ILOCANO LOWLAND CULTURAL

COMMUNITY
By BEN PACRIS

Collectively known as Ilocandia, the Ilocos Region is strategically located at the

northwestern tip of Luzon. Its coastline runs along the international sea lanes of the South
China Sea. It comprise the coastal provinces of La Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte.

An impressive region of sharp geographical contrasts, the Ilocandia covers some 17,980
square kilometers of land, almost 17 times bigger than Hong Kong’s and 28 times larger
than Singapore’s. This accounts for roughly 5.9% of the total land area of the Philippines.
It is a blend of clear blue seas, high mountains, rolling terrain and fertile river plains.

Originally, the Ilocos region had only one province which was among the most thickly
populated areas in the country. A burgeoning population necessitated the creation of
different provinces – Pangasinan in 1611; Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur in 1846; La Union
in 1854; Abra in 1846 and Benguet in 1966.

History

Prior to the coming of the Spaniards, the coastal plains in the northwestern extremity of
Luzon, stretching from Bangui (Ilocos Norte) in the North to Namacpacan (La Union) in
the South, were as a whole known as a progressive region rich in gold. This region,
hemmed in between the China Sea in the west and Northern Cordillera in the east, was
isolated from the rest of Luzon.

The inhabitants built their villages near small bays called looc in the dialect. The coastal
inhabitants were referred to as Ylocos, which literally meant “from the lowlands.” The
entire region was then called by the ancient name Samtoy, from “sao mi daytoy.” The
Spaniards later called the region as Ilocos and its people, Ilocanos.

Culture

Ilocandia has a rich culture reminiscent of colonial times. Vigan, the colonial metropolis
and considered as the “Intramuros of the North”, still retains the Castillan colonial
architecture of the times. Lined along its narrow and cobble-stoned streets are old
Spanish-type houses (commonly called Vigan house), most of which have been left
abandoned. These stately homes have huge, high-pitched roofs, large and rectangular
living rooms with life-sized mirrors, old, wooden furniture and ornate Vienna sets.

The churches of the Ilocos Region are the enduring symbol of the triumphant
transformation of the Ilocano from being practitioners of indigenous religions to
practitioners of theistic Christianity. Some of its most impressive churches are: the Vigan
Cathedral in Ilocos Sur with its massive hand-carved images of the via crucis; that of
Magsingal (also in Ilocos Sur) with its centuries-old wooden altar; the St. Augustine
Church in Paoay (Ilocos Norte) which takes the form of a baroque-type built with massive
buttresses; and Sta. Maria Church (Ilocos Sur), nestled atop a hill with a stone stairway
of 80 steps, are both listed in the UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Dances were mainly a reflection of the gracious ways of the Ilocano. The dinaklisan (a
dance common to fisher folks), the agabel (a weaver’s dance) and the agdamdamili (a
pot dance) illustrate in simple steps the ways of the industrious Ilocano. Other popular
dances among the Ilocanos are Tadek, Habanera, Comintan, Saimita, Kinotan,
Kinnalogong.
The Land and its People

Historically, the people of the Ilocos Region are resourceful and industrious, their
resilience, probably, stemming from their geographical location and extreme weather
patterns. Their high inclination to save, misread by non-Ilocanos as characteristic of a
typical tightwad, is evident in the high average savings rate of the region throughout the
years. Ilocanos have an elaborate network of beliefs and practice which he applies when
he deals with the people around him.

Quick Facts

ILOCOS NORTE AND ILOCOS SUR, the twin hearts of Ilocano culture, are rugged and
rocky, its narrow plains hemmed in by the mountains and the sea.

Ilocos Norte, its capital being Laoag, is bounded by China Sea in the North; and Luzon
Sea in the West. Its population of 482,651 (as of 1995) speak generally in Ilocano and
English and has a land area of 3,399 square kilometers.

Ilocos Sur, its capital being Vigan, has a land area of 3,399 square kilometers and is
bounded by Ilocos Norte in the North; Benguet, Abra, Mt. Province in the East, La Union
in the South and China Sea in the West. Its 545,385 people (as of 1995) speak fluently in
Ilocano, English and Filipino.

LA UNION, its capital being San Fernando City, is bounded by Ilocos Sur in the North;
Benguet in the East; Pangasinan in the South and China Sea in the West, has a land
area of 1,493 square kilometer. It has a population of 597,442 (1995) and people speak
in Ilocano, Tagalog and English.

