History of the Kankanaeys

Introduction / History

          The Kankanaey live in the upland areas of Benguet province and belong to the tribal group called "Igorots". They are one of the larger tribes in the region. They are a hardworking people in the field of agriculture who are already reached by modern technologies. The Kankanaey build rice terraces which have become sufficient sources of food. The staple foods of the Kankanaey are camote, rice, potatoes, and other root crops like yam and night.

          The marriage customs of the Kankanaey are similar to the Ibalois. They practice parental marriage. A big wedding is celebrated with feasts and many rituals done before and during the wedding ceremony. Butchering of animals is a very important part of the wedding. In the past, there have been cases of intermarriages with lowland people. But due to unfavorable experiences, this practice is already declining. The Kankanaey families believe that husbands are the heads of the family and elders shouldnt be well-respected in the community.

          The Kankanaey are some of the best vegetable growers in the Philippines. They are innovative in the fields they practice and proven technology like irrigation and the construction of rice terraces. Most of their income comes from tilling the fields. They are also into mining territory since the Kankanaey yields lots of minerals, particularly gold.

          Hunting is also practiced by the people with the use of spears and dogs, while fishing is done with the use of bamboo traps. The Kankanaey women are said to be the best weavers in Benguet province. They-produced sweaters, shirts and blankets. They also-produced baskets, potteries and furniture which are marketed in the city of Baguio and other nearby towns.

          The Kankanaey, having been reached by modern amenities, live in big communities and are aware of the importance of education. Because of a high literacy rate our the group, they desire such socio-economic developments as improvement of the road from towns to villages, protection of remaining forest, and the improvement of the water system and electrification of the Kankanaey territory.

          Because they have a big population, they have a strong influence both in the local and national government. There are many socio-economic development programs being done in the area. Many members of the tribe Kankanaey are educated and professional, so they are the ones who are their people's's leading towards improvement and better living.

What are Their Beliefs?

          Because of the long years of missionary presence in the Kankanaey areas, the people have been christianized. Many are now Roman Catholics and Protestants. Some have joined the Church of Christ and other religious groups established within the Kankanaey areas. Although many have professed faith in Christ, most of them still engage in pagan practices as shown in many of their rituals during weddings, rites of passage, planting and harvest, medicine and others.

Igorot

           The word "Igorot" is an exonym, derived from the archaic tagalog term for "mountain people" (formed from the prefix turn, "dweller of" and golot, "mountain range"). During the Spanish colonial era, the term was variously recorded as Igolot, Ygolot, and Igorrote, compliant to Spanish orthography.

          The endonyms Ifugao or Ipugao (also meaning "mountain people") are used more frequently within the Igorots themselves, as Igorot is viewed by some as slightly pejorative.More recently, specially after their separation as a distinct province, Ifugaos, despite the similarities in some cultural traditions and practices, are considered to be a separate ethnic group with their own ethnolinguistic characteristics and practices, preferring to be called and identified as ifugaos rather than as igorots.

Cordillera Ethnic Groups

The Igorots have roughly be 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 colonization of the islands, the peoples now included under the term did not consider in themselves as belonging to a single, cohesive ethnic group.

They have be further subdivided into five ethnolinguistic groups: the Bontoc, Ibaloi, as Isnag(or Isneg / Apayao), Kalinga, and the Kankanaey.

The Bontoc

         The Bontoc live on the banks of the Chico River in the Central Mountain Province on the island of Luzon. They speak the Bontoc language. They formerly practiced head-hunting and had a distinctive body tattoos. The Bontoc describe three types of tattoos: The chak-lag ', the tattooed chest of the head taker; pong "-or, the tattooed arms of men and women: and fa '-t E k, for all other tattoos of Both Sexes. Women were tattooed on the arms only. In the past, the Bontoc engaged in none of the usual pastimes or games of chance practiced in other areas of the country, but did perform a circular rhythmic dance acting out certain aspects of the hunt, always accompanied by the gang '-in or bronze gong. There was no singing or talking during the dance drama, but the women took part, usually outside the circumference. It was a serious but pleasurable event for all concerned, including the children. Present-day Bontocs are a peaceful agricultural people who have, by choice, retained most of their traditional culture despite frequent contacts with other groups.

          The Bontoc social structure used to be centered around village wards ("ato") containing about 14 to 50 homes. Traditionally, young men and women lived in dormitories and ate meals with their families. This gradually changed with the advent of christianity. In general, however, it can be said that all Bontocs are very aware of their own way of life and are not overly eager to change.

The Ibaloi

          The Ibaloi(also Ibaloy and Nabaloi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Philippines who live mostly in the southern part of Benguet, located in the Cordillera of Northern Luzon. The Ibaloi people were traditionally an agrarian society. Many of the Ibaloi people continue with their agriculture and rice cultivation.

          The Ibaloi language belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian languages ​​family. The Ibaloi language is closely related to the Pangasinan language, spoken primarily in the province of Pangasinan, located southwest of Benguet.

          One of the more popular dances of the Ibaloi is the Bendiyan Dance, participated in by hundreds of male and female dancers.

The Ifugao

          Alternative / Associated Names: Ifugao, Amganad, Ayangan, Kiangan, Gilipanes, Quiangan, Tuwali Ifugao, Mayoyao (Mayoyao, Mayaoyaw) LOCATION: Ifugao Province dialect: Four distinct dialects Ifugao

          The country of the Ifugao in the southern part of the Cordillera region is best known for its famous Banaue rice terraces, which in modern times have become one of the big tourist attractions of the Philippines. The Ifugaos typical build their houses at the edge of their fields. As a distinctive aspect of these post house just below the floor beams to keep rats from climbing into the house.

          Aside from their rice terraces, the Ifugaos are known for their literary traditions of the 'hudhud' and the 'alim'. The term "Ifugao" is derived from "ipugo" which means earth people or mortals or humans, as distinguished from spirits and deities. It also means "from the hill", as "Quail" means hill. The Ifugaos' highest prestige feasts are the "hagabi", for the most wealthy; and the "uyauy", a feast for those immediately below the wealthiest.

The Isnag

          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 "Isnag" derives from a combination of meaning is "recede" and unag meaning "interior." Thus, it means "people who live inland." The municipalities occupied by the Isneg include Pudtol, Kabugao, Calanasan and Conner (1988 Peralta: 1). Two major river systems, the Abulog and the Apayao, run through Isnag country, which until recent times has been described as a region of "dark tropical forests," and endowed with other natural resources.

          In one early account, the Isneg were described as of slender and graceful stature, with manners that were kindly, hospitable, and generous, possessed with the spirit of self-reliance and courage, and clearly artistic in their temperament. The Isnag  a's ancestors are believed to have been the proto-Austronesians who came from South China thousands of years ago. Later, they came in contact with groups practicing jar burial, from whom they adopted the custom.

           As a dry rice farmer, the male head of a household annually clears a fresh section of tropical forest where his wife will plant and harvest their rice. Itneg women also cook the meals, gather wild vegetables and weave bamboo mats and baskets, while the men cut timber, build houses and take extended hunting and fishing trips. Often when a wild pig or deer is killed, its meat is skewered on bamboo and distributed to neighbors and relatives. Nearly all Isneg households also harvest a small grove of coffee trees since the main cash crop of the area is coffee.

            Isnag people are also known as the Isneg, which is composed of the sub-groups known as the Ymandaya and Imallod. Their places of abode are found in the different municipalities in Apayao as Follows:

Ymandaya (as Isnag) - Calanasan (Guts)

Imallod (as Isnag) - Kabugao, Conner, Pudtol, and some part of Luna (Macatel)

Isnag ,Isneg speak the language.

          Isnags are also found in the Eastern part of the Province of Ilocos Norte, specifically the municipalities of Adams, Carasi, Dumaneg, Solsona and Piddig and Northwestern part of the Province of Cagayan specifically the municipalities of Sta. Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez Mira and.

The Kalinga

          Inhabiting the drainage areas of the middle Chico River in the Kalinga Province, the Kalingas are noted for their strong sense of tribal awareness and the peace pacts they have made themselves. The Limos Kalinga and speak the languages. They practice both wet and dry rice farming. They also developed an institution of peace pacts called bodong which has minimized traditional warfare and headhunting and serves as a mechanism for the initiation, maintenance, renewal and reinforcement of kinship and social ties. The Kalinga are divided into southern and northern groups; the latter is considered the most heavily-ornamented people of the northern Philippines.

          Kalinga society is very kinship-oriented, and relatives are held responsible for avenging any injury done to a member. Disputes are settled by the regional usually leaders, who listen to all sides and then impose fines on the guilty party. These are not formal council meetings, but carry a good deal of authority.

          Kalingas are also known as Limos or Limos-Liwan Kalinga.

The Kankanaey

HARD AND SOFT KANKANAEY

        The name came from the language Kankanaey which they speak. The only difference are the boss the way Kankanaey they speak like intonation and the usage of some words. In intonation, there is a distinction between those who speak or Applai Kankanaey hard and soft Kankanaey. Speakers of hard Kankanaey are from Sagada, Besao and the surrounding parts or barrios of the said two municipalities. They speak Kankanaey hard in intonation where they differ in some words from the soft-speaking Kankanaey. Soft-speaking Kankanaey come from Northern and other parts of Benguet, and from the municipalities of Sabangan, Tadian and Bauko in Mountain Province. In words for example an Applai might say otik or beteg (pig) and the soft-speaking Kankanaey busaang or beteg use as well. The Kankanaey have also differ in some words like egay or early, maid or swelling. They also differ in their ways of life and sometimes in culture.

          The domain Kankanaey includes western Mountain Province, northern Benguet and Ilocos Sur southeastern. Like most Igorot ethnic groups, the Kankanaey built sloping terraces to maximize farm space in the rugged terrain of the Cordilleras. The Kankaney of Western Mountain Province from the municipalities of Sagada and Besao identify themselves as part of a tribe called Applai or Aplai. Two famous institutions of the Kankanaey of Mountain Province are the dap-ay, the men's dormitory and civic center, and the ebgan, the girls' dormitory where courtship between young men and women took place.

         The Kankanaey they differ in the way dress. Women's dress of the soft dialect has a color combination of black, white and red. The design of the upper attire is a criss-crossed style of black, white and red colors. The skirt or apron is a combination of stripes of black, white and red. Hard dialect women dress is composed of mainly red and black with a little white styles, as for the skirt or apron which is mostly called bakget and gateng. The men wore a g-string known as a wanes for the Kanakaney's of Besao and nylon. The design of the wanes shown and vary with social status or municipality.

          Kankanaey's major dances include tayaw, pattong, takik, a wedding dance, and balangbang. The tayaw is a community dance that is usually done in weddings it maybe also danced by the streaking but has a different style. Pattong, also a community dance from Mountain Province which every municipality has its own style. Balangbang is the modernized word for the word pattong. There are also some other dances like the sakkuting, pinanyuan (wedding dance) and bogi-bogi (courtship dance). Kankanaey houses are built like the other Igorot houses, which reflect their social status.


read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igorot_people