The Ivatans are a Filipino ethnolinguistic group predominant in the islands of Batanes of
the Philippines. Their ethnogenesis is unclear; their origins remain untraced among scholars, but
they are known to be an Austronesian group, related to neighboring Ilocanos on purely linguistic
basis.
The culture of the Ivatans is partly influenced by the environmental condition of Batanes. Unlike the
old-type nipa huts common in the Philippines, Ivatans have adopted their now-famous stone houses
made of coral and limestone, designed to protect against the hostile climate.
Contents
1Origins
2History
3Physical attributes
4Demographics
5Culture
6See also
7References
Origins[edit]
Documents do not show much about the history of the Ivatans and at present, scholars who study
their origins are still unsure as to their exact origin. They question whether the pre-historic Ivatans
came from the northern part of Luzon or southern portions of China and Taiwan. There is evidence
that they might be a surviving Christianized remnant of a people that once resided on all the islands
between Luzon and Taiwan.[1] However, they have considered the close racial resemblance of the
Ivatans to the Malays and the structure of their language could mean they came from other parts of
the Philippines. Tracing their roots through Batanes' folklores, genetic studies of Omoto,
a Japanese anthropologist, of the Yami of Orchid Island (Lanyu) show closer genetic affinity of
the Yami to the Tagalog and Visayan and linguistically to the Batanic (Bashiic) sub-branch of
the Malayo-Polynesian branch.[2]
History[edit]
An Ivatan man fresh from work.
A Sinadumparan Ivatan house, one of the oldest structures in the Batanes islands. The house is made
of limestone and coral and its roofing of cogon grass.
Ivatans already lived in Batanes before the Spaniards arrived in the Philippines in the 16th century,
establishing fortresses known as idjang, and lived autonomously long thereafter. On June 26, 1783,
Batanes was incorporated to the Spanish East Indies.[1] In 1686, Ivatans were forced to settle in the
lowlands of Batanes.[3] The Ivatans were under Spanish rule for 115 years, and gained their
independence on September 18, 1898. However, June 6 is celebrated in Batanes as its founding
day.[1]
Physical attributes[edit]
One of the earliest accounts of the Ivatan is that of the British buccaneer William Dampier in 1687.
Dampier described them as "short, squat people; hazel eyes, small yet bigger than Chinese; low
foreheads; thick eyebrows; short low noses; white teeth; black thick hair; and very dark, copper-
colored skin."[2] They also have strong mixture of the short type of the Mongols, and there are some
individuals who seem to have some physical characteristics peculiar to the Ainus of Japan.[1]
Demographics[edit]
In 1990, population of the Ivatans was 15,026, an increase of 24% over the 1980 population of
12,091. These were distributed to the six municipalities, with 38% residing in Basco, 23% in Itbayat,
12% in Sabtang, 11% in Mahatao and 8% for Uyugan and Ivana.[2] In the 2000 census, 15,834
Ivatans were among the 16,421 population in Batanes.[4]
An Ivatan woman wearing a vakul, a headgear for sunlight and rain protection made from vuyavuy palm fiber.[5]
The mother tongue of the Ivatans is the Chirin nu Ibatan, but is commonly known as Ivatan. A
distinct Austronesian language, the Ivatan has two dialects including the Basco, the Itbayáten[6] and
possibly the Yami.[1] The Ivatans widely speak and understand the Ilocano, Tagalog, and English
languages.[2]
Today, most Ivatans are Catholics, like the rest of the country, although some have not converted
and practice ancestral worship to their anitos.[1] However, there are
growing Protestant denominations specially in Basco, the capital town of Batanes.[2]
Culture[edit]
The Ivatan's culture have been largely influenced by the climate of Batanes. Exposed to high risks of
disruption to their agriculture, Ivatans have adopted strategies to live.
