IVATAN’s -Indigenous

Peoples, Filipino’s key of

the Past

[By: K1024734 Rubelyn Candelario]

Culture and Heritage Informatics

CI3130

Table of Contents

Executive Summary: ..................................................................................................................................... 3

About the Client ........................................................................................................................................ 3

Synopsis .................................................................................................................................................... 4

Objectives: ................................................................................................................................................ 4

Theoretical and intellectual issues ................................................................................................................ 5

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 6

The Profile ..................................................................................................................................................... 7

Ivatan Culture ................................................................................................................................................ 8

What is a Laji ................................................................................................................................................. 9

Ivatan Beliefs and their Scientific Basis ..................................................................................................... 9

Learn some of the Basic’s ....................................................................................................................... 16

Philippine Census Reports for Ivatan speakers: ...................................................................................... 16

Cultural terms of the Ivatan people: ....................................................................................................... 17

References: ................................................................................................................................................. 20

TITLE: IVATAN’s-Indigenous Peoples, Filipino’s key of the Past:

A web based participation encounter of the future generation

Executive Summary:

About the Client: Friendly Borders, World Ethnic Groups, and National Museum of the

Philippines

Friendly Borders with World Ethnic Groups strives to preserve ancient and modern culture

and languages around the world. Founded in 2004, it has established numbers of ambitious goals

itself, with the aim of protecting the world cultures and languages from extinction. National

Museum of the Philippines, a Trust of the Government, is an educational, scientific and cultural

institution that acquires, documents, preserves, exhibits, and fosters scholarly study and public

appreciation of works of art, specimens, and cultural and historical artifacts representative of our

unique to the cultural heritage of the Filipino people and the natural history of the Philippines.

The main purpose of these institutions is to preserve the national culture and languages of the

Ivatans (oldest reining ethnic group in the northern part of the Philippines).

Currently, the National Museum national network comprise nineteen regional, branch and site

museums throughout the archipelago. The National Museum manages and develops the national

reference collections in the areas of cultural heritage.

Synopsis

On the counterpart, this study on the Indigenous Peoples of the Philippines, with the

administration of the Friendly Borders/World Ethnic Groups, and The National Museum of the

Philippines, bespoke me to create a prototype referring on A web based participation

encounter of the future generation, this website allows the audience to actively participate and

share their encounters with ethnic tribes by posting their videos and photos.’

This new develop technology will enable the future gen to actively participate on forums,

(pcmag 2013) “A Web site that provides an online exchange of information between people

about a particular topic. It provides a venue for questions and answers and may be monitored to

keep the content appropriate. ’’

Objectives:

This project aims to:

To educate the young one about the importance of a culture

Give the young citizens a deeper understanding on culture

Help preserve and enhance the languages and the culture of those ethnic peoples

Theoretical and intellectual issues

The site features some selected insights, information, and useful videos and photos of the Ivatans

of Batanes. Accoding to the : Friendly Borders, World Ethnic Groups, and National Museum of

the Philippines the Ivatans of Batanes are one of the most preserve tribes in the Philippine

Archipelago.

As we venture and grow old, some of us are unfamiliar of this people who are actually part of

our past and these are the people that continue to nurture our culture here in our world.

The site is an open blog, which the viewer can interact with the host through participating on the

blogs that are posted they can also watched videos through the help of Youtube and upload

comments and suggestions on each articles that are posted. The site also got some information’s

on the current studies on the Ivatans using the different website on the reference below.

The site of the activity is hosted to a dedicated server with adequate resources and it is accessible

from the website <http://candelariorubelyn.wordpress.com/>

Introduction

Batanes - Land of the Ivatans

Going to Batanes is like going back to a world frozen in time. It comprises a group of islands that

for centuries has been shaped by the sea and wind. It has rugged cliffs and hills that are covered

with grass and solitary trees. Cattle and livestock is not an unfamiliar scene on the hillside.

The people of Batanes, known as Ivatans are friendly by nature. The province is very peaceful

and prides them with zero crime rates. The only thing violent in Batanes is the ravaging storms

and typhoons that regularly visit them every year.

