What is the culture of primitive society?

Primitive culture, in the lexicon of early anthropologists, any of numerous societies

characterized by features that may include lack of a written language, relative
isolation, small population, relatively simple social institutions and technology,
and a generally slow rate of sociocultural change. ...

What is the difference between primitive and modern society?

“Traditional” refers to those societies or elements of societies that are small-scale, are
derived from indigenous and often ancient cultural practices. “Modern” refers to those
practices that relate to the industrial mode of production or the development of large-
scale often colonial societies

What does culture and society mean?

Different societies have different cultures; a culture represents the beliefs and
practices of a group, while society represents the people who share those beliefs and
practices. ... Nonmaterial culture, in contrast, consists of the ideas, attitudes, and beliefs
of a society

What is primitive community?

the first socioeconomic formation in human history. In the primitive communal
system the relationship to the means of production was the same for all members of
society. ... Consequently, the mode of obtaining a share of the social product was the
same for all.

What is the culture of urban society?

When we speak of “urban society” we speak of a group of people characterized by a
certain way of life, or an urban culture. As such, the concept would include a certain
system of values, norms, social practices and relations that in their totality define a
historically specific type of social organization.

What are the features of a traditional society?

In sociology, traditional society refers to a society characterized by an orientation to
the past, not the future, with a predominant role for custom and habit.
Such societies are marked by a lack of distinction between family and business, with
the division of labor influenced primarily by age, gender, and status.

What are the changes in modern society?

Some of the more important of these changes include commercialization, increasing
division of labour, growth of production, formation of nation-states,
bureaucratization, growth of technology and science, secularization,
urbanization, spread of literacy, increasing geographic and social mobility, and
growth of ...

What is difference between traditional and modern woman?

Traditional women strive to have that nuclear family, a husband, children and uphold
values that some people would see as old fashioned today. ... They also don't tend to
have issues with family set-ups that a modern woman might consider to be
“patriarchal”

What is the role of culture in a society?

Culture is the lifeblood of a vibrant society, expressed in the many ways we tell our
stories, celebrate, remember the past, entertain ourselves, and imagine the future. Our
creative expression helps define who we are, and helps us see the world through the
eyes of others.

What is called urban culture?

Urban culture is the culture of towns and cities. ... Urban culture means the
architecture, attitudes of the people, customs, beliefs, and overall atmosphere and
sense of connection you get when you go into the main city or town area of the city you
visit.

Why is culture so important to cities?

Culture allows us to connect with the world around us

We have been open to collaboration, and made collaboration the core of our practice…
We make it a space where people can come in and deliver on their ambitions and
deliver programs for their own communities.

What are the 3 causes of social change?

Summary. There are numerous and varied causes of social change. Four common
causes, as recognized by social scientists, are technology, social institutions,
population, and the environment. All four of these areas can impact when and how
society changes

What is a traditional woman?

1) "Traditional" Woman: Has your children, stays at home to take care of them,
cooks well, keeps the house very clean, wears very feminine clothing and keeps herself
made up/hair done, etc, has sex whenever the husband wants, does more listening than
talking, keeps her opinions to herself

What is a modern woman?

“They say a modern woman is one who can truly have it all–a successful career, a
loving marriage, beautiful children, a gorgeous home and a well-traveled suitcase full of
experiences from around the world

What are the negative effects of culture?

Other consequences of negative culture include gossiping, low employee
engagement, higher rates of absenteeism and presenteeism, a lack of empathy, a lack
of flexibility and high employee turnover

What are the two types of culture?

Lesson Summary

The two basic types of culture are material culture, physical things produced by a
society, and nonmaterial culture, intangible things produced by a society.
Primitive culture
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Iowa Indians in London in 1844

The term primitive culture was used in older anthropology texts and

discussions of the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth century by
European explorers and anthropologists to describe indigenous societies,
particularly those of North, South America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Oceania.
While the term is no longer used due to its
inherent racist and ethnocentric undertones, anthropologists nonetheless
recognize these groups of people in their categorization of the differing forms
of human societies. The difference is that there is greater respect and
appreciation for all forms, regardless of how different they may be from one's
own.

Some have thought "primitive" societies to be closer to the ideal, having been
less corrupted by governments and social institutions. While this has some
merit, such as their greater harmony with the environment, in fact human
society has generally progressed towards the ideal not away from it.
Developments in external aspects of life such as tools and technology, mental
developments such as writing and artistic techniques, and greater spiritual
or religious understanding all support a healthier, safer, and more satisfying
life. The problem of human selfishness, resulting in people's inability to
recognize the importance of the needs of others and of the whole society, has
not emerged as societies developed; it was present in the most primitive, and
it remains present. Solving human selfishness is the real challenge in creating
an ideal culture.

Contents
 1 Etymology and definition
 2 Early anthropological thought
 3 Types of primitive cultures
o 3.1 Nomads
o 3.2 Hunter-gathers
o 3.3 Horticulturalists
 o 3.4 Pastoralists
 4 Religion
 5 Societal structure
 6 Notes
 7 References
 8 Credits

Etymology and definition

The word "culture," from the Latin root colere (to inhabit, to cultivate, or to
honor), generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic
structures that give such activity significance. However, the term Primitive
culture also incorporates ideas of society. Society and culture are similar
concepts, but their scopes are different. A society is an
interdependent community, while culture is an attribute of a community—the
complex web of shifting patterns that link individuals together.

Early European anthropologists believed that cultures they encountered when

they traveled to other continents were preserved in a state unchanged since
"Stone Age," paleolithic, or neolithic times. As a result they labeled them as
"primitive," from the Latin prīmitīvus meaning "first of its kind," referring to
both the activity and the community of these peoples they were encountering.

General characteristics of such societies include a lack of written language,

relatively simple social structure and institutions, minimal technology, isolation
from other societies, and a slow rate of cultural change—in other words, a
society that has remained in that form over an extended time period while
other societies have experienced significant changes. Generally speaking,
cultures classified as "primitive" have no cities and no formalized legal system
or government that controls the lives of the members of the society.

Early anthropological thought

Early contact with indigenous tribes of people by the first European explorers
created a serious interest in the minds of both scholars and the public at large
about other societies and cultures. Early anthropologists and sociologists used
the term "Primitive Culture" to describe the newly contacted societies that
often lacked major signs of economic development or modernity, such as the
lack of a written language or advanced technology. Often times these societies
also had limited and isolated populations.
Edward Burnett Tylor.

Some of these scholars and academics held that these types of societies were
essentially inferior to those of Europe. Edward Burnett Tylor was one these
scholars; in his work Primitive Culture: Researches into the Development of
Mythology, Philosophy, Religion, Art, and Custom (1871) he argued for a type
of cultural evolution involving three specific stages of cultural development:

 Savagery: Encompassing cultures based on hunting and gathering

 Barbarism: Including cultures based on nomadic herding and agriculture
 Civilization: That is, cultures based on writing and the urban life

While Tylor was ethnocentric, he was not necessarily racist in his thinking.

However, his and similar beliefs were often the justification used for
conquering native societies all over the globe and converting them to
Christianity.

Negative views of primitive cultures, while often prevalent, were not the only
opinion regarding such groups. Other early sociologists and writers portrayed
primitive cultures as noble—noble savages—and believed that their lack of
technology and less integrated economies made them ideal examples of the
correct human lifestyle. This utopian view regarded the emergence of a
government and civil society caused a loss of human freedom and the
expression of their original nature. Among these thinkers were Jean-Jacques
Rousseau, who is most frequently associated with the idea of the noble savage
based on his Discourse on Inequality[1] and Karl Polanyi, whose The Great
Transformation praised the economic organization of primitive societies as less
destructive than the market economy.[2]

Both positive and negative standpoints were based primarily in the

assumption that contemporary indigenous peoples or their cultures were
comparable to the earliest humans or their cultures. Modern anthropological
thought does incorporate an evolutionary model of human society, applicable
to both humanity in general and to specific societies. However, the notions of
barbarism and noble savages have for the most part been abandoned. The
romantic notion of previous cultures is still sometimes expressed in literature
and popular culture, but as a greater understanding and acceptance of all
human lifestyles has emerged, cultures once thought of as primitive are often
looked upon with respect. The term "primitive culture" can still be used to
refer to ancient societies from the distant past, and of which only
limited archaeological evidence remains.

