Backgrounds of the Indigenous People in the Philippines and

Geographical Feature of the Philippines.

Objectives
At the end of this discussion, you will be able to;

 Identify the different indigenous communities in the Philippines.

 Explain the demographic profile of indigenous communities in the Philippines.
 Appreciate the importance of Indigenous Communities in our country.

What is Indigenous Studies?

Indigenous studies are an interdisciplinary field that creates a rigorous and respectful
understanding of indigenous cultures. Some courses take a broad approach, looking at
indigenous cultures all over the globe. Other programs focus on the experience of a particular
indigenous group. Students in the field learn about the language, politics, and structures of
indigenous groups, as well as their artistic and intellectual traditions. Specific modules
include medicinal plants in traditional medicine, gender roles within indigenous communities,
and indigenous civil rights movements. (masterstudies.com)

Significance of Studying Indigenous Communities in the Philippines

These are the reasons why it is important to study the indigenous communities in our
country. Indigenous studies students and academics often work with charities and
government departments to identify any possible forms of discrimination, creating new laws
that are inclusive and promote equal opportunity for all.  Promoting awareness about
indigenous people isn't just about their culture and wellbeing. Often, it's about saving their
lives. An indigenous study is an important subject. It's about broadening the human story, and
ensuring all cultures are recognized equally. It is also an excellent choice for students who
want to play their part in creating a safe and more prosperous world for all peoples.
(masterstudies.com)
List of Indigenous Communities in the Philippines

 T’boli
 Maranao
 Maguindanao
 Ifugao
 Aeta
 Igorot/ibaloi
 Mangyan
 Yakan
 Lumad
 Cagayanen
 Cuyunon
 Agutaynen
 Molbog
 Manobo/Bagobo
 Palaw’an
 Batak
 Tagbanua
 Badjao
 Taw’t bato
1. T’boli

The Tboli, also known as T’boli, Tiboli, and Tagabili, are an old indigenous
people living in South Cotabato. It is the most well-known tribe among the 18 tribes in
Mindanao. T’boli is part of the Lumad tribes wherein they are existing non-Muslim
indigenous.. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 101,049 people. Tboli
language - Austronesian langauge ( also Tau Bilil, Tau Bulul or Tagabilil).

2. Maranao

Maranao is an Austronesian language spoken by the Maranao people in the

provinces of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur in the Philippines, and in Sabah,
Malaysia. Iranun was once considered a dialect of Maranao. The Maranao population is
estimated at 1,099,997, distributed as follows: 241,400 in Lanao del Norte or 22% of its
total population; and 858,559 in Lanao del Sur or 78% of its total population.

3. Maguindanaon
The people who dominate Maguindanao are the Maguindanaon or
Maguindanaw, whose name means “people of the flood plain,” and with the word
 danao meaning “lake,” are also called “people of the lake.” They mainly inhabit
Maguindanao and are also found in North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat,
and Zamboanga del Sur. Maguindanaon language is called Maguindanao. The total
population of the Province of Maguindanao (excluding Cotabato City) as of August 1,
2015 was 1,173,933 persons based on the 2015 Census of Population.

4. Ifugao

The Ifugaos are a group of wet-rice agriculturalists who occupy the

mountainous area of northern Luzon, Philippines. The group are of Malay origin and
they speak in an Austronesian language, as well as their neighbors but developed a
number of cultural characteristics that set them apart. There are currently 190,000 of
them as of late 20th century.
Ifugao (Ipugaw) Ifugao is a Philippine language spoken mainly in Ifugao province in
Luzon in the Philippines by about 130,000 people. There are four main dialects of
Ifugao: Batad Ifugao, Amganad Ifugao, Mayoyao Ifugao and Tuwali Ifugao, which
are considered as separate languages by some.

5. Aeta / Ayta
The Aytas are called Negritos for their dark skin and kinky hair. They landed on the
archipelago more than 30,000 thousand years ago and are thought to be the earliest
 inhabitants of the Philippines. The Aeta population is made up of approximately 30
distinct ethnic groups. There are 117,782 Aeta people in the Philippines or one percent
of the country's overall indigenous populati. Abellen, Abenlen, Aburlin, or Ayta
Abellen, is a Sambalic language. It has about 3,500 speakers and is spoken in a few
Aeta communities in Tarlac province, Philippines.