The Ivatans are found chiefly in the Batanes group of small islands. Most of them are on the

islands of batan, Sabtang and the Itbayat. There is solid evidence for believing that present

Ivatans are the Christianized surviving group of an ancient people who once occupied all of the

islands Luzon and Taiwan, and who are probably reperesented in the purest from today by the

natives of Botel Tobago. However, there probably exists a fairly strong cultural element on batan

derived from Chinese contact which is absent on Botel Tabago.

The people call their language Chirin nu Ibatan, but it is better known as "Ivatan". Its dialects are

the northern (Basco), Itbayat (Itbayat Island), the southern (Sabtang Island), and possibly Yami.

The Profile

The main languages spoken in Batanes are Ivatan, which is spoken on the islands of Batan

and Sabtang, and Ichbayaten, which is spoken primarily on the island of Itbayat. The Ivatan

which is dominant in the province is considered to be one of the Austronesian languages. From

college level down to elementary level, the dialect is widely spoken.

Batanes lies on a group of islands collectively called Batanes Islands and they are the

northernmost islands of the Philippines. They are located between the Babuyan Islands

(belonging to Cagayan Province) and Taiwan. The islands are sparsely populated and subject to

frequent typhoons.

The three largest islands are Itbayat, Batan, and Sabtang. The northernmost is Mavudis Island.

The islands are situated between the vast expanse of the waters of Bashi Channel and

Balintang Channel, where the Pacific Ocean, merges with the China Sea. The area is a sealane

between the Philippines and Japan, China, Hongkong and Taiwan. It is rich with marine

resources, including the rarest sea corals in the world.

The province is hilly and mountainous, with only 1,631.50 hectares or 7.10% of its area level

to undulating and 78.20% or 17,994.40 hectares varying in terms from rolling to steep and very

steep. Forty two percent (42%) or 9,734.40 hectares are steep to very steep land.

Generally, the Ivatans (people of Batanes) are very simple. They wear simple clothes and eat

local produced food. They are also recognized for being hospitable to visitors

Ivatan Culture

The cultures of the Ivatans are partly influenced by the environmental conditions of the place.

Together with its culture, the architecture, agriculture, religion and the maritime technology are

adopted. Unlike the old nipa huts in the country, the Ivatans have adopted a distinctive stone

house. These houses are built with thick walls of stone and lime and thatched with thick layers of

cogon which is designed as a protection against the unfriendly climate. Sturdier sea boats call

faluas serves as the main mode of transportation in the islands.

Ivatans are considered to be hospitable, religious and industrious. Their religion is mostly

catholic. They are a Filipino Ethno linguistic Group. Their main dialect is Ivatan. The Ivatan

literacy rates and professional education index are comparatively high. They are considered to be

fluent in speaking Filipino as well as in English and many other languages. The lyric song Laji is

one of the most valued traditional literary forms sung individually and its own lyrics are known

to be the best Ivatan Folk Poetry. The Kalusan a working song which was sung by the Ivatans

while working in the field wherein a Vachi or the song leader starts the singing is such.

This province believes in Spirits World and Beliefs but never deemed to such Anitos. The

entire archipelago is just like a living museum with six large rooms, the six municipality- Basco,

Mahatao, Ivana, Uyugan, Itbayat and Sabtang.

Time seems to be idle in this captivating place because of its well preserved natural exquisite

views. Aside from its terrific natural land resources, this paradise is also rich in its marine

resources, wherein most tourists are being fascinated and identify this place to be the Paradise of

the North.

What is a Laji

Laji is a traditional oral poetry sang in their dialect. According to studies, Laji is sung after work

hours or during the drinking sessions of the Ivatans to entertain themselves. This tradition has

been with the Ivatans before the Spanish era, and it was in 1962 when it was written on the

books.

Ivatan Beliefs and their Scientific Basis

Ethno - hydrography - is a study of Ivatan beliefs and practices about ocean water behaviors. It

embraces the study of the rhythm of the tides, the pattern of currents anf the behavior of the

water waves within Batanes islands, particularly around Batan Island.

Ethno - hydrography Beliefs:

1. The moon rises about an hour later at night.

Explanation: The moon rises 50 minutes later each night. This being so, makes the calculation

of fishers of about an hour to be very close.

2. Low/hide tide is observed daily. It occurs an hour later following the motion of the moon.

Explanation: The moon influences the waters and causes the tides.

