IBALOI TRIBE

- The Ibaloi are an indigenous ethnic group found in Benguet province of the northern
Philippines.
- Ibaloi is derived from i-, a prefix signifying "pertaining to" and badoy or house,
together then meaning "people who live in houses".
- The IBALOI inhabit Central and Southern Benguet Province and Western Nueva
Vizcaya Province particularly the municipalities of:
-Kabayan -Itogon
-Bokod -Sablan
-Tublay -La Trinidad
-Tuba -Kapangan

POPULATION:
116,434,200 (2023 est.)

LANGUAGE :
Ibaloi, also known as Inibaloi or Nabaloi.

DIALECTS:
Bokod, Daklan and Kabayan

IBALOI MYTHOLOGY
In Ibaloi mythology, this group’s origin is traced back to a couple in Mt. Pulag
who survived the great flood that Kabunian sent to punish the wicked people. This
couple bore many children who intermarried, multiplied, and descended to the fertile
valleys of Benguet, to become the ancestors of the present-day Ibalois.

Mt. Pulag - It has been used as a burial place for thousands of years by the
Ibaloi people of Benguet. For them, it is the place where spirits join their ancestors.

Social Stratification:
Baknang (rich) - Exercise authority in almost all aspect of the social, political, and
economic Life; Host to Cañao Feast; Sit in the village council to decide on important
matters affecting the village.
Abitug (poor)
Pastol - cowhand and assistant during Cañao preparation
Silbi - farmhand and messenger
Bagaen - non-Ibaloi slave

CLOTHINGS:
Ibaloi women wear kambal or blouse, and divet or skirt.
Male wear white and black G-string or kuval.

TRADITIONAL HOUSE:
Ibaloi’s houses generally scattered in fields or on hillsides, covered with a pyramidal
thatched roof. are usually built on five foot posts (tokod) and contain only one room
with no windows. Pine trees are usually used to build the houses, especially for
wealthy families, while bark bamboo for floors and walls, and cogon grass for roofs
(atup), are used by the poor.
Basket weaving - is done by the men.
Kayabang - women’s favorite basket.
Kinuday - is a native delicacy of the Ibaloi tribe. The term “Kinuday” is a way of
meat preservation among the Ibalois. Meat is hung on the ceiling of the dirty kitchen
or just above where they cook food and it is preserved by the smoke produced from
firewood.

Cañao/Kanyaw - a thanksgiving ritual that refers to several native feast of the Ibaloi
There are different kinds of rituals of Cañao. Such rituals are: for illness, good
harvest and for progress. also, in marriages, healing, birth, burial and voyage
wherein a prayer is offered.
Tapuy (rice wine) is served during the feast aside from the meal.

DANCES:
Tayaw - danced during the cañao with a pair of dancers.
Manedjaw - male dancer.
Meneshung - female dancer.

During the tayaw, Tapuy is offered to the dancers and to those playing the
instruments.
Datok - prayer in the form of a wish (may be said aloud to the dancers).

Mummification - For the Ibaloi community, the body's physical preservation is

necessary so that dead members of the tribe remain in the group while their spirits
join with the gods. They use saltwater to prevent organ decomposition. Pounded
guava and patani leaves are applied to the corpse to prevent maggot or worm
infestation while the body dries, the process taking anywhere from two months to
even a year until the body is hardened.

Nature spirits:
Amdag - spirits that travel with the wind.
Ampasit - spirits that dwell in caves.
Tinmongao - spirit that lives in caves, stones, and trees.
Pinad-eng - spirits that lives in the forest.
Butat-tew - spirits that misguides people.

Courtship & Marriage:

There are three ways that Ibaloi culture do;
Kaising - an arranged marriage
Kalun - is the pamamanhikan
Ngilin or Arol - the wedding ceremony that lasts for eight days at least.