The indigenous peoples of the Cordillera Mountain Range of northern
Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
are often referred to using the
exonym
An endonym (from Greek: , 'inner' + , 'name'; also known as autonym) is a common, ''native'' name for a geographical place, group of people, individual person, language or dialect, meaning that it is used inside that particular place, group, ...
Igorot people, or more recently, as the Cordilleran peoples.
There are nine main ethnolinguistic groups whose domains are in the
Cordillera Mountain Range
The Cordillera Central or Cordillera Range is a massive mountain range 320 km (198 miles) long north-south and 118 km (73 miles) east-west. The Cordillera mountain range is situated in the north-central part of the island of Luzon, in the Phili ...
, altogether numbering about 1.5 million people in the early 21st century.
Their languages belong to the
northern Luzon subgroup of
Philippine languages
The Philippine languages or Philippinic are a proposed group by R. David Paul Zorc (1986) and Robert Blust (1991; 2005; 2019) that include all the languages of the Philippines and northern Sulawesi, Indonesia—except Sama–Bajaw (languag ...
, which in turn belongs to the
Austronesian (
Malayo-Polynesian
The Malayo-Polynesian languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages, with approximately 385.5 million speakers. The Malayo-Polynesian languages are spoken by the Austronesian peoples outside of Taiwan, in the island nations of Southeas ...
) family.
These ethnic groups keep or have kept until recently their traditional religion and way of life. Some live in the tropical forests of the foothills, but most live in rugged grassland and pine forest zones higher up.
Etymology
From the root word ''golot'', which means "mountain," ''Igolot'' means "people from the mountains", a reference to any of various ethnic groups in the mountains of northern Luzon. During the
Spanish colonial era, the term was variously recorded as ''Igolot'', ''Ygolot'', and ''Igorrote'', compliant to
Spanish orthography
Spanish orthography is the orthography used in the Spanish language. The alphabet uses the Latin script. The spelling is fairly phonemic, especially in comparison to more opaque orthographies like English, having a relatively consistent mapping ...
.
The
endonyms
An endonym (from Greek: , 'inner' + , 'name'; also known as autonym) is a common, ''native'' name for a geographical place, group of people, individual person, language or dialect, meaning that it is used inside that particular place, group, o ...
Ifugao or Ipugaw (also meaning "mountain people") are used more frequently by the Igorots themselves, as ''igorot'' is viewed by some as slightly pejorative,
except by the
Ibaloys. The Spanish borrowed the term ''Ifugao'' from the lowland Gaddang and Ibanag groups.
Cordillera ethnic groups
![Banaue-terrace](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Banaue-terrace.JPG)
The Igorots may be roughly divided into two general subgroups: the larger group lives in the south, central and western areas, and is very adept at
rice
Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...
-
terrace
Terrace may refer to:
Landforms and construction
* Fluvial terrace, a natural, flat surface that borders and lies above the floodplain of a stream or river
* Terrace, a street suffix
* Terrace, the portion of a lot between the public sidewalk an ...
farming
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peopl ...
; the smaller group lives in the east and north. Prior to Spanish colonisation of the islands, the peoples now included under the term did not consider themselves as belonging to a single, cohesive ethnic group.
Bontoc
![Bontoc](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Bontoc.jpg)
The Bontok ethnolinguistic group can be found in the central and east portions of the Mountain Province. It mainly consists of the
Balangaos and
Gaddangs, with a significant portion who identify as part of the Kalinga group. The Bontok live in a mountainous territory, particularly close to the Chico River and its tributaries. Mineral resources (
gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile me ...
,
copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...
,
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
,
gypsum
Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula . It is widely mined and is used as a fertilizer and as the main constituent in many forms of plaster, blackboard or sidewalk chalk, and drywal ...
) can be found in the mountain areas. Gold, in particular, has been traditionally extracted from the Bontoc municipality. The
Chico River provides sand, gravel, and white clay, while the forests of Barlig and Sadanga within the area have rattan, bamboo and pine trees.
They are the second largest group in the
Mountain Province.
[ The Bontoc live on the banks of the Chico River. They speak ]Bontoc Bontoc may refer to:
* Bontoc, Mountain Province, Philippines
* Bontoc, Southern Leyte, Philippines
* Bontoc people, an ethnic group from Central Luzon, Philippines
* Bontoc language
Bontoc (Bontok) (also called Finallig) is the native language ...
and Ilocano. They formerly practiced head-hunting and had distinctive body tattoos. The Bontoc describe three types of tattoos: The ''chak-lag′'', the tattooed chest of the head taker; ''pong′-o'', the tattooed arms of men and women; and ''fa′-tĕk'', for all other tattoos of both sexes. Women were tattooed on the arms only.
