MODULE

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND SOCIETY

ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-2021

Prepared by:
MR. JOESERMAN C. VILLARUEL
Instructor
 MODULES FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND SOCIETY
Credits :3 Units
Pre-Requisite : none

Lesson Objective:
At the end of the module, the learners will be able to:
1. Analyze the impact of the cultures, beliefs, and traditions of the different indigenous people to our
communities.
2. Clearly examines the information about the criteria for taxonomic comparison.

CHAPTER 1
THE DISTRIBUTION OF FILIPINO INDIGENOUS
ETHNIC COMMUNITIES
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
How would you describe the different Indigenous People in our Society?( 3-5
sentences).

INTRODUCTION

The total number of indigenous ethnic communities has not yet been accurately reported.
This is partly due to the relative geographical isolation and scattered settlements of many groups
that render them inaccessible to official census-takers. Thus, many of the demographic surveys
are at most rough estimates. The National Census and Statistic Office gives varying figures. In
1979, the PANAMIN (Presidential Assistance for National Minorities) listed seventy-six (76)
groups, scattered all over the different parts of the country. The 1983 UGAT (Ugnayang Agham
Tao) ethnographic surveys listed 46 groups, with varying demographic sizes. The different
regional offices of ethnic communities also have their own respective listings. The ethnic map of
the Philippines, entitled The Filipino People, identified one hundred and six (106) groups,
including the numerous subgroups
within the same culture area. The Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) has further refined the
listing and classification coups on the basis of the5dialecti-of the indigenous ethnic g Cal
variations within the same speech community.
In 1916, Dr. H. Otley Beyer estimated the "pagan" population of the country at around
584,500 or about 5 percent of the total population. In 1948, the Bureau of Census estimated the
indigenous groups (which included the Muslim population) at 702,869 or approximately 3.7
percent of the total population. So many changes have taken place since these initial counts.
However, the demographic picture of the ethnic communities remains vague—each ethnographer
has his own statistics and so do the national agencies. In 1979, the now defunct PANAMIN
placed the total national population of the indigenous ethnic communities at 4,500,000, a figure
which contrasts with the 1975 estimate of 1,553,100. So far, no accurate census is available on
ethnic population (as of 1991), even if authorities (see National Census and Statistics Office)
claim the number of people to be over 6.3 million.
Included in the present study are fifty-six (56) groups, with population sizes ranging from
a few hundred to several thousand individuals, found in three major geo-graphical regions of the
Philippines: Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao. The selection of ethnic communities included in this
study is based on the availability and the quality of ethnographic data. Identified groups that do
not have enough or good ethnographic information are noted but not treated in detail.

1.1 Luzon Area

In Luzon, most of the ethnic groups are concentrated on the northern mountain ranges of
the Cordillera area. These people occupy the interior hills, strips of flat land, along deep valleys,
and narrow plateaus.
At the northern sector of the Cordillera are found the Tinggian, the Isneg-Apayao, and the
Northern Kalingasu. These people occupy the area close to the watersheds of the tributaries of
the Chico, the Tineg, and the Abulug Rivers. In spite of the prominent ecological differences in
their habitats, these ethnic communities share many basic cultural traits: settlement consists of
scattered hamlets; community organization is dominantly kin-based; marriage munity is
generally endogamous; social stratification is clearly defined; leadership is based essentially on
the bravery and the personal charisma of leaders, reinforced by their social status as signified by
accumulated material wealth in the form of ancient jars, beads, and gongs; warrior groups and
institutionalized warfare are present.
In the central region of the Cordillera, especially on the slopes of Mount Data, there are
four well-known groups: the Bontoc, the Sagada (Lepanto), the Ifugao, and the Southern
Kalinga. They live in compact villages (the Ili) close to their rice terraces, known
as payaw. They These people are wet-crop agriculturists, practicing rice-terrace and irrigated
farming. possess specialized institutions, like the ato(r), the ulog, and the agamang, which
serve as centers of social, religious, and political activities. The ato(r) is well developed among
the Bontoc and the Sagada but less so among the Ifugao and the Kalinga. Dormitories for boys
and girls in different forms are found in almost all groups. Social stratification is clear-cut and is
based on descent and material wealth. Institutionalized practices, like head taking and warfare,
grand canyao, and peace pacts, are shared by all central Cordillera ethnic communities.
Linguistically, these people speak closely related languages belonging to the northern subgroup
of Philippine languages.
The Ibaloi and the Kankanay constitute the southern group of the Cordillera ethnic
communities. These people are not well-known in the literature, in spite of the e fact that they
live in a gold-bearing district of the Cordillera. Culturally, The Ibaloi and the Kankanay show
closer affinity with their northern neighbours, particularly the Bontoc, than with the southern
ones. There are also marked differences in the nature of the economic base of communities
within this area. Wet-rice agriculture, a well-developed feature of Ifugao and Bontoc economy,
appears to be a late development among these ethnic communities.
Towards the southeastern section of the Cordillera, especially on the low-lying hills of
the Sierra Madre and the Caraballo Sur, are found the Southern Gaddang and the Ilongot. The
Southern Gaddang have undergone massive changes in recent years and are now oriented to the
Ilocano culture, except for a few relatively isolated hamlets that have retained much of the
traditional Gaddang culture. On the other hand, the Ilongot have remained conservative and, as
one anthropologist has pointed out, "... their ways of life appear archaic, the code of ethics
situational; settlement is dispersed and fluid, as households move, divide, and merge to follow
the swidden or flee from the law."
There are other ethnic groups outside the Cordillera area. These are the Agta, the
Dumagat, the Yogad, the Ikalahan, the Kalanguya, and the Itawis. These people inhabit the
foothills and the narrow valleys of the Sierra Madre mountain ranges in eastern Luzon. Along the
foot-hills of the Zambales range in western Luzon are found small groups of highly mobile
people known as the Pinatubo (sometimes called Hambal, Ayta, and Sambal). Similarly, the
Baluga inhabit the northwestern part of Pampanga and the southwestern section of Tarlac. In
Quezon Province, Pollilo Island, and the Bicol peninsula (Camarines Norte and Sur) are found,
scattered along the interior hillsides, additional groups of Agta, also known as Ayta, Ati, and
Durnagat.

