go, and it is there where they come to know if
PALAWAN TRIBE
There are various ethnolinguistic groups that
consider Palawan as home. These are the Batak,
Palaweño, Tagbanwa, Palawano, and Tau’t
Bato where the mountains and coastal areas
serve as their homes. These groups have built
villages in those areas and have been staying
there for quite some time already.
Batak
Agriculture and Livelihood
The Batak are primarily food gatherers, hunters,
forager-traders, and horticulturists. In recent
times, they have also been practicing a
rudimentary form of agriculture in the form of
planting rice, root crops, and bananas, having
learned this industry from the Christian settlers
living nearby. They use dogs to hunt wild pigs
and deer, and the sapukan (blowgun) and the
bow-and-arrow to hunt fowl. The simbolan, the
time when fruits on trees become overripe and
begin to fall to the forest floor, prompts the peak
of hunting because wild pigs feed on these fallen
fruits and the animals become easy prey to
hunters during this season. The Batak fished
only in rivers and streams, using natural plant
poisons from vines such as the tubli.
Contemporary economic activities that provide
the Batak with their daily subsistence and much
needed cash income are kaingin (slash-and-burn
farming), collecting taro (honey), gathering
bejuco (rattan), and tapping bagtik from
almaciga trees.
Religion and Spirituality
The Batak are an animistic group who believe
that spirits and supernatural anthropomorphic
beings inhabit the natural environment, such as
trees, bamboo thickets, rocks, caves, and
streams. These may be classified into two broad
categories: the benevolent “diwata” who guide
them in their hunt, provide them with good
harvests, and keep them in good health. And the
malevolent “panya'en” cause sickness, bodily
harm, crop failures, misfortunes, and even death
to those who disobey their will or trespass on
their place of residence. The Batak believe in a
deity named Angoro who lives in basad, a place
beyond this world where the souls of the dead
they are to proceed to lampanag (heaven) or be
cast into the depths of the basad, where fire and
boiling water await these hapless ones.
Music and Dance
In placating and supplicating the divinities of the
spirit world, the Batak use incantations, music,
and dance in ritual performances called
pagdiwata. A healing ceremony is called
magkabaro. A pre-planting ceremony is called
sageb and the adidao is a chant that calls on the
guidance of good spirits. A male babaylan
performs the magdiwata (ritual songs) and
magtarek (dances). Instrumental music is
provided by female players who pound on
rudimentary drums and strike bamboo tubes
with sticks. The tarek is a traditional dance
performed by a farmer and his family as part of
a preplanting ritual to ask the diwata of the fields
to guard the newly opened fields and to bring a
good harvest. Three dances exemplify the
present Batak hierarchy of dances: the
sarunkay, the first dance executed by the healer
during the healing ritual; the bugsay-bugsay, an
enjoyable dance for one or more persons; and
the patarusan, considered the highest in the
hierarchy because it is the fastest and most
exciting but perhaps the easiest to learn.
Community and Family Values
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. Sadunun (courtship) is intiated by a Batak
male who chooses the female he wants to marry,
bringing with them an amount of money for the
bandi or kapangasawa (bride-price). It is
presided over by a Batak elder, also called the
“orako,” in the presence of a man and a woman
acting as tataksilan (witnesses). Inter-household
food sharing is common among the Batak,
spreading out even to non-kin community
members.
Palaweño
Agriculture and Livelihood
Local Economy Agriculture and fisheries are
the major economic activities in Palawan. The
three major crops grown are rice, corn and
coconut. Other crops grown are mango and
cashew. The Palaweños collect and sell resin,
rattan canes and wild honey. The more settled
of the Palawan also grow rice and coconut to
sell, and raise domestic animals such as cows,
buffalos and pigs.
Religion and Spirituality
The Palaweño's are primarily animistic, with
polytheistic beliefs. Ampo is the highest deity,
believed to pass on responsibility for the
regulation of the affairs of humanity to his
subordinate gods, the Diwatas. They believe
that all living things have souls, and are very in
touch with the land around them. This of course
relates to their geographical context, as they are
isolated in the wilderness on islands and have to
depend on the plants and animals which are near
to them.