Ibaloi
The Ibaloi (also Ibaloy, Ibaluy, Nabaloi, Inavidoy, Inibaloi, Ivadoy) and Kalanguya (also Kallahan and Ikalahan) are one of the indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...
of the Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
who live mostly in the southern part of Benguet, located in the Cordillera
A cordillera is an extensive chain and/or network system of mountain ranges, such as those in the west coast of the Americas. The term is borrowed from Spanish, where the word comes from , a diminutive of ('rope').
The term is most commonly u ...
of northern Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
, and Nueva Vizcaya
Nueva Vizcaya, officially the Province of Nueva Vizcaya ( ilo, Probinsia ti Nueva Vizcaya; gad, Probinsia na Nueva Vizcaya; Pangasinan: ''Luyag/Probinsia na Nueva Vizcaya''; tl, Lalawigan ng Nueva Vizcaya ), is a landlocked province in the ...
in the Cagayan Valley
Cagayan Valley ( ilo, Tanap ti Cagayan; fil, Lambak ng Cagayan), is an administrative region in the Philippines, located in the northeastern section of Luzon Island. It is composed of five Philippine provinces: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, ...
region. They were traditionally an agrarian society. Many of the Ibaloi and Kalanguya people continue with their agriculture and rice cultivation.
Their native language belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian
The Malayo-Polynesian languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages, with approximately 385.5 million speakers. The Malayo-Polynesian languages are spoken by the Austronesian peoples outside of Taiwan, in the island nations of Southeas ...
branch of the Austronesian languages family and is closely related to the Pangasinan language
Pangasinan (''Pangasinense'') is an Austronesian language, and one of the eight major languages of the Philippines. It is the primary and predominant language of the entire province of Pangasinan and northern Tarlac, on the northern part of Luz ...
, primarily spoken in the province of Pangasinan, located southwest of Benguet.
Baguio
Baguio ( ,
), officially the City of Baguio ( ilo, Siudad ti Baguio; fil, Lungsod ng Baguio), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", ...
, the major city of the Cordillera
A cordillera is an extensive chain and/or network system of mountain ranges, such as those in the west coast of the Americas. The term is borrowed from Spanish, where the word comes from , a diminutive of ('rope').
The term is most commonly u ...
, dubbed the "Summer Capital of the Philippines," is located in southern Benguet.
The largest feast of the Ibaloi is the ''Peshit or Pedit'', a public feast mainly sponsored by people of prestige and wealth. ''Peshit'' can last for weeks and involves the killing and sacrifice of dozens of animals.
One of the more popular dances of the Ibaloi is the ''bendian'', a mass dance participated in by hundreds of male and female dancers. Originally a victory dance in time of war, it evolved into a celebratory dance. It is used as entertainment (''ad-adivay'') in the cañao feasts, hosted by the wealthy class (''baknang'').
Ifugao
Ifugaos are the people inhabiting Ifugao Province
Ifugao, officially the Province of Ifugao ( ilo, Probinsia ti Ifugao; tl, Lalawigan ng 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 wes ...
. They come from the municipalities of Lagawe (Capital Town), Aguinaldo, Alfonso Lista, Asipulo, Banaue, Hingyon, Hungduan, Kiangan, Lamut, Mayoyao, and Tinoc. The province is one of the smallest provinces in the Philippines with an area of only 251,778 hectares, or about 0.8% of the total Philippine land area. It has a temperate climate and is rich in mineral and forest products.
The term "Ifugao" is derived from "''ipugo''" which means "earth people", "mortals" or "humans", as distinguished from spirits and deities. It also means "from the hill", as ''pugo'' means hill. The term ''Igorot'' or ''Ygolote'' was the term used by Spanish conquerors for mountain people. The Ifugaos, however, prefer the name ''Ifugao''.
As of 1995, the population of the Ifugaos was counted to be 131,635. Although the majority of them are still in Ifugao province, some of them already transferred to Baguio
Baguio ( ,
), officially the City of Baguio ( ilo, Siudad ti Baguio; fil, Lungsod ng Baguio), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", ...