It should be noted that the contemporary indigenous societies even at the

time of first contact with European "developed" cultures, were not in the same
state as prehistoric cultures. While they might appear so, in reality most were
not entirely isolated but rather have been in contact with many other groups,
indigenous or colonial.

Types of primitive cultures

Both the long gone prehistoric cultures and those indigenous cultures still
living in what were regarded as "primitive" societies existed in a variety of
forms. A simple and obvious way to classify the variety of primitive cultures is
according to the types of food eaten and how they are obtained. Thus, those
societies which are constantly on the move following their food sources are
classified as nomadic, while those whose food source is stable in a single
location, at least for the majority of the time, are sedentary. Furthermore,
societies may plant crops and develop some form of agriculture or they may
domesticate animals and use them for food and other purposes, or they may
simply hunt and gather foods that are available naturally in the wild. These
differences in food sources impact many significant aspects of the lives of a
community, from the density and size of population that can be supported to
the nature of the dwellings that are used, and so forth.

Nomads

Main article:  Nomad

Illustration of the Hephthalites

Nomadic people are communities of people that move from one place to

another, rather than settling down in one location. Nomadism is distinguished
from migration, which involves a major and permanent move from one location
to another. Nomads, on the other hand, move periodically or cyclically, in
conjunction with climate or animal migration patterns, usually returning to
their original location at various times.
Many cultures were traditionally nomadic. Some significant examples include
the Eurasian Avars who roamed much of Eurasia due to war and environments
unable to provide stable, permanent societies; the Hephthalites who
developed no formalized written language, lived across central Asia in small
bands, and practiced polyandry; the Wu Hu, which were composed of various
non-Chinese steppe tribes during the period from the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.E.-
22 C.E.) to the Northern Dynasties, and the Plain Indians of North America, who
often lived in small bands and roamed the vast wilderness of the American
continent.

Hunter-gathers

Main article:  Hunter-gatherers

The Bushmen of Africa

Hunter-gatherers are foragers, dependent upon the natural availability of food.

Consequently, they are relatively mobile, moving on as their food supplies
become exhausted. This nomadic lifestyle, in which all possessions must be
carried, led hunter-gatherers to rely on materials available in the wild to
construct simple shelters. There was rarely any elaborate building of
permanent housing or development of cities in such societies. Their mobile
lifestyle generally meant that there was no possibility of storing surplus food
and thus the society remained at a subsistence level. [3]

The nature of the available food supplies led hunter-gatherer societies to

develop different specializations. Some hunted big game, or trapped animals,
while others fished in lakes, rivers, or along the coast. An older term found in
Scandinavian countries is hunter-trapper instead of "gatherer," signifying their
use of complex trap systems involving holes in the ground to
catch elk, reindeer, and such. Only a limited number of people could
congregate without quickly exhausting the local food supplies, with the result
that hunter-gatherer societies tend to have very low population densities.
Nomadic hunter-gatherer societies usually had non-hierarchical social
structures, unlike higher-order horticultural, pastoral, and industrial societies.
The group usually consisted of a small number of family units, often related,
comprising a band or clan. Typically, men are responsible for hunting and
women for gathering.

The Bushmen and Pygmies of Africa and the Innu of eastern Québec and

Labrador, Canada, are some examples of contemporary hunter-gather societies.

Horticulturalists
See  History of agriculture  Article

Intihuatana ruins with agricultural terraces below at Písac, Peru

Horticultural societies actually grew out of hunter-gather groups that had

developed a sustainable supply of food and resources allowing them to create
sedentary communities. At first they cultivated a variety of crops on a small
scale around their dwellings, or in specialized plots visited occasionally during
migrations from one area to the next. The main distinction between
horticultural societies and some of oldest civilizations in history that
developed agriculture (such as the Sumerians and Egyptians) is that horticultural
societies were often small bands directly transitioning from hunter-gather
status and did not develop large cities and hierarchies.

In Mesoamerica, starting around the Archaic period of Mesoamerican

chronology (8000-2000 B.C.E.), many of the hunter gatherer micro-bands in the
region began to cultivate wild plants. The cultivation of these plants probably
started out as creating known areas of fall back, or starvation foods, near
seasonal camps, that the band could rely on when hunting was bad, or when
there was a drought. By creating these known areas of plant food, it was easier
for the band to be in the right place, at the right time, to collect them.
Eventually, a subsistence pattern, based on plant cultivation, supplemented
with small game hunting, became much more reliable, efficient, and generated
a larger yield. As cultivation became more focused, many plant species
became domesticated. These plants were no longer able to reproduce on their
own, and many of their physical traits were being modified by human farmers.
The most famous of these, and the most important to Mesoamerican
agriculture, is maize. Maize is storable for long periods of time, it can be
ground into flour, and it easily turns into surplus for future use. Maize became
vital to the survival of the people of Mesoamerica, and that is reflected in their
origin, myths, artwork, and rituals.

In pre-contact North America the semi-sedentary horticultural communities of

the Eastern Woodlands grew maize, squash, and sunflowers while also practicing
hunting and gathering.

Pastoralists
Saami family, 1900

Nomadic pastoralism based societies used a form of agriculture where livestock

(such as cattle, sheep, goats, and camels), were taken to different locations in
order to find fresh pastures. It was, and still is, commonly practiced in regions
with little arable land. Early use of domestic animals for primary carcass
products (meat) appears to have broadened to include exploitation for
renewable "secondary" products (milk and its associated dairy products, wool
and other animal hair, hides and consequently leather, manure for fuel and
fertilizer, traction, and riding/pack transport). [4] Many of these innovations first
appeared in the Near East during the fourth millennium B.C.E. and spread to
Europe and the rest of Asia soon afterward. Historically, nomadic herder
lifestyles led to warrior based cultures, fearsome enemies of settled people.

The Saami reindeer herders of Russia, the Bakhtiari of Iran,

the Bedouin and Fulani of Africa are all examples of contemporary pastoralist
societies.

Religion
Religion in primitive cultures was often nature based, since the natural world
played such an important role in everyday life. Animism was one prevalent
religious structure of primitive cultures. It was Edward Burnett Tylor who
introduced the term "animism" to refer to any belief in mystical, supernatural,
or non-empirical spirit beings. He proposed animist thought as a starting
point for human religious development.[5] Thus, so-called "primitive" cultures
(such as hunter-gatherers upholding these beliefs) were merely expressing a
reduced form of religiosity compatible with their supposedly low level of
technological and spiritual development. In this evolutionary model, these
societies relied on animism to explain the occurrence of certain events and
processes. The cornerstone of animistic thought is the affirmation of the
existence of some kind of metaphysical entities (such as souls or spirits) that are
seen as the life-source (or life-force) of human beings, animals, plants, and
even non-living objects and phenomena. For animistic cultures, the existence
of these entities (with their respective operational and volitional qualities)
provides explanations for the innumerable changes witnessed in both the
natural world and the human world.
Various Shamans

Shamanism was another development in primitive cultures. Shamanism is a

range of traditional beliefs and practices concerned with communication with
the spirit world. A practitioner of shamanism is known as a shaman, and such an
individual is credited with the ability to diagnose, cure, and sometimes cause
human suffering by forming a special relationship with, or gaining control
over, spirits. They were also believed to have the ability to control the
weather, divination, the interpretation of dreams, Astral projection, and traveling
to upper and lower worlds. Shamanism is based on the premise that the
visible world is pervaded by invisible forces or spirits that affect the lives of the
living.

