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Ethnic groups in the Philippines
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The various ethnic groups in the Philippines identify themselves based on one or several factors most popularly by parental lineage and language.
The majority of the population is composed of ethno-linguistic groups whose languages are Austronesian in origin and who had converted to Christianity and adopted European and American culture. From north to south, the most numerous of these ethnic groups are the Ilocano, the Pangasinan, the Kapampangan, the Tagalog, the Bicolano, and the Visayan.
In Mindanao, there are several ethnic groups of similar ancestry, but converted to Islam.
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The various ethnic groups in the Philippines identify themselves based on one or several factors most popularly by parental lineage and language.
The majority of the population is composed of ethno-linguistic groups whose languages are Austronesian in origin and who had converted to Christianity and adopted European and American culture. From north to south, the most numerous of these ethnic groups are the Ilocano, the Pangasinan, the Kapampangan, the Tagalog, the Bicolano, and the Visayan.
In Mindanao, there are several ethnic groups of similar ancestry, but converted to Islam. They are collectively called Moros. They have retained much of the Islamic way of life and living under the symbolic rules of sultanates. Also in the province of Bukidnon there is the ethnic group of mountain dwelling people called Binukid who speak the Binukid language. However these individuals do not practice Islam.
The Negrito are a Melanesian people that were the first human beings to settle the Philippines islands around 30,000 years ago. The Negrito population are estimated to be numbering around 30,000 in the Philippine population. In various parts of the country, such as the highland tribal groups of Luzon are Austronesian (Malayo Polynesian) ethnic group. They include the Ati, Igorot, and the T'boli. Their ways of life remains free from Western or Islamic influence. They are said to be the best basis for the study of pre-Hispanic culture.
Non-Malayo Polynesian ethnic groups also form a part of the Philippine population. These include European, Chinese, American, and among others. There are also mixed blood individuals known as Mestizo. Mestizo refer to those of mixed Spanish and Malayan descent, but may also refer to those of pure Spanish ancestry that have lived in the islands since the Spanish period. Mestizos may also refer to other foreign descent.
Ethnic identity
There are many ethnic individuals of different languages, cultures, ancestries, and among others living throughout the Philippine Islands.
Population history
The first humans in the Philippines are the Tabon Man, who was postulated to have lived at 0-1 BC, and the Cagayan Man, who is in turn thought to live at about 250,000-500,000 BC. The archaeological evidences indicate similarities of the two aforementioned fossils to fossils found in China and Indonesia.
The next group that arrived are the nomadic Negritos, whose ancestors were similar to the ancestors of the Andamanese and occupied several scattered areas throughout the islands. Unlike the following groups, they arrived before the Last Ice Age ended and were able to use land bridges.
Current archaeological evidences subscribe to the "Mainland Theory" of Peter Bellwood, that the ancestors of Malayans, Indonesians, and the Pacific Islanders first crossed the Taiwan Strait 6,000 years ago, during the Prehistoric period. These early mariners are thought to be the Austronesian (Malayo Polynesian) people. They used boats to cross the Bashi Channel to the Philippine Islands. This is attested by the fact that in Taiwan and the Philippines, the peoples are subdivided into several small tribes, whereas in Malaysia and Indonesia, most peoples are homogenous or are divided into large tribes, indicating that Taiwan, then the Philippines, was the starting point for Austronesian (Malayo Polynesian) migration.
By the 14th century the Malayo Polynesian ethnic group had gradually over populated the Negrito population.
Sea merchants from southern China, and other neighbouring Asian countries also contributed to the ethnic and cultural development of the Islands.
