Palawan is one of the most popular provinces in the Philippines. It is known for stunning natural resources such as limestone rock formations, white-sand beaches, coral reefs, and turquoise waters. It is a tourism hotspot and in recent years, it never failed to land on the list of the most beautiful islands in the world.
Real estate wise, lots of developments are already underway in the province as more of its towns are explored and more people gain interest in it. It would now be easy to find beachfront properties in Palawan that are home to world-class condominiums for sale. In fact, CitiGlobal’s future developments are slated to rise in Coron, Culion, Linapacan, El Nido, Taytay, San Vicente, Port Barton, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, Narra, Sofronia Espanola, and Irarat.
However, there’s more to the tourism and real estate perspective of Palawan. It is also home to some of the indigenous people that make the province more interesting. Read on to learn more about them.
The Indigenous People of Palawan
The Tagbanuas
Central and Northen parts of Palawan
The Tagbanuas is one of the oldest ethnic groups in the Philippines and are believed to be descendants of the Tabon Man due to their resemblances particularly in terms of their language, the practice of kaingin, and belief in soul relatives. Their distinguishing features include brown skin, slim and erect stature, and straight hair. The Tagbanua groups are divided into Central Tagbanuas and Calamian Tagbanuas which use different languages and don’t share similar customs.
These indigenous people of Palawan are popular for Pagdiwata which is a local rice wine ritual. The shifting cultivation of upland rice that they practice is also considered as their divine gift. They believe that there are countless deities in the natural environment and the cult of the dead is the key to their religious system.
The Batak Tribe
Northeast part of Palawan
This group of indigenous people are generally peaceful and shy. They also prefer to live close to nature. The Bataks are closely related to the Aetas of Central Luzon. Their outstanding features include curly to almost kinky hair, small stature, and dark complexion. The Batak Tribe has a strong belief in nature spirits and communicates with them through a “babaylan” or shaman.
At present, there are more or less 500 people belonging to the Batak Tribe in the Philippines. Hunting, farming, “kaingin”, and trading are parts of their lifestyle.
DID YOU KNOW: Conservationists have taken interest in the collection methods of the Batak tribe due to their sustainable techniques compared to the strategies used by commercial concessionaires.
The Agutaynen
Northern part of Palawan
These indigenous people of Palawan are believed to be a family of Austronesians and Malayo-Polynesians as they have long inhabited the province. Their area has been separated from Palawan’s mainland and there is very limited information about this group.
The Agutaynens can be found in Agutaya Island, Roxas, San Vicente, Brooke’s Point, Taytay, and Linapacan. As years passed, there are also members of this tribe that may already be found in Manila. Reports also suggest that the Agutaynens already follow a modern way of life.
The Molbogs
Balabac Island, Palawan
Also known as Molebugan or Melobuganori, the Molbogs are believed to be among the migrants from North Borneo. They are very much into farming, fishing, and they also barter trade occasionally with the Sulu Bangsa Moro and nearby Sabah market.
Based on their dialect and some socio-cultural practices, the Molbogs are believed to be a family of the Orang Tidung which is an Islamized indigenous group on the northeast coast of Sabah. They are also associated with other ethnic groups such as the Jama Mapun and the Tausug as they share similar dialects.
As a Muslim group, the Molbogs follow an Islamic way of life. They observe the Five Pillars of Islam. One will also hear basic Arabic chanting in a Molbog community daily.
FACT: The Molbogs do not welcome any outsiders who want to bring religion to the community.
The Palaw’ans
Southern Part of Palawan
A part of the Manobo-based linguistic groups of Southern Philippines, the Palaw’ans were once nomadic before the agrarian settlers came and occupied their domain. Most of them are hunters and prefer to raise dogs than hogs or chickens as these animals are useful for hunting.
The Palaw’ans are also naïve about socialization and are very cautious in welcoming outsiders as they have always been scared of acquiring any form of illness. They are also believed to have the shortest lifespan. These indigenous people do not have a concept of years. The male members of the tribe wear g-strings while the women wear patadyong.
The Tao’t Bato
Southwestern Palawan
These indigenous people of Palawan is a small community who live in the crater of an extinct volcano in certain seasons. They commonly build their homes on raised floors in caves but some have already chosen to live on open slopes.
The Tao’t Bato group was able to preserve their culture and way of life. Like the other indigenous groups, they are into farming, hunting, and barter trade. The male members still wear g-string made from bark and cloth while the female members of the tribe are half-naked and wear a piece of cloth to cover their lower body parts.
DID YOU KNOW: The Tao’t Bato group is considered unique. Their area is off-limits to strangers to protect them from unreasonable exploitation as declared by the Philippine government.
The Cuyunons
Cuyo, Palawan
As their name suggests, the Cuyunons are an ethnic group in the municipality of Cuyo but they also dwell in the northern and central parts of Palawan. They originally hailed from Cuyo and its surrounding Islands in the Sulu Sea.
Considered the “elite class” among the indigenous people of Palawan, the Cuyunons are the most dominant tribe in the region. They have Malayan roots and their tribe is scattered all over the world with the majority of them (85%) residing in Palawan.
One Cuyunon is distinguished from the other based on four subgroups:
- Paraguanen – Cuyunons who are mostly in Paragua or mainland Palawan
- Poroanen – Cuyunons who are mostly in the islands and islets of Palawan
- Mestiso – Cuyunons who are half Chinese or Spanish
- Lakto – Cuyunons who lived as animists and did not accept Catholicism
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Palawan is the largest province in the Philippines. It is no longer a surprise to find different groups of indigenous people in Palawan–whether in remote villages, mountains and coastal areas. Those ethnic tribes add up to the uniqueness of the province and emphasize its unique culture and history.
Are you looking into the prospect of buying a property in Palawan? CitiGlobal’s real estate development projects present some of the best options in various parts of the province.
Check out this video to get a glimpse of CitiGlobal’s future locations.
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