In contrast to animism, which any and usually all members of a society

practiced, shamanism required specialized knowledge or abilities. The shaman
acts as a mediator between their fellow human beings and the spiritual realm,
a priest-like role, but with certain important differences. Shamans usually
learned their role in the society through an apprenticeship, which they entered
based on a "calling," a personal experience through which they gained
spiritual power.[6]

Societal structure
Most primitive cultures were composed of one of three different types of
societal structure: Band, Clan, or Tribe.

Band

A band society is the simplest form of human society. It generally consisted of

a small kinship group, often nor much larger than an extended family. Bands
tend to have very informal leadership; the older members of the band
generally were looked to for guidance and advice, but there are no written
laws and law enforcement like that seen in more complex societies. They may
not be permanent. In fact, a band can cease to exist if only a small group walks
out. Band customs exist and are adhered to; they are almost always
transmitted orally. Formal social institutions are few or non-existent.

Clan
A clan is a group of people united by kinship and descent, which is defined by
perceived descent from a common ancestor. Even if actual lineage patterns
are unknown, clan members nonetheless recognized a founding member or
"apical ancestor." As kinship-based bonds could be merely symbolic in nature
some clans shared a "stipulated" common ancestor, which is a symbol of the
clan's unity. When this ancestor is not human, this is referred to a totem.
Generally speaking, kinship differs from biological relation, as it also
involves Adoption, Marriage, and fictive genealogical ties.

Tribe

A tribe consists of a group of interlinked families or communities sharing a

common culture and dialect. Often times a tribe is composed of an ethnic
group, whose members identify with each other, usually on the basis of a
presumed common genealogy or lineage, and are also usually united by
common cultural, behavioral, linguistic, or religious practices. [7] For various
reasons, the term "tribe" fell into disfavor in the latter part of the twentieth
century. Thus, it was replaced with the designation "ethnic group," which
defines a group of people of common ancestry and language, shared cultural
history, and an identifiable territory.
Culture of the Philippines
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  Philippines portal

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The culture of the Philippines is a combination of cultures of the East and West.

[1]
 Filipino identity was created primarily as a result of pre-colonial cultures, colonial
influences and foreign traders intermixing and gradually evolving together. In pre-
colonial times, the Philippines was a divided set of nations, islands and tribes being
ruled by their own kings, chieftains, lakans, rajahs, datus and sultans. Every nation has
its own identity and some are even part of a larger empire outside of what is now the
Philippines. Manila, for example, was once part of the Islamic Sultanate of Brunei, and
the Sulu Archipelago was also part of the Hindu Majapahit. The advent of colonial rule
in the islands marked the beginning of the Philippines as an entity, a collection of
Southeast Asian countries united under Spanish Empire.
Chinese influence has been felt throughout Southeast Asia through trade, specifically by
the Ming dynasty and other earlier dynasties from as early as the 9th century. The
blending of indigenous, colonial and external influence is very evident in the historic arts
and traditions of the country.
The Philippine archipelago was first settled by Negritos; today, although few in
numbers, they preserve a very traditional way of life and culture. After them,
the Austronesians arrived on the archipelago. The Austronesian culture is strongly
evident in the ethnicities, languages, cuisine, music, dance and almost every aspect of
the culture. These Austronesians engaged in trading with other Austronesians,
particularly in the neighbouring nations in Maritime Southeast Asia. They also traded
with the Mainland Southeast Asia, as well as Japan, China, the Indian
subcontinent and Arabia. As a result, some of these cultures marked their influences on
Filipino culture. This gradually evolved with indigenous belief systems and developed
into Anitism, which became the dominant religion for more than a millennium. [2][3]

Current logo for the Philippine Registry of Cultural Property

The Spanish Empire, via the Viceroyalty of New Spain, conquered the islands between
the 16th and 19th centuries (Batanes being one of the last places to be colonized in the
mid-1800s), resulting in Christianity to spread and dominate throughout the archipelago
and influenced the religion and beliefs of the natives. Then, the Philippines became a
U.S. territory for almost 50 years. Influence from the United States is manifested in the
wide use of the English language, media and in the modern culture and clothing of
present-day Philippines.[4]

Contents

 1Architecture
 2Religion
o 2.1Christianity
o 2.2Indigenous Philippine folk religions
o 2.3Islam
o 2.4Others
o 2.5Values
 3Rites of passage
 4Visual arts
 5Performing arts
o 5.1Dancing
o 5.2Music
 6Literature
o 6.1Philippine mythology
 7Cinema and media
 8Cuisine
 9Education
 10Sports
o 10.1Martial arts
o 10.2Traditional Filipino games and pastimes
 11Indigenous groups
o 11.1Intangible Cultural Heritage
 12Filipino diaspora
 13Festivals
 14Holidays
o 14.1Regular holidays
o 14.2Special holidays
 15Philippine Heritage Towns and Cities
 16See also
 17Further reading
 18References
 19External links

Architecture[edit]
Main article: Architecture of the Philippines
See also: Nipa hut, Ancestral houses of the Philippines, and Earthquake Baroque

Bahay na bato is a traditional Filipino house.

Spanish architecture has left an imprint in the Philippines in the way many towns were
designed around a central square or plaza mayor, but many of the buildings bearing its
influence were demolished during World War II. [5] Some examples remain, mainly
among the country's churches, government buildings, and universities. Four
Philippine baroque churches are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites:
the San Agustín Church in Manila, Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte, Nuestra Señora de la
Asunción (Santa María) Church in Ilocos Sur, and Santo Tomás de Villanueva
Church in Iloilo.[6] Vigan in Ilocos Sur is also known for the many Hispanic-style houses
and buildings preserved there.[7] The introduction of Christianity brought European
churches and architecture which subsequently became the center of most towns and
cities in the nation. The Spaniards also introduced stones and rocks as housing and
building materials and the Filipinos merged it with their existing architecture and forms a
hybrid mix-architecture only exclusive to the Philippines. Filipino colonial
architecture can still be seen in centuries-old buildings such as Filipino baroque
churches, Bahay na bato; houses, schools, convents, government buildings around the
nation. The best collection of Spanish colonial era architecture can be found in the
walled city of Intramuros in Manila and in the historic town of Vigan. Colonial-era
churches are also on the best examples and legacies of Spanish Baroque
architecture called Earthquake Baroque which are only found in the Philippines. Historic
provinces such as Ilocos Norte and Ilocos
Sur, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Batangas, Quezon, Iloilo, 
Negros, Cebu, Bohol and Zamboanga del Sur also boasts colonial-era buildings.
In the past, before the Spanish colonization, the Nipa hut (Bahay Kubo) was the
common form of housing among the native Filipinos. It is characterized by use of simple
materials such as bamboo and coconut as the main sources of wood. Cogon
grass, Nipa palm leaves and coconut fronds are used as roof thatching. Most primitive
homes are built on stilts due to frequent flooding during the rainy seasons. Regional
variations include the use of thicker, and denser roof thatching in mountain areas, or
longer stilts on coastal areas particularly if the structure is built over water. The
architecture of other indigenous peoples may be characterized by an angular wooden
roofs, bamboo in place of leafy thatching and ornate wooden carvings. The Bahay na
bato architecture is a variant of Nipa Hut that emerged during the 19th century. [8]
The American occupation in 1898 introduced a new breed of architectural structures in
the Philippines. This led to the construction of government buildings and Art
Deco theaters. During the American period, some semblance of city planning using the
architectural designs and master plans by Daniel Burnham was done on the portions of
the city of Manila. Part of the Burnham plan was the construction of government
buildings that resembled Greek or Neoclassical architecture.[9] In Iloilo, a lot of the
colonial edifices constructed during the American occupation in the country can still be
seen. Commercial buildings, houses and churches in that era are abundant in the city
and especially in Calle Real.[10]
The University of Santo Tomas Main Building in Manila is an example of Renaissance
Revival architecture. The building was built on 1924 and was completed at 1927. The
building, designed by Fr. Roque Ruaño, O.P., is the first earthquake-resistant building in
the Philippines that is not a church [citation needed].[11] Islamic and other Asian architecture can
also be seen depicted on buildings such as mosques and temples. Pre-Hispanic
housing is still common in rural areas. Contemporary-style housing subdivisions and
suburban-gated communities are popular in urbanized places such as Metro
Manila, Central Visayas, Central Luzon, Negros Island and other prosperous regions.
However, certain areas of the country like Batanes have slight differences as both
Spanish and Filipino ways of architecture assimilated differently due to the climate.
Limestones and coral were used as building materials. [12]

Kalesa, a traditional Philippine urban transportation in front of Manila Cathedral entrance.

