Badjao

The tribe of Badjao resides in the islands of Sulu, one of the islands in Mindanao. They are sea-
faring people. They are known for their artistically-woven, colorful sails. A majority of the Badjaos
practice Islam, while a few of them have animalistic beliefs. They still believe in a medium, a person
mediating between them and the gods.

-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

Igorots
The Igorots are comprised of many tribes that reside in the Cordillera mountain ranges. They are
known to be rice-cultivators. In fact, the Ifugaos, a variety of the Igorot tribe built the Banaue Rice
Terraces, one of the most famous historical and architectural attractions in

-Igorot means mountain people

-The men wear long strips of handwoven loin cloth called “wanes”. The woman wear a
kind of wrap-around skirt called “lufid

Animism
Description
Animism is the religious belief that objects, places and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual
essence. Potentially, animism perceives all things—animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather systems,
human handiwork and perhaps even words—as animated and alive.

Ilongot
This tribe resides in the east mountains of Luzon called Sierra Madre. Many anthropologists and
historians find the Ilongot society to be interesting. There is equality between men and women, and
both parents usually take motherly roles.

-The Ilongot are buried in a sitting position. If a woman died in childbirth or experienced a violent
death her hands tied to her feet to prevent her "ghost" from roaming.

-Members of the Ilongot tribe are probably the closest things to real life Tarzans. Using 30 foot
pieces of rattan Ilongots travel through the thick jungle by swinging from tree to tree. One end of the
rattan vine has a hook on it which is hooked around a tree limb. Holding on to the vine with their
hands and toes the tribesmen are to able to swing from one branch to another.

Lumad
Lumad is a term used to refer to the tribes comprising the eastern parts of Mindanao. They are
known for tribal music that makes use of unique instruments they have constructed.

1.) The Kubing – The bamboo jaw harp

2.) The Kulintang – Gong Ensemble
3.) The Kudyapi – The Two Stringed Instrument
Mangyan
The Mangyans of Mindoro are one of the most popular tribes in the Philippines. Among all the
existing tribes in the Philippines, they have the largest population. They practice ancient hunting and
animalist religious views, although about 10% have been converted to Christianity

-Mangyan are mainly subsistence agriculturalists, planting a variety of sweet potato,

upland (dry cultivation) rice, and taro. They also trap small animals and wild pig. Many
who live in close contact with lowland Filipinos sell cash crops such as bananas and
ginger.

Palawan Tribes
The region of Palawan is house to a number of tribes. Palawan is one of the regions in
the Philippines that has not completely embraced urbanism, thus making it perfect as residence to
many of the indigenous people. Most of the Palawan tribes live on fishing and hunting.
Tumadok
The Tumadok tribe is probably one of the very few tribes existing in the Visayas region. They usually
reside in the Panay Island. They have kept their traditions strictly until now, probably because of
their geographical location. They are separated from the other residents with a series of mountain
ranges.
It is wonderful to see that there are still many of these existent tribes in the Philippines. While they
grow less and less in number because some tribe members choose to embrace modernity, many of
these tribes strive to keep their cultural traditions alive.
Most of the tribes keep their traditions through art. For instance, the Igorots still do farming and
cultivation, and most of them wear their woven cloth costume. The Ifugaos are very much attractive
to many Filipinos and foreigners because of their unusual costume, especially the males who wear
something similar to a G-string. The Badjaos are known for their colorful sails and even until now,
you would see their boats artistically sailing in the
The Philippine government exerted effort in protecting the historical lands of these tribes. During the
late World War period, many of these tribes lost their lands to realtors. Because of this, their
population made a sudden drop. In order to retain their beautiful culture, the government extended
help in preserving artifacts and continuing their traditions. In the past it was quite hard to do, but with
the help of Non-government organizations (NGOs), the tribes were able to combine modernity and
still keep their traditions alive.
If you are travelling to the Philippines, you probably would see a few of these tribes. The Igorots of
the Cordillera usually associate with people. However, some tribes like the Mangyans of Mindoro are
secluded in their lands and you have to travel to them if you want to see their ways of living. Many
foreigners enjoy immersing in their special culture because of its complexity and uniqueness.