Who are the Igorot?

Wanda Albano

Last Modified Date: February 02, 2023

The Igorot are an ethnic people of the Philippines, clustered in the Cordillera region of Luzon. They are
famous for rice-terrace farming and some of them have been known to be headhunters in the past.

Igorot, or Igolot, literally means people from the mountains. As one can infer, they are a highland race,
and are well-adapted to life in raised altitudes. To assure themselves a steady supply of crop, they have
even devised a way to carve terraces at the sides of mountain, which they plant with various grain. The
Igorot people are categorized into six different ethno-linguistic groups: Bontoc, Ibaloi, Ifugao, Isneg (or
Apayao), Kalinga, and Kankana-ey.

The Bontoc thrive on the bank of the Chico River. Famous as headhunters in the past, they have since
turned their backs on their former ways. At present, a huge majority of the Bontoc have embraced
Christianity. They have seamlessly transitioned into a peaceful, agricultural people.

The Ibaloi too are an agrarian society. Mostly found in Southern Benguet, there are about 93,000 of
them all over the Philippines. Their language is from the Austronesian family of languages.

The Ifugao, on the other hand, are known for their epics and their stories, such as the hudhud and the
alim. Ifugao people have a total of four different dialects, and are sometimes called Amganad, Kiangan,
or Mayoyao. The word Ifugao means “from the hill.”

The Isneg or Apayao can be found living near the banks of the Apayao River. Originally slash-and-burn
farmers, they have since begun to practice more sustainable forms of farming. The Isneg are also known
as good fishers, and have a penchant for coffee.

The Kalinga tribes are perhaps the most diplomatic of all the Igorot. They put great importance on
kinship and social ties, and are heralded for the peace pacts that have allowed their tribes to become
strong. They are also known as the most heavily adorned of all the Igorot people.

Finally, the Kankana-ey are one of the few tribes who still practice a way of living more common in the
old days, although is is fast disappearing as well. In the Kankana-ey, young men and women are divided
by gender and then ushered into separate dormitories. Entry into a dormitory signifies a young person’s
readiness to enter the stages of courtship. Courtships are carried out in the ebgan, or the “girl house.”