The 7 Indigenous Tribes of the Philippines

Filipinos are well known around the world.

Very competitive on winning any pageant titles. Filipinos are known to be confident and being trusted by all, a trait that a beauty could well served the purpose of being a title holder.

With over 100M population from a total area of 300,000 square kilometer and 7,107 islands. Filipinos are the best person you would meet!

You would know a Filipino from its facial and physical structure. You too would know a Filipino on the way he moves!

The 7 Indigenous Tribes from the Philippines

So, if you would know a Filipino. Then, maybe check out if he belong to any of this tribe.

1. Badjao

Badjao in the Philippines are living in the islands of Sulu from the south of the Philippines. A video from the youtuber shows how badjao is living their lives.

Being called a "Sea Nomads" or "Sea Gypsies". They preferably would live within waters. From my experience, I met Badjao on the sea port when you throw coins to the waters they would likely jump overboard to take it and wait for more.

The first Badjao to graduate with honors from the Mindanao State University-Tawi-Tawi, Roben Abdella, 22, has strived against discrimination.

2. Igorots

Igorots lived in Ifugao, Northern part of the Philippines. They prefer living on the mountains and planting rice fields. I met Igorots when I traveled to Benguet, a province which known as the Salad Bowl of the Philippines due to its huge production of upland vegetables. Situated within the interior of Benguet is the highly urbanized city of Baguio, which is administratively independent from the province.

A video of an Igorot dance from a youtuber. Showing how they are dressed as part of their culture and tradition.

Banaue, a part of Ifugao you would see the famous Banaue Rice terraces which was made by the tribe itself. This is also where the last scene from the Avengers: Infinity Wars 2018 was taken when Thanos was seen after he completed to obtain all the Infinity stones.

3. Ilongot

Do not be confused with the Ilongot tribe and to those who are called the Illonggo's. Ilongot tribe found to be in Sierra Madre while the Ilonggo is not necessarily a tribe, and people who are called Ilonggos are living in one of the provinces, Iloilo.

Ilongot or sometimes called the Head Hunter, have the tradition of taking heads of their prey, either man or an animal.

Ilongot have already removed their tradition of head hunting. They were changed by a Christian missionary.

4. Lumads

First found in Eastern Mindanao. Now scattered across the Mindanao.

Like any other tribes, Lumads are brave fighting for their own ancestral land against intruders.

Lumads being killed because they are protecting their rich land from intruders who will destroy their environment with mining and building plantations.

5. Mangyan

Mangyan lives on the island of Mindoro, home of the tamaraw or a dwarf with straight horned buffalo which is only endemic to the island.

The traditional poetry of the Hanunuo Mangyan is called "Ambahan". The poems written on bamboo are various stories of childhood, friendship, love, old age, and death.

6. Palawan Tribe

Palawan may be well known for its very long Underground River. It was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site on December 4, 1999.

But for us to know about the people from the tribe, they collect resins from the trees called Bagtik.

The men in this tribe wear g-strings while the women wear patadyong which is a native wrap that is similar to the malong. In food preference, the Palaw’ans do not usually use salt, their usual diet is composed of rice, banana, cassava, vegetables, rimas or breadfruit, fruits, wild pigs from hunting, birds such as wild quails and tikling, wild chicken / labuyo, and freshwater fish. They prepare a delicious delicacy called the pinyaram which is closely similar to the bibingka of the Tagalogs.

7. Tumandok

Tumandok are Visayan indigenous tribe of the Philippines. Being a tumandok is having a soft spoken voice even when angry.

Tumandok also a term language for Hiligaynon people living in the Visayan region which mean "native".

Watch the tribe fighting for their right to their land, and preserving their culture and asking for the government to help them.

For the Tumandok people of Panay, their ancestral land is an extension of their lives. However, the development of a new project is threatening to take these lands away from them.

Categories: A Filipino trait, Culture