6. Igorot / Ibaloi
The Ibaloi (also spelled Ibaloy; Ibaloi: ivadoy, /ivaˈdoj/) are an indigenous ethnic
group found in Benguet Province of the northern Philippines. The native language of
the Ibaloi people is Ibaloi, also known as Inibaloi or Nabaloi.
The Igorot numbered about 1.5 million in the early 21st century. Their languages
belong to the northern Luzon subgroup of the Philippine languages, which belong to
the Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) family. The Igorot peoples are Austronesians.
They were known in earlier days for their wars and practice of headhunting.
7. Mangyan
The indigenous people of Mindoro called Mangyan. In the Philippines the Mangyan
have a hundred thousand of population and majority grown roots in Mindoro. There are
some different mangyan groups called Iraya, Bangon, and Hanunoo. They are all well
organized and it makes them unique. They have a strict and active tribal council that
visitors can enter easily their community. The Mangyan number 13,899 or 3.67% of the
population of Occidental Mindoro (National Statistics 2002) and 19,001 or 2.79% of
Oriental Mindoro (National Statistics 2002). The north Mangyan languages are
Alangan, Iraya, and Tadyawan; the South Mangyan languages are Buhid, Hanunoo,
Tau-buid Eastern, and Tau-buid Western (Lewis et al. 2014).

8. Yakan
Yakan, also spelled Yacan, ethnic group living primarily on Basilan Island but
also on Sacol, Malanipa, and Tumalutab islands, all off the southern tip of the
Zamboanga Peninsula, in the southern Philippines.The Yakan speak an Austronesian
language, written either in Malay Arabic or in Latin script.The number of Yakan is
usually estimated at between 90,000 and 100,000, though variations between 60,000
and 196,000 may be found.
 9. Lumad

Lumad” is a Cebuano term for “native” or "indigenous". It is a collective term used

to describe the indigenous people of Mindanao. It is short for Katawhang Lumad (literally:
"indigenous people"). There are 18 Lumad ethnolinguistic groups namely, Atta, Bagobo,
Banwaon, B’laan, Bukidnon, Dibabawon, Higaonon, Mamanwa, Mandaya, Manguwangan,
Manobo, Mansaka, Subanon, Tagakaolo, Tasaday, Tboli, Teduray, and Ubo.

10. Kagayanen
The Kagayanen or Kagay-anen inhabit Palawan Province, particularly in
Cagayan Island between Negros and Palawan, and Busuanga and Coron in the northern
part of the province. Pockets of Kagayanen also live in Iloilo Province, Silay in Negros
Occidental, Danao in Antique and Barangay Dagat-dagatan of Caloocan City in Metro
Manila.Kagayanen is an Malayo-Polynesian language spoken in Palawan province in
the Philippines by about 30,000 people. Kagayanen is mainly spoken on Cagayan
island between Palawan and Negros, and also in Palawan, Balabac island, Iloilo
Province, Silay, Negros and Manila. The language is also known as Cagayano, Kagay-
anen or Kinagayanen.
 11. Cuyunon

“Cuyunon,” also “Cuyunin,” “Cuyuno,” and “Taga-Cuyo,” refers to the people and
culture of the occupants of Busuanga Island, Agutaya.
Cuyonon is a member of the Philippine branch of Malayo-Polynesian languages. It is spoken
mainly in the Cuyo Islands, between Northen Palawan and Panay Island in the Philippines,
by between 93,000 and 120,000 people.This ethnolinguistic group is found in the islands of
Cuyo in Northern Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Roxas, and Island of Dumaran. The Cuyuon sre
religious, disciplined, and have a highly deveoped community spirits. During the spanish
colonization in the Philippines, Cuyo was one of the territories of Palawan that had strong
Spanish presence. The Cuyunon posesses a rich legacy of follores and traditions. Their music
songs and dances are more refined and shows traces of Spanish Influences.

