Ifugao

Overview of

Ifugao People
HISTORY
• Ifugao originated in Southern China 2000 years ago,
migrated to the Lingayen Gulf and the west coast of
Northern Luzon, from where they migrated to the Agno
and Kayapa river valleys.

• The Ifugao are among the ethnic groups living in

northern Luzon, particularly in Cordillera region.
Culture and Language subdivide this group into three
parts: Tuwali , Ayangan, Henanga
The Ifugao people inhabit the most rugged
and mountainous part of the country, high
up in the central Cordillera in northern
Luzon.
The term “Ifugao” is composed of the prefix

i meaning “people of” and pugaw meaning
“the cosmic earth.” It could also have been
derived from the term ipugo, which means
“from the hill.” Ifugao mythology, however,
says that ipugo is a type of rice grain given
to the people by Matungulan, the god of
grains.
Location
Ifugao is also the name of a province, one among six of the Cordillera
Administrative Region (CAR). It covers about 251,778 hectares of territory,
81.77% of which has a slope of over 18 degrees. It consists of 11 municipalities
—Banaue, Hungduan, Kiangan, Lagawe, Lamut, Mayoyao (Mayaoyao),
Alfonso Lista (Potia), Aguinaldo, Hingyon, Tinoc, and Asipulo—with Lagawe
as the provincial capital. The province is known for its rice terraces that are
found in nine upland municipalities.
Its highest elevation is at 2,523 meters, and its waters flow toward Magat River,
a tributary of the Cagayan River.
Ifugao Society
-The Ifugaos have little in the way of a political system or institutionalized community. There are
no chiefs or councils. They live in clan groups that extend to the third cousin. A typical
household consists of a nuclear family. Once children are old enough to take care of themselves,
they move to the boys house or the girls house.
-Ifugao society is divided into three classes based on wealth traditionally defined in terms of rice
land, water buffalo and slaves. A class of aristocrats known as “kandangayan” also guide the
village about moral and judicial matters and lend money. Their houses are identified by a
hardwood bench placed against the stilts. They display their wealth by footing the bill for
festivals and possessing important objects such as hornbill headdresses, gold beads, swords,
gongs and antique Chinese jars.
Ifugao Society
- Below the kandangyan are the Natumuk, who own a little land, and the very poor.
These groups are often forced to borrow from he kandangyan at high interest rates and
become indentured to them. The “nawatwar” are the poorest of the poor. Most work as
tenant farmers and servants to kandanyan.
Ifugao Culture
Social classes exist in Ifugao society, and these are based on wealth,
indicated by the possession of heirloom objects such as antique porcelain;
sacrificial animals like carabaos, pigs, and chickens; other household items
of value; and a considerable amount of money. The hagabi lounge chair is
a status symbol, indicating that the family belongs to the kadangyan
(aristocracy). Those who were captured during head-taking excursions
belong to the nawotwot (lower class). To this group also belong the field
workers who do not own land but serve the kadangyan either as servants
or tenants. In between the two classes are the natumok, who may own
small pieces of land, but these are not sufficient to give them a year-round
harvest. The rich Ifugao usually command authority, although fair
treatment is accorded to all. Ordinarily, the rich belong to the mombaki
(shaman) clan who perform marriages, recite myths during marriages and
victory feasts, and offer animal sacrifices and prayers for the recovery of
sick people.
Ifugao Culture
In the Kiangan district, the rich are

composed of three groups: the
kadangyan, ordinary rich; the
ballihung or immuyya-uy, the middle
elite; and the himagabi, the
wealthiest.
Ifugao Culture
Kinship is of primary importance in traditional Ifugao life. The success

of one is the success of all, and the burden of one is the burden of all.
Members of the family are advised to marry within the region or if
they marry an outsider, to settle near the parents’ residence. The
father has the final say in family activities such as work in the fields,
children’s care and training, and feasts. The wife closely assists the
husband, and she takes his place as head of the family when he dies.
Once the fields have been planted and there is sufficient firewood
stored, the father can enjoy himself attending feasts, drinking, and
gambling, or he may choose to help with the household chores.
Women are expected to plant and harvest rice, weed the rice paddies,
cook, keep house, weave, and sew the family clothes. The wife is
allowed to accompany the husband in feasts and ceremonies.
Ifugao Culture
Children are well attended to, especially when still very young.
They are expected to obey and respect their parents at all times
and help them with work. Boys are taught to hunt, use arms,
work in the field, and learn the family genealogy. Boys from the
mombaki bloodline are trained to recite the baki (myths). The
knowledge of pedigrees is of paramount importance to the Ifugao.
This helps in determining who to invite to feasts and gatherings
that require the presence of relatives. Children are expected to be
present at ceremonies and rituals when the kindred or the lineage
is called on to participate. On the other hand, girls are taught to
manage the home, work in the fields, and recite numerous
ballads, especially the hudhud and the liwliwa (love song).
Ifugao Culture
Custom law provides the Ifugao people with a political system that governs all
aspects of their relationships. The rugged terrain acts as a barrier to close
interaction between members of different hamlets, and so it is difficult for a political
hierarchical system to develop. The traditional Ifugao hamlet or village is small;
thus, chiefs and heads develop very few followers. The Ifugao family is responsible
for its affairs as long as every family member follows custom law. But when a
custom or law is violated, the victim must seek justice.
For every type of crime, there is a corresponding punishment. Justice may be