3. Currents at Balintang channel are usually strong. Navigating small vessels experience rough

seas especially during the southwest Monsoon.

Explanation: During southwest monsoon, the currents at Balintang channel reach a velocity of

3 knots and become erratic.

4. Shallow portions in the water produce turbulence on the surface which is dangerous to sea

crafts, and so they must be evaded.

Explanation: Shallow portions in the water are due to the elevations in the seafloor. Waters

surrounding the areas rush towards the shallow portions causing waves of greater amplitude.

5. Chinahan is the best time to cross the sea in between the islands.

Explanation: Chinahan means slack water which has a velocity equal to zero. It happens when

two opposing waves meet and terminate each other.

6. Reversing currents are more often experienced in between Sabtang, Ivana and Adekey.

Explanation: Reversing currents are caused by reflection of the water as they hit barriers.

7. There are two periodic currents that accompany the rise and fall of tide. These are Amteng and

Isaak Currents.

Explanation: Periodic currents are tidal currents and they occur because of the change in

tides.

8. The general direction of the vessels drifted by the current is towards China or Taiwan on the

north.

Explanation: Currents can drift vessels. Such currents are caused by the general circulatory

system of the world’s oceans. Like the Kuroshio and Equatorial currents which are classified as

permanent currents. They both move northward within the Tropic of Cancer due to Earth’s

rotation.

9. There are two high tides and two low tides in a day. If the lowest low tide occurs 3:00 PM, the

first one must occurred at the same time in the early morning.

Explanation: The gravitational force of the moon on earth causes two bulges of water

simultaneously occurring. One is caused by the direct influence of the moon and is called direct

tide; the other in the opposite end is caused by the centrifugal force due to the earth’s rotation.

10. The lowest low tide takes place every full moon and new moon, when the moon is exactly

overhead.

Explanation:The rotation of the earth tends to carry the tidal bulge forward of their position in

a direct line with the moon. As a result, high tides do not occur until several hours after the

moon is overhead.

11. Fishing during full moon is avoided because of poor catch.

Explanation: During full moon, the wind and current become relatively stronger, particularly

during the southwest and the northeast monsoons. These conditions make the fishing operation

difficult. Also, a full moon makes the surrounding bright by dispersing light. If a fishing gear that

makes use of a weak ordinary light is employed, no fish will be become attracted to it because

the light is not concentrated.

Ethno - Agricultural Beliefs - is a study of Ivatan beliefs and practices about farming.

Ethno - Agricultural Beliefs and Practices:

1. "Avayat" (West wind)

- Harvesting banana and citrus fruit is not advisable during west wind. Likewise, strong crops

(rice, corn, garlic, and other root crops) are prevented because accordingly, mealy bug infestation

occurs and agricultural products easily get spoiled. Farmers also refrain from weeding their

farms during west wind.

Explanation: The beliefs and practices in relation to west wind direction has something to do

with the humidity of the atmosphere combined with strong sea sprays thus affecting generally

those agricultural products to rot.

2. Covering Laveng with Vula leaves (Colocacia macrohriza Linn.)

- "Laveng" is a farming practice usually employed to yam and spiny yam, which is done after

preparing the seed-pieces intended for planting division. It is a pit-like structure about one and a

half foot deep and one meter long. After the seedpieces have been prepared vinadtak, these are

nicely arranged in the laveng in a pile structure. After this process, it shall be covered with vula

leaves prior to covering with surface soil.

Explanation: The leaves serve as protector from too much moisture during heavy rains and

provide warmer temperature to heal the wounds of seed-pieces. It also prevents them from the

attack of soil pathogens.

3. "Kapanavun su atngeh nu muhamuha" (Hilling-up)

- Hilling-up as a farming practice is done simultaneously with weeding and cultivation. This

is accomplished by loosening the soil around the plants, followed by scraping it towards the

basal portion of the plant forming a mound-like structure.

Explanation: It provides good soil tilth, aeration, and adequate area for storing moisture during

rainfall, expansion of tubers and good establishment of roots to prevent plants from lodging

during strong winds.