, where they worked as woodcarvers, and to other parts of the Cordillera region.[ They are divided into subgroups based on the differences in dialects, traditions, and design/color of costumes. The main subgroups are Ayangan, Kalangaya, and Tuwali. Furthermore, the Ifugao society is divided into 3 social classes: the ''kadangyans'' or the aristocrats, the ''tagus'' or the middle class, and the ''nawotwots'' or the poor ones. The ''kadangyans'' sponsor the prestige rituals called ''hagabi'' and ''uyauy'' and this separates them from the ''tagus'' who cannot sponsor feasts but are economically well off. The ''nawotwots'' are those who have limited land properties and are usually hired by the upper classes to do work in the fields and other services.][
]
Kalanguya/Ikalahan
The Kalaguya or Ikalahan people are a small group distributed amongst the mountain ranges of Sierra Madre
Sierra Madre (Spanish, 'mother mountain range') may refer to:
Places and mountains Mexico
*Sierra Madre Occidental, a mountain range in northwestern Mexico and southern Arizona
*Sierra Madre Oriental, a mountain range in northeastern Mexico
*S ...
, the Caraballo Mountains, and the eastern part of the Cordillera mountain range. The main population resides in the Nueva Vizcaya
Nueva Vizcaya, officially the Province of Nueva Vizcaya ( ilo, Probinsia ti Nueva Vizcaya; gad, Probinsia na Nueva Vizcaya; Pangasinan: ''Luyag/Probinsia na Nueva Vizcaya''; tl, Lalawigan ng Nueva Vizcaya ), is a landlocked province in the ...
province, with Kayapa as the center. They are considered to be part of the Igorot (mountain people
Hill people, also referred to as mountain people, is a general term for people who live in the hills and mountains.
This includes all rugged land above and all land (including plateaus) above elevation.
The climate is generally harsh, with s ...
) but distinguish themselves with the name Ikalahan, the name taken from the forest trees that grow in the Caraballo Mountain.
They are among the least studied ethnic groups, thus their early history is unknown. However, Felix M. Keesing suggests that, like other groups in the mountains, they fled from the lowlands to escape Spanish persecution.[
]
Isneg
The Isnag, also Isneg or Apayao, live at the northwesterly end of northern Luzon, in the upper half of the Cordillera province of Apayao
Apayao, officially the Province of Apayao ( ilo, Probinsia ti Apayao; fil, Lalawigan ng Apayao), is a landlocked province in the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Kabugao serves as its capital. The provincial capit ...
. The term "Isneg" derives from ''itneg'', meaning inhabitants of the Tineg River. Apayao derives from the battle cry ''Ma-ap-ay-ao'' as their hand is clapped rapidly over their mouth. They may also refer to themselves as ''Imandaya'' if they live upstream, or ''Imallod'' if they live downstream. The municipalities in the Isneg domain include Pudtol, Kabugao, Calanasan, Flora, Conner, Sta. Marcela, and
Luna. Two major river systems, the Abulog River
The Abulog River or Abulug River is the 9th largest river system in the Philippines in terms of watershed size."Principal River Basins of the Philippines" Published by the National Water Resources Board, October 1976 (p 12) It has an estimated dr ...
and the Apayao River
The Apayao River is a river on the island of Luzon in the Apayao province of the Philippines. It flows from an extensive watershed in the western slopes of the province, flows past the town of Kabugao and runs into the Pacific Ocean at the coasta ...
, run through Isnag country.
Jars of basi
''Basi'' is a native ''Ilocano'' fermented alcoholic beverage or wine made with sugarcane juice, particularly those produced in the region of ''Northern Luzon'' particularly in ''Ilocos Region''. This wine is processed in ''“burnay”'' ( ...