12. Agutaynen

The Agutaynen tribe live in the northern part of the province of Palawan in the
Agutaya Island.It is known that their language Agutaynen is spoken by around 15,000
people. It falls under the same subgroup as that of Calamian Tagbanwa and is therefore
lexically similar with it, as well as the Cuyonon language.
13. Molbog
The Molbog is one of the Muslim Cultural minorities, a people group believed
to have been migrants from North Borneo. This group is also known as Malebugan or
Molebuganon.
Molbog is a Philippine language spoken by about 6,000 people mainly in Mimaropa
region of the Philippines. In particular it is spoken on the islands of Balabac, Ramos
and Bancalan and in the municipality of Bataraza in the south of the Province of
Palawan.
Based on the latest survey conducted by the National Commission on Indigenous
Peoples (NCIP) in September 2011, there are approximately Molbog 581 households
or more or less 2000 individuals in the Island of Balabac.

14. Manobo / Bagobo

Manobo" is the hispanicized form of "Manuvu," which, of course, means
"people." The Manobo appear to be a remnant of the very first Austronesian invasion
from Taiwan, predating peoples like the Ifugao of Luzon.
Manobo language - Cotabato Manobo (Dulangan Manobo) is a Manobo language
spoken in Mindanao, the Philippines. Dialects include Tasaday and Blit.
The population of Manobo grew from 1,612 in 1990 to 3,550 in 2020, an increase of
1,938 people over the course of 30 years. The latest census figures in 2020 denote a
positive growth rate of 4.87%, or an increase of 718 people, from the previous
population of 2,832 in 2015.
15. Palaw’an

The Palawan tribal people, also known as the Palawano or the Palaw'an, are
indigenous ethnic group located in southern Palawan of the Philippines. Palaw’an tribe is
the possible decendants of Tabon Man/Caveman living for thousands of years. hence,
there is an evidence to that claimed because the fossils that were found in Quezon
Palawan is the skull of a tabon man during ice age era. Palawano is a member of
Palaw’an tribe and their spoken dayalec is quite simiIar in Bahasa and malayo, a language
of indonesia and malaysia and they can speak a little bisaya and muslim dayalec. Some
are fluent in speaking tagalog and english because there is now an interaction between the
lowlanders.In terms of their spiritual belief, they are animism. Their way of life is hunter
gatherer which means they hunt animals as part of their diet and they gather foods such as
fruits, rootcrops.(Palawan Tribal Village)
Living in the misdt if the tropical rainforest with a wealth of thousand of animal and
species, the Palaw’an tribe highlanders hunt with blowpipes, spears and dogs. They fish
and forage but they also cultivate upland rice associated with tubers(yam, tan sweet
potato) and other cerials as well. They prefer to live in the tranquility 0f remote upland
areas, close to the forest where they have access to resources necessaey for their daily
life. Palawan Language brlongs to the Austronesian family and more particularly to the
Central Philippines Sub-group. They have developed a coherent and mastered
interpretation of the world surrounding them, while the tiny music of things and the
various soundscapes inspire them a lexical and musical creativity. They also have welath
of gong music and oral literature and they enjoy listening at night to very talented singers
of tales. (Palawan Museum)
 (Butterflygarden and tribal village fb)

