Philippine Indigenous communities

Module 1

Introduction to Philippine Indigenous Communities

Philippine Indigenous Communities:

 There are 134 ethnic groups in the refers to ethnolinguistic groups or

Philippines, the majority of which are subgroups that maintain lt of partial
indigenous, Philippine population is isolation, or independence,
constituted by only 8-10 percent  The term indigenous when applied
lowland. to the Philippine population can be a
 Philippine population is constituted by deceptive misnomer, connoting
only 8-10 percent lowland. alien migrant populations who have
 There are two (2) groups of Indigenous over time become the majority
communities. The Lowland and the high
ethnolinguistic and cultural group in
land Indigenous communities.
the land and thereby pushing
 Austronesians making up the
indigens to the fringes of socio-
overwhelming majority, while full or
cultural inclusion, such as
partial Australo-Melanesians
 Americas, Middle East, Australia, or
scattered throughout the
New Zealand. Contrarily
archipelago. The highland
 Culturally-indigenous peoples of
Austroneians and Australo-
northern Philippine highlands can be
Melanesians have co-existed with
grouped into the Igorot (comprising
their lowland Austronesian kin and
many different groups) and singular
neighbor groups for thousands of
Bugkalot groups
years in the Philippine archipelago.
 The non-Muslim culturally-
 The primary difference is that they
indigenous groups of ainland
were not absorbed by centuries of
Mindanao are collectively called
Spanish and United States
Lumad.
colonization of the Philippines, and
 Australo-Melanesian groups
in the process have retained their
throughout the archipelago are
customs and traditions. This is
termed Aeta, Ita, Ati, Dumagat,
mainly due to the rugged
among others.
inaccessibility of the mountains and
established headhunting and warrior LOWLAND
cultures, which discouraged Spanish
Luzon lowland Indigenous people are
and American colonizers from
coming into contact with the Bicolano, Ibanag, Ilocano, Ilingot,
highlanders Itawen, Iyatan, Kapangpangan,
 In the interest of clarity, the term Pangasinan, Sambal, and Tagalog.
indigenous as used in the Philippines
 Visayas lowland indigenous people are:
Ibanag, Aklanon, Boholano, Capiznon,
Cebuano, Eskaya, Hiligaynon, Karay –a ,
Masnateno, Negrese, Porohanon,
Romblowanon, Surigaonon, and Waray:
Mindanao lowland indigenous people
are: Sangirese, Zamboangueno, Moro
indigenous people, Bajao, Banguingui,
Iranun, Maguindanao Maranao, Samal,
Tausug, Yakan,
HIGHLAND
Igorot indigenous group of people: Balangao,
Bontoc, Ibaloi, Ifugao, Esneg, Kalinga,
kankanaey, and Tinguian Lumad indigenous
group of people: Blaan, Bulidnon, Higaonon,
Mamanwa, Mandaya, Manobo, Subanon,
Tsaday, Teduray, And Tboli. Mangyan -
Ratagnon, Negrito - Aeta, Ati, Batak,
Mamanwa, Palaweno - Agutaynen, Cuyunon,
Palawano, Batak, Tagbanua, Molbog Suludnon
- Suludnon /Tumandok.
Lesson Title: DEMOGRAPHICS OF PHILIPPINE
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
In the 1990s, there were more than 100
highland tribal groups constituting
approximately 3% of the population.
Ethnic Groups
Northern Philippines
The traditional Kalinga dancers.
Southern Philippines
A Moro woman
Reservations Kampilan are weapons used by
Rajahs and Datus.
BATAK PEOPLE: Philippine Indigenous People
The Batak are one of about 140 indigenous
peoples of the Philippines.
They are located in the northeastern portions
of Palawan, Puerto Princesa City
There are only about 450 Batak remaining
according to a 1990 census. Also called
Tinitianes,
They tend to be small in stature, with dark skin
and short curly or "kinky" hair, traits which
originally garnered the "Negrito" groups their
name
HISTORY
The Batak have for centuries combined a
hunting-gathering lifestyle with seeding of
useful food plants, kaingin, a slash and burn
farming method and trading.
CULTURE
The Batak were once a nomadic people, but
