Igorot people

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. The endonyms Ifugao or Ipugaw (also meaning "mountain people") are used more frequently by the Igorots themselves, as igorot is viewed by some as slightly pejorative, The Spanish borrowed the term Ifugao from the lowland Gaddang and Ibanag groups. == Cordillera ethnolinguistic groups ==

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-terrace farming; 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. Balangao The Balangao (endonym: iFarangao) predominantly inhabit the municipality of Natonin and portions of Paracelis in the eastern Mountain Province. While early colonial literature often conflated the Balangao with the neighboring Bontoc or Ifugao based on broad geographic generalizations, modern linguistic and cultural evidence identifies them as a distinct group with an independent ethnogenesis. Anthropological mapping from the early 20th century, notably by Albert Jenks (1905), explicitly defined the "Bontoc Culture Area" as centered on the Chico River, excluding the eastern territories that comprise the Balangao heartland. Both groups maintain distinct territorial boundaries and do not historically claim common tribal affiliation. The Balangao language is classified as a primary branch of the Nuclear Cordilleran group, making it a sister branch to the Bontoc, Kankanaey, and Ifugao complexes. According to the Northern Luzon languages family tree, this divergence represents an early split within the Central Cordilleran subgroup rather than a recent migration or dialectal variation. The Bontok live in a mountainous territory, particularly close to the Chico River and its tributaries. Mineral resources (gold, copper, limestone, gypsum) can be found in the mountain areas. Gold, in particular, has been traditionally extracted from the Bontoc municipality. with falfeg (spear) and pinangas (battle axe), circa 1935. 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. Ifugao Ifugaos are the people inhabiting Ifugao province. 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. 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. Iwak The Iwak people (Oak, Iguat, Iwaak, etc.) is a small ethnic group, which has a population of approximately 3,274, dispersed in small fenced-in villages which are usually enclaves in communities of surrounding major ethnic groups like the Ibaloy and Ikalahan. The characteristic village enclosing fences are sometimes composed in part of the houses with the front entry facing inward. Pig sties are part of the residential architecture. The Iwak are found principally in the municipalities of Boyasyas and Kayapa, province of Nueva Vizcaya. The subgroups are: (1) Lallang ni I'Wak, (2) Ibomanggi, (3) Italiti, (4) Alagot, (5) Itangdalan, (6) Ialsas, (7) Iliaban, (8)Yumanggi, (9) Ayahas, and (10) Idangatan. They speak the Iwaak language, which is a Nuclear Southern Cordilleran language which makes it closely related to Ibaloi, Kalanguya, and Karao. Karao The Karao (Karaw) tribe lives in the municipality of Bokod, Benguet. The ancestors of the Karaos are the Panuy-puys (puypuys), who migrated from Palileng, Bontoc to Diyang in Nueva Viscaya, and finally settled in Karao in the latter part of the nineteenth century. They speak the Karao language (also spelled Karaw). It is spoken in the Karao, Ekip, and Bokod areas of western Benguet Province, and in the southwestern corner of Ifugao Province. The language is named after the barangay of Karaw in Bokod municipality, Benguet. 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. 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. Isnag populations also live in the eastern area of the province of Ilocos Norte, specifically the municipalities of Adams, Carasi, Marcos, Dingras, Vintar, Dumalneg and Solsona; and in the Northwestern part of the province of Cagayan, specifically the municipalities of Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Pamplona and Sanchez Mira. Two major river systems, the Abulog River and the Apayao River, run through Isnag country. (Apayao) woman in traditional attire, wearing sinulpo (upper garment) and aken (wraparound cloth).|left Jars of basi 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. 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 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 which has an area of 3,282.58 sq.km. Some of them, however, already migrated to Mountain Province, Apayao, Cagayan, and Abra. As of 2020, they were counted to be 212,983, not including those who have migrated outside the Cordillera region. applying traditional Kalinga tattoos using the characteristic Austronesian tattooing tools – the hafted needle and the mallet|194x194pxKalinga territory includes floodplains of Tabuk, and Rizal, plus the Chico River. Gold and copper deposits are common in Pasil and Balbalan. 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 buildings 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. The Kankanaey have two distinct sub-groups: the Northern Kankanaey, or Applai, who live in Sagada and Besao in western Mountain Province and constitute a linguistic group, and the Southern Kankanaey, who live in the mountainous regions of Mountain Province and Benguet, specifically in the municipalities of Tadian, Bauko, Sabangan, Bakun, Kibungan, Buguias, and Mankayan. woman posing for the tayaw dance, circa 1904, in Suyoc. 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. 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). For the neighboring groups of the eastern slopes like Ilongot and Isinai, see Cagayan Valley and Caraballo ethnolinguistic groups == Ethnic groups by linguistic classification ==