1.2 Central Philippine Area

The Central Philippine area consists of islands found between Luzon and Mindanao.
Although popularly known as the Bisayan area, the islands of Mindoro and Palawan are not
officially included in this category; they belong to the Southern Tagalog Region (Region 4).
Both islands are inhabited by numerous indigenous ethnic
communities. Hence, the more neutral geographical designation of Central Philippine area is
used.
On the island of Mindoro, there are at least seven groups of swidden cultivators,
collectively known as the Mangyan. These ethnic groups speak a language belonging to the
central Philippine family of languages. Scholars have divided the Mangyan groups into two
major divisions: (1) the northern groups, which include the Iraya, the Alangan, and the
Tadyawan; and (2) the southern groups, which include the Batangan, the Hanunoo, and the
Buhid (also known as Buid, Buhi, Bukid, Buhil, and Buquil). The Ratagnon are said to be recent
immigrants from Cuyo.
The Batangan-Alangan groups are described to be the most conservative when reached in
the 1950s.When reported, they were making and wearing bark cloth, long abandoned by other
groups. They engage in sla`sh-and-burn agriculture, supplemented with extensive hunting,
trapping, inland fishing, and gathering. The Hanunuo and the Buhid, on the other hand, are
reported to be more culturally sophisticated. They are the highly literate groups, writing in
ancient scripts similar to those of the Tagbanua of Palawan.
On the island of Palawan, the principal ethnic communities are the Tagbanua, the Batak,
and the Tau't Bato. These are the well-known and extensively reported groups, although there are
others that are only identified but not closely studied. The Ke-ney,. for example, are reported to
inhabit the interior mountains of Palawan, but no detailed ethnography of them is available at the
time of this study; and so with the Palaw'anen. Geographically, the Tagbanua are found in central
northern Palawan: They are culturally advanced and and north well organized into relatively
autonomous villages. Literacy is very high among these people, and they write in ancient scripts
similar to the Hanunoo of Mindoro. The term tagbanua is derived from the word taga-banua,
meaning "people of the village." The Batak are found in scattered groups in the area north of
Puerto Princesa and in north-eastern Palawan, principally on the interior foothills of Tinitian,
Babuyan, and Tanabog.
Four ethnic communities have been identified and described on the interior foothills and
remote coastal areas of Panay and Negros Islands. These are the Sulod (some-times identified as
Bukidnon), the Magahat, the Ata, and the Ati.
The Sulod and the Magahat are slash-and-burn agriculturists. They live in scattered and
semipermanent settlements close to their swidden farms and located on hill-sides and the narrow
valleys of the interior mountains of Panay and Negros. The Ati of Iloilo have been reported, but
no detailed ethnography of their lifeways is available. Several Ati groups have been resettled in
the northern coastal area of Iloilo and in the interior towns of Antique. While beginning to pursue
a more sedentary life, they con-tinue to be seasonally mobile—hunting small game as well as
gathering seeds and medicinal
.plants, which they sell to the neighbouring Christianized Bisayans, particularly the folk
healers. All these ethnic communities speak a language related to the central Philippine family of
languages.