4. "Maytutu du isa-isan" (cutting of branches of trees along the sides or borders of the farm area)

- Farmers practiced cutting of branches of trees in all sides of the farm area usually done

before or just after planting. This practice is employed with the belief that sunlight is very

important to the growth and development of the crops.

Explanation: This is practiced to prevent the plants from suffering stress of etiolating or the

discoloration of the leaves of the plant due to sunlight deficiency which affect the photosynthetic

activity of the plants.

Ethno Climatic Beliefs - is a study of Ivatan beliefs and practices about weather forecasting.

Ethno Climatic Beliefs:

5. When the color of the sunset is intensely orange, in 2-3 days time, a typhoon will come.

Explanation: When a typhoon is about to come, its winds can already be felt even if it has not

yet reach a particular place. And because of this, dust particles and soot particles spread into

the atmosphere scattering the rays of the sun making the whole sky painted yellow red or

orange.

6. Ivatans say that when the native orchid kaduday and the native daffodils plants bloom, they

bring not only rain but most of the time storm.

Explanation: The native orchid only blooms during rainy season because this is its flowering

time. Same is true with the native daffodils.

7. When winged ants come out, it foretells rain.

Explanation: Ants have the ability to sense when rainy season is approaching and when this

time comes, they take their food and head for shelter.

8. When aryes and palomaria trees along the roads and farms bear shoots usually foretell the

coming of rains and winds.

Explanation: These trees can only bear and produce shoots during windy and rainy weather

because this is where they can adapt. That is why the aryes is a very strong tree particularly

during tropical storm. It is because they have adapted to the weather for they only bear shoots

when winds and rain comes

9. When the moon forms a halo or a corona around it, this illustrates observable fact that there

would be a strong current on the following day.

Explanation: The ice crystals that cover the halo signify high altitude, thin cirrus clouds that

normally precede a warm front by one or two days. Typically, a warm front will be associated

with a low pressure system which is commonly referred to as a storm.

Ethno-Agricultural Beliefs:

1. It is mostly appropriate to plant during high tide to ensure a good harvest.

Explanation: High tide raises the water table. This enables the plants to this increase the

amount of water available to the plant. Thus, planting crops that require water like root crops,

and rice may bring about a good harvest.

Ethno-Pediatric Beliefs:

1. Do not take too much sweet food during pregnancy period.

Explanation: Pregnant mothers are prevented from eating sweet foods or other energy-rich

foods only if they are diabetic. Diabetes, whether appearing only before the pregnancy or before

it, may result in the development of characteristically big babies. Fetal size is one of the crucial

determinants in vaginal birth.

2. Walking the woman around the house to empty her water bag during labor is supposed to ease

childbirth.

Explanation: Walking stimulates uterine contractions. When the contractions become active, the

pressure becomes strong enough to cause progressive rapid cervical dilatation. Sometimes, the

water bag incidentally ruptures as a result of the contractions. As the water or amniotic fluid,

begins to come out, the baby is forced to come out also. Rupturing of the water bag is preferred

when the opening of the cervix starts to reach 6 centimeters wide and the mother is expected to

deliver within a few hours. Otherwise, a too early rupture will expose the baby to an unsterile

environment where he/she may become infected.

Other Beliefs:

1. Ivatans avoid ironing clothes while in an open air.

Explanation: Anyone working in an occupation such as ironing, in which they extensively use

their hands is said to be prone to pasma. From the traditional cause of "init" and "lamig", this is

a traditional concept sufficiently intact in the contemporary Philippine psyche to be accepted,

alone as a cause for pasma.

2. Whenever faunas such as snakes and insects from the Mt. Iraya descend to the community, a

volcanic eruption is expected to happen.

Explanation: Swelling of the volcano signals that magma has accumulated near the surface

causing the rise of soil temperature and so these faunas tend to leave the mountain.

3. Mothers who newly delivered a baby aren’t allowed to read for they’ll experience aches.

Explanation: Because of the mother’s drain labor, they still cannot regain their normal health

status and so they can easily get tired and dizzy.

4. Mothers who delivered their babies at home wear binders tahed.

Explanation: This supports the lower abdomen of the mother due to the expansion of it and to

bring back the hip bone to its normal position.