are half-buried in the ground within a small shed, ''abulor'', constructed of 4 posts and a shed. This ''abulor'' is found within the open space, ''linong'' or ''sidong'', below their houses (''balay''). They grow upland rice, while also practicing swidden farming and fishing.[
''Say-am'' was an important ceremony after a successful headhunting, or other important occasions, hosted by the wealthy, and lasting one to five days or more. Dancing, singing, eating, and drinking mark the feast, and Isnegs wear their finest clothes. The shaman, ''Anituwan'', prays to the spirit Gatan, before the first dog is sacrificed, if a human head had not been taken, and offered at the sacred tree, ''ammadingan''. On the last day, a coconut is split in honor of the headhunter guardian, Anglabbang.The ''Pildap'' is an equivalent ''say-am'' but hosted by the poor. Conversion to Christianity grew after 1920, and today, the Isnegs are divided in their religious beliefs, with some still being animistic.][
]
Itneg/Tingguian
The Itneg people, also known as Tingguian people, live in the mountainous area of Abra in northwestern Luzon who descended from immigrants from Kalinga, Apayao, and the Northern Kankana-ey. They are large in stature, have mongoloid eyes, aquiline nose, and are effective farmers. They refer to themselves as ''Itneg'', though the Spaniards called them ''Tingguian'' when they came to the Philippines because they are mountain dwellers. The Tingguians are further divided into 11 distinct subgroups which are the Adasen, Balatok, Banao, Belwang, Binongan, Gobang, Inlaud, Mabaka, Maeng, Masadiit and Moyadan. Wealth and material possessions (such as Chinese jars, copper gongs called ''gangsa'', beads, rice fields, and livestock) determine the social standing of a family or person, as well as the hosting of feasts and ceremonies. Despite the divide of social status, there is no sharp distinction between rich (''baknang'') and poor. Wealth is inherited but the society is open for social mobility of the citizens by virtue of hard work. Medium
Medium may refer to:
Science and technology
Aviation
*Medium bomber, a class of war plane
*Tecma Medium, a French hang glider design
Communication
* Media (communication), tools used to store and deliver information or data
* Medium of ...
are the only distinct group in their society, but even then it is only during ceremonial periods.
Kalinga
The Kalingas are mainly found in Kalinga province ; tl, Lalawigan ng Kalinga)
, native_name =
, other_name =
, settlement_type =
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = (from top: left to right) Bum-bag Rice Terraces, Pasil Valley, ...
which has an area of 3,282.58 sq. km. Some of them, however, already migrated to Mountain Province, Apayao
Apayao, officially the Province of Apayao ( ilo, Probinsia ti Apayao; fil, Lalawigan ng Apayao), is a landlocked province in the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Kabugao serves as its capital. The provincial capit ...
, Cagayan
Cagayan ( ), officially the Province of Cagayan ( ilo, Probinsia ti Cagayan; ibg, Provinsiya na Cagayan; itv, Provinsiya ya Cagayan; fil, Lalawigan ng Cagayan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region, covering ...
, and Abra. As of 1995, they were counted to be 105,083, not including those who have migrated outside the Cordillera region.
Kalinga territory includes floodplains of Tabuk
Tabuk may refer to:
*Tabuk, Kalinga, the capital city of Kalinga province of the Philippines
*Tabuk Province, a province of Saudi Arabia
**Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
Tabuk ( ar, تَبُوْك '), also spelled ''Tabouk'', is the capital city of the Tab ...
, and Rizal, plus the Chico River. Gold and copper deposits are common in Pasil and Balbalan
Balbalan, officially the Municipality of Balbalan is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Kalinga, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 12,914 people.
History
ote: The historical note is taken from an articl ...
. Tabuk was settled in the 12th century, and from there other Kalinga settlements spread, practicing wet rice (''papayaw'') and swidden (''uwa'') cultivation. Kalinga houses (''furoy'', ''buloy'', ''fuloy'', ''phoyoy'', ''biloy'')are either octagonal for the wealthy, or square, and are elevated on posts (a few as high as 20–30 feet), with a single room. Other building include granaries (''alang'') and field sheds (''sigay'').[
]
The name ''Kalinga'' came from the Ibanag and Gaddang term ''kalinga'', which means ''headhunter''. Edward Dozier divided Kalinga geographically into three sub-cultures and geographical position: Balbalan (north); Pasil, Lubuagan, and Tinglayan (south); and Tanudan (east). Teodoro Llamzon divided the Kalinga based on their dialects: Guinaang, Lubuagan, Punukpuk, Tabuk, Tinglayan, and Tanudan.[
]
Kankanaey
The Kankanaey domain includes Western Mountain Province, northern Benguet and southeastern Ilocos Sur. Like most Igorot ethnic groups, the Kankanaey built sloping terraces to maximize farm space in the rugged terrain of the Cordilleras.
Kankanaey houses include the two-story ''innagamang'', the larger ''binangi'', the cheaper ''tinokbob'', and the elevated ''tinabla''. Their granaries (''agamang'') are elevated to avoid rats. Two other institutions of the Kankanaey of Mountain Province are the ''dap-ay'', or the men's dormitory and civic center, and the ''ebgan'', or the girls' dormitory.
Kankanaey's major dances include ''tayaw'', ''pat-tong'', ''takik'' (a wedding dance), and ''balangbang''. The ''tayaw'' is a community dance that is usually done in weddings it maybe also danced by the Ibaloi but has a different style. ''Pattong'', also a community dance from Mountain Province which every municipality has its own style, while ''Balangbang'' is the dance's modern term. There are also some other dances like the ''sakkuting'', ''pinanyuan'' (another wedding dance) and ''bogi-bogi'' (courtship dance).