There have been proposals to establish a policy where each municipality and city will
have an ordinance mandating all constructions and reconstructions within such territory
to be inclined with the municipality or city's architecture and landscaping styles to
preserve and conserve the country's dying heritage sites, which have been demolished
one at a time in a fast pace due to urbanization, culturally-irresponsible development,
and lack of towns-cape architectural vision. Such policies are used by countries which
have preserved their architectural marvels, and entire cities as a whole, for hundreds of
years, such as Italy, France, Romania, Germany, and Spain. The proposal advocates
for the usage and reinterpretations of indigenous, colonial, and modern architectural
and landscaping styles that are prevalent or used to be prevalent in a given city or
municipality. The proposal aims to foster a renaissance in Philippine landscaping and
townscaping, especially in rural areas which can easily be transformed into new
architectural heritage towns within a 50-year time frame. Unfortunately, many
Philippine-based architecture and engineering experts lack the sense of preserving
heritage townscapes, such as the case in Manila, where business proposals to
construct structures that are not inclined with Manila's architectural styles have been
continuously accepted and constructed by such experts, effectively destroying Manila's
architectural townscape one building at a time. Furthermore, the singular architectural
proposal has yet to be manifested into an actual policy due to the lack of a Department
of Culture. Only the city of Vigan has passed such an ordinance, which led to its
declaration as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 and awarding of various
recognition for the conservation and preservation of its unique architectural and
landscaping styles. In 2016, bills proposing the establishment of the Department of
Culture were filed in both chambers of Congress. [13][14]

 Architecture of the Philippines



Vigan City in Ilocos Sur

 
 Aguinaldo Shrine in Cavite

Loboc Church in Bohol

Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte

Liliw Church in Laguna

Religion[edit]
Main article: Religion in the Philippines
Christianity[edit]
Original image of the Santo Niño de Cebú.

The arrival of the Spanish colonizers in the 16th century brought the beginning of the
Christianization of the people in the Philippines. This phase in history is noted as the
tipping point for the destruction of a variety of Anitist beliefs in the country, which were
replaced by colonial belief systems that fitted the tastes of the Spanish,
notably Christian beliefs. Christianity in form of has influenced Filipino culture in almost
every facet, from visual arts, architecture, dance, and music. Presently, the Philippines
is one of the two predominantly Catholic (80.58%) nations in Asia-Pacific, the other
being East Timor. The country also has its own independent Philippine church,
the Aglipayan, which accounts for around 2% of the national population. Other Christian
churches are divided among a variety of Christian sects and cults. From the census in
2014, Christianity consisted of about 90.07% of the population and is largely present
throughout the nation.[15]
Indigenous Philippine folk religions[edit]
Main articles: Indigenous Philippine folk religions, Philippine mythology, and List of
Philippine mythological figures

An Itneg shaman offering pigs to anito spirits, 1922.

A performer depicting a babaylan (shaman).

Indigenous Philippine folk religions, also referred collectively as Anitism,[16][17] meaning

ancestral religions,[18][19] are the original faiths of the diverse ethnic groups of the
Philippines. Much of the texts of the religions are stored through memory which are
traditionally chanted, rather than written in manuscripts. Written texts, however, have
been utilized as well in modern times to preserve aspects of the religions, notably their
stories which are important aspects of Philippine mythology and traditional rites and
other practices. These stories consist of creation stories or stories about important
figures such as deities and heroes and certain creatures. Some popular, but distinct,
figures include the Tagalog's Bathala and Makiling, the Ilocano's Lam-Ang, and the
Maranao's Sarimanok.[20]
Islam[edit]
Islamic mythology arrived in the Philippines in the 13th century through trade routes in
Southeast Asia. The spread of Islam established a variety of belief systems, notably in
the southwestern portions of the archipelago, where the sultanate system was
embraced by the natives without the need for forced conversions, as the religious
traders did not intended to colonize the islands. Presently, around 6% of the population
are Muslims, concentrating in the Bangsamoro region in Mindanao. Most Filipino
Muslims practice Sunni Islam according to the Shafi'i school. [15]
Others[edit]
Hinduism arrived in the Philippines in 200–300 AD while Vajrayana Buddhism arrived
around 900 AD. Most adherent of Hinduism have Indian origins while those practicing
Buddhism have Chinese or Japanese origins, notably those who immigrated in the
Philippines in the last few decades. Shintoism arrived prior to the 12th century due to
Japanese traders, while Judaism arrived in the 16th century due to the
Inquisition. Taoism is also practiced by some Chinese immigrants. Atheism is also
found in the Philippines.[21][15]
Values[edit]
Main article: Filipino values

A statue showing the traditional pagmamano gesture, which is a sign of respect to the elderly and
request a blessing from them.

As a general description, the distinct value system of Filipinos is rooted primarily in

personal alliance systems, especially those based in kinship, obligation, friendship,
religion (particularly Christianity), and commercial relationships.[22]
Filipino values are, for the most part, centered around maintaining social harmony,
motivated primarily by the desire to be accepted within a group. [23] The main sanction
against diverging from these values are the concepts of "Hiya", roughly translated as 'a
sense of shame', and "Amor propio" or 'self-esteem'.[23] Social approval, acceptance by a
group, and belonging to a group are major concerns. Caring about what others will
think, say or do, are strong influences on social behavior among Filipinos. [24]
Other elements of the Filipino value system are optimism about the future, pessimism
about present situations and events, concern and care for other people, the existence of
friendship and friendliness, the habit of being hospitable, religious nature,
respectfulness to self and others, respect for the female members of society, the fear of
God, and abhorrence of acts of cheating and thievery. [25]

Rites of passage[edit]
Main article: Tuli (rite)
Every year, usually in April and May, thousands of Filipino boys are taken by their
parents to be circumcised. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) about
90% of Filipino men are circumcised, one of the world's highest circumcision rates.
Although the roots of the practice date back to the arrival of Islam in 1450, the
succeeding 200 years of Spanish rule obviated the religious reasons for circumcision.
Nevertheless, circumcision, called tuli, has persisted. The pressure to be circumcised is
evidenced even in the language: the Tagalog word for 'uncircumcised', supot, also
means 'coward'. It is commonly believed that a circumcised eight or ten year-old is no
longer a boy and is given more adult roles in the family and society. [26]

Visual arts[edit]
Main article: Art of the Philippines
Tampuhan by Juan Luna.