have since, at the behest of the government,
settled in small villages. Their belief system is
that of animism, which is belief in spirits that
reside in nature. They classify spirits into the
"Panya'en" who are malevolent and the
"Diwata" are generally benevolent but are also
capricious.
SUBSISTENCE
The Batak today engage in many occupations
which includes foraging, selling forest derived
goods, shifting cultivation, and workers under
Filipino farmers or other employers.
Indigenous Batak Religion
The panya'en are considered sinister beings
while the diwata are more benevolent but
capricious entities. These spirits (especially the
diwata) and more are said to only be visible to
shamans and these beings are claimed to
inhabit specific trees, streams, and more.
Panya'en are believed to aggressively protect
the various forests and riverine resources that
the Batak utilize. Wasting, overusing, or
disrespecting these resources or its animals are
said to anger the panya'en protector who then
punishes the culprit(s) with illness or death.
Maguimba - Who in remotest times lived
among the people, having been summoned by
a powerful babaylan, and he supplied all the
necessities of Batak life, as well as all the cures
for illness. He even had the power to bring the
dead back to life.
Diwata - Provided for the needs of men and
women, and gives out rewards for good deeds.
Sanbay is a ritual in honor of Diwata, who is
asked by the people to bless them with
generous harvests of palay (unhusked rice) and
honey. This ritual takes place inside a forest,
about 2–3 km from the beach. Two huts are
constructed for the ritual. Palay is placed in one
of the huts. A replica of a beehive, meanwhile,
is situated in another small hut. Prayers are
recited to Diwata by the babaylan, after which
the people in attendance gather together in
festive eating, drinking, and dancing.
Angoro - Lives in Basad, a place beyond this
world where the souls of the dead go, and it is
there where they come to know if they are to
proceed to Lampanag (heaven) or be cast into
depths of the Basad, where fire and boiling
water await these hapless ones.
Module 2
The Lumad are a group of Austronesian
indigenous people in the southern Philippines.
It is a Cebuano term meaning "native" or
"indigenous". The term is short for Katawhang
Lumad
Lumad Mindanao Peoples Federation (LMPF)
founding assembly on 26 June 1986 at the
Guadalupe Formation Center, Balindog,
Kidapawan, Cotabato, Philippines
Lumad people
The Bagobo people in their traditional attire
The name Lumad grew out of the political
awakening among tribes during the martial law
regime of President Ferdinand Marcos. It was
advocated and propagated by the members
and affiliates of Lumad-Mindanao, a coalition of
all Lumad local and regional organizations
which formalized themselves as such in June
1986 but started in 1983 as a multi-sectoral
organization. Lumad-Mindanao’s main
objective was to achieve self-determination for
their member-tribes
Representatives from 15 tribes agreed in June
1986
The Lumad are the un-Islamized and un-
Christianized Austronesian peoples of
Mindanao. They include groups like the
Erumanen ne Menuvu', Matidsalug Manobo,
Agusanon Manobo, Dulangan Manobo, Dabaw
Manobo, Ata Manobo, B'laan, Kaulo, Banwaon,
Bukidnon, Teduray, Lambangian, Higaunon,
Dibabawon, Mangguwangan, Mansaka,
Mandaya, K'lagan, Subanen, Tasaday, Tboli,
Mamanuwa, Tagakaolo, Talaandig, Tagabawa,
Ubu', Tinenanen, Kuwemanen, K'lata and
Diyangan. Considered as "vulnerable groups",
they live in hinterlands, forests, lowlands and
coastal areas.
The term lumad excludes the Butuanons and
BAGOBO: Philippine Indigenous People
The Bagobo are one of the largest subgroups of
the Manobo peoples. They comprise three
subgroups: the Tagabawa, the Klata (or
Guiangan), and the Ovu (also spelled Uvu or
Ubo) peoples. The Bagobo were formerly
nomadic and farmed through kaingin (slash-
and-burn) methods. Their territory extends
from the Davao Gulf to Mt. Apo. They are
