ifugao women in Luzon
preparing locusts by roasting them (p. 39), and another showing an Ifugao locust catcher with his large
net.[Source: www.food-insects.com >>>]
The Aeta (pronounced as “eye-ta,”), Agta or Ayta are an indigenous people who live in scattered, isolated
mountainous parts of Luzon, Philippines. They are considered to be Negritos, who are dark to very dark
brown-skinned and tend to have features such as a small stature, small frame, curly to kinky afro-like
textured hair with a higher frequency of naturally lighter hair color (blondism) relative to the general
population, small nose, and dark brown eyes. They are thought to be among the earliest inhabitants of the
Philippines, preceding the Austronesian migrations.

The Aeta were included in the group of people termed “Negrito” duringSpanish colonial rule as Negritos.
Various Aeta groups in northern Luzon are known as “Pugut” or “Pugot,” a name designated by their Ilocano-
speaking neighbors, and which is the colloquial term for those with darker complexions. In Ilocano, the word
also means “goblin” or “forest spirit.”

In terms of forest food, we learned that Aeta’s primarily plant mountain rice, wild bananas, corn, and
root crops like ube (a form of taro), kamoteng kahoy (cassava) and kamoteng baging (mountain yams).
Wild bananas called amukaw have lots of tiny black seeds, which are strained before the edible part of
the banana is made into a refreshing juice. The extract is believed to cure “pasma” (trembling hands and
sweaty palms that occur after hard labor).

Kalot undergoes an intense preparation of soaking, shredding and drying before it is finally cooked
inside a hollow bamboo stalk, as we saw later that night. Once it was cooked, we were quickly offered a
taste of the kalot with makeshift bamboo sticks used as spoons. Since we had nothing to lose except our
lives, we had to try it. Kalot tasted a bit bland and chewy like rice and I thought it would go really well if
eaten with the salty tapa to balance out the flavors.
BADJAO PEOPLE -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 famil

FOOD
 Regarding about their background on culture, beliefs and costume, many Badjao of the east coast
retain their seaborne lifestyle, together with remnants of traditional pre-Islamic beliefs. Focusing on
their mode of dressing the traditional attire of a Badjao is the “patadjong.” It has many uses. They are
made large enough to fit any person and are used by both men and women as a skirt or gown tucked at
the chest level. It can serve as head cover, waistband, sash, blanket, hammock, shoulder bag, cradle,
pouch, hood, or pillow.The women’s “sablay” is a loosed sleeved blouse reaching down to the hips. A
“simpay” (band) forms the front opening and extends to the back from a small collar. A woman’s typical
accessories are jewelry and colored combs. The bracelet is the most popular ornament. Other pieces of
jewelry are the pendant, earring, ring, necklace, and anklet.
The Maranao are a splinter group of the Maguindanao who took up Islam; families tracing their
religious origins to Sharif Kabunsuan, who introduced the religion to the
region. Communities are clustered around a mosque and a torogan, a royal house belonging to
the preeminent economic household in the area.

CULTURE AND TRADITION

The Maranaos are superstitious. They believe in the hidden powers of the ANTING-ANTING amulets.
These Items which they wear on their necks, arms or legs believed to bring them good luck.

Courting a Maranao lady could be difficult. A suitor should be the most hardworking and
patient bachelor in town. A go-between who will mediate for the contracting parties of the groom
needed. The parents of the groom contact the parents of the bride regarding the desire of their son
marry. The woman's family announces the dowry. When all is settled, the wedding celebration takes
place In fun and me

CUISINE
Maranao cuisine is quite spicy, with spices mixed up. Traditionally cultivated spices, locally known
as palapa (Bontang, native product in Gandamatu) are a common condiment.[11] It is made of stewed
scallion bulbs or “sakurab” in Maranao. Thinly sliced scallion bulbs and ginger are caramelized by slow
cooking and mixed with chilies and coconut oil.[12]

Dishes are intertwined with important cultural rituals across all aspects of Maranao culture: from birth
to death.