In Palawan, the smallest and the most endangered of the three major

ethnic groups is the Batak tribe. An old Cuyunon term, Batak means “mountain people”; they are classified as a
Philippine Aeta group because of their physical characteristics. At present, they live in the rugged northeastern
part of Palawan Island, close to the coastal villages of Babuyan, Tinitian, and Malcampo. Previously, they lived
in several river valleys of Babuyan, Maoyon, Tanabag, Tarabanan, Laingogan, Tagnipa, Caramay, and Buayan.
They speak a language called Batak or Binatak, although majority are bilingual, as they can speak both Batak
and Tagbanua. Bataks practice minimal shifting cultivation, alternating rice with cassava, tubers, and vegetables.

The Batak today are fading, and much of their distinctive traditional culture has been irretrievably lost. Their
population and traditions have been affected by the continuing invasion of settlers from different parts of the
Philippines, and by logging operations in their habitat. They have been ravaged by malnutrition and disease
because of poverty.

Sources:
National Commission For The Culture And The Arts, http://www.ncca.gov.ph/
Philippine Literature, http://litera1no4.tripod.com/
Joshua Project, http://www.joshuaproject.net/
Ethnologue, www.ethnologue.com/

The Batak is one of the indigenous people of Palawan. Since ancient time they have inhabited a series
of river valleys along the 50 kilometers stretch of coastline Northeast of what is today Puerto Princesa City.
They are considered to be of negrito stock. Their physical attribute shows short structure, dark skin and
curly hair, that earned these distinctive looking people their name. Their economic activities revolve mostly
on swidden farming Kaingin (Slash and burn method), hunting, and natural resources products gathering,
primarily almaciga resin-tapping, rattan pole collecting, and honey gathering. Their foods came exclusively
from the forest rivers, creeks and sometimes from the sea. They were highly mobile people. This is the
primary reason they are not motivated to cultivate permanent land areas for crops productions. Traditionally
they only plant cassava, banana, sweet potato, ube, gabi, and coconuts.The Bataks’ religious faith continue
to be based on the spirits of nature whom they believe to reside in big rocks and trees. The spirits possess
the power to cure severe sickness when called upon by their baylan. Their system of political governance
is headed by Masiricampo designated by the over-all Masiricampo from the Tagbanua, an age-old
practice observed.

The population of the Batak at the turn of the century is estimated at 1,000. But the latest census made in
1990 placed them at only 450. They are currently settled in eight communities namely:
sitio RiandacanBarangay Maoyon, sitio Kalakwasan and Calabagyog, Barangay Tanabag,
sitio Tagnaya, Barangay Concepcion, sitio Manggapin Barangay Langogan, all is in the jurisdiction of
Puerto Princesa City, then at sitioTagnipa, Barangay Tinitian, sitio Manabo Barangay Caramay and
sitio Timbuan Barangay Abaraoan of Roxas Palawan. Before they resided in the said communities, their
original territory has been lost to powerful loggers, minor forest products concessionaires and lowland
settlers pushing them from their original settlements to the higher altitude forest interiors. These
significantly reduced their swidden farming and hunting activities as well as the minor forest products
gathering area.

The Customs and Traditions of the Batak tribes are the following:

Social Laws

ALYOG is a process to determine if the parents of the boy agrees to his marriage to a chosen girl.
The parents of the boy will bring their son to the house of the girl and talk with her parents. Usually, the
parents of the boy bring an elder or Ginoo, to witness the conversation and final agreement between both
sides. TheGinoo as witness is usually a member of the recognized traditional leadership.

LIWAG is a fine upon a son-in-law who twice committed disobedience of his in-laws.

SALA is a fine upon a boy given to the parents of the girl who has been deflowered by him. Marriage will
follow.

SURUGIDEN is a process whereby the traditional leaders usually meet together with the involved parties
for purposes of discussing/hearing of conflict cases among the Batak such as marriage, adultery, disrespect
to in-laws, thefts, and other violations of traditional laws and to imposed penalties to the guilty.

Ritual Conducted by the Batak’s

LAMBAY is the Batak honey festival marking the onset of seasonal honey gathering, usually done in the
month of March. The purpose is to make bee colonies to produce plenty of honey. This ritual is traditionally
done by their baylan. They will also effect “lambay” ceremony to ask for rain if there is long dry-season
and to ask for sunlight if there is long rainy season. In the ceremony they will offer live chicken for the
spirits.

SAGKAT is a ritual performed by the baylan for the kaingero, prior to field clearing, to give respect to
the goddess spirits within the forest, considering that the Batak believe that big trees are homes of forest
spirits. In this process they will talk to the said spirits to ask permission to clear the area. If, within three
days and nights they could not dream of any signs of disagreement, then clearing will be done, if there is,
then they will not pursue the clearing.