About the Author:

Ben Pacris is a multi-awarded writer/jounalist, radio/tv announcer, lecturer and public
servant. He writes a column for the “Ilocandia Today” and “Anaraar”, published in Ilocos
Norte and Ilocos Sur. He is the Information Center Manager of the Philippine
Information Agency in Ilocos Norte.

SOURCE: http://ncca.gov.ph/subcommissions/subcommission-on-cultural-communities-and-traditional-
arts-sccta/northern-cultural-communities/ilocano-lowland-cultural-community/
 Ilocano Culture

The Ilocanos are known for being hardworking, appreciative, simple and determined. However,
they are also known as stingy or “kuripot”. Of course, the Ilocanos being called stingy and cheap
is just treated as a joke or pun among Filipinos and not as a negative regional stereotype. It is a
regional characteristic that their Filipino brethren have grown to understand.

 The Ilocanos being thrifty

The Ilocos Region is situated in between the barren lands of the Cordillera mountain ranges and
the South China Sea. Although their rich land is blessed with agricultural benefits, making a living
in Ilocos is very difficult.
With a growing population, the Ilocandia is absolutely not enough to provide for every resident.
This harsh environment has made the Ilocano become a fighter and a survivor. His attitudes and
behavior are focused towards living a better life.
Unlike the Manileños, it is harder for Ilocanos to make money since they are very far from the
center of trade and industry. It would take long travel hours (by land) to send their products (mostly
fruits and vegetables) in Manila. By the time it arrives, these fruits and vegetables are no longer
fresh.
The Ilocanos value money so much that most people see them as stingy when in fact they are
just pennywise. They want to spend their earnings wisely.

 Ilocano marriage
Like all Filipinos, the Ilocanos have a strong family tie. They follow the Filipino norm when it comes
to family structure wherein the father is the head of the family. The mother, on the other hand, is
the “light of the home” who disciplines the children and manages the house finances. The Ilocanos
have high respects to their parents, which is very evident in their marriage traditions.
Before even planning for marriage, Ilocano children seek first the approval of both sets of parents.
The parents are to decide if they would agree to let their child marry or not. The young man
(groom) asks for his parents’ consent. His parents will pay the dowry and finance the wedding.
Then, the young man formally announces (panagpudno) his intentions of marrying the young
woman to her parents. The groom’s parents visit the bride’s parents, in which they set the date of
the wedding. In setting the date, both parents go to a planetario to learn what dates are the good-
luck days.
Another meeting is set for the wedding (palalian or ringpas) wherein the groom and his relatives
to the bride’s house to finalize the wedding arrangements. The families set the choice of
sponsors, the dowry, sagut (wedding dress and accessories which will be provided by the groom),
and the parawad (cash that given by the groom to the bride’s mother as a reward for raising his
bride).

 Ilocanos’ value for education

The Ilocanos are not only industrious in the fields but also in schools. Most Ilocanos are literate
(can read and can right). Parents are very passionate in giving their children proper education
and will give it to them at all cost.
By having formal education, the Ilocanos believe that their children will have better opportunities
aside from farming. The Ilocano parents want to ensure that their kids will have better future and
live a better way of life. SOURCE: http://www.ilocanopeople.com/ilocano-culture/
PRONUNCIATION:ee-lo-KAHN-ohs
LOCATION:Philippines (northern Luzon)
POPULATION:1.8 million
LANGUAGE:Ilocano
RELIGION:Roman Catholicism; Philippine Independent Church; Iglesia ni Kristo
(Church of Christ); Protestantism; Islam; animism

1 • INTRODUCTION
When the Spanish first encountered them in 1572, the inhabitants of Ilocos (then called
"Samtoy") were living in large villages at sheltered coves or rivermouths and were trading
with the Chinese and Japanese. Although massive churches in a distinctive style give
evidence of Spanish-Ilocano collaboration, the colonial period was marked by frequent
revolts; the most famous of these was that led by Diego and Gabriela Silang during the
British occupation of Manila in 1762–63.
Ilocanos were prominent in the nationalist movement, and many rose to high office in the
central government. The greatest of these Ilocano "success stories" (as far as it went)
was President Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled from 1965 to 1986.