16. Batak

In Palawan, the smallest and the most endangered of the three major ethnic groups is
the Batak tribe. An old Cuyunon term, Batak means “mountain people”; they are classified as
a Philippine Aeta group because of their physical characteristics. Batak is an Austronesian
language spoken by the Batak people on Palawan Island in the Philippines. It is sometimes
disambiguated from the Batak languages as Palawan Batak.
The Batak are one of about 140 indigenous peoples of the Philippines. They are located in the
northeastern portions of Palawan.
Batak is one of the indigenou people of Palawan. Since ancient time, they have nhabited a
series of river valleys along the 50 km stretch of coastline northeast of what is today Puerto
Princesa City. They are considered to be the Negrito stock. Their physical attribute shows
short structure, dark skin, and curly hair that earned these distinctive looking their name.
Their economic activities revolve mostly on swidden farming or kaingin(slash and burn
method), hunting, natural resources products gathering, primarily almaciga resin-tapping,
rattan pole collecting, and honey gathering. Their food came exclusively from the forest,
rivers, and creeks and sometimes from the sea. They were highly mobile people. This is the
primary reason they are not motivated ro cultivate permanent land areas for crops
productions. Traditionally, they only plant cassava, banana, sweet potato, ube, gabi and
coconut. The bataks religious faith continues to be based on the spirits of nature whom they
believe to reside in big rocks or trees. The spirit posess the power to cure severe sickness
when called upon their baylan. Their system of political governance is headed by masikampo
designated by the masikampo from the Tagbanua group, an old age-old practice observed.
( Text by Noel Jagmis- Palawan Museum)
 17. Tagbanua / Tagbanwa

The Tagbanwa people of Puerto Princesa, Palawan are known to be one of the
first ethnic groups to set foot on Philippine soil. They are thought to be descended from the
Tabon Man and are described as brown-skinned, slim, and straight-haired.
Their main language is Aborlan Tagbanwa (also called Apurawon), which is among the
Palawanic languages. In northern Palawan, the Tagbanwa population is estimated at about
6,000 individuals from a rough figure of 2,000 families. In central Palawan, there are about
10,000 individuals.

The tagbanua ethnolinguistic group” people of the world” can be found in the central and
northern part of Palawan. Central tagbanuas are found in the western and eastern coastall
areas of central Palawan. They are concentrated in the municipality of Aboran, Quezon, and
Puerto Princesa. Calamnian Tagbanua, on the other hand, is found in Baras oast, Busuanga
islan, Coron Island, Linapacan calibangbangan, a Cultural Preservation area. Shifting
cultivation of upland rice is a part of their cultural
and economic practices. Rice is considered a divine gift and is fermentef to make rice wine,
which they used in pagdiwata, or rice wine ritual. They believe in several deities found in the
natural environment. Their language and alphabet, practice of kaingin and common belief in
soul-relatives are part of their culture. tagbanuas are excellent in basketry and wood carving.
In addition, they are also famous for their beautiful crafted body accessories. Their combs,
bracelets, necklaces and anklets are usually made of wood, brass and copper. (Palawan
Museum)
18. Badjao
Badjao or Bajau means man of the seas, this tribal group is known as the Sea Gypsies
because they move with the wind and the tide on their small houseboats. Badjao The
largest sea tribe are the Badjao people, with an estimated population of 400,000. The
largest subgroup or dialect of the Central Sama group are the Sama Dilaut who are
known by most as the Badjao.

19. Taaw’t Bato / Tau’t Bato

Tau’t Bato or Taa’wt Bato is a group of people from the Palaw’an tribe who

live in Singnapan Valley, Ransang, Rizal, Palawan It is bounded by Mt.
Matalingahan and a coastal terrain on the west. The members of the tribe used to live
in caves, the reason they are called Tau’t Bato, which literally means “stone people”
or “dwellers of the rock.” They are still tradtiotional in their lifestyle and ways of
dressing. The men still ear g-strings made of bark and cloth, and the women wear a
piece of cloth made into skirts to cover their lower body. This ethnic group substitute
on hunting, gathering fruits and planting crops and rice near the forest. They practice
multiple cropping with cassava as the major source of carbohydrate. They also
produce sweet potato, sugarcane, malungay, garlic, pepper, string beans, squash,
 tomato, pineapple, etc. The basic social unit among tau’t bato is the ka-
asawan(marriage group). This extends from the basic couple, man and woman, to the
more complex arrangements of a compound and extended family grouping. Tau’t
Bato speaks Palaw’an Dayalek.

Group Activity

Group One: Role Play Present a role play on the Do’s and Don’ts when you meet IP’s.
Group Two: Dance
Perform an indigenous short dance ala TikTok. Choose one Indigenous Community that was
discussed.
Group Three: Talk Show / Interview
Present a Talk Show or an Interview whereas the topic is about Respecting Indigenous
People.