Early pottery has been found in the form of mostly anthropomorphic earthenware jars
dating from c. 5 BC to 225 AD.[27] Early Philippine painting can be found in red slip (clay
mixed with water) designs embellished on the ritual pottery of the Philippines such as
the acclaimed Manunggul Jar. Evidence of Philippine pottery-making dated as early as
6000 BC has been found in Sanga-Sanga Cave, Sulu and Cagayan's Laurente Cave. It
has been proven that by 5000 BC, the making of pottery was practiced throughout the
archipelago. Early Austronesian peoples, especially in the Philippines, started making
pottery before their Cambodian neighbors, and at about the same time as the Thais and
Laotians as part of what appears to be a widespread Ice Age development of pottery
technology.
Further evidence of painting is manifest in the tattoo tradition of early Filipinos, whom
the Portuguese explorer referred to as Pintados or the 'Painted People' of the Visayas. [28]
[29]
 Various designs referencing flora and fauna with heavenly bodies decorate their
bodies in various colored pigmentation. Perhaps, some of the most elaborate painting
done by early Filipinos that survive to the present day can be manifested among the
arts and architecture of the Maranaos who are well known for the Nāga dragons and
the Sarimanok carved and painted in the beautiful Panolong of their Torogan or King's
House.
Filipinos began creating paintings in the European tradition during 17th-century Spanish
period. The earliest of these paintings were Church frescoes, religious imagery from
Biblical sources, as well as engravings, sculptures and lithographs featuring Christian
icons and European nobility. Most of the paintings and sculptures between the 19th and
20th centuries produced a mixture of religious, political, and landscape art works, with
qualities of sweetness, dark, and light.

The kut-kut art from Samar.

The Itneg people are known for their intricate woven fabrics. The binakol is a blanket
which features designs that incorporate optical illusions.Other parts of Highlands in the
Cordillera Region or in local term " KaIgorotan" displays their art in tattoing, weaving
bags like the "sangi" a traditional backpack and carving woods. Woven fabrics of the
Ga'dang people usually have bright red tones. Their weaving can also be identified by
beaded ornamentation. Other peoples such as the Ilongot make jewelry from pearl, red
hornbill beaks, plants, and metals. Some indigenous materials are also used as a
medium in different kinds of art works especially in painting by Elito Circa, a folk artist of
Pantabangan and a pioneer for using indigenous materials, natural raw materials
including human blood. Many Filipino painters were influenced by this and started using
materials such as extract from onion, tomato, tuba, coffee, rust, molasses and other
materials available anywhere as paint. The Lumad peoples of Mindanao such as
the B'laan, Mandaya, Mansaka and T'boli are skilled in the art of
dyeing abaca fiber. Abaca is a plant closely related to bananas, and its leaves are used
to make fiber known as Manila hemp. The fiber is dyed by a method
called ikat. Ikat fiber are woven into cloth with geometric patterns depicting human,
animal and plant themes.
Kut-kut, a technique combining ancient Oriental and European art process. Considered
lost art and highly collectible art form. Very few known art pieces existed today. The
technique was practiced by the indigenous people of Samar Island between early 1600
and late 1800 A.D. It is an exotic Philippine art form based on early century
techniques: sgraffito, encaustic and layering. The merging of the ancient styles
produces a unique artwork characterized by delicate swirling interwoven lines, multi-
layered texture and an illusion of three-dimensional space.
Islamic art in the Philippines have two main artistic styles. One is a curved-
line woodcarving and metalworking called okir, similar to the Middle Eastern Islamic art.
This style is associated with men. The other style is geometric tapestries, and is
associated with women. The Tausug and Sama–Bajau exhibit their okir on elaborate
markings with boat-like imagery. The Marananaos make similar carvings on housings
called torogan. Weapons made by Muslim Filipinos such as the kampilan are skillfully
carved.
Early modernist painters such as Haagen Hansen was associated with religious and
secular paintings. The art of Lorenzo Miguelito and Alleya Espanol showed a trend for
political statement. The first American national artist Jhurgen D. C. Pascua used post-
modernism to produce paintings that illustrated Philippine culture, nature and harmony.
While other artists such as Bea Querol used realities and abstract on his work. In the
1980s, Odd Arthur Hansen, popularly known as ama ng makabayan pintor or father of
patriotic paint, gained recognition. He uses his own white hair to make his own
paintbrushes and signs his painting using his own blood on the right side corner. He
developed his own styles without professional training or guidance from professionals.

Performing arts[edit]
Dancing[edit]
Main article: Philippine dance

Panderetas dance

Philippine folk dances include the Tinikling and Cariñosa. In the southern region of

Mindanao, Singkil is a popular dance showcasing the story of a prince and princess in
the forest. Bamboo poles are arranged in a tic-tac-toe pattern in which the dancers
exploit every position of these clashing poles. [30][31]
Music[edit]
Main articles: Music in the Philippines and Harana (serenade)
The early music of the Philippines featured a mixture of Indigenous, Islamic and a
variety of Asian sounds that flourished before the European and American colonization
in the 16th and 20th centuries. Spanish settlers and Filipinos played a variety of musical
instruments, including flutes, guitar, ukulele, violin, trumpets and drums. They
performed songs and dances to celebrate festive occasions. By the 21st century, many
of the folk songs and dances have remained intact throughout the Philippines. Some of
the groups that perform these folk songs and dances are the Bayanihan, Filipinescas,
Barangay-Barrio, Hariraya, the Karilagan Ensemble, and groups associated with the
guilds of Manila, and Fort Santiago theatres. Many Filipino musicians have risen
prominence such as the composer and conductor Antonio J. Molina, the composer
Felipe P. de Leon, known for his nationalistic themes and the opera singer Jovita
Fuentes.
Modern day Philippine music features several styles. Most music genres are
contemporary such as Filipino rock, Filipino hip hop and other musical styles. Some are
traditional such as Filipino folk music.

Literature[edit]

Noli Me Tángere (novel)

Main article: Literature of the Philippines

The Philippine literature is a diverse and rich group of works that has evolved
throughout the centuries. It had started with traditional folktales and legends made by
the ancient Filipinos before Spanish colonization. The main themes of Philippine
literature focus on the country's pre-colonial cultural traditions and the socio-political
histories of its colonial and contemporary traditions. The literature of the Philippines
illustrates the Prehistory and European colonial legacy of the Philippines, written in both
Indigenous and Hispanic writing system. Most of the traditional literatures of the
Philippines were written during the Spanish period, while being preserved orally prior to
Spanish colonization. Philippine literature is written in Spanish, English, or any
indigenous Philippine languages.
Some of the well known work of literature were created from the 17th to 19th century.
The Ibong Adarna is a famous epic about an magical bird which was claimed to be
written by José de la Cruz or "Huseng Sisiw".[32] Francisco Balagtas is one of the
country's prominent Filipino poets, he is named as one of the greatest Filipino literary
laureates for his contributions in Philippine literature. His greatest work, the Florante at
Laura is considered as his greatest work and one of the masterpieces of Philippine
literature. Balagtas wrote the epic during his imprisonment.[33] José Rizal, the national
hero of the country, wrote the novels Noli Me Tángere (Touch Me Not) and El
Filibusterismo (The Filibustering, also known as The Reign of Greed).
There have been proposals to revive all indigenous ethnic scripts or suyat in the
Philippines, where the ethnic script of the ethnic majority of the student population shall
be taught in public and private schools. The proposal came up after major backlash
came about when a bill declaring the Tagalog baybayin as the national script of the
country. The bill became controversial as it focuses only on the traditional script of the
Tagalog people, while dismissing the traditional scripts of more than 100 ethnic groups
in the country. The new proposal that came after the backlash cites that if the ethnic
majority is Sebwano, then the script that will be taught is badlit. If the ethnic majority is
Tagalog, then the script that will be taught is baybayin. If the ethnic majority is Hanunuo
Mangyan, then the script that will be taught is hanunu'o, and so on. [34]
Philippine mythology[edit]
Main article: Philippine mythology
Philippine mythologies are the first literature of the Philippines, usually passed on
through generation via traditional and oral folk literature. Written texts recording the
stories have also been made. These literary stories are mostly chanted as part of a
dynamic Philippine epic poetry.[35][36] While each unique ethnic group has its own stories
and myths to tell, Hindu and Spanish influences can nonetheless be detected in many
cases. Philippine mythology mostly consists of creation stories or stories about
supernatural creatures, such as the aswang, the manananggal, the diwata/engkanto,
and nature. Some popular figures from Philippine mythologies are Makiling, Lam-Ang,
and the Sarimanok.[20]