Music and Dance
Palawan music is characterized by limitation of
sounds from nature and the environment.It is
also highly influenced by the native language of
the province. Music, performed by the gong
ensemble, plays an important role in the life of
the community because it is performed in rituals
such as the tambilaw and the tinapay. One of
the most prominent examples of Palawan’s art
and culture is the Banog, a dance ritual
performed during major celebrations and
festivities. Banog is traditionally performed to
celebrate the harvest season, the arrival of a new
child, and other important milestones. The dance
is performed by a group of men, each bearing a
colorful feathered headdress, symbolizing the
beauty and grace of the Banog bird.
Community and Family Values
In Palawan, the Palaweños or Palawanons
perform courtship through the use of love
riddles. This is known as the pasaguli. The
purpose of the love riddles is to assess the
sentiments of the parents of both suitor and
admirer. After this "riddle courtship", the
discussion proceeds to the pabalic, to settle the
price or form of the dowry that will be received
by the courted woman from the courting man.
The family is the basic unit of the Palaweño's
society. Kinship is reckoned with both the
paternal and maternal kin, yielding a bilateral
type of social structure. But loyalty is kept to the
group or area to which the family head (usually
the father) belongs.
Tagbanwa
The Tagbanua people have brownish skin, a slim
build and straight dark hair. In the past, both
men and women had long hair and would give
their teeth a black coloring. The Tagbanuas
made various ornaments from wood such as ear
plugs, combs and bracelets.
Livelihood
Growing rice plays an important part in
everyday life. In addition to rice there is also
sweet potato, cassava and corn. The sea is also
an important source of food for the Tagbanua
who live near the sea. Also, there are several
forest products, including rats and honey. An
important source of income are the different
handmade products such as mats, baskets and
other wood products.
Religion
The Tagbanua hang follow an animistic religion
with a complex mythology related to gods and
other divine beings. Below are the four most
important gods:
Mangindusa - also called Nagbacaban, is the
uppergod that lives in Awan-awan.
Polo - is the god of the sea. Polo is a caring god
which is contacted in case of illness.
Sedumunadoc - is the god of the earth.
Tablacoud - is the god of the underworld.
The Tagbanua people believe in communication
between the world of the living and the world of
the dead. Using different rituals and ceremonies
they communicate between the worlds. It is
headed by Babaylan, the shaman who is also the
shaman of the village.
Music and Dance
The Tagbanua people are crazy about music and
they have a wide range of musical instruments
they developed by themselves. These
instruments are used for religious ends and
during social meetings. Hereunder is a summary
of a couple of instruments: aruding, babarak,
tipanu, tibuldu, kudlung, gimbal, tiring,
babandil.
Besides music, dancing is also very popular.
Most of the dances belong to a ritual. Here are a
few: aballado, andardi,
Bugas-Bugasan dance, kalindapan, runsay is a
traditional dance performed by the people living
near the coast. This ritual dance is held once a
year on the fourth day after the full moon in
December and lasts from sunset until the sun
rises again, sarungkay, tugatak, and tamigan.
Community
The Tagbanua community has three social
classes. The first social class is the upper class.
Leaders are chosen from this class. This class is
inherited. The second social class is the middle
class. These are ordinary people. From the
middle class, local leaders are chosen. The third
social class consists of people who are in debt
and can not pay those debts off. Marriage
plays an important role within the community of
Tagbanua. Polygamy is permitted within the
community but is rarely done.
Language
The Tagbanua people have their own language.
Within the language there are three dialects:
Aborian Tagbanua, Calamian Tagbanua, and
Central Tagbanua.
Palawano
Agriculture and Livelihood
The Palawano rely heavily on farming as their
primary source of income and sustenance. They
engage in various agricultural activities such as
rice cultivation, fruit orchards, and backyard
gardening. Their deep understanding of the land,
soil, and climate enables them to grow a diverse
range of crops, providing them with a
sustainable livelihood.