2 • LOCATION
The four provinces of the Ilocano homeland (Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and
landlocked Abra) stretch from Cape Bojeador at the northwestern tip of Luzon down to
the Gulf of Lingayen. Most of the population is concentrated along a narrow coastal plain
that has only a few good harbors. This environment is harsh, forcing Ilocanos to be hard-
working and thrifty. Many Ilocanos have left their homeland to seek employment
elsewhere.
The population of the four provinces is about 1.8 million. Ilocano speakers, however,
numbered 11 percent of the national population of 66 million, or 7.26 million people.
Among all Filipino groups, the Ilocanos are the most famed as migrants, settling since the
nineteenth century in sparsely populated expanses of the northern Central Plain of Luzon
(provinces of Pangasinan, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija) and of the Cagayan Valley in the
northeast. In addition, many Ilocanos have established themselves in Manila and other
major cities of the country, as well as in frontier lands on Mindanao. Ilocano men left to
find work as migrant laborers on sugar plantations in Hawaii and on farms in California in
the first decades of the twentieth century. They were the first Filipinos to immigrate to the
United States. In the Philippines, every Ilocano town has a number of men known as
"Hawaiianos," returned migrants from the United States. These migrants courted their
future wives in their home country by letter.

3 • LANGUAGE
The Ilocanos speak a Western Austronesian language of the Northern Philippine group,
whose closest relatives are the languages of neighboring mountain peoples. Ilocano has
become the lingua franca of northern Luzon, as Ilocano traders provide highland peoples
with their primary link to the commerce of the outside world.

4 • FOLKLORE
According to one Ilocano origin myth, a giant named Aran built the sky and hung the sun,
moon, and stars in it. Under their light, Aran's companion, the giant Angalo, could see the
land, which he then molded into mountains and valleys. The giants found the world they
had created windswept and desolate. Angalo spat on the earth, and from his spit emerged
the first man and woman. He placed them in a bamboo tube that he tossed into the sea.
The bamboo washed up on the shore of the Ilocos region, and from this couple came the
Ilocano people.
Like other Filipinos, Ilocanos recognize an array of supernatural beings, such as
thekatawtaw-an(the spirits of infants, who died unbaptized who in turn victimize
newborns). Thekarkarma,the souls of living persons, leave the body at death but linger in
the house until after the post-funerary offerings of food are made to the deceased; in the
form of the scent of perfume, the odor of a burning candle, or a strange draft of wind, they
are believed to visit relatives who have failed to come to the sickbed of the deceased.
Theal-alia,the spirit doubles of humans, appear at their human doubles' death as the
groaning of the dying, the cracking of glass, the rattling of beds, and the banging of doors,
or in the form (at night) of a grunting pig, howling dog, or a crowing chicken. These signs
remind the living to pray to God for the forgiveness of the deceased's sins (otherwise, the
al-alia may visit misfortunes upon them).

5 • RELIGION
Filipinos were converted to Roman Catholicism by Spanish colonial settlers. Catholicism
in the Philippines combines belief in patron saints with belief in supernatural forces. Many
people consult faith healers for herbal treatments of physical ailments.

6 • MAJOR HOLIDAYS
Ilocanos celebrate national and religious holidays.