Cinema and media[edit]

Main article: Cinema of the Philippines

Poster for Secreto de confesión, the first Philippine film made in the Spanish language

Salón de Pertierra was the first introduced moving picture on January 1, 1897 in the
Philippines. All films were all in Spanish since Philippine cinema was first introduced
during the final years of the Spanish era of the country. Antonio Ramos was the first
known movie producer. He used the Lumiere Cinematograph when he
filmed Panorama de Manila (Manila landscape), Fiesta de Quiapo (Quiapo
Fiesta), Puente de España (Bridge of Spain), and Escenas Callejeras (Street scenes).
Meanwhile, Jose Nepomuceno was dubbed as the "Father of Philippine Cinema".
[37]
 Dubbed as the "Father of Philippine Cinema", his work marked the start of cinema as
an art form in the Philippines.[38] His first film produced was entitled Dalagang
Bukid (Country Maiden) in 1919.
Film showing resumed in 1900 during the American period. Walgrah, a British
entrepreneur, opened the Cine Walgrah at No. 60 Calle Santa Rosa in Intramuros. It
was also during this time that a movie market was formally created in the country along
with the arrival of silent movies. These silent films were always accompanied
by gramophone, a piano, a quartet, or a 200-man choir. During the Japanese
occupation, filmmaking was put on hold. Nonetheless, it was continued on 1930s up
until 1945 replacing the Hollywood market with Japanese films but met with little
success. Postwar 1940s and the 1950s were known as the first golden age of Philippine
cinema with the resurgence of mostly Visayan films through Lapu-Lapu Pictures.
Nationalistic films became popular, and movie themes consisting primarily of war and
heroism and proved to be successful with Philippine audiences. [citation needed]

Mila del Sol starred in one of the earliest Filipino movies, Giliw Ko (1939), along with Fernando Poe
Sr.
The 1950s saw the first golden age of Philippine cinema, [39][40] with the emergence of
more artistic and mature films, and significant improvement in cinematic techniques
among filmmakers. The studio system produced frenetic activity in the Philippine film
industry as many films were made annually and several local talents started to gain
recognition abroad. Award-winning filmmakers and actors were first introduced during
this period. As the decade drew to a close, the studio system monopoly came under
siege as a result of labor-management conflicts.
During the 1960s, James Bond movies, bomba (soft porn) pictures and an era of
musical films, produced mostly by Sampaguita Pictures, dominated the cinema. The
second golden age occurred from 1970s to early 1980s. It was during this era that
filmmakers ceased to produce pictures in black and white. A rise in Hollywood films
dominated theater sales during the late 1980s until the 2000s. [41] The dawn of this era
saw a dramatic decline of the mainstream Philippine movie industry. [42]
The 1970s and 1980s were considered turbulent years for the Philippine film industry,
bringing both positive and negative changes. The films in this period dealt with more
serious topics following the Martial law era. In addition, action, western, drama, adult
and comedy films developed further in picture quality, sound and writing. The 1980s
brought the arrival of alternative or independent cinema in the Philippines. [citation needed] The
1990s saw the emerging popularity of drama, teen-oriented romantic comedy, adult,
comedy and action films.[40]
The mid 2010s also saw broader commercial success of films produced by independent
studios.[43][44]
The Philippines, being one of Asia's earliest film industry producers, remains undisputed
in terms of the highest level of theater admission in Asia. Over the years, however, the
Philippine film industry has registered a steady decline in movie viewership from 131
million in 1996 to 63 million in 2004. [45][41] From a high production rate of 350 films a year
in the 1950s, and 200 films a year during the 1980s, the Philippine film industry
production rate declined in 2006 to 2007. [45][41] The 21st century saw the rebirth of
independent filmmaking through the use of digital technology and a number of films
have once again earned nationwide recognition and prestige.
With the high rates of film production in the past, several movie artists have appeared in
over 100+ roles in Philippine Cinema and enjoyed great recognition from fans and
moviegoers.

Cuisine[edit]
Main article: Filipino cuisine
Clockwise from top left: Lumpia, Adobo, Halo-halo and Sisig.

Filipinos cook a variety of foods influenced by of main Indian, Chinese, influences

indigenous ingredients.[46]
The Spanish colonizers and friars in the 16th century brought with them produce from
the Americas such as chili peppers, tomatoes, corn, potatoes, and the method of
sautéing with garlic and onions. Eating out is a favorite Filipino pastime. A typical Pinoy
diet consists at most of six meals a day; breakfast, snacks, lunch, snacks, dinner, and
again a midnight snack before going to sleep. Rice is a staple in the Filipino diet, and is
usually eaten together with other dishes. Filipinos regularly use spoons together with
forks and knives. Some also eat with their hands, especially in informal settings, and
also Filipinos use chopsticks when eating seafood. Rice, corn, and popular dishes such
as adobo (a meat stew made from either pork or chicken), lumpia (meat or vegetable
rolls), pancit (a noodle dish), and lechón baboy (roasted pig) are served on plates.
Other popular dishes include afritada, asado, tapa, empanada, mani (roasted
peanuts), paksiw (fish or pork, cooked in vinegar and water with some spices like garlic
and pepper), pandesal (bread of salt), laing, sisig, torta (omelette), kare-kare (ox-tail
stew), kilawen, pinakbet (vegetable stew), pinapaitan, and sinigang (tamarind soup with
a variety of pork, fish, or prawns). Some delicacies eaten by some Filipinos may seem
unappetizing to the Western palate include balut (boiled egg with a fertilized duckling
inside), longganisa (sweet sausage), and dinuguan (soup made from pork blood).

La Paz Batchoy is a noodle soup made with pork organs, crushed pork cracklings, chicken stock and
beef loin.

A Filipino Lechon.

Popular snacks and desserts such as chicharon (deep fried pork or chicken skin), halo-
halo (crushed ice with evaporated milk, flan, sliced tropical fruit, and sweet
beans), puto (white rice cakes), bibingka (rice cake with butter or margarine and salted
eggs), ensaymada (sweet roll with grated cheese on top), pulburon (powder candy),
and tsokolate (chocolate) are usually eaten outside the three main meals. Popular
Filipino beverages include San Miguel Beer, Tanduay Rhum, lambanog, and tuba.
Every province has its own specialty and tastes vary in each region. In Bicol, for
example, foods are generally spicier than elsewhere in the Philippines. Patis (fish
sauce), suka (vinegar), toyo (soy sauce), bagoong, and banana ketchup are the most
common condiments found in Filipino homes and restaurants.
Western fast food chains such as McDonald's, Wendy's, KFC, and Pizza Hut are a
common sight in the country. Local food chains such as Jollibee, Goldilocks
Bakeshop, Mang Inasal and Chowking are also popular and have successfully
competed against international fast food chains. [47][48]

Education[edit]
Main articles: Education in the Philippines and Higher education in the Philippines

The University of Santo Tomas, located in Manila, was established in 1611.

Education in the Philippines has been influenced by Western and Eastern ideology and

philosophy from the United States, Spain, and its neighbouring Asian countries.
Philippine students enter public school at about age four, starting from nursery school
up to kindergarten. At about seven years of age, students enter elementary school (6 to
9 years) this include Grade 7 to Grade 10 as junior high school, then after, they
graduate. Since the Philippines has already implemented the K-12 system, students will
enter SHS or senior high school, a 2-year course, to be able to prepare college life with
their chosen track such as ABM (Accountancy Business Management), STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and HUMSS (Humanities and Social
Sciences) other tracks are included like TECH-VOC (Technical Vocational). Students
can make a choice if they will take the college entrance examinations (CEE) in order to
attend college or university (3 to 5 years) or find work after they graduate senior high
school.[citation needed]
Other types of schools in the country include private schools, preparatory schools,
international schools, laboratory high schools, and science high schools. Of these
schools, private Catholic schools are the most famous. Catholic schools are preferred in
the Philippines due to their religious beliefs. Most Catholic schools are co-ed. The
uniforms of Catholic schools usually have an emblem along with the school colors.
International schools follow different curricula, such as Singaporean, American, and
British. With this, their approach differs depending on the overall programs that these
curricula offer.[citation needed]
The school year in the Philippines starts in June and ends in March, with a two-month
summer break from April to May, two-week semestral break in October
and Christmas and New Year's holidays. Changes are currently being made to the
system and some universities have copied the Westernized academic calendar and
now start the school year in August.[citation needed]
In 2005, the Philippines spent about US$138 per pupil compared to US$1,582
in Singapore, US$3,728 in Japan, and US$852 in Thailand.[49][50]

Sports[edit]
Main article: Sports in the Philippines

A PBA game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Manny Pacquiao, the only 8-division world boxing champion in history.

