LESSON 1
initiation of the Badjao life which is based on kinship with the sea.
R.A. 8371 - Indigenous People’s Right Act of 1997 (IPRA) – is a legislation that
recognize and promote all the rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous
Peoples of the Philippines (ICCs/IPs).
The Act makes provision for the promotion and recognition of the rights of the
Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/Ips) with a view to
preserve their culture, traditions and institutions and to ensure the equal protection and
non-discrimination of members. The Act is divided into the
The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) was created by virtue of R.A.
No. 8317. It is the primary government agency responsible for the formulation and
implementation of policies, plans and programs to recognize, protect and promote the
rights and well being of the Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) and Indigenous
Peoples (Ips) with due regard to their ancestral domains and lands, self-governance
and empowerment, social justice, human rights and cultural integrity.
APPLAI
 Western Mountain province which is composed of the municipalities of
Besao, Sagada, and parts of Sabangan, Bauko and Tadian.
 Sometimes called as the Kankanaeys because of some similarities but
Congressman Alfredo Lam-en had the Applai accredited as a separate
tribe.
 activities like wet farming, slash and burn agriculture, camote farming,
trade and handicraft like backloom weaving, bamboo basket weaving, and
pottery; also raise fruits and vegetables; and also raise domestic animals.
Pigs are raised in their dugungan or dongo.
 Applai villages are divided into sections into dap-ay or abong – a place to
meet and settle disputes, hold meetings and also serves as the center of
all religious rites. The amam-a (council of elders) forms the decision
making body for the dap-ay.
Two Social Classes:
1. Kadangyan – the rich
2. Kodo – the poor
The old folks of good standing of the community serve as the master of the ceremony
for the weddings, death or other community related affairs.
Kabunyan – known as the supreme being of the Applai.
BADJAO
 popularly known as the “Sea Gypsies” of the Sulu and Celebes sea.
 a Malayan –Bornean word which connotes “man of the seas” or Orang
Laut in Bahasa Malayo.
 Majority of the Badjaos live most of their lives in houseboats and barter
their sea products for farm produce as fruits and cassava.
Three classification according to lifestyle:
1. Siasi Island group – are semi-sedentary.
2. Sitangkai group – builds permanent homes on the shore.
3. Sakayan group – lives in houseboats.
The other boats are called lipa, vinta, pelang and kumpit.
 Others are scattered in Davao, Surigao, Zamboanga, Basilan, Bohol,
Cebu, and Manila in search of livelihood.
 Physical features: sturdy built, dark brown skin, and bronze hair.
 are oppressed tribe.
 Palao or lumaan (God forsaken) by the Tausug and Samals who always
look down on them. They used to live on land but the constant pressure of
their safety by other tribes forced them to seek the sea and eventually
found that the sea afforded them greater avenues of escape in the event
of attack.
 They learned to exploit the sea. Their prowess is in fishing and raising
seaweeds and oyster. Pearl gathering is another option. They also gather
other sea products like shells, sea cucumbers, turtle eggs, etc) to sell at
the market.
 Sama language – dialect of Badjaos.
 A childbirth practice of throwing the infant into the sea served as the
 Panggi – is the staple food of the Badjao (cassava and fish). Rice is
served only for dessert.
 Marriage is done on the third (3rd) menstrual period of the girl to solve the
cramped living condition in the houseboat.
 Panglima – Badjao leader who is empowered to settle disputes, collect
fines, and solemnize marriages which is usually the older member of who
possess individual innate qualities, wisdom and ability to get followers.
BAGO
 a tribal group that is a product of intermarriage between the Ilocanos of
the lowland and different ICCs of the Cordillera.
 Settled between mountain ranges of Ilocos and borders of the Ilocos
Provinces.
 a tribal group that is a product of intermarriage between the Ilocanos of
the lowland and different ICCs of the Cordillera.
 Settled between mountain ranges of Ilocos and borders of Ilocos
Provinces, La Union, and Pangasinan.
 They are medium-built, having fair complexion and sturdy built.
 Crash cropping – is very dominant in their farm products.
 Tobacco-drying barns are frequently found together with harvest of garlic
and onion.
 Gamal, Ammuy, and Bunggoy – a working relationship in farming
methods which initiates farm workers at harvest time.
 Gov. Lupo Biteng of Ilocos Sur and his son Jonathan Biteng who also
rose to become the Municipal Mayor of the same town are the known
prominent members of this tribe.