Ethnic groups by linguistic classification
Below is a list of northern Luzon ethnic groups organized by linguistic classification.
*Northern Luzon languages
The Northern Luzon languages (also known as the Cordilleran languages) are one of the few established large groups within Philippine languages. These are mostly located in and around the Cordillera Central of northern Luzon in the Philippines. ...
** Ilokano (Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Norte, officially the Province of Ilocos Norte ( ilo, Probinsia ti Ilocos Norte; tl, Lalawigan ng Ilocos Norte), is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region. Its capital is Laoag City, located in the northwest corner ...
and Ilocos Sur
Ilocos Sur, officially the Province of Ilocos Sur ( ilo, Probinsia ti Ilocos Sur; tl, Lalawigan ng Ilocos Sur), is a province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Located on the mouth of the Mestizo River is the capital o ...
)
** Northern Cordilleran
***Isneg
The Isnag people (also referred to as the Isneg and Apayao) are an Austronesian ethnic group native to Apayao Province in the Philippines' Cordillera Administrative Region. Their native language is Isneg language, Isneg (also called Isnag), a ...
(northern Apayao
Apayao, officially the Province of Apayao ( ilo, Probinsia ti Apayao; fil, Lalawigan ng Apayao), is a landlocked province in the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Kabugao serves as its capital. The provincial capit ...
)
*** Gaddang (Nueva Vizcaya
Nueva Vizcaya, officially the Province of Nueva Vizcaya ( ilo, Probinsia ti Nueva Vizcaya; gad, Probinsia na Nueva Vizcaya; Pangasinan: ''Luyag/Probinsia na Nueva Vizcaya''; tl, Lalawigan ng Nueva Vizcaya ), is a landlocked province in the ...
and Isabela)
***Ibanagic
**** Ibanag (Cagayan
Cagayan ( ), officially the Province of Cagayan ( ilo, Probinsia ti Cagayan; ibg, Provinsiya na Cagayan; itv, Provinsiya ya Cagayan; fil, Lalawigan ng Cagayan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region, covering ...
and Isabela)
**** Itawis (southern Cagayan
Cagayan ( ), officially the Province of Cagayan ( ilo, Probinsia ti Cagayan; ibg, Provinsiya na Cagayan; itv, Provinsiya ya Cagayan; fil, Lalawigan ng Cagayan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region, covering ...
)
**** Yogad ( Isabela)
** Central Cordilleran
*** Isinai (northern Nueva Vizcaya
Nueva Vizcaya, officially the Province of Nueva Vizcaya ( ilo, Probinsia ti Nueva Vizcaya; gad, Probinsia na Nueva Vizcaya; Pangasinan: ''Luyag/Probinsia na Nueva Vizcaya''; tl, Lalawigan ng Nueva Vizcaya ), is a landlocked province in the ...
)
***Kalinga–Itneg
****Kalinga Kalinga may refer to:
Geography, linguistics and/or ethnology
* Kalinga (historical region), a historical region of India
** Kalinga (Mahabharata), an apocryphal kingdom mentioned in classical Indian literature
** Kalinga script, an ancient writ ...
(Kalinga Kalinga may refer to:
Geography, linguistics and/or ethnology
* Kalinga (historical region), a historical region of India
** Kalinga (Mahabharata), an apocryphal kingdom mentioned in classical Indian literature
** Kalinga script, an ancient writ ...
)
****Itneg
The Itneg (exonym "Tinguian" or "Tingguian") are an Austronesian ethnic group from the upland province of Abra in northwestern Luzon, in the Philippines.
Overview
The Itneg live in the mountainous area of Abra in northwestern Luzon who descen ...
( Abra)
***Nuclear
****Ifugao
Ifugao, officially the Province of Ifugao ( ilo, Probinsia ti Ifugao; tl, Lalawigan ng 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 ...
(Ifugao
Ifugao, officially the Province of Ifugao ( ilo, Probinsia ti Ifugao; tl, Lalawigan ng 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 ...
)
**** Balangao (eastern Mountain Province)
**** Bontok (central Mountain Province)
**** Kankanaey (western Mountain Province, northern Benguet)
** Southern Cordilleran
***Ibaloi
The Ibaloi (also spelled Ibaloy; Ibaloi: ''ivadoy'', ) 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 ...