Arnis, a form of martial arts, is the national sport in the Philippines. [51] Among the most
popular sports include basketball, boxing, football, billiards, chess, ten-pin
bowling, volleyball, horse racing, Sepak Takraw and cockfighting. Dodgeball, badminton
and Tennis are also popular.
Filipinos have gained international success in sports. These
are boxing, football, billiards, ten-pin bowling, and chess. Popular sport stars
include Manny Pacquiao, Flash Elorde, and Francisco Guilledo in boxing, Paulino
Alcántara in football, Carlos Loyzaga, Robert Jaworski, and Ramon Fernandez in
basketball, Efren Reyes and Francisco Bustamante in billiards, Rafael Nepomuceno in
ten-pin bowling, Eugene Torre and Renato Naranja in chess, and Mark Muñoz in MMA.
The Philippine National Basketball Team is a powerhouse in Asia and has the best
performance of all Asian teams in the Olympics and the FIBA World Cup.
The Palarong Pambansa, a national sports festival, has its origin in an annual sporting
meet of public schools that started in 1948. Private schools and universities eventually
joined the national event, which became known as the "Palarong Pambansa" in 1976. It
serves as a national Olympic Games for students, competing at school and national
level contests. The year 2002 event included football, golf, archery, badminton,
baseball, chess, gymnastics, tennis, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, track
and field, and volleyball.
Martial arts[edit]

A grandmaster of Arnis.

Main article: Filipino martial arts

There are several forms of Filipino martial arts that originated in the Philippines (similar
to how Silat is the martial arts practiced in Asia) including Eskrima (weapon-based
fighting, also known as Arnis and in the West sometimes as Kali), Panantukan (empty-
handed techniques), and Pananjakman (the boxing component of Filipino martial arts).
Traditional Filipino games and pastimes[edit]
Main article: List of traditional Filipino games

Sungka, a traditional Filipino game.

Luksong baka

Traditional Philippine games such as luksong baka, patintero, piko, and tumbang

preso are still played primarily as children's games among the youth.[52][53] Sungka is
played on a board game using small sea shells in which players try to take all shells.
The winner is determined by who has the most shells at the point when all small pits
become empty.[54]
One traditional Filipino game is luksong tinik, a very popular game to Filipino children
where one has to jump over the tinik and cross to the other side unscathed. Other
traditional Filipino games include yo-yo, piko, patintero, bahay kubo, pusoy, and
sungka. Tong-its is a popular gambling game. Individuals play the game by trying to get
rid of all the cards by choosing poker hands wisely. Card games are popular during
festivities, with some, including pusoy and tong-its, being used as a form of illegal
gambling. Mahjong is played in some Philippine communities.
Sabong or cockfighting is another popular entertainment especially among Filipino men,
and existed prior to the arrival of the Spanish. Antonio Pigafetta, Magellan's chronicler,
first documented this pastime in the kingdom of Taytay. [55][56]
The yo-yo, a popular toy in the Philippines, was introduced in its modern form by Pedro
Flores with its name coming from the Ilocano language.[57]
Filipinos have created toys using insects such as tying a beetle to string, and sweeping
it circular rotation to make an interesting sound. The "Salagubang gong" is a toy
described by Charles Brtjes, an American entomologist, who traveled to Negros and
discovered a toy using beetles to create a periodic gong effect on a kerosene can as the
beetle rotates above the contraption. [58] Piko is a Filipino version of the game hopscotch.
Children will draw a sequence rectangles using chalk on the ground. With various level
of obstacle on each rectangle, children will compete against one another or in a team.
Players use pamato; usually a flat stone, slipper or anything that could be tossed easily.

Indigenous groups[edit]
Main article: Indigenous peoples of the Philippines
A Tboli woman weaving t'nalak from South Cotabato.

The Indigenous peoples of the Philippines consist of a large number of Austronesian

ethnic groups. They are the descendants of the original Austronesian inhabitants of the
Philippines, that settled in the islands thousands of years ago, and in the process have
retained their Indigenous customs and traditions. [59]
In 1990, more than 100 highland peoples constituted approximately three percent of the
Philippine population. Over the centuries, the isolated highland peoples have retained
their Indigenous cultures. The folk arts of these groups were, in a sense, the last
remnants of Indigenous traditions that flourished throughout the Philippines before the
Islamic and Spanish contacts.
The highland peoples are a primitive ethnic group like other Filipinos, although they did
not, as a group, have as much contact with the outside world. These peoples displayed
a variety of native cultural expressions and artistic skills. They showed a high degree of
creativity such as the production of bowls, baskets, clothing, weapons and spoons.
These peoples ranged from various groups of Igorot people, a group that includes the
Bontoc, Ibaloi, Ifugao, Isneg, Kalinga and Kankana-ey, who built the Rice
Terraces thousands of years ago. They have also covered a wide spectrum in terms of
their integration and acculturation with Christian Filipinos. Other Indigenous peoples
include the Lumad peoples of the highlands of Mindanao. These groups have remained
isolated from Western and Eastern influences.
Intangible Cultural Heritage[edit]
The Philippines, with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts as the de facto
Ministry of Culture,[60] ratified the 2003 Convention after its formal deposit in August
2006.[61]
Prior to the 2003 Convention, the Philippines was invited by UNESCO to nominate
intangible heritage elements for the inclusion to the Proclamation of Masterpieces of the
Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. This prompted the proclamation of
the Hudhud chant of the Ifugao in 2001 and Darangen epic chant of the Maranao in
2005. After the establishment of the 2003 Convention, all entries to the Proclamation of
Masterpieces were incorporated in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural
Heritage of Humanity in 2008. A third inscription was made in 2015 through a
multinational nomination between Cambodia, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea and
Viet Nam for the Tugging Rituals and Games, wherein the Punnuk, tugging ritual of
the Ifugao was included.
As part of the objective of the 2003 Convention, the National Commission for Culture
and the Arts through the Intangible Cultural Heritage unit and in partnership
with ICHCAP, published the Pinagmulan: Enumeration from the Philippine Inventory of
Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2012. The publication contains an initial inventory of 335
ICH elements with elaborate discussions on 109 ICH elements. The elements listed are
the first batch of continuous updating process initiated by the government, UNESCO,
and other stakeholders. In 2014, the Pinagmulan was a finalist under the category of the
Elfren S. Cruz Prize for Best Book in the Social Sciences to the National Book Awards
organized by the National Book Development Board.[62] The Philippine inventory is
currently being updated as a measure to safeguard more intangible cultural heritage
elements in the country. The updating began in 2013 and results may be released in 5–
10 years after the scientific process finishes the second batch of element
documentations. According to UNESCO, it is not expected by a country or state party to
have a completed inventory. On the contrary, the development and updating of
inventories is an ongoing process that can never be finished. [63]
Between 2015 and 2017, UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage Courier of Asia and
the Pacific featured the darangen epic chant,[64] punnuk tugging ritual,[65] and at least
three kinds of traditional healing practices in the Philippines, including
the manghihilot and albularyo healing practices and belief of buhay na tubig (living
water) of the Tagalog people of 20th century Quezon city,
[66]
 the baglan and mandadawak healing practices and stone beliefs of the Itneg people
in Abra,[66] and the mantatawak healing practices of the Tagalog people of Marinduque.[66]
By 2016, according to the ICH Unit, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, there
were 367 elements listed under the Philippine Inventory of Intangible Cultural
Heritage (PIICH), the official ICH inventory of the Philippines. All elements under the
PIICH are listed in Philippine Registry of Cultural Property (PRECUP), the official
cultural property inventory of the country which includes both tangible and intangible
cultural properties.[67] In April 2018, the buklog of the Subanen people was nominated by
the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in the list for urgent safeguarding.[68]