BAGOBO
 Are proud people with proto-Malaysian features.
 Have ornate traditions in weaponry and other metal arts.
 They are noted for their skill in producing brass articles through the
ancient lost-wax process.
 Are composed of three (3) subgroups namely:
o Tagabawa
o Clata or Guiangan
o Ubo
 Also weave abaca cloths, make basket that are trimmed with beads, fibers
and horse’s hair.
LESSON 2
The Tagabawa of Davao del Sur and North Cotabato, the Guiangan/Clata of Davao
City and the Ubo of Davao del Sur and Davao City are the different Bagobo
communities.
UBO – is a Manobo sub-tribe found between the more isolated mountains of
Southwest Cotabato in the area called Datal Tabayong and farther down Davao del
Sur.
 They indulged in swidden or slash-and-burn farming planting with rice, root
crops, and vegetables for food purposes. Sometimes they are food gatherers in
the forest and indulge in hunting games.
 Parents negotiate the marriage of their children and the family of the man must
pay the dowry before the wedding is set. Polygamy is practiced provided the
man is capable of paying the bride price for each wife and provided that the first
wife would give her consent. The first wife will initiate the duway.
 They believe in a number of spirits headed by Diwata (God). Being animist, they
also believe in ancestral spirits and unseen beings inhabiting the animate and
 inanimate objects in the environment. Everytime they ask favor, they have to
offer sacrifices to gain their desire.
 The political leader and Datu in the village attains his position by virtue of
wealth, speaking ability and knowledge of customary law called fendan. His
main responsibility includes settling disputes among members of the family,
neighbors, and community. Once a fine is set or imposed by the Datu, the
accused has to pay it to the aggrieved party and if he cannot pay, he will
become servant to the one who pays for him. This practice is called dok.
BALANGAO – sometimes called Boliwons, and are settlers of the Eastern Mt.
Province specifically the towns of Barlig, Natonin, and parts of Paracelis.
 The Balangao dialect has dominant “ch”, “r”, and “f” sounds.
 Balangaos had always been farmers and make quality bamboo/rattan. Weaving
and blacksmithing are their other crafts, including hunting because they still
have virgin forests in their areas.
 Some Balangaos migrated to the cities and mines to seek greener pasture, but
their hometown is still their ili (belonging to their own) where they go home from
time to time to meet their obligations as true Balangao sons.
BANTOANON – The name Bantoanon comes from the island of Banton where they
live, but some Bantoanons came from the islands of Simara and Sibale. The mode of
livelihood among the Bantoanons are fishing, upland and lowland agriculture, trade
and business.
 To the Bantoanons, education is a very important aspect of life. They find ways
and means to acquire better education for a better living and they believe that
hard work, perseverance, and dedication will give them a better education.
 The Bantoanons are a health-conscious people and most of them consider that
“health is wealth.” In addition, the Bantoanons of Romblon province are easily
identified by their last/family names which usually start with the letter “F”. The
Bantoanons speak a local dialect called Asi.
B’LAAN – The B’laans are another pro-Malayan indigenous group found mostly in
Davao del Sur and South Cotabato. The B’laans adhere to sedentary form of
agriculture and engage in other economic endeavors for their subsistence and
development. Although many have adapted the ways of modern Filipino and have
been integrated into the body politic, they still believe and practice their indigenous
rituals and customs.
The B’laans observe certain rituals in their planting cycle. In these rituals, they make
offerings to their deities requesting for signs to know where to best make a clearing for
a particular season. Their deities are as follows:
 Melu – The Supreme Being and creator
 Sawe – Joined Melu to live in the world
 Fiuwe – A spirit who lived in the sky
 D'wata – A spirit who joined Fiuwe to live in the sky
 Tasu Weh – The evil spirit
 Fon Kayoo – The spirit of the trees
 Fon Eel – The spirit of water
Bird hunting dance (admulak) – another ritual practiced by the B’laans.
The B’laans practice swidden agriculture. They grow rice, corn, sugarcane, banana,
papaya, and other rootcrops. Some of their crops are used as barter commodities in
exchange for tools and other utensils that they need.
LESSON 3
BONTOC (IGOROTS) – are found in the Mountain Province of the Cordillera ranges.