Learn some of the Basic’s

Ivatan (Chirin nu Ibatan) is a language spoken by 30,000 people on the Batanes Islands, north of

Luzon Island, Philippines, and south of Taiwan. There are also about 1,000 Ivatans relocated on

Mindanao near the boundary of Bukidnon and Cotabato. The genetic affiliation of Ivatan is still

questionable. It is tentatively classified as a member of the Northern Philippine family which

comprises the languages of the Batanes (Bashiic languages), Cordilleran languages (such as

Ibanag, Ilocano, and Pangasinan), and those of Northern Mindoro. Standard Ivatan is based on

the Basco dialect. The three main dialects are northern (Basco), Itbayaten (Itbayat Island) and

southern (Sabtang Island).

On the Island of Babuyan, the language IBATAN is spoken by about 900 people. Its

intelligibility with Itbayaten Ivatan is 64%, and its intelligibility with Basco Ivatan is 31% (SIL).

SIL reports a 60% literacy rate on Babuyan and a 91.8% literacy on Basco.

Philippine Census Reports for Ivatan speakers:

1948: 13,367

1960: 11,882

1970: 14,105

Cultural terms of the Ivatan people:

Foods: uve: yam (staple crop); sudi (taro), wakay (sweet potato), bulyas (onions).

Animal husbandry: baka (cow), kaddin (goat).

Work: kayvayvanan (friendship, cooperative work by a community which starts at the

blow of a shell horn called a vodiadong); payohoan (helping one another, work club of

teenagers who alternate their shifts).

Boats: three boats for fishing are called paluwa, chinarem, and the tataya.

Phonology:

Vowels a, e, i, u; Diphthongs: aw, iw, ay, ey, oy

Consonants b, ch, d, f, g, h, hh, j, k, l , m, n, n, ng, ny, p r, s, t, v, w, y.

Numbers:

1 asa

2 dadwa

3 tatdu

4 apat

5 dadima

6 anem

7 papitu

8 wawahu

9 sasyam

10 asa puho’. [‘ = glottal stop]

Selected Proverbs:

Ipangudidi mu u mapya nanawu. (carry you ART good teaching) ‘Carry with you good

teaching, always bear in mind sound advice’.

Arava u mayet an namaes u ryes. ‘There is no strong man when the sea is at its worst’.

Arava u ryes a abu su vinyedi. ‘There is no current that does not bounce back’.

Tumuhutuhud makaysed a tachi. ‘The feces that is dropped is sure comfort (consumated

things are permanent)’.

Ulungen mu ava u kakedkeran mu. ‘Do not gore the peg where you are tied (do not forget

your heritage)’.

Matakaw ava dimu u kasulivan. ‘Nobody can steal your knowledge’.

Nyeng mu a hukbiten ta isek ni tatumuk. ‘Grasp the opportunity because the bed bugs

will carry and hide them inside the floor’.

Kanen mu ava u kakamay mu. ‘Do not eat your fingers (do not take advantage of your

relatives)’.

Arava u susuhan da su vahay a mapsek. ‘No one burns the house of a good man’.

Selected Idioms:

Mahmahma u vatu kan uhu naw. ‘Stones are softer than his head (he is stubborn)’.

Umsi ava su vahusa u kamates. ‘Tomatoes do not bear eggplants (children are like their

parents)’.

Tud da payramun u vinata naw. ‘They washed their face with what he said (they did not

understand him)’.

Inulay mu ta tya naydited u uhu na. ‘Leave him alone for his head is tangled (leave him

alone as he is upset)’.

Machitbatbay ka avan asa ka kaban amed. ‘Do not speak of a cavan for a measuring lime

unit (you are out of order)’.

References:

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/research/tags/culturalheritage

http://www.friendlyborders.org/

http://www.nationalmuseum.gov.ph/nationalmuseumbeta/Mandate%20and%20Objectives.html

http://www.friendlyborders.org/about-us/

http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/57794/internet-forum

http://www.nationalmuseum.gov.ph/nationalmuseumbeta/Mandate%20and%20Objectives.html

http://iloko.tripod.com/Ivatan.htm

http://www.mysmartschools.ph/web/ivatanbeliefs/ivatan_belief.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/C003235/ivatan.html

wikipilipinas/laji

http://www.mysmartschools.ph/web/ivatanbeliefs/ivatan_culture.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batanes