Filipino diaspora[edit]
Main article: Overseas Filipino
An Overseas Filipino is a person of Filipino origin, who lives outside of the Philippines.
This term is applied to people of Filipino ancestry, who are citizens or residents of a
different country. Often, these Filipinos are referred to as Overseas Filipino Workers.
There are about 11 million overseas Filipinos living worldwide, equivalent to about 11
percent of the total population of the Philippines. [69]
Each year, thousands of Filipinos migrate to work abroad through overseas employment
agencies and other programs. Other individuals emigrate and become permanent
residents of other nations. Overseas Filipinos often work as doctors, nurses,
accountants, IT professionals, engineers, architects, [70] entertainers, technicians,
teachers, military servicemen, students, caregivers, domestic helpers, and household
maids.
International employment includes an increasing number of skilled Filipino workers
taking on unskilled work overseas, resulting in what has been referred to as brain drain,
particularly in the health and education sectors. Also, the employment can result
in underemployment, for example, in cases where doctors undergo retraining to become
nurses and other employment programs.

Festivals[edit]
Main article: Festivals of the Philippines

Flores de Mayo
The MassKara Festival of Bacolod.

The Sinulog Festival is held to commemorate the Santo Niño

Pahiyas Festival in Lucban Quezon

Festivals in the Philippines, locally known as fiestas, originated dating back to

the Spanish colonial period when the Spaniards introduced Christianity to the country.
Most Philippine towns and cities has a patron saint assigned to each of them. Fiestas in
the Philippines serve as either religious, cultural, or both. These festivals are held to
honor the patron saint or to commemorate history and culture, such as promoting local
products and celebrate a bountiful harvest. Fiestas can be categorized by Holy
Masses, processions, parades, theatrical play and reenactments, religious or cultural
rituals, trade fairs, exhibits, concerts, pageants and various games and contests.

Month Festival Place

January Ati-Atihan Kalibo, Aklan

Sinulog Cebu

Dinagyang Iloilo

Dinagsa Cadiz, Negros Occidental

Coconut San Pablo, Laguna

Bambanti Isabela

February Panagbenga Baguio

 Kaamulan Bukidnon

Paraw Regatta Iloilo and Guimaras

Pamulinawen Ilocos

March Pintados de Passi Passi, Iloilo

Araw ng Dabaw Davao

Kariton Licab, Nueva Ecija

Kaamulan Bukidnon

April Moriones Marinduque

Sinuam San Jose, Batangas

Pana-ad Negros Occidental

Aliwan Pasay

May Magayon Albay

Pahiyas Lucban, Quezon

Sanduguan Calapan, Oriental Mindoro

Sumakah Antipolo City, Rizal

Butwaan Butuan

June Baragatan Palawan

Sangyaw Tacloban

Pista Y Ang Kagueban Puerto Princesa, Palawan

July T'nalak Koronadal, South Cotabato

 August Kadayawan Davao

Higalaay Cagayan de Oro

Pavvu-rulun Tuguegarao

Sabutan Festival Baler, Aurora

September Peñafrancia Naga City

Sandurot Dumaguete

Padul-ong Borongan, Eastern Samar

Bonok-Bonok Surigao City

Banigan Basey, Samar

Diyandi Iligan City

October Fiesta Pilar Zamboanga City

Masskara Bacolod

Buglasan Negros Oriental

Pangisdaan Navotas

November Itik Victoria, Laguna

December Paru-Paru Dasmariñas, Cavite

Holidays[edit]
Main article: Public holidays in the Philippines
Parol (Christmas lanterns) being sold during the Christmas season

Good Friday observance in Pampanga

Regular holidays[edit]

Date (Gregorian
Filipino language English language
Calendar)

January 1 Araw ng Bagong Taon New Year's Day

Mahal na Araw including Biyernes Holy Week including Good

March–April
Santo and Huwebes Santo Friday and Maundy Thursday

April 9 Araw ng Kagitingan Day of Valour

May 1 Araw ng Manggagawa Labour Day

June 12 Araw ng Kalayaan Independence Day

August 27 Araw ng mga Bayani National Heroes' Day

November 30 Araw ni Bonifacio Bonifacio Day

December 24 Bisperás ng Pasko Christmas Eve

December 25 Araw ng Pasko Christmas

December 30 Araw ni Rizal Rizal Day

Special holidays[edit]

Date (Gregorian Filipino language English language

 Calendar)

January–February Bagong Taong Pang Tsino Chinese New Year

Anibersaryo ng Rebolusyon ng People Power

February 25
Lakas ng mga Tao Revolution Anniversary

August 21 Araw ni Ninoy Aquino Ninoy Aquino Day

November 1 Araw ng mga Santo All Saints Day

November 2 Araw ng mga Kaluluwa All Souls' Day

December 31 Bisperás ng Bagong Taón New Year's Eve

Philippine Heritage Towns and Cities[edit]

The Philippines is home to numerous heritage towns and cities, many of which have
been intentionally destroyed by the Japanese through fire tactics in World War II and
the Americans through bombings during the same war. After the war, the government of
the Empire of Japan withheld from giving funds to the Philippines for the restoration of
the heritage towns they destroyed, effectively destroying any chances of restoration
since the pre-war Philippines' economy was devastated and had limited monetary
supply. On the other hand, the United States gave minimal funding for only two of the
hundreds of cities they destroyed, namely, Manila and Baguio.
Today, only the centres (poblacion or downtown areas) of Filipino heritage towns and
cities remain in most of the expansive heritage cities and towns in the country. Yet,
some heritage cities in their former glory prior to the war still exist, such as
the UNESCO city of Vigan which was the only heritage town saved from American
bombing and Japanese fire and kamikaze tactics. The country currently lacks a
city/town-singular architectural style law. Due to this, unaesthetic cement or shanty
structures have taken over heritage buildings annually, destroying many former heritage
townscapes.[neutrality  is  disputed] Some heritage buildings have been demolished or sold to
corporations, and have been replaced by commercial structures such as shopping
centers, condominium units, or newly furnished modern-style buildings, completely
destroying the old aesthetics of many former heritage towns and cities. This is one of
the reasons why UNESCO has repeatedly withheld from inscribing further Filipino
heritage towns in the World Heritage List since 1999. Only the heritage city of Vigan has
a town law that guarantees its singular architecture (the Vigan colonial style) shall
always be used in constructions and reconstructions.
While Silay,[71] Iloilo City, and San Fernando de Pampanga have ordinances giving
certain tax exemptions to owners of heritage houses. In 2010, the Philippine Cultural
Heritage Act passed into law, effectively giving protections to all cultural heritage
properties of the Philippines. However, despite its passage, many ancestral home
owners continue to approve the demolition of ancestral structures. In certain cases,
government entities themselves were the purveyors of such demolitions. [72] Because of
the minimal reach of the current governmental culture agency and the lack of
awareness on the importance of Filipino sites, a bill establishing a Department of
Culture was formally filed in 2016. The bill is expected to pass into law by late 2018 or
early 2019 as it was declared a priority legislation by both houses of Congress. If the bill
reaches its deadline, a secretary of culture will be appointed by June–July 2019. [73]