considered by the victim’s relative. A victim’s relatives will consider justice done if
their loss matches that of the offender’s kin. Revenge is a firm Ifugao tradition.
Headhunting, for example, was a ritualized means of attaining vengeance and glory.
Heads were proudly displayed in the Ifugao home as a sign of prestige and
gallantry. When the Americans outlawed beheading, the Ifugao argued that they
should at least be allowed to cut off a finger of the person killed in battle, to be used
in a feast for the gods.
Mombaki
- was the head of the Ifugao village. He was the political and religious
authority who had acquired wealth and distinction. Because of his
exceptional knowledge of custom law, his word was law. He decided what
action to take against erring villagers. With the help of older village
members, he imposed damages and fines.
The death penalty was rarely imposed, even for crimes as grave as murder.
Disputes were settled by one of three main methods: ug-gub (dart
throwing); bultong (wrestling); and the boiling water ordeal, now obsolete.
A ritual invoking the gods was performed before the start of ug-gub or the
bultong. Through the years, the political authority of the mombaki has
weakened due to the increasing intervention of the national governance
system
Ifugao Marriage and Families
- Monogamy is the norm among the Ifugao but some wealthy families practice
polygyny. Incest prohibitions extend to first cousins. Marriage to more distant cousin
can only be arranged after the payment of livestock penalties. Trial marriages
between prospective couples is common. Courtship rituals take place at the girls
houses. Wealthy families have traditionally arranged marriages through
intermediaries. Families exchange gifts and maintain close ties after the marriage.
Newlyweds often spend some time living with their parents before setting up housing
of their own, often near a large rice field.
- Divorces may occur after mutual consent or with the payment of damages if
contested. Grounds for divorce include omens, no children, cruelty, desertion and
change of affection. All property traditionally goes to the children. Widows and
widowers are only allowed to remarry after making a payment to the deceased
spouse’s family. Both sexes may inherit property, with the firstborn getting te largest
share. Illegitimate children receive support from the father but do not have
inheritance rights.
Ifugao Traditional Clothing
- The male traditional clothing of the Ifugaos
are called “Wanno” or G-string. Depending on
the occasion or the man’s social status, (there
are six different types of wanno to be worn.)
The part that encircles the body is worn high
and tight, and the ends hang loose in front
(dayude) and at the back (iwitan). It's made
of dark blue cloth with a red stripe running
lengthwise in the middle between two yellow
lines which either touch the middle stripe or
are woven apart from it. They wear the hair
short around the head, but the middle part is
allowed to grow long, giving the impression of
a cap of hair. Many have earrings (hingat) and
necklaces, usually a string of 2 to 8 pieces of
gold, silver, or copper in a C-shape, tight at
the base of the neck.
- The female traditional clothing of the Ifugaos is called “Tapis” otherwise
known as a wraparound skirt. There are five different types of skirts.
1. Ginallit- is the true Ifugao skirt in the

sense that its use is most widespread in all of
Ifugao. Depending on the linguistic area, it is
also known as intinlu, binnalit, or pfinalet.
The typical ginallit is a series of parallel black
(or dark blue) and white stripes. It is made
of three panels; hence it is called intinlu or
“in threes” in the Kiyyangan culture area.
2. Ińggalgaletget -The ińggalgaletget or

ginalletget is a two-paneled wraparound skirt
in wide use among the population in earlier
times. It is now out of fashion but it used to
be the working woman's skirt. Its stripes are
made of alternating undyed white cotton
threads and black threads dyed from natural
sources.
3. Indiwa - a shorter and narrower version of

the intinglue and is also woven bu worn
basically as a working skirt.
4. Binayyaung -two pieces of the biyaung

blanket made into a skirt
5. Gammit -is the most ornate of all the

Ifugao skirts having all the symbolisms used
in other traditional textiles. It was originally
woven using the ikat or binobodan
technique.
it made up of two panels joined together by
the takdog stitch and hemmed on its edges
with the hambulud. The belt required for the
gammit is the full-length mayad.

Ifugao

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Overview of

• The Ifugao are among the ethnic groups living in

The term “Ifugao” is composed of the prefix

In the Kiangan district, the rich are

Kinship is of primary importance in traditional Ifugao life. The success

For every type of crime, there is a corresponding punishment. Justice may be

1. Ginallit- is the true Ifugao skirt in the

2. Ińggalgaletget -The ińggalgaletget or

3. Indiwa - a shorter and narrower version of

4. Binayyaung -two pieces of the biyaung

5. Gammit -is the most ornate of all the

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