The Batak Marriage System

The ancient Traditional marriage system of the Batak still exist up to now. Before person can be
married, the boy with his father or elder relatives will attend a “surigiden” for consultation of the
prospective marriage partner with her elder and family of the groom. Upon consensus of the elders that
marriage should be consecrated. The boy accompanied by a Ginoo or Tribal leader will make arrangement
with the brides parents. The brides parents will ask a certain amount from the groom called “bandi” as
guarantee. The groom also will provide the elders who witnessed in the Surugiden a certain amount as
gratitude and thanks to their presence. Then drinking of rice wine, “tabad”, will follow to celebrate and
facilitate good luck for the good future of the newly wed.

https://ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca-3/subcommissions/subcommission-on-cultural-communities-and-traditional-arts-
sccta/central-cultural-communities/the-batak/
Religion and Family Units
The Batak practice a form of tribal religion under the umbrella of animism, which is the belief that plants,
animals, and other inanimate objects (such as stones, rivers, and even weather) are fully alive and in
possession of a spirit. This belief is part of the reason the Batak are so peace-loving and avoid conflict as
much as possible. In the past, the tribe practiced polygamy, with the strongest man in the tribe having
the most wives and children, proving himself to be a great provider. However, with the introduction of
Christianity and the concept of monogamy, most of the Batak have adopted a monogamous family unit.

The Batak have a strong belief that the world is inhabited by many supernatural and
nature spirits and entities. The panya'en are considered sinister beings while the diwata are more
benevolent but capricious entities. These spirits (especially the diwata) and more are said to only be
visible to shamans and these beings are claimed to inhabit specific trees, streams, and more. Panya'en
are believed to aggressively protect the various forests and riverine resources that the Batak utilize.
Wasting, overusing, or disrespecting these resources or its animals are said to anger the panya'en
protector who then punishes the culprit(s) with illness or death. Batak babalians (or shamans) are
capable of communicating with these supernatural entities and can intercede on the behalf of those
affected by misfortune or illness.
The Batak people believe in a unique array of deities and other figures, namely:

 Maguimba - Who in remotest times lived among the people, having been summoned by a powerful
babaylan, and he supplied all the necessities of Batak life, as well as all the cures for illness. He even
had the power to bring the dead back to life.
 Diwata - Provided for the needs of men and women, and gives out rewards for good deeds. Sanbay
is a ritual in honor of Diwata, who is asked by the people to bless them with generous harvests of
palay (unhusked rice) and honey. This ritual takes place inside a forest, about 2–3 km from the
beach. Two huts are constructed for the ritual. Palay is placed in one of the huts. A replica of a
beehive, meanwhile, is situated in another small hut. Prayers are recited to Diwata by the babaylan,
after which the people in attendance gather together in festive eating, drinking, and dancing.
 Angoro - Lives in Basad, a place beyond this world where the souls of the dead go, and it is there
where they come to know if they are to proceed to Lampanag (heaven) or be cast into depths of the
Basad, where fire and boiling water await these hapless ones.
 Baybay - goddess of rice
 Ungaw - god of bees
 Siabuanan - A lesser deity with great strength
 Bankakah - A lesser deity with great strength
 Paraen - A lesser deity with great strength
 Buengelen - A lesser deity with great strength
 Baybayen - A lesser deity with great strength
 Batungbayanin - Spirit of the mountains.
 Paglimusan - Spirit of the small stones.
 Balungbunganin - Spirit of the almaciga trees.
 Sulingbunganin - Spirit of the big rocks.
 Esa - Ancestor of the Bataks

BATAK PEOPLE WAY OF SURVIVAL

Swidden Farming
The Batak of the Philippines rely on their traditional farming methods.

The most highly prized game is the wild pig, which the Batak hunt using spears and dogs. They also
collect leaves, fruit, tubers and palm hearts for food, as well as resin, rattan canes and wild honey to sell.

For generations, they have successfully combined hunting, fishing, and gathering of forest products with
shifting agriculture.

Rice, root crops and vegetables are grown, and at the peak of the dry season in March the gardens are
burned to the ground.

After the Batak have cultivated a field, they leave it fallow for several years. New gardens are planted in
April when the rain arrives.

An intimate knowledge of rice allows them to recognise and name at least 70 different varieties. Women
fish with a hook and line, whilst the whole community works together to catch fish by stunning them with
a plant-based poison.
Keeping Language and Traditions Alive

Although the Batak population are quickly diminishing, several organizations are helping the tribe in an
effort to reestablish its Binatak language through developing their own mother tongue curriculum in
schools. Moreover, an annual celebration called Tarek Festival is commemorated every third week of
January in Palawan to showcase the Bataks' traditional dances. It also displays the tribe's woven clothing
and handmade accessories.

Tarek is a pre-planting ritual amongst the tribe. A male babaylan ("shaman") mediate to appease the
spirits through music and dance in ceremonial performances. Before the dance, food and animal
sacrifices are placed on the altar as an offering to ask the spirit of the fields for a good and bountiful
harvest.