7 • RITES OF PASSAGE
Although free to choose their own marriage partners, young people seek the approval of
both sets of parents. When a couple decides they'd like to marry, the first step is for the
young man to ask for the consent of his own parents. His parents will pay the dowry and
finance the wedding. Next, the future groom makes a formal
announcement(panagpudno)to the young woman's parents of his intention to marry their
daughter. The groom's parents then visit the future bride's parents, to set the date for the
wedding. For this, the parents consult aplanetario,an almanac identifying auspicious
(good-luck) days. At a further meeting(palalianorringpas),the young man and his relatives
come to the young woman's house to finalize the wedding arrangements; each party
employs a spokesperson who negotiates for his or her side in formal language. The
families set the choice of wedding sponsors (an equal number, ranging from ten to fifty
people for each side), the dowry (land for the couple, or the money to buy such land),
thesagut(the wedding dress, jewelry, and accessories that the groom is to provide for the
bride), and theparawad(cash that the groom gives the bride's mother as a reward for
raising his bride).
The wedding feast follows the church ceremony. At the feast, the bride and groom go
through an entertaining ritual. First, the groom offers the bride a plate of mung beans
(symbolizing fertility). The bride refuses the dish several times before finally accepting it.
Then the bride offers the beans to the groom who in turn refuses the dish until an old man
calls an end to the ritual. (The pleadings and feigned refusals greatly amuse the
onlookers.) Another highlight is thebitor:guests contribute cash to the newlyweds either
by dropping money onto plates held by two men seated on a mat (representing the bride
and groom, respectively) or by pinning bills to the couple's clothing while the two dance.
After the wedding, offerings of rice cakes are made to the spirits of departed family
members.
To announce a death formally, a piece of wood(atong)is lit in front of the deceased's
house and is kept burning until after burial, at which time it is extinguished with rice wine.
The corpse is kept in the house. It is dressed in its best clothes and a kerchief is tied
around the jaw; a basin of water mixed with vinegar is placed under the bed to remove
the odor of death. Money is placed in the coffin to pay the "ferry man" who takes the soul
to the other world. In the days before burial, relatives keep vigil over the body, wailing and
recounting the deceased's good deeds (sometimes, professional mourners perform the
lamentation(dung-aw).
Before the funeral itself, each of the relatives pays their last respects by kissing the
deceased's hand or raising it to his or her forehead. Extreme care is taken in transporting
the body from the house to the church; any mishap could cause premature death for the
attendants. After the church ceremony, the relatives pose as a group for souvenir photos
with the coffin. Everyone in the procession to the cemetery must return to the deceased's
home by a different route from the one taken there. Upon arrival, they must wash their
faces and hands in order to remove the power of death.

8 • RELATIONSHIPS
Ilocanos share the same basic values as other Filipinos, such asbain,which corresponds
tohiyaoramor propio("face" or sense of shame). The fear of gossip and the desire to avoid
the envy of others serve as strong pressures for conformity. Before pushing through with
his or her own plans, a person feelsalumiim,the need to figure out how others will react
first in order to avoid embarrassment. It is essential to showpanagdayaw,proper respect
for the sensitivities of others. This requires that individuals speak about themselves only
in the humblest of terms. Although Ilocanos are group-oriented, they also value a
certainindividualism(agwayas): one should not reveal his or her inner intentions to others,
since it is unwise to be too trusting.
A person is expected to overcome life's challenges through his or her own hard work,
limiting his or her dependence on others to obtaining aid from close kin. However,
Ilocanos do form savings associations(including as many as fifty women in a
neighborhood), mutual-aid associations (financing members' major celebrations), and
labor-exchange arrangements.
Life-passage parties and fiestas provide teenagers their main opportunity to chat and
joke. For a young man to initiate a courtship is a serious matter, since the only proper end
is marriage. On his first visit to the house of a young woman, the young man takes one
or two companions with him so that he can get their opinion. During the second visit, the
companions excuse themselves to allow the young man to confess his feelings to the
young woman. Love notes are an important means of courtship.

9 • LIVING CONDITIONS
Raised two to three feet (0.6 meters to 1 meter) off the ground, houses have beams of
wood, walls of bamboo, and roofs of rice straw orcogongrass. Sometimes, newly married
children may live in roofed extensions. On thebangsal,a landing on the staircase, guests
wait before being admitted, and wash or wipe their feet before entering the receiving
room. Curtains or bamboo partitions separate the living room from the bedroom areas
(most have beds but prefer sleeping mats). A separate storage room also serves for a
place to change clothes. Outhouses provide toilet facilities.

10 • FAMILY LIFE
The structure of the Ilocano family (average size, six to seven persons) conforms to the
general Filipino pattern. The father is the formal head of family, backing up the mother
who disciplines the children and manages the house finances. The eldest child divides
the chores equally among siblings. Grandparents tend to be more indulgent of
grandchildren than the parents themselves.

11 • CLOTHING
Dress inappropriate for one's age or perceived wealth or status attracts gossip such
asmabiag ti ruar ngem matay ti uneg(outwardly alive, but inwardly dying);uray napintas
no inutang(even if it is nice, it is acquired through credit). Still one should dress well for
special celebrations. Everyday wear, especially at home, consists of short pants for boys,
and dusters, loose skirts, shirts, and short pants for girls. Those working in the fields wear
long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and wide-brimmed hats as protection against the sun and
mud.
During the rainy season, people wear a headress oflabigleaves extending well down the
back. Older women wear their hair long and knotted in a bun, while men keep it short and
apply pomade on special occasions.