(southern Benguet)
***Kalanguya/ Kallahan (eastern Benguet, Ifugao
Ifugao, officially the Province of Ifugao ( ilo, Probinsia ti Ifugao; tl, Lalawigan ng 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 ...
, northwestern Nueva Vizcaya
Nueva Vizcaya, officially the Province of Nueva Vizcaya ( ilo, Probinsia ti Nueva Vizcaya; gad, Probinsia na Nueva Vizcaya; Pangasinan: ''Luyag/Probinsia na Nueva Vizcaya''; tl, Lalawigan ng Nueva Vizcaya ), is a landlocked province in the ...
)
****Kalanguya Keley-i
****Kalanguya Kayapa
****Kalanguya Tinoc
*** Karao (Karao, Bokod, Benguet)
***Bugkalot
The Bugkalot (also Ilongot or Ibilao) are a tribe inhabiting the southern Sierra Madre and Caraballo Mountains, on the east side of Luzon in the Philippines, primarily in the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Nueva Ecija and along the mountain bor ...
/Ilongot (eastern Nueva Vizcaya
Nueva Vizcaya, officially the Province of Nueva Vizcaya ( ilo, Probinsia ti Nueva Vizcaya; gad, Probinsia na Nueva Vizcaya; Pangasinan: ''Luyag/Probinsia na Nueva Vizcaya''; tl, Lalawigan ng Nueva Vizcaya ), is a landlocked province in the ...
, western Quirino
Quirino, officially the Province of Quirino ( ilo, Probinsia ti Quirino; tl, Lalawigan ng Quirino), is a landlocked province in the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon. Its capital is Cabarroguis. It is named after Elp ...
)
*** Pangasinan ( Pangasinan)
History
Spanish colonial era
The gold found in the land of the Igorot was an attraction for the Spanish. Originally gold was exchanged at Pangasinan by the Igorot. The gold was used to buy consumable products by the Igorot. Both gold and desire to Christianize the Igorot were given as reasons for Spanish conquest. In 1572 the Spanish started hunting for the gold. Benguet Province was entered by the Spanish with the intention of obtaining gold. The fact that the Igorots managed to stay out of Spanish dominion vexed the Spaniards. The gold evaded the hands of the Spaniards due to Igorot opposition. The Igorot would also be used as mercenaries and scouts during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War.[ October 23, 2020]
American colonial era
Samuel E. Kane wrote about his life amongst the Bontoc, Ifugao, and Kalinga after the Philippine–American War in his book ''Thirty Years with the Philippine Head-Hunters'' (1933).[Kane, S.E., 1933, ''Life and Death in Luzon or Thirty Years with the Philippine Head-Hunters'', New York: Grosset & Dunlap] The first American school for Igorot girls was opened in Baguio
Baguio ( ,
), officially the City of Baguio ( ilo, Siudad ti Baguio; fil, Lungsod ng Baguio), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", ...
in 1901 by Alice McKay Kelly.[ Kane argued that Dean C. Worcester "did more than anyone man to stop ]head-hunting
Headhunting is the practice of hunting a human and collecting the severed head after killing the victim, although sometimes more portable body parts (such as ear, nose or scalp) are taken instead as trophies. Headhunting was practiced in hi ...
and to bring the traditional enemy tribes together in friendship."[ Kane wrote of the Igorot people, "there is a peace, a rhythm and an elemental strength in the life...which all the comforts and refinements of civilization can not replace...fifty years hence...there will be little left to remind the young Igorots of the days when the drums and ''ganzas'' of the head-hunting ''canyaos'' resounded throughout the land.][
In 1903, Missionary Bishop Charles Brent traveled through northern Luzon, in hopes of directing missionary efforts to convert the pagan Igorot populace. A mission church was established for the Bontoc Tribe of the Igorots in the ]Bontoc, Mountain Province
Bontoc, officially the Municipality of Bontoc ( ilo, Ili ti Bontoc; tl, Bayan ng Bontoc), is a 2nd class municipality and capital of the province of Mountain Province, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 24,104 peo ...
. The Bontoc missionaries wrote the first Igorot grammars, which were published by the government.
In 1904, a group of Igorot people were brought to St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, United States, for the St. Louis World's Fair. They constructed the Igorot Village in the Philippine Exposition section of the fair, which became one of the most popular exhibits. The poet T. S. Eliot, who was born and raised in St. Louis, visited and explored the Village. Inspired by their tribal dance and others, he wrote the short story, "The Man Who Was King" (1905). In 1905, 50 tribespeople were on display at a Brooklyn, New York, amusement park for the summer, ending in the custody of the unscrupulous Truman K. Hunt, a showman "on the run across America with the tribe in tow."