Group Presentors:
Venus Rayad Rentino
Rexevar G. Masong
Shelhanna A.H. Hassan
Lourince Ann Gentiliso
References

Philippines Maps of Indigenous Communities

indigenous communities location in philippines maps - Bing images

Palawan Museum

Butterfly Garden and Tribal Village

T’boli information

T’boli – One Of The Major Indigenous Tribes in The Philippines - Free Essay Example |
EduZaurus

T’boli Picture

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.squarespace-cdn.com
%2Fcontent%2Fv1%2F508da03be4b0d28844ddf21c%2F1430304952169-
HDEPQWBPFA0P50VONS0T%2Fimage-asset.jpeg%3Fformat%3D1000w&imgrefurl=http
%3A%2F%2Fwww.positivelyfilipino.com%2Fmagazine%2Ftboli-its-better-to-weave-than-
to-
leave&tbnid=8HKNQSrtZQEz3M&vet=1&docid=feEDlDHOtd77ZM&w=1000&h=720&hl
=en-US&source=sh%2Fx%2Fim

Maranao Pictures
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F
%2Fmaranaoculture.files.wordpress.com%2F2016%2F09%2Fmaranaos-1.jpg%3Fw
%3D1200&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fmaranaoculture.wordpress.com%2Fabout
%2F&tbnid=QI2GNf6thgm_HM&vet=1&docid=B98DCtFbWimOpM&w=1200&h=675&hl
=en-US&source=sh%2Fx%2Fim

Maguindanao Information
Maguindanaon | Ethnic Groups of the Philippines (ethnicgroupsphilippines.com)

Palaw’an Language

Palawano language, alphabet and pronunciation (omniglot.com)

Ifugao Information

https://philnews.ph/2020/11/09/ifugao-people-about-the-ethnic-group-in-the-philippines/
#:~:text=The%20Ifugaos%20are%20a%20group%20of%20wet-rice
%20agriculturalists,190%2C000%20of%20them%20as%20of%20late%2020th%20century.

Ifugao Language

Ifugao language and alphabet (omniglot.com)

Molbog Language

www.omniglot.com/writing/molbog.htm

Badjao Language

What language do the Badjao speak? – Kauman Sama Online (sinama.org)

Batak Information

Batak | Ethnic Groups of the Philippines (ethnicgroupsphilippines.com)

Batak Language

About: Batak language (Philippines) (dbpedia.org)

Agutaynen Language

Agutaynon | Ethnic Groups of the Philippines (ethnicgroupsphilippines.com)

Aeta/Ayta Information

Ayta (Aeta) | Ethnic Groups of the Philippines Ayta (Aeta) (ethnicgroupsphilippines.com)

Aeta/Ayta Language

Abellen language - Wikipedia

Tagbanwa Information and Language

Tagbanwa | Ethnic Groups of the Philippines (ethnicgroupsphilippines.com)

Mangyan Information

Mindoro: The Mangyan Tribe – Tribes in the Philippines (wordpress.com)

Mangyan Language

www.yodisphere.com/2022/02/Mangyan-Mindoro-Philippines.html

Taut Bato

https://www.bing.com/search?
q=taut+bato+tribe&cvid=350b994b71d94638be61aa7036ab7dd5&aqs=edge.0.0l2j69i64.694
0j0j1&pglt=43&FORM=ANNTA1&PC=ASTS

Taut Bato Language

https://jacobimages.com/2012/05/palawan-taut-bato-singnapan-valley#:~:text=The%20Tau't
%20Bato%20(Tao,beliefs%20of%20the%20Pala'wan.

Kagayanen Language

omniglot.com/writing/kagayanen.htm

Kagayanen Information

Kagayanen | Ethnic Groups of the Philippines (ethnicgroupsphilippines.com)

Cuyonon Information and Population

omniglot.com/writing/cuyonon.htm

Igorot Language and Population

www.britannica.com/topic/Igorot

Significance of Studying Indigenous Communities in the Philippines

What is Indigenous Studies and Why Study it? (masterstudies.com)