Traditionally, because of frequent typhoons and drought, they plant root crops able to cope with the
environment. These crops include yam, sweet potato, taro, garlic, ginger and onion, as they ensure
higher chances of survival during awry climate conditions.[7] The Ivatan study the behavior of
animals, sky color, wind and clouds to predict the weather. Ivatans usually gather their animals and
stay in their houses when they see that the cows take shelter from the payaman (communal pasture)
and birds taking refuge in houses or in the ground. A pink sky with an orange hue also heralds a
storm.[8]
The sea is vital to the Ivatan's way of life.[3] Although abundant only in the month of March to May,
they depend on the flying fish (dibang) and dolphinfish (arayu) present on the shores of
Batanes.[2] They have a native delicacy called uvod (the pith of the banana stalk) which is served,
along with the wine palek, on festive occasions such as weddings.[1]
Before Spaniards arrived at the Philippines, Ivatans built their houses largely from cogon grass,
small and well-situated, designed to protect against strong winds.[2][3] The Spaniards introduced
large-scale production of lime for the construction of their now-famous stone houses. With meter-
thick limestone walls,[3] the type of their infrastructures are designed against the harsh Batanes
environment,[9] which is known as a terminal passage of typhoons in the Philippines. The basic
cogon grass is still preserved as roofs of their houses, thickly constructed to withstand strong
winds.[2] These houses are comparable to the white houses in New Zealand, Ireland and Scottish
Highlands.[10]
One of the endemic clothing of the Ivatans is the vakul. A vakul is a headgear designed to protect
the wearer from sun and rain. It is made from vuyavuy palm fiber.[3][5]
The Ivatan have three folk songs styles: the laji, the kanta and the kalusan.[2] The laji are ancient
lyrical songs that are supposed to be sung when they are merry or just finished
work.[11] The kalusan is sung during work.[2]
The Ivatan have legends that are called kabbata.[12] They have the rawod, chants that chronicle the
adventures of the Ivatan's forefathers as they escape a disaster.[13]
See also[edit]
Ivatan language
Batanes
Tao peoples
Gaddang people
Ibanag people
Tagalog people
Kapampangan people
Ilocano people
Igorot people
Pangasinan people
Bicolano people
Negrito
Visayan people
o Cebuano people
Boholano people
o Hiligaynon people
o Waray people
Lumad
Moro people
References[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has
media related to Ivatan
people.
1. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g "Ethnic Profile: The Ivatan". National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.
Archived from the original on March 11, 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
2. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g h i j Datar, Francisco A. "The Batanes Islands". National Commission for Culture
and the Arts. Retrieved 2008-04-06.[dead link]
3. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e Rowthorn, Chris (2003). Philippines. Lonely Planet. p. 203. ISBN 1-74059-210-7.
Retrieved 2008-04-06.
4. ^ "Population in Batanes Showed an Upward Swing". Philippine National Statistics Office. Archived
from the original on 2008-04-03. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
5. ^ Jump up to:a b Madulid, Domingo A.; Agoo, Esperanza Maribel G. (2009). "Notes on the economic
plants of Batanes: Citrus species andPhoenix loureiroi var. loureiroi". Bulletin of National Museum of
Ethnology. 34 (1): 191–205. doi:10.15021/00003920.
6. ^ Galvez Rubino, Carl R. (2000). Ilocano Dictionary and Grammar. University of Hawaii.
p. 213. ISBN 0-8248-2088-6. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
7. ^ Bankoff, Greg (2002). Cultures of Disaster: Society and Natural Hazards in the Philippines.
Routledge. p. 165. ISBN 0-7007-1761-7. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
8. ^ Trinidad-Echavez, Andrea (2008-06-29). "Ivatan of Batanes share secrets of survival in typhoon
belt". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2008-06-29. Retrieved 2008-07-01.
9. ^ Brown, Jessica; et al. (2005). The Protected Landscape Approach: Linking Nature, Culture and
Community. The World Conservation Union. p. 103. ISBN 2-8317-0797-8. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
10. ^ Calubiran, Maricar. "Ivatan joins Dinagyang to promote Batanes tourism". The News Today.
Retrieved 2008-04-17.
11. ^ Quindoza-Santiago, Lilia (2002). "Early Philippine Literature". National Commission for Culture and
the Arts. Archived from the original on January 21, 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
12. ^ "Ivatan/Itbayat". National Commission for Culture and the Arts. 2002. Archived from the original on
January 21, 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
13. ^ Espiritu, EV (2007-09-06). "'Tatayak' making keeps Ivatan seafarers alive". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Archived from the original on 2008-04-17. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