Their life, cultures, and personalities are profoundly motivated by the religious
practices and rituals which have a historical depth of religious legends and
supernatural traditions. Kinship among them serves both as a unifying and satisfying
factor as illustrated in the performance of rituals.
The costume of the people is simple. The men wear a long strips of handwoven loin
cloth called wanes. The women wear a kind of wrap-around skirt called lufid.
Men have more authority in matters of the beliefs and practices of the community than
women.
For the Bontoc family, children are the important link. Barren marriages are generally
dissolved. A marriage is considered barren if no child results from the union after five
years of marriage.
Among the Bontocs, the cycle of their existence revolves around the Ato. It is the place
where the Council of Elders hold various ceremonies, meeting and events. The Ato is
also a public structure used as dormitory by the bachelors, young boys, widowers, and
the visitors to the village. It serves as a gathering place where all the men of the village
spend the rest day call Tengao. It is here where their unwritten code of ethics was
formulated. The code urges Bontoc:
 To respect the properties of others for people must lead good honest
lives.
 To be brothers to all men.
In the past generations, the Bontocs were known as fierce head-hunters. This
common practice was both duty and honor. Although they no longer practice head-
hunting, they still do today to avenge the death of a fellow tribesmen.
BUGKALOT/ILONGOT – The Bugkalots are found in the provinces of Nueva Ecija,
Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and Aurora.
The Bugkalots subsist on the kaingin system of agriculture with root crops as their
main product. The main occupation is hunting wild game in the forest and Conwap
rivers.
The Bugkalots are known for their colorful attire, musical instruments, and artifacts
which are shown in their blow-up pictures in museums patronized by foreign tourists in
eastern and western Europe. Their popular festive dances is called baleleng. Their
more hideous ritual which rallies all Bugkalots, male and female, is seen in the buayat,
but this is not shown to the Christians.
DUMAGAT – The term Dumagat may have been derived from the word gubat (forest)
and hubad. The origin of its name is taga-dagat which referred to “sea gypsies”.
They typify the outstanding negrito physical traits of dark brown to black color and
curly hair. The few cases of straight hair and light complexion may be chiefly the result
of mixture with lowland Christians. They have beautifully proportioned bodies, arms,
legs, and breasts especially among women. Their stature compares to an average
Filipino. The women stand at 4 feet 10 inches to 5 feet 4 inches and the men tower
from 5 feet to 5 feet 9 inches.
The Dumagats are found in the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya,
Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Rizal and Bulacan. They live in single-pole make-
shift nipa huts along river banks during summertime and move to sturdier dwellings on
higher grounds during the monsoon rains.
They live the life of hunters and rattan traders. Hunting is their basic occupation. Their
weapons consist of bow and arrow. Hunting with dogs is a favorite technique. A
scraped and are ready to split into smaller pieces rattan are delivered to their tabong
(market) in the lowlands and exchange them for rice, sugar, salt, and other
commodities. They also use the kaingin system of farming. They also live by fishing
with hooks, traps and spears.
For the Dumagat, there is no wedding ceremony but a simple celebration to which the
couple’s relatives and guests are invited and at which the union is announced. As
simply as the union is made, so too is its dissolution. A Dumagat separates simply by
mutual consent.
The Dumagats have no structured religion of their own although they claim to believe
in nameless, faceless gods whom they invoke to protect them from danger. They are
peace-loving people. When they die, usually of sickness or old age, their remains are
placed in simple coffins of buho or bamboo and buried in silence. No prayers are
offered over the graves, no sad songs chanted. Relatives and friends of the dead put
aromatic herbs around their arms to serve as their perfume.
GADDANG – The Term Gaddang means carabao hide or pelt. It is said that the
Gaddangs have already been using carabao hide for making rope long before abaca
was discovered for this purpose. The term Gaddang has been used in referring to this
indigenous group located in Nueva Ecija, Isabela, Quirino, and Cagayan.
The Gaddangs have long been acculturated unlike their other brother who still practice
some of their traditional ways. Most of them sport body tattoos.
The traditional pattern of economic activity s swidden agriculture in well-forested
areas, supplemented by the raising of crash crops such as maize and tobacco.

LESSON 4
IBALOY
 Occupy the Southeast of Benguet (municipalities of Kabayan, Bokod,
Tuba, Itogon, Tublay, La Trinidad, Sablan, and Atok)
 They speak Nabaloy – linguistic sound nearer to the Pangasinanse
 They are peaceful, hardworking and hospitable tribesmen.
