ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE PHILIPPINES
IGOROT TRIBE
The Igorots, which comprises numerous tribes in the northern part of the country, are mostly residing in the mountain ranges of the Cordillera Region. They are popularly known for being rice cultivators. An assortment of the group called the Ifugaos built the Banaue Rice Terraces – frequently called the ‘eighth wonder of the world’. The ancestors of this indigenous tribe carved a system of irrigated rice terraces in the mountains of Ifugao more than 2,000 years ago.
BADJAOS
Originally from the islands of Sulu in Mindanao, they’re known as the sea tribes living on houseboats. They try to make ends meet by depending on the sea as divers, fishermen, and navigators. Because of conflicts in the region, the majority of them has migrated to neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, whereas those who stayed in the Philippines moved to some areas in Luzon.
ATI AND TUMANDOK
One of the few clans in Visayas, the Ati and Tumandok tribes of Panay Island are the first to call the island their home. Genetically related to other indigenous groups in the country, they mostly resemble the Aetas or Negritos who are characterised by their dark skin. While some adopted Western religions, they still carry some animistic beliefs and rituals passed down by their ancestors.
LUMAD TRIBE
Meanwhile, in the southern part of the country, indigenous tribes are mostly found in Mindanao and Western Visayas. In Mindanao, these existing non-Muslim indigenous groups are collectively known as the Lumad – a Cebuano term which means ‘native’ or ‘indigenous’. There Lumad tribes comprise about 13 ethnic groups which are the Blaan, Bukidnon, Higaonon, Mamanwa, Mandaya, Manobo, Mansaka, Sangir, Subanen, Tagabawa, Tagakaulo, Tasaday, and T’boli. Their tribe is generally known for tribal music produced by musical instruments they’ve created.
Among those mentioned above, the Manobo tribe includes further big ethnic groups such as the Ata-Manobo, Agusan-Manobo, and Dulangan-Manobo to name a few. The total population of the Manobo group is unknown as they occupy core areas in main provinces of the Mindanao Region.
MANGYANS
The Mangyans of Mindoro are well-known clans in the Philippines because they have the biggest populace. Comprising eight different Mangyan groups, they have a peaceful reputation, unlike the headhunting tribes of the North and warrior tribes from the South. While some has already converted into Christianity, there’s still a large percentage of those who practice animistic religious beliefs.
PALAWAN TRIBES
Palawan is also home to various tribes such as the Batak, Palaweño, Palawano, and the Tagbanwa. Mostly living in mountains or lowland dwellings, some of these groups have also been included in the large Manobo tribe of the South. They have not totally embraced urban living, with the majority living in more rural settings.
AETAS
The Aetas (or Agta or Ayta) are one of the earliest known inhabitnats of the Philippines who are now living in scattered mountainous areas of the country. They were called by the Spanish colonizers as the ‘Negritos’ because of their dark to dark-brown skin. They are nomadic but are very skilled in weaving and plaiting, and Aeta women are considered experts in herbal medicine.
Today, the indigenous groups in the country remain in their original ancestral lands as they preserve their cultural practices and traditions. And while the Philippine government passed the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997, there are still issues left unsolved, including their right for inclusion.
IFUGAO
Ifugao is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is Lagawe and it borders Benguet to the west, Mountain Province to the north, Isabela to the east, and Nueva Vizcaya to the south
YOGAD TRIBE
The Yogad are concentrated around the town of Echague, Isabela, and are a Gaddang speaking people. Culturally they have become almost indistinguishable from the Ilocano-Ibanag people of the Cagayan Valley lowlands.
IBANAG TRIBE
The Ibanag (also Ybanag and Ybanak or Ibanak) are an ethnolinguistic minority numbering a little more than half a million people, who inhabit the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, and Nueva Vizcaya. They are one of the largest ethnolinguistic minorities in the Philippines.
HIGAONON
The Higaonon tribe is one of the oldest tribes of the region. They have lived there for thousands of years and are true natives: they were likely the first ones to settle there. Thet live in their ancestral forest homes, undistrubed, manaing the forest in a natural way. The tribe is nomadic and travels from one mountain to another. The tribe is scattered over five provinces; Bukidnon, Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Lanao del Norte and Misamis Oriental.
TAUSUG TRIBE
The Tausūg or Suluk (Tausug: Tau Sūg), are an ethnic group of the Philippines and Malaysia, small population can also be found in the northern part of North Kalimantan, Indonesia. The Tausūg are part of the wider political identity of Muslims of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan. Most of the Tausugs have converted into the religion of Islam whose members are now more known as the Moro group, who constitute the third largest ethnic group of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan.