Characteristics of Igorots

The igorots, who are to the west of Ituy, are very much different. They live in really bare and
naked mountains. Honey and wax are very scarce for want of flowers.
Their complexion is not very dark olive brown and rarely yellowish as found among the
mestizos. The body build is strong and they have well-developed musculature. The average
height of the man is 482 and the women 454
It is generally claimed that the igorots have a strong Chinese blood mixture and some authorities
even claim that Japanesse blood has also been mixed that of the Igorots.
The igorot hair is cut in a straight line from the forehead on both sides of the face, so that it
covers the forehead down to the base of the nose and the ears.
Description of their Territory
The terms Igorots and Cordilleras are used to collectively refer to a number of tribal groups. The
Igorots reside in the mountainous north and central Luzon areas in the Cordillera Administrative
Region (CAR). The CAR covers 18,294 sq. km and includes the provinces of Abra, Benguet,
Mountain Province, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Apayao.
The Igorot form two subgroups: the largest group lives in the south, central, and western areas,
and is very adept at rice-terrace farming; the other group lives in the east and north. The Igorots
formerly practiced headhunting.
The Igorots are an ethnic people of the Philippines, clustered in the Cordillera region of Luzon. It
is true that they are famous for rice-terrace farming but saying that some of them have been
known to be cannibals in the past is an exaggeration which only downgrades them.
As one can infer, Igorots are a highland race, and are well-adapted to life in raised altitudes. To
assure themselves a steady supply of crop, they have even devised a way to carved terraces at the
sides of mountain, which they plant with various grains.
Material Culture of Igorots
A. Clothing

For Males

1. Bag (bahag) - the common costumes for male Igorots. It is a long woven material about 10
to 15 inches wide and 3 to 5 feet long. Its main purpose is to cover the mans private parts. Its
firmly secured at the waist to prevent the clothing from falling off and to ensure that it covers the

male organs safely and properly. Traditionally, there are no upper clothes for men. Tattoos are
common in the upper body. The amount of tattoos indicates the males authority in the village. It
can also denote how many enemies he has slain with his spear or bolo. Some Igorot or Kalinga
costumes include a head gear adorned with feathers, and some arm band

For Females

On the other hand, the female Igorot or Kalinga costume consists of a large rectangular woven
clothing about 3 to 5 feet wide, and 3 to 4 feet long.
Its simply worn like a skirt and secured around the waist. In the olden times, there were also no
upper clothing for women, but as the modern era has come to influenced the new generation,
earth colored blouses are now worn.
There are still some villages where married women go topless with the older generations. The
new generation though has decided to wear upper clothing for decency purposes. However,
going topless during the olden days was not considered indecent.
Men didnt eye women with impure thoughts, and there were no cases of rape. It was like Adam
and Eve existing in the Garden of Eden before Eve got tempted by the devil.
During those times, being nude is pure and innocent and not an indecent exposure. The native
beads or bongol in the Kalinga dialect usually adorns the womans upper body.
The weight and amount of beads in the bongol indicate the status of the woman.
Richer and nobler women have heavier and multi-layered bongols. Here are some
Igorot/Kalinga costumes:

B. Tools that they used

1. Hinalung & Pinahig: Weapon-Tools of the Igorot- The Igorot (or mountain people)
inhabit the interior highlands of northern Luzon in the Philippines and may be further
subclassified into at least six distinct tribal groups which share many cultural traits. An
extraordinarily wide diversity of edged weapon and tool types may be found among these
people to include characteristic spears both of tanged and socketed construction and a
distinctive form of "head ax". Except for a brief discourse on "head axes" in Stone, the
literature available to me does not distinguish which of these weapons and tools are
associated with which tribal group or groups.

Hinalung is an Ifugao (one of the six tribal groups) term for a short to moderately long
double edged bladed implement which may be used on a pole as a spear or in the hand as
a dagger or chopper. This possibility of dual use is facilitated by the design which
incorporates a integral hollow handle or socket variably covered by rattan bands. As may
be seen in the accompanying illustrations, the material of the tang has been flattened out
and bent around to form a gently flattened and tapering cylinder. The work is
accomplished in such a manner that the center of the socket remains in the same plane as
the blade, expanding from the base of the blade in a cone like manner. Stone offers the
term fangkao for a spear of this form.
2. Igorot Head Hunting Axe #1 This particular battle axe is used by the Igorots of the Kalinga
tribe and can be, and still is used, for carving wood to make things such as furniture, statues,
weapons such as spears and shields, not to mention building houses and other things like coffins.
Due to needs for meat, they used it as a hunting tool, for killing prey and chopping meat as well.
This style axe is VERY sharp, in conjunction with it being perfectly designed for cutting meat.
Which is one of the reason why it makes such a formidable weapon to deal with in the hands of
an individual who knows how to use it properly!
C. Food or Cuisine
1) Pinikpikan - When it comes to Cordilleran cuisine, this is without a doubt the recipe that is most
well-known. If you are an advocate of animal rights, you might find the preparation shocking.
The butchering process is basically beating a chicken to death with a stick. Why? To preserve the
blood in the chicken's body. To allow the blood to coagulate within the parts of the chicken that
are beaten with a stick - mostly the neck and wings. It's surprising that PETA (People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals) is yet to stick its nose into the matter.
2) Tapey (or tapuy, tapuey) - This is the Igorot people's version of the Japanese sake (rice wine).
The great thing about tapey is that its taste depends on the amount of time it spent inside the
fermentation jar. The older the wine gets, the more bitter it becomes. Tapey that are a few weeks
or a few months old have the fresh and sweet taste attributed to rice wine. If the aging time goes
beyond a year, the taste drastically changes. The liquid starts tasting like whiskey or brandy.

3) Etag or kiniing - This is salted meat that's preserved by either drying it under the sun or smoking
it. Yes, it's basically ham. Igorots usually don't cook and eat them as is. The meat is mostly used
as an added ingredient for pinikpikan. It also tastes great when cooked alongside white or black
beans or any other legume. The preservation process is also very efficient that the dried meat
can last for months or years if stored properly.

D. Architectural Designs of their house and meaning

The houses in which those igorots protect themselves from the inclemencies of the weather
which iaintoierable, both because of the sun when it shines, and from the rains and cold are
very small, built of straw and short wood.
The traditional house of the Igorot, called the BINANGI is a thatch-roofed 4 poster house
that has no windows except for a small opening at the roof just in front of the door for the air to
pass through. Theinterior of the house is dark made even darker by soot caused by smoke from
the hearth and the kind of lamp being used.

Non material Culltures of Igorots

A. Beliefs and Customs
a. Birth
The Igorots of the Cordillera Central imagine the placenta to be a shawl where the infant is
carried by the gods until its birth.
The Mansip-ok rite is performed in cases of difficult childbirth. A slaughtered animal, usually a
hen, is offered to the protective spirit, Maxil. A member of the family with the best and cleanest
bolo carves the langkit when the contractions start. The langkit is a kind of knife or cutter
fashioned out from bamboo, which will be used to cut the umbilical cord. No iron knife or sharp
blade should be used to sever the umbilical cord, otherwise, the child will grow into an
argumentative good-for-nothing adult who draws a knife at the slightest provocation.
b. Courtship
The Igorot tribes of the Mountain Province have a wedding practice called the "trial marriage."
For instance, have a ward or Dap-ay where boys at an early age live and sleep with their
agemates. This ward is connected to one or more girls dormitories called ebgan used for
courtship.
The dap-ay serves as the center of all religious rites, a gathering place to meet and settle disputes,
and hold meetings. It is also a place where young boys are given lessons in discipline, where
customs, traditions and taboos are taught.
In the ebgan, the girls gather at night to sleep and to be visited by their suitors. All unmarried
girls from the age of eight and up sleep in the ebgan. Love affairs take place in the ebgan. The
function of the ebgan is to provide training in courtship and preparation for marriage.
The major courtship pattern is for the teen-age boys to go around the groups from one ebgan to
another, serenading the adolescent girls.

Nowadays, with modernization going on in all parts of the Philippines, Sagada is no exception.
The dap-ay functions as it used to be but there are no more ebgan. Courtship is done the way it is
done nowadays.

c. Marriage
The marriage ceremonies are important means of gaining prestige. The rituals contribute to the
welfare of the community through sacrifices to the ancestors and invocations to the culture
heroes.
Without children, a marriage is usually dissolved after a few years. From the stand point of the
couple, the system is an ordeal with a series of prerequisite ceremonies before the bayas or
wedding celebration; when the couple will then live together in a house of their own.
Babayas - The verb form of bayas meaning to perform one's wedding.
Day-eng - A pleasant ringing sound which carries in singing or playing gongs.
Palayog - The second day of the wedding feast when gongs are played and singing and dancing
are done.
d. Death
As much as possible even now in the times of diaspora, all the close relatives have to be
gathered and are expected to be around when someone in the family had died. Children, siblings,
spouses and parents should not be missing in the list of important relatives to be present on times
when someone died.
BAYYA-O. Bayya-o is a sort of Eulogy in form of singing. The person usually doing the Bayyao relates some stories how the person was in his life.
The animal offerings. There are animals to be offered/butchered as there are tremendous numbers
of people expected to be around during the time of vigil and wake.
ATANG. This is a symbolic plate or basket of food for the spirits of our ancestors. Before food is
being served to all the mourners and guests, an atang is set aside in a corner for the spirits.
THE BURIAL DAY. The day of the burial, usually a set of three pigs has to be butchered - a
male, a mother and a normal size pig. Some families butcher more - it depends on how many
guests are expected. Butchering is performed just after sunrise. After the animals are butchered,
the towns elder is summoned to say some prayers.
B. Practices and Celebrations
a. Canao is a highlight of religious celebration. It is offered for various purposes: to celebrate as a
religious and as part of funeral rite and to secure healing . In some part of Cordillera, Canao is
also celebrated to be blessed by the anitos or Kabunyan. According to Encarnation, the Canao
fulfill two social functions; it brings prestige to the family, it also affirms and strengthens the

existing social structure and the extended family ties. In his survey, all five leaders fulfilled the
ritual requirements by offering thirteen native pigs with white and black nails. This prestige
celebration begins with three pigs, then second rituals require five, then seven and so on. The
Canao plays a vital role in reaffirming the existing order and status which has been determined
in the spiritual world. It is also regarded as a means of influencing the gods and spirits to
maintain the existing order. In addition, the Igorots believe that fame, material blessings, and
good health are granted by Kabunyan and the Ancestral spirits. Therefore, it is natural for them
to view present wealth as reward for their religious piety expressed through many canao
sacrifices; todays canao ensure tomorrows blessing.
b. Begnas- After planting and before harvest there is one week of celebration, the community
contributes any kinds of food and animals for the rituals. The purpose for this are: the deities
will bless their crops and protect it from plagues or insects. Normally, Igorots killed the animals
to offer to the spirits or Anitos and later the meat will be distributed to the entire community.
c. Senga/ Sambo. This feast or ritual is where they speak blessing of prosperity of the family.
d. Igorot Concept of Cursing. When the Igorots experience sickness, calamities, difficulties or
disaster, they always attribute it to the anitos activities.
Their concept of healing. Healing is one of the prominent in the Igorots life. To obtain power to
heal from the spirits, the family complies with their demands. The spirits posses power to release
when living people approach the presence of the deities through mediums in the worship of
rituals.

C. Arts and Literature of Igorots

1. Rice terraces
Farming is one of the major sources of food of the Igorots as depicted by the rice fields they
made at the steep sides of the mountains creating a Step-like views. This can still be seen in
Sagada, and neighboring villages, but the most famous is the Banawe rice terraces
2. Agamang(storage room)
Designed like a little house if it was built outside the house to store rice grains not yet pounded
but ready to remove the husks. This is no longer found since houses became large nowadays and
people no longer need to store rice harvests. Rice millers already does the job of removing the
shells of the grains of rice.
3. The Legend of Biag, an igorot culture hero
4. Wood Carving
The Igorots are also very good in wood carving and the people of Ifugao are the most prolific
about it.