 Generally fair complexion and have well-developed bodies, usually
standing 4 – 5 feet above in height. They have medium and narrow noses
and some have broad flat noses. They have deep-seated brown and black
eyes. Most of the women have straight and long hair although some have
curly hair.
 They are predominantly farmers.
 Rice is the main crop of Kabayan and other Ibaloy munipalities where
irrigation waters from rivers and streams to the rice fields through
constructed canals allow two croppings a year.
 They also raise livestock.
 They may also be gold panners (panejew)
IBANAG
 Also known as Ybanag, Ybanak or Ibanak
 Are concentrated in the provinces of Cagayan, Nueva Viscaya, and
Isabela and are among the minority of people that live along the banks of
the Cagayan River.
 They are the most assimilable and adaptable among groups of the Filipino
people.
 They are agricultural and clanish people.
 They are reputed to be the tallest of all the ethno-linguistic in the
Philippines and are often distinguish themselves by the color of their
elbows.
 Marriage customs are made simple by shouldering all the expenses by
both parties.
 Umune-ca (dowry) and maginterga are still part of the traditions.
 Couples without children are deemed unlucky and are believed to be
punished because they place a great value on children.
 Lutung – a wooden container from a bark of a tree wherein a small piece
is taken from it, pulverized, burned and mixed with coffee and will be
served to an expectant woman on a full moon with chanting of prayers.
 The Ibanags still practice their traditions and customs especially in the far-
flung barrios.
 Other are already educated and blended with the cultural majority.
IFUGAO
 Inhabit the rugged terrain of the extensive Cordillera Mountain ranges of
Central Northern Luzon.
 They called themselves “i-pugao” or inhabitants of the known earth.
 Burnay and Banaue are the two known dialects.
 Agricultural terracing is their principal means of livelihood along with
farming.
 Hingot is the bethrothal ritual which announces the union of two families
marriage among the Ifugaos.
 Amung is a sacrificial ritual wherein the gods and the family’s ancestors
are asked to make a body healthy, the mother well and strong and the
family wealthy.
 Ketema is a ritual intended to identify the spirit who caused a certain
sickness.
 Ayag is a ritual performed to identify the evil spirits who caused an illness.
 Kolot is a ritual for the first cutting of the child’s hair.
 Hudhud (narrative literature) - epic dealing with hero ancestors sung in a
poetic manner.
 Bulul also known as bul-ul or tinagtaggu, is a carved wooden figure used
to guard the rice crop by the Ifugao
 Hagabi are traditionally large ceremonial benches carved for
wealthy Ifugao families as a symbol of wealth, power and prestige.
 Houses were well-built, characterized by as a square with wooden floors,
windowless walls, and pyramidal thatch roofs. Elevated from the ground
by four sturdy tree trunks, they feature removable staircases that were
hoisted up at night to prevent entry by enemies and/or wild animals.
 wanno or g-string for men; there are six types of wanno which are used
depending on the occasion or the man's social status.
 Ifugao women, on the contrary, wear tapis, a wraparound skirt; there are
five kinds of skirts worn, depending on the occasion and/or status of the
woman.  
IKALAHAN
 The term Ikalahan is derived from the world Kalahan which refers to the
type of forest trees growing in the area. Prefix I denotes residents.
 They are short people, fair complexioned, black round eyes and black
straight and silky hair. Noses are fairly developed. They are shy and they
live in far flung areas, unreached by any type of transportation.
 Ikalahan economy is basically agricultural. Swidden gardens is the
primary source of agriculture.
 Raising pigs and chickens is an important part of Ikalahan economy.
 Handicrafts such as making brooms, baskets and backpacks are seasonal
industries in Ikalahan homes.
 Gongs, Gangsa, guitar or galdang, pakgong, and ko-lin (low harp) are the
musical instruments.
 Nangkaama- or the elders are the person in authority.
 Tongtongan is the highest arbitration body in the Ikalahan society. It is
composed of the elders acting as judges and counselors at the same
time.
LESSON 5
ILIANEN
 Manawen (people from the lake) is the original form of the name Ilianen.
 are very closely related culturally and linguistically to both the
Maguindanaon and the Maranaos.
 Concentrated along Iliana Bay coast, north of the mouth of Pulangi River
all the way to Sibugay Bay in Zamboanga River.