traditionally ruled by chieftains (matanum), a
council of elders (magani), and female shamans
(mabalian). The supreme spirit in their
indigenous anito religions is Eugpamolak
Manobo or Manama.
Some Bagobo people have abandoned their
tribal roots and embraced modern life, but
most of the tribe's members remain proud
of their heritage, traditions and their native
cultural identity
Blaan: Philippines Indigenous People
The Blaan is an indigenous group that is
concentrated in Davao del Sur and South
Cotabato. They practice indigenous rituals while
adapting to the way of life of modern Filipinos.
HISTORY
Some Blaan natives were displaced when
General Santos City was founded in 1939.
Others settled in the city.
Their language is said to be the source of the
name for Koronadal City, from two Blaan words
– kalon meaning cogon grass and nadal or datal
meaning plain, which aptly described the place
for the natives. On the other hand, Marbel,
which is another name for the poblacion, is a
Blaan term malb-el which means "murky
waters" referring to a river, now called Marbel
River.
Brass and copper work and beadwork
The Blaan have a tradition of creating art from
brass and copper. The Blaan smelt brass and
copper to produce small bells and handles of
long knives. These knives, called the fais, are
made with intricately designed brass.
HIGAONON: Philippine Indigenous People
The Higaonon is located on the provinces of
Bukidnon, Agusan del Sur, Misamis Oriental,
Camiguin (used to be Kamiguing), Rogongon in
Iligan City, and Lanao del Norte. The Higaonons
have a rather traditional way of living. Farming
is the most important economic activity.
Kalagan: Philippine Indigenous People
Also spelled "K'lagan" or (by the Spanish)
"Caragan", is a subroup of the Mandaya-
Mansaka people who speak the Kalagan
language. They are one of the Muslim
minority groups in Mindanao and belong to
the 13 Muslim Moro tribes of the
Bangsamoro family. They are thought to be
one of the various groups of lowland
Filipinos who came to the islands from
Asia's southwestern mainland several
thousand years ago.
KAMIGIN: Philippine Indigenous People
A subgroup of the Manobo people from the
island of Camiguin. They speak the Kamigin
language and are closely related to the Manobo
groups from Surigao del Norte.[13]
MAMANWA: Philippine Indigenous People
The Mamanwa is a Negrito tribe often grouped
together with the Lumad. They come from
Leyte, Agusan del Norte, and Surigao provinces
in Mindanao; primarily in Kitcharao and
Santiago, Agusan del Norte,[14] though they are
lesser in number and more scattered and
nomadic than the Manobos and Mandaya tribes
who also inhabit the region. Like all Negritos,
the Mamanwas are phenotypically distinct from
the lowlanders and the upland living Manobos,
exhibiting curly hair and much darker skin
tones.
LUMAD is a Bisayan term meaning “native” or
“indigenous”. It is adopted by a group of 15
from a more than 18 Mindanao ethnic groups
in their Cotabato Congress in June 1986 to
distinguish them from the other Mindanaons,
Moro or Christian. Its usage was accepted
during the Cory Administration when R.A.
6734, the word Lumad was used in Art. XIII sec.
8(2) to distinguish these ethnic communities
from the Bangsa Moro.

The following are the group of Lumads,

presented in this Lessons are Mandaya,
Manobo, ,Mansaka, Matigsalog , Sange , and
Subanon

MANDAYA: Philippine Indigenous People

A hat from the Mandaya people made up of

palm, bamboo, feathers, cotton, fiber and
beads, housed at the Honolulu Museum of
Art."Mandaya" derives from "man" meaning
"first," and "daya" meaning "upstream" or
"upper portion of a river," and therefore means
"the first people upstream". It refers to a
number of groups found along the mountain
ranges of Davao Oriental, as well as to their
customs, language, and beliefs. The Mandaya
are also found in Compostela and New Bataan
in Compostela Valley (formerly a part of Davao
del Norte Province).

The MANDAYA ETHNIC GROUP