With the Spanish colonization of the Philippines in the 16th century, two new groups of people were introduced to the islands. These are the Europeans and the Native Americans. The Europeans settled in the Philippines, and some of them intermarried with the Malayo Polynesian population. These gave rise to the Mestizo or individuals of mixed Malayo Polynesian and Spanish descent. Over time, Mestizo communities have also sprung up in various parts of the islands, particularly in Cebu, Iloilo, and Bacolod. The Native Americans that were brought to the Philippine Islands, according to author Austin Craig, nearly numbered similar to the Malayo Polynesian population. Most of them are of Nahuatl (Aztec) or Yaqui descent, or are Mexican mestizos themselves. Some of them intermarried with the Malayo Polynesian population. By the opening of the Suez Canal in 1867, the Philippines was opened for foreign trade, and there are some Europeans such as the British, Germans, and French, who have settled in the islands. By the end of Spanish colonial period, the native ethnic groups of the Philippines began calling themselves Filipinos, a term that began with persons of pure Spanish descent born in the Philippines.
United States colonization beginning in 1898 brought in new ethnic groups, Anglo-Americans and others, after the Philippines came under United States sovereignty following the Spanish-American War. There had been attempts by some American government officials to alter the Philippine ethnic landscape, such as by resettlement of African Americans to the Philippines, although this has not materialized.
The Philippines has over 180 indigenous ethnic groups, over half of which also represent unique linguistic groups. There have been some intermarriages between indigenous peoples and foreigners coming to the Philippines as colonizers and immigrants.
Indigenous ethnic groups
Bicolano
The Bicolanos originate from the southeastern tip of Luzon: Bicolandia or the Bicol region. There are several Bicolano languages, of which there is a total of 3.5 million speakers.
Bicol played a major role in shipbuilding for the Manila-Acapulco trade. However, possibly due to its being located in the typhoon belt, Bicol remains one of the country’s most economically depressed areas, with the lowest income recorded among the regions, despite its abundant mineral reserves, and its lumber, abaca and tourism industries.
The most popular religious icon of Bicol is the Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia, Patroness of Bicol. This image of the Blessed Virgin Mary is endearingly addressed as "ina" (mother).
The Bicolanos number about 5,907,000. They are descended from the Austronesian-speaking immigrants who came from South China during the Iron Age. Some Bicolanos also have Chinese, Arab, and Spanish admixtures. Their language is referred to as Bikol or Bicolano. The Bicolano language is very fragmented, and its dialects are mutually incomprehensible to speakers of other Bicolano dialects. The majority of the Bicolano people are devout Roman Catholics. Catholic Mass is celebrated daily in many churches in the Bicol Region.
Ibanag
The Ibanags are an ethnic minority numbering a little more than half a million people, who inhabit the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya. They are one of the largest ethnic minorities in the Philippines.
Ilocano
Akin to the Ibanag peoples and Ivatans, the Ilocanos are the inhabitants of the lowlands and coastal areas of northern Luzon. Throughout the centuries of the Spanish colonial era up to the present, the Ilocano were noted for their tendency to migrate. Today, there is Ilocano presence in central Luzon, Manila, and some towns in the Visayas and Mindanao. Many Filipino-Americans are of Ilocano descent. In Hawaii, they make up 85% of the Filipino-American population.
There are more than 8 million speakers of the Ilocano language, making it the third most widely spoken language in the Philippines. Most Ilocanos are Catholics; however, Ilocanos comprise the largest membership within the Philippine Independent Church.
Ivatan
The Ivatan are predominant in the Batanes Islands of the Philippines.
Kapampangan
The Kapampangan or Capampañgan (English: Pampangan; Spanish: Pampangueño or Pampango) people originate from the central plains of Luzon, starting from Bataan up to Nueva Ecija. The Kapampangan language is spoken by more than two million people, and has been shown to be related to some Indonesian dialects. Most Kapampangans are Catholics.
In the Spanish colonial era, Pampanga was known to be a source of valiant soldiers. There was a Kapampangan contingent in the colonial army who helped defend Manila against the Chinese Pirate Limahon. They also helped in battles against the Dutch, the English and Muslim raiders. Kapampangans, along with the Tagalogs, played a major role in the Philippine Revolution.
The Kapampangans are known for their talent in cooking, especially those exotic but delicious foods. Kapampangans are also known to be friendly and happy people.