On February 12, 1912, a Mountain Province Igorot chief named Gagaban became the first Filipino to fly in an airplane, riding as a passenger in a biplane called the "Red Devil" with Lee Hammond as the pilot.
World War II
During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines
The Japanese occupation of the Philippines (Filipino: ''Pananakop ng mga Japones sa Filipinas''; ja, 日本のフィリピン占領, Nihon no Firipin Senryō) occurred between 1942 and 1945, when Imperial Japan occupied the Commonwealth of the ...
, Igorots fought against Japan. Donald Blackburn
Brigadier General Donald Dunwody Blackburn (September 14, 1916 – May 24, 2008) was a United States Army Special Forces officer, best known for his significant command and developmental roles in the U.S. Army Special Forces.
He was also the co ...
's World War II guerrilla force had a strong core of Igorots.[Harkins, P., 1956, ''Blackburn's Headhunters,'' London: Cassell & Co. LTD] A young Igorot woman, Naomi Flores
Naomi Flores (1921-2013) (code name Looter) was active in the resistance to the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in World War II. Flores was a member of the "Miss U Spy Ring." Working clandestinely and at great risk to herself, she delivered ...
, was an important member of the Miss U Spy Ring.
Postwar era
On June 18, 1966, ''Republic Act
This article contains a partial list of Philippine laws.
Sources of Philippine laws
;Notes
: *Customs may be considered as supplementary source of law, however, customs which are contrary to law, public order or public policy shall not be ...
No. 4695'' was enacted to split Mountain Province and create four separate and independent provinces namely Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga-Apayao
Kalinga-Apayao () was a province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in the island of Luzon. It was formed, along with Benguet, Ifugao, and the new Mountain Province, from the earlier Mountain Province, with the passage o ...
, and Mountain Province. Ifugao and Kalinga-Apayao were placed under the jurisdiction of the Cagayan Valley
Cagayan Valley ( ilo, Tanap ti Cagayan; fil, Lambak ng Cagayan), is an administrative region in the Philippines, located in the northeastern section of Luzon Island. It is composed of five Philippine provinces: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, ...
region, with Benguet and Mountain Province placed under the Ilocos Region
Ilocos Region ( ilo, Rehion/Deppaar ti Ilocos; pag, Sagor na Baybay na Luzon/Rehiyon Uno; tl, Rehiyon ng Ilocos) is an administrative region of the Philippines, designated as Region I, occupying the northwestern section of Luzon and part of ...
.
Martial law
After the declaration of Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory.
Use
Marti ...
by Ferdinand Marcos in 1972, the region became the focus of militarization as a result of local objections to the government's push for the Chico River Dam Project
The Chico River Dam Project was a proposed hydroelectric power generation project involving the Chico River on the island of Luzon in the Philippines that locals, notably the Kalinga people, resisted because of its threat to their residences, ...
near Sadanga, Mountain Province
Sadanga, officially the Municipality of Sadanga is a 5th class municipality in the province of Mountain Province, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 8,427 people.
Sadanga boundaries both provinces are Abra to the n ...
and Tinglayan, Kalinga
Tinglayan, officially the Municipality of Tinglayan is a 4th class municipality in the province of Kalinga, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 13,148 people.
Geography
Barangays
Tinglayan is politically subdivi ...
. Frustrated by the project delays caused by the opposition, Ferdinand Marcos issued Presidential Decree no. 848 in December 1975, constituting the municipalities of Lubuagan, Tinglayan, Tanudan, and Pasil into a "Kalinga Special Development Region" (KSDR), in an effort to neutralize opposition to the Chico IV dam.
Empowered by Martial Law to conduct warrantless arrests, the 60th PC Brigade had arrested at least 150 locals by April 1977, accusing them of supposed subversion and of obstructing government projects, and various other offenses such as boycotting the October 1976 Constitutional Referendum. Individuals arrested included tribal ''papangat'' (leaders/elders), young couples, and in at least one case, a 12-year-old child. By December 1978, parts of the Chico IV area had been declared "free fire zones", no-man's-land areas where the army could freely fire on any animals or permit-less humans at will.
On April 24, 1980, Marcos-controlled military forces assassinated Macli-ing Dulag
Macli-ing Dulag (customarily referred to by his first name, also spelled Macliing or Macli'ing; c. 1930 – 24 April 1980) was a ''pangat'' (leader) of the Butbut tribe of Kalinga province in the Philippines. He is best as one of the leaders of t ...