 They are all active traders and historically they were great buccaneers.
 Most of them engaged in fishing while the rest raise food crops.
 Men provide food for their families through subsistence fishing and
farming. Women help in food-gathering to augment their meager harvest.
 A "datu " heads the tribe and together with a council they form the timuay
(governing body" which is the highest class in their society. The other four
are the walian or "shaman" (spiritual leaders), the warrior, and the
commoner. They still practice rituals like the Samaya-an Festival, a
thanksgiving celebration.
 Originally,they were animists but with the advent of Christian missionaries
some of them converted to different Christianity or other religions.
ISINAY
 are located in three (3) towns of Dupax, Bambang, and Aritao in the
province of Nueva Viscaya.
 Isinays are Malay blend but with a high percentage of short people, fair
complexioned, with rounded big eyes, natural hair, high cheek bones,
well -shaped nose and widened lips. Women are physically more buxom
than men.
 They are known as religious people observing the daily oracion and
pasyon during the Holy Week.
 They are markedly conservative and adhere to the old practices.
Evidence is the disapproval of the intermarriages between members of
their tribe and neighboring folk.
 Pansisipe – a meticulous care that is given to the woman during
pregnancy to insure the mother and the child’s welfare.
 Do’s and Don’ts are strictly followed after giving birth. (Example: a
woman is advised not to take a bath for ten days and carefully select the
food she will eat.
 80% of their sustenance is derived from agriculture.
 Tabuu is fishing in the river using net and panipit using bamboo - is
practiced by fishermen which comprised 5% of the population.
 Others are carpenters, laborers, and animal raisers.
 Middle class Isinay manage their own ranches and raises their carabaos
for market.
ISNAG
 Small ethnolinguistic group in the mountains of Apayao.
 Various names have been used to designate Isnay like los
Apayaos and los Mandayas – is an Isnag word meaning
“upstream”.
 They live in settlements along the river, but move up to hills to tend
their farms during certain seasons of the year.
  Isnag – also called Isneg is their native language although most
Isnag also speak Ilocano.
 They build their houses rather together, both for protection and
companionship.
 They are known for head-hunting activities because of the
following reasons:
o For religious reasons
o For prestige
o As a qualification for marriage
o For revenge
 Households consist of interrelated families living close to each
other, and extended families of three generations living together in
their balay.
 The family is the key element in society, the larger the better,
headed by the husband. 
 The bravest, Kamenglan, is the overall leader.
 They are animistic and practice polygamy if a man happens to own
a large kaingin
 Amazon-like women have a decided edge over the fragile ones in
the contest of the affection of man. Lots of Isnag women work in the
kaingin (swidden fields).
 Marriage between cousins or kin occur at times, but only because of
such factors as scarcity of women, difficulty of travel and enmity
with other tribes.
 Failure to have children is the principal reason for divorce

ITAWES
 Inhabits the territory drained by the Chico and Matalog
Rivers.
 They got their name from “tawid”.
 Itawes mode of dressing are colorful with red being the
dominant color. Woman used to wear beads of their heads.
 Farming is the leading source of livelihood which comprises
of almost 75% of the population.
 They are educated-conscious as shown by the number of
their children being sent to school.
 They speak Ibanag and Ilocano.
 Their dialect has other peculiar characteristics such as the
frequent use of double consonants like cc, kk, w.
 Itawes are charming, friendly, and sociable group.
 Death among the Itawes galvanizes not only the family but
the whole community into action. Usual church rites for the
wakes and burial are observed.
 Pasingaan which means “to show” or “present” – first stage of
the Itawes marriage wherein the couple goes to the parish
church for confession and present themselves to the parish
priest for his advice.
 Annafunan – a reconciliation dance wherein the man tries to
win back the love of his woman.
 Kilingkingan – a dance that derives its name from a small bird
that lives in caves and has a call that resembles the sound of
a bamboo castanets.
 La Jota Cagayana – a dance which bears the energy, gaiety
and liveliness of the community.
 When one of the family members is pregnant, Itawes makes
sure that visitors do not stand in doorways and that no none
sits on the stairway because they believe that it is a bad luck
for the pregnant woman because she might have difficulty in
delivering the baby in her womb.
 During the wake of the deceased family member in the
house, the bereaved family are prohibited to take a bath, to
comb hair, and to sweep the floor because the Itawes believe
that it will bring bad luck to the family.