Below is a list of northern Luzon ethnic groups organized by linguistic classification. • Northern Luzon languages • Ilokano (Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and La Union) • Northern Cordilleran • Isneg (northern Apayao) • Ibanagic • Ibanag (Cagayan and Isabela) • Gaddangic • Gaddang (Nueva Vizcaya and Isabela) • Ga'dang (Paracelis, Mountain Province; Alfonso Lista, Ifugao; Tabuk City, Kalinga Province; and Aurora) • Itawis (southern Cagayan and Apayao) • Yogad (Isabela) • Central Cordilleran • Isinai (northern Nueva Vizcaya, north Nueva Ecija, northwest Aurora) • Kalinga–Itneg • Kalinga (Kalinga; Banao, Abra; Barangay Maducayan and Saliok, Natonin, Mountain Province) • Itneg (Abra) • Nuclear • Ifugao (Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino) • Balangao (Natonin, Mountain Province; some parts of Paracelis) • Bontok (Bontoc, Sadanga, Barlig Mountain Province) • Kankanaey (western Mountain Province, northern Benguet) • Southern Cordilleran • Ilongot (Bugkalot) (eastern Nueva Vizcaya; Nagtipunan and Maddela Quirino, north Nueva Ecija, northwest Aurora) • West Southern Cordilleran • Pangasinan (Pangasinan) • Nuclear Southern Cordilleran • Ibaloi (southern Benguet, east La Union, west Nueva Vizcaya) • Karao (Karao, Bokod, Benguet) • Kallahan/Kalanguya (eastern Benguet, Ifugao, northwestern Nueva Vizcaya, north Nueva Ecija) • Kalanguya Keley-i • Kalanguya Kayapa • Kalanguya Tinoc Different Igorot groups speak the Ilocano language as a lingua franca for better communication amongst their people because many Cordilleran languages have varying dialect continuums through different tribes and different localities. They also utilize the Ilocano language to communicate with ethnic Ilocanos and other non-Ilocano second-language speakers such as the Ibanags. Along with Ilocano, they also speak Tagalog and English as lingua francas. == Genetic studies ==

The Kankanaey (an Igorot ethnic group) from the Mountain Province of the Northern Philippines), and by extension other indigenous Cordillera groups, descend almost entirely from the ancient Austronesian expansion originating in Taiwan around 3000-2000 BCE. ADMIXTURE analyses show their ancestry is remarkably homogeneous, with nearly 100% of their genetic makeup matching the "k6" component most closely shared with Taiwan's indigenous Ami and Atayal peoples. This genetic profile shows minimal admixture with other Asian populations over millennia. == Igorot diaspora ==

There are Igorot minorities outside their homeland. Outside the Cordillera Administrative Region, they reside in neighboring provinces of Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon (particularly Nueva Ecija & Aurora), Metro Manila and Calabarzon, (where Igorot Village is located in Cainta, Rizal) and Bicol Region. In Visayas, Igorots also form minority communities in Aklan, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Cebu, Siquijor, Bohol, Biliran and Leyte. Most of them are soldiers, policemen and government officials who are temporarily deployed in the area, but many have settled permanently as civilians retired from their posts and intermarried with the Mindanaoans of various ethnicities. There is an organization for Igorot residents of Mindanao. Igorots can also be found in other countries, mostly as overseas workers. == History ==

, the anthropomorphical representations of rice divinities protecting the seeds and the harvest of Ifugao people 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. 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). The first American school for Igorot girls was opened in Baguio in 1901 by Alice McKay Kelly. in 1905|209x209px In 1904, a group of Igorot people were brought to St. Louis, Missouri, 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 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, Igorots fought against Japan. Donald Blackburn's World War II guerrilla force had a strong core of Igorots. A young Igorot woman, Naomi Flores, was an important member of the Miss U Spy Ring. General Tomoyuki Yamashita surrendered to Filipino and American forces in Kiangan, Ifugao in early September 1945; a shrine was built in the town commemorating his surrender. Postwar era On June 18, 1966, Republic Act No. 4695 was enacted to split Mountain Province and create four separate and independent provinces namely Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga-Apayao, and Mountain Province. Ifugao and Kalinga-Apayao were placed under the jurisdiction of the Cagayan Valley region, with Benguet and Mountain Province placed under the Ilocos Region. Martial law in Quezon City, showing names from the first batch of Bantayog Honorees, including that of Macli-ing Dulag. After the declaration of martial law 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 near Sadanga, Mountain Province, and Tinglayan, Kalinga. 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. 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. 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 (CPLA) led by Conrado Balweg. The Aquino government made a sipat or indigenous treaty, which would be known as the Mount Data Peace Accord, with the CPLA on September 13, 1986, ending hostilities. == See also ==