, a ''pangat'' (leader) of the Butbut tribe of Kalinga. The assassination became a watershed moment, marking the first time the mainstream Philippine press could be openly critical against Marcos and the military, and building up a sense of Igorot identity that eventually led to Cordillera autonomy.
Mount Data Peace Accord
After the end of the Marcos administration due to the 1986 People Power Revolution, the succeeding government under President Corazon Aquino secured a ceasefire with the main indigenous armed group in the Cordilleras, the Cordillera People's Liberation Army
The Cordillera People's Liberation Army (CPLA) was a militant organization based in the Cordillera region in the Philippines founded by Conrado Balweg.
Formation
In 1986, the CPLA broke away from the communist New People's Army (NPA), critici ...
led by Conrado Balweg. The Aquino government made a ''sipat'' or indigenous treaty, which would be known as the Mount Data Peace Accord
The Mount Data Peace Accord is a peace deal signed between the government of the Philippines and the Cordillera People's Liberation Army on September 13, 1986, ending hostilities due to the latter's campaign for greater autonomy for the Cordille ...
, with the CPLA on September 13, 1986, ending hostilities.
Contemporary history
In 2014, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, an indigenous rights advocate, of Igorot ethnicity, was appointed UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.[James Anay]
Victoria Tauli-Corpuz begins as new Special Rapporteur, June 2, 2014
/ref>
In February 2021, Mountain Province Representative
Representative may refer to:
Politics
* Representative democracy, type of democracy in which elected officials represent a group of people
* House of Representatives, legislative body in various countries or sub-national entities
* Legislator, som ...
Maximo Y. Dalog Jr. wrote Philippine Education Secretary Leonor Briones
Leonor "Liling" Mirasol Magtolis-Briones (; born October 16, 1940) is a Filipina academician, economist, and civil servant who served as Secretary of Education under the Duterte administration. She is also professor emeritus of public administ ...
to look into learning materials that allegedly discriminated against Igorots for their physical appearance and manner of dress. One learning module inaccurately described Igorots as having curly hair. Department of Education
An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
Regional Director Estela L. Cariño apologized on behalf of the department, noting that copies of the book were retrieved when its contents were brought to the department's attention.
See also
* Ethnic groups in the Philippines
* Indigenous peoples of the Philippines
The Philippines consist of numerous upland and lowland indigenous ethnolinguistic groups living in the country, with Austronesians making up the overwhelming majority, while full or partial Negritos scattered throughout the archipelago. The highl ...
* Lumad
The Lumad are a group of Austronesian indigenous people in the southern Philippines. It is a Cebuano term meaning "native" or "indigenous". The term is short for Katawhang Lumad (Literally: "indigenous people"), the autonym officially adopte ...
* Moro people
The Moro people or Bangsamoro people are the 13 Muslim-majority ethnolinguistic Austronesian groups of Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan, native to the region known as the Bangsamoro (lit. ''Moro nation'' or ''Moro country''). As Muslim-majorit ...
References
Further reading
*Boeger, Astrid. 'St. Louis 1904'. In ''Encyclopedia of World's Fairs and Expositions'', ed. John E. Findling and Kimberly D. Pelle. McFarland, 2008.
*
*Jones, Arun W, “A View from the Mountains: Episcopal Missionary Depictions of the Igorot of Northern Luzon, The Philippines, 1903-1916” in ''Anglican and Episcopal History'' 71.3 (Sep 2002): 380-410.
*Narita, Tatsushi."How Far is T. S. Eliot from Here?: The Young Poet's Imagined World of Polynesian Matahiva". In ''How Far is America from Here?'', ed. Theo D'haen, Paul Giles, Djelal Kadir and Lois Parkinson Zamora. Amsterdam and New York: Rodopi, 2005, pp. 271–282.
*Narita, Tatsushi. ''T. S. Eliot, the World Fair of St. Louis and 'Autonomy (Published for Nagoya Comparative Culture Forum). Nagoya: Kougaku Shuppan Press, 2013.
*Rydell, Robert W. ''All the World's a Fair: Visions of Empire at American International Expositions, 1876–1916''. The University of Chicago Press, 1984.
*
External links
The Igorots in St. Louis Fair 1904
Jenks' ''The Bontoc Igorot''
Project Gutenberg
{{Authority control
Headhunting
Cordillera Administrative Region
Ethnic groups in the Philippines