Moro
The Moros comprise of various ethnolinguistic groups in southern and western Mindanao who have a similar ancestry to other lowland Filipinos, but whose religion is Islam. The largest of these are the Tausug, the Maguindanao, the Maranao, the Samal, the Yakan, and the Banguingui. These ethnolinguistic groups are very diverse in terms of language and culture, and have been politically independent from each other up until recently. Collectively, they are also called Moros. The word Moro in English means 'moor'. Hence, it has been used by other ethnic groups as a pejorative term. However, some Muslims have used the word moro and have taken pride in it, that they have applied the term Bangsamoro, meaning 'Moro nation', to their homeland. Muslim Filipinos have an independent justice and education system centrally based in Cotabato City. All in all, they comprise 5% of Filipinos, making them the sixth largest ethnic group in the country.
Pangasinense
The Pangasinan are the ninth largest Filipino ethnic group. They originate from the northwestern seaboard of Luzon. Anthropologically speaking, the Pangasinan and dwellers of the Cordilleras are linguistically related. However, it has not yet been established whether the Cordilleranos descended from the Pangasinan or vice-versa.
The Pangasinan are one of the first peoples in the Philippines to have contacts with the Chinese through regular trade as well as the permanent settling of the Chinese, especially in the towns bordering Lingayen Gulf.
Sambal
The Sambal are the original Austronesian inhabitants of the province of Zambales and the city of Olongapo in the Philippines. They have traditionally been a highly superstitious warrior culture. Sambals currently make up a large proportion of the population in the municipalities of Zambales province north of Iba.
Tagalog
Tagalog territory stretches from the central plains of Luzon to the islands of Mindoro and Marinduque. The Tagalogs were initially animists. From the 14th to the 16th century, Islam had made inroads among the Tagalog ruling class. The Tagalogs were Christianized, as were most ethnic groups in the Philippines, during the Spanish colonial era between the sixteenth and nineteenth century.
The Tagalogs were the first settlers of Manila. In the late 16th century, Spain chose Manila as the capital of its Philippine colony. From then onwards, it has been the political and economic center of the Philippines. Manila and the surrounding Tagalog areas played a leading role in the Philippine Revolution and the People Power Revolution. Throughout the centuries, there have been massive migrations by other ethnic groups to Manila, and many of them have intermarried with the Tagalog population.
The Tagalog language was chosen as the basis for a national language in 1937. Today, Filipino, a de facto standardized version of Tagalog, is taught throughout the islands, and is the language of national television, cinema and popular music. There are more than 15 million native speakers of Tagalog. However, around 70% of Filipinos can speak the national language.
Visayan
Visayans are a native ethnic group living in the Visayas region. Some of these individuals are also found in some parts of Mindanao island. There are various native Visayan languages spoken in the Central Philippine region. They include Cebuano, Ilonggo (or Hiligaynon), and Waray-Waray..
There are some ethnolinguistic groups that have languages which are classified as Visayan, but do not identify their ethnic group as Visayan, chiefly the Muslim ethnolinguistic group known as the Tausug. Some of these individuals only use the Visayan identity to refer to those who are Christian.
Historically, the Visayan people were pagan tribal groups, and were known for being traders and raiders. Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived in the Visayan region in 1521, which marked the beginning of Christianization of the Philippine Islands. This event is celebrated by the festival of the Santo Niño (Holy Child).
Major Visayan cities including Cebu, Bacolod and Iloilo played a major political, economic and cultural roles during the Spanish period. Visayans were also involved in the Philippine Revolution,and in the modern Philippine Republic; so far, there has been three Philippine Presidents from the Visayas region.
Aside from the three largest groups, namely Hiligaynon, Cebuano, and Waray, who speak Visayan languages, there are also the Romblomanon, Masbateño, Karay-a, Aklanon, Cuyonon, and among others.