Religion and Spirituality
Palawano tribe has an animistic belief in spirits
that inhabit both natural and supernatural realms.
These spirits, known as the "diwata," play a
crucial role in the daily lives of the Palawano
people, with traditions and rituals dedicated to
seeking their favor and protection. Additionally,
ancestral veneration is an integral aspect of their
spirituality, as they pay homage to their departed
loved ones through prayers, offerings, and
annual ceremonies.
Music and Dance
Music and dance hold a special place in the
Palawano community as a means of
communication, storytelling, and spiritual
expression. The Palawano people use a variety
of traditional instruments, such as gongs,
bamboo flutes, and drums, to create vibrant
melodies and rhythmic patterns that accompany
their dances. The energetic and dynamic
movements of the Palawano dances not only
entertain but also serve as a form of worship,
celebration, and a way of preserving their
cultural traditions. Through their music and
dance, the Palawano people continue to pass on
their unique identity and convey their deep
connection to nature and the spiritual realm.
Community and Family Values
In Palawano society, individuals are valued not
only for their individual achievements but also
for their contributions to the welfare of the entire
community. Similarly, families are seen as the
cornerstone of Palawano society, fostering a
sense of unity, support, and shared
responsibility. Palawano families prioritize
strong relationships, communication, and respect
among members, reinforcing the notion of
collaboration and interdependence.
Tau’t Bato
Agriculture and Livelihood
Because of their adaptation to their natural and
evolving social environment, Tau’t Bato is
known for their transhuman kind of culture.
They live in caves during rainy seasons, and in
open fields, building low and small houses
called “da’tag”, during dry seasons. The Tau't
Bato are cultivators who practice multiple
cropping with cassava (their main source of
carbohydrates), sweet potato, sugarcane,
malunggay, garlic, pepper, string beans, squash,
tomato, pineapple and other plants. They are
also fond of hunting and foraging in order to
supply their need for more carbohydrates. Wild
pigs are the most hunted animals. The Tau’t
Bato also trade their agricultural products for
fish and sell forest products such as rattan,
almaciga, etc. through "Sambi" (barter) or
"Dagang" (monetary exchange).
Religion and Spirituality
The Tau’t Bato believe in “Ampo” (God) and in
evil spirits, which they called “toron” that are
said to have entered the body of the sick person.
They perform rituals that signifies their healing
and thanksgiving activities that are usually led
by a spiritual leader called Babaylan
(Halbolario). Pagtotoron is one of their healing
rituals, where the sick person is covered by
patadyong (cloth) and is struck by the Babaylan
using the silad (plant) seven times to draw away
the evil spirits. Other rituals like pagtatarok,
which is celebrated through singing and dancing,
and pagtatabad, which uses tabad or rice wine,
are also performed by them to cast away evil
spirits. While pagsisimbug is a ritual of
thanksgiving for the honey they’ve collected
after the honey-harvesting period.

Music and Dance

Tau’t Bato’s songs are mimetic, usually
imitating the sound of animals. Examples of
their songs are: “Lantigi” which tells a story of
a bird called Limukon, and “Kandidi” which is
sung by two or more where lyrics are done in a
conversational manner. Their singing is
accompanied by instruments such as pagang,
kudlong, suling, and aruding. The most
popular dance of Tau’t Bato is known as
“Terek” sometimes called “sapa-sapa”,
performed all night during their “Basal”
celebration or in social gatherings. They also
have a dance called “Toron” performed by a
“babaylan” to cure the sick.

Community and Family Values

The fundamental social unit among the Tau't
Bato is the marriage group, or "ka-asawahan".
The "Ka-asawahan" or household units can often
be divided into a man and his wife and one or
more other couples. They are further organized
under the "Bulun-bulun" broader association.
The setup consists of a number of couples living
together in the same cave. It is distinguished by
a system of exchanging various social and
material goods, such as food and other items of
equipment.