1.3 Mindanao Area

On the island of Mindanao, there are about fifteen major ethnic groups and a number of
subgroups living in its interior rain forest and narrow valleys, as well as on its hills, plateaus,
and marginal plains. The people are non-Muslim and non-Christian.
.Comparatively, they share many of the generalized points in the outline of Filipino indigenous
culture. However, there are also marked cultural differences in their institutions and practices.
These differences are largely due to the varying ecological settings of their communities. The
orientation of their cultural developments, however, appears to be toward the Muslim groups.
The names of most of the ethnic groups are derived from generic terms given by the Bisayan
lowlanders. Compound terms, such as mandaya from the words man, meaning "people," and
daya, meaning "upriver"; manobo from the terms man, meaning "people," and obo, meaning
"hill" or "mountain," are commonly used to label the different ethnic groups. As the usage
became popular, even the people themselves used the terms to describe their ethnic identities and
differentiate themselves from other groups.
Most ethnic communities in Mindanao speak languages belonging to the Manobo family
of languages, except Bilaan, T'boli, and Tiruray, which some scholars lump together with
the southern Philippine group of languages. Linguistically, Manobo is closely related to the
central and the northern families of Philippine languages. It needs to be stressed that, in most
cases, language is the only differentiating element in ethnic cultures, particularly among those
that occupy adjacent and contiguous territories.
On the interior hills and in the narrow coastal low-lands of the Zamboanga peninsula are
found the ethnic groups collectively known as the Subanun. The term is derived from the
Christian and Muslim subanen, meaning "upstream people”. These indigenous people speak a
mutually intelligible language belonging to a subgroup of the central Philippine family of
languages Dialect diversity however exists, although this does not seem to affect communication
among the different villages located in various parts of the peninsula. The Subanun are
principally slash-and-burn agriculturists. They supplement what-ever they produce with inland
fishing, hunting, and gathering. Rice is the main staple, although corn and sweet potatoes are
also planted. Little trade is carried out with neighbouring groups; and this consists mainly of
forest forest products, like rattan and locally ma handicrafts.
Towards the interior uplands of northern Mindanao, on the broad, grass-covered plateaus
of Bukidnon Province, live a number of ethnic groups, collectively known as the Bukidnon. The
people, however call themselves Higaonon, meaning "mountain dweller ". Bukidnon is the
lowland (Bisayan) generic term for mountain people. The Higaonon speak
a language related to the Manobo family of languages, with several dialects spoken in different
places. In the past, the Higaonon were separated from other ethnic groups by rugged mountains
and deep ravines. This is one reason why they retained many of their traditional institutions and
practices. In recent years, however, changes have been so rapid, due mainly to contacts with
Christian Filipino immigrants from the coastal areas and to the construction of roads following
the intrusion of loggers and other concessionaires of forest products. The Higaonon are being
slowly absorbed into the dominant lowland Bisayan culture.
In the southern highlands of Mindanao are several ethnic groups of varying population
sizes. In a deep rain forest of this region live the Tasaday, a gathering and for aging people.
When first encountered, these people were said to be using stone tools as their basic equipment.
Metal tools were later introduced, which caused changes in their lifestyles.
Also within this southern highlands ranges live the Tiruray, the Cotabato Manobo,and the
T'boli, These people are swidden agriculturists, with little trade. How- ever, they have developed
elaborate and beautiful handicrafts, like baskets, trinkets, bracelets and earrings made of brass.
T'boli fabrics are among the most artistically designed. These people speak a language belonging
to the southern Philippine family of languages. Culturally, they show features similar to what has
been described as generalized Manobo culture type.
In the central highlands of Mindanao, especially on the slopes of the mountain ranges
between Davao, Bukidnon, and Cotabato, are the Bagobo. The term is derived from the word
bago, meaning "new," and obo, meaning "man." As the term became popular, it acquired the
added meaning of "native" or "hill people. There are other ethnic groups similar to the Bagobo,
which occupy the upper headwaters of Davao, Tinanan, and Kulaman Rivers. These are the
Manuvu, the Matigsalug, and the Ata. Except for the Manuvu, most identified ethnic groups in
the area have not been adequately studied.
The Mandaya, the Coastal Bagobo, the Agusan Manobo, the Tagkaolo, and the Ata are
found on the coastal and interior hills of Davao Gulf. In spite of the different ecological settings,
these groups share numerous similar culture traits and social institutions. Art styles, clothing, and
religious rituals are fairly uniform. Economic life revolves around slash-and-burn agriculture,
with fairly developed trading activities. Settlement patterns are similar through the area:
scattered clusters of semisedentary hamlets, close to the swidden patches. Well-known warrior
groups (the bagani), headed by datus, assume leadership. Warfare is institutionalized. Bravery,
skills success in warfare are among the important factors on which Political leadership is based.
LEARNING ACTIVITY 1.1
Describe each Indigenous People that were cited from each respective area
below.
LUZON CENTRAL PHIL. AREA MINDANAO AREA
  

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1.2

From all IP’s that were mention in the Luzon area, how would you describe each them one by
one? Provide at least one sentence for each IP’s with concrete description.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1.3

From all IP’s that were mention in the Central Philippine area, how would you describe each
them one by one? Provide at least one sentence for each IP’s with concrete description.
LEARNING ACTIVITY 1.4
From all IP’s that were mention in the Mindanao area, how would you describe each them one
by one? Provide at least one sentence for each IP’s with concrete description.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1.5

From your own little ways, how would you give importance the IP’s in our society who are in
not good situation.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1.6

From the 3 main areas chose one and Create an illustration that would describe at
symbolize their ethnicity, history and description.

(Do not just copy from any site create your own from your OWN
interpretation and creativity)