Tribal groups
There are 100 or so different sea-based or highland-based tribal groups in the Philippines. Among Filipinos, they are ones least influenced by western or Islamic cultures. While some tribal groups living in Luzon have been Americanized and Westernized--an example of which is the predominance of Protestantism in Cordillera Administrative Region—the tribal groups living in Mindoro and Palawan are still generally animistic, while many of those in Mindanao practice folk Islam.
Badjao
The Badjao of the Sulu Archipelago are sometimes described as the sea gypsies due to their semi-nomadic nature. Despite being Muslim, they are distinct from the Moro.
Igorot
The Cordillerano or Igorot, live in the highlands of Luzon. They are primarily located in the Cordillera Administrative Region.
Lumad
The Lumad of Mindanao includes several tribes such as the Manobo, the Tasaday, the Mamanwa, the Mandaya, and the Kalagan. They primarily inhabit eastern parts of Mindanao such as the Caraga and Davao Regions.
Mangyan
The Mangyan of are the primary inhabitants of Mindoro. They are known for their Buhid and Hanuno'o scripts.
Negrito groups
The scattered Negritos include the Aeta in Luzon and the Ati of Panay, the Batak of Palawan, and the Mamanwa of Mindanao. They have features that are distinct from the majority.
Palawan tribes
The tribes of Palawan are a diverse group of tribes primarily located in the island of Palawan. The Tagbanwa is know for their script.
Non-indigenous ethnic groups
Chinese
Filipinos of Chinese ancestry forms a minority in the Philippine population.Most migrations of Chinese to the Philippines started during the Spanish colonial period, when foreign trade with other countries were opened to the Philippines. Their official population are unknown.
Spanish
Filipinos of Spanish ancestry forms a minority in the Philippine population. Most of these mestizos are descendance from the Spanish and Mexican settlers who settled in the islands during the Spanish colonial period. The official population of Filipinos mixed with Spanish ancestry is unknown, however according to recent research study by Stanford University, stated that about 3.6% of the Philippine population has varied mixtures of European ancestry.
American
Filipinos of American ancestry forms a minority in the Philippine population. Some of these multiracial individuals are descendance from American settlers during the United States colonial period; or tourist who have settled in the Philippines in the contemporary period. Their official population are unknown.
Arab
Arabs forms a minority in the Philippine population. Their official population are unknown.
Indian
East Indian forms a minority in the Philippine population. Their official population are unknown.
Japanese
Persons of Japanese descent form a minority in the Philippine population. Their official population are unknown.
Jewish
Jews forms a minority in the Philippine population. Their official population are unknown.
Korean
Koreans are approximately numbered a few hundred. Most are tourist or students studying in the Philippines.
Mexican
Colonists from Mexico arrived in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period. Between 1565 and 1815, many Mexicans, Spaniards, and Filipinos sailed to and from the Philippines and Mexico as sailors, crewmen, prisoners, slaves, adventurers, and soldiers in the Manila-Acapulco Galleon assisting Spain in its trade between Mexico and the Philippines. Their official population are unknown.
Other
The most notable non-Spanish European groups in the Philippines are the British, Belgians, Dutch, and the Italians. Others include Germans, Polish, French, Scandinavians and Brazilians. Most of them maintain cultural norms and practices distinct from the general population and have become recognizably independent in ethnic identity, worldview, social standing, and linguistic heritage. Some European expatriates in the Philippines have married or inter-breed with locals and have settled down with families; some had migrated to the Philippines for that specific purpose. The majority of the European expatriates living in the Philippines are British, Dutch, Germans, and French. Unaccounted are Australians, New Zealanders, Belgians, Russians (including Ukranians and Belarusians), and other central Europeans, who are for the most part are tourist, NGOs, or missionaries.
There is also the presence of other Asian nationalities in the country. These includes Indonesians, Malaysians, as well as Thais, Vietnamese, and among others.
See also
External links
- , racism targeted at Filipinos of part- or non-Austronesian descent
- , article on Filipino mestizos
- Why all our languages must be preserved (, ), article arguing that language extinction leads to ethnic-group extinction
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