12 • FOOD
Ilocano food essentially resembles that elsewhere in the country, but Ilocanos are
especially fond ofbagoong(a salty shrimp or fish paste). One regional specialty that has
entered national cuisine ispinakbet—eggplant, bitter melon, okra, and green beans
cooked with bagoong, tomatoes, and a little water (dried or broiled fish, meat, or shrimps
can be added to improve the taste).
Other favorites aredinardaraan—cooked pig's blood (dinuguanin Tagalog-Pilipino);
andkilawen—the lean meat and intestines of water buffalo, cow, sheep, or goat, eaten
raw or partially cooked with a sauce of vinegar, salt, hot pepper, and pig's bile.
Eating with their hands, family members squat around the food laid out on the floor or
take food and eat in different parts of the main room. As food is regarded as a symbol of
God's grace, there should be no noise, laughing, singing, or harsh words (including
parents scolding children) while eating is going on. One should not drop food on the table
or floor, or the food "will be angered and leave the household." Similarly, no one should
leave the house while someone is still eating, for God's grace will go with him or her, out
of the home.

13 • EDUCATION
Iloconas are almost all literate (can read or write).

14 • CULTURAL HERITAGE
The Ilocanos have an epic, theBiag ni Lamang(Life of Lam-ang), which, however, exists
only in the form of a highly Hispanicized metrical romance composed in the nineteenth
century. Ilocos is also the only place in the country where the Spanishzarzuela(operetta)
is still performed.

15 • EMPLOYMENT
Almost all farmers (the major occupation) own the land they till, except for those who are
tenants of farms owned by urban professionals. The staple crop is rice, though poorer
people must mix cheaper maize (corn) with their rice. Root crops are also grown both as
a supplement to the diet and for sale. Watered by wet-season rains or irrigation, wet-rice
fields range from small plots that can only be worked with a hoe or dibble stick to those
large enough for a water-buffalo–drawn plow. Dry-rice agriculture is also practiced in the
hilly areas between the flatlands. Crops grown for market include tobacco and garlic (both
Ilocos specialties), as well as onions, and vegetables. Petty traders may travel as far as
Manila to sell such products.
Farmers fish during the lull between planting and harvesting, usually in nearby offshore
waters, rivers, or fish ponds. An important part of the catch areipon,small fish
forbagoong(fish paste).
Cottage industries include salt-making;basiwine-making (from molasses); pottery-making
(twenty different types are produced in San Nicolas); weaving (at one time using locally
grown cotton; a goddess is said to have bequeathed the art to the people of Paoay town);
basket-and mat-weaving; woodworking; and silversmithing (recycling old Spanish or
Mexican coins).

16 • SPORTS
One uniquely Ilocano game iskukudisi. A stick (thean-anak) is placed on a baseline
scratched into the ground. One player makes the stick jump in the air; the other player
tries to catch it before it hits the ground. If the latter cannot do so, a second, longer stick
(thein-ina) is laid across the baseline; the player then tries to hit it with the an-anak. The
next two phases of the game involve competing to see who can hit the an-anak (which
has been tossed in the air and stuck into the baseline, respectively) with the in-ina the
farthest.

17 • RECREATION
Children enjoy such games asbalay-balay(playing house), hide-and-seek, team-tag,
jumping "hurdles" (sticks or outstretched arms or legs), jacks, and chess.

18 • CRAFTS AND HOBBIES

Ilocanos engage in the same hobbies as all Filipinos. These include weaving, wood-
carving, and playing chess.

19 • SOCIAL PROBLEMS
Ilocanos, like all Filipinos, feel their government is corrupt. Wealthy citizens frequently
bribe officials to get the verdict they want.

20 • BIBLIOGRAPHY
Jocano, F. Landa.The Ilocanos: An Ethnography of Family and Community in the Ilocos
Region.Quezon City: Asian Center, University of Philippines, 1982.
LeBar, Frank M., ed.Ethnic Groups of Insular Southeast Asia.Vol. 2,The Philippines and
Formosa.New Haven, Conn.: Human Relations Area Files Press, 1972

WEBSITES
Embassy of the Philippines, Washington, D.C. [Online]
Availablehttp://www.sequel.net/RpinUS/WDC/, 1998.
World Travel Guide. The Philippines. [Online]
Availablehttp://www.wtgonline.co.uk/country/ph/gen.html, 1998.

Read more: http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Norway-to-Russia/Ilocanos.html#ixzz54Rdjo39i