Group 1
UNIT 2:
Cultural Heritage and Traditions
of Indigenous Peoples
2.1 Indigenous belief systems, rituals, music, dance,
clothing, oral literature
2.2 Value systems and worldview
, Belief Systems
Indigenous belief systems in the Philippines are rooted in animism and
polytheism, broadly referred to as Anitism or Dayawism.
,Spirits are divided into ninunò (ancestor spirits) and nature guardians or higher deities
who control elements like rain, harvest, and health.
Physical landmarks such as Mount Apo, sacred forests, and ancient balete trees are
treated with deep reverence to avoid angering unseen guardians.
Communities rely on shamans and spiritual mediums—such as the babaylan,
mumbaki, or catalonan—to lead healing rituals, chants, and offerings.
, Examples
Cordillera (Igorot/Ifugao): Polytheistic traditions feature a rich pantheon of gods directed by
rituals for terrace farming, utilizing carved wooden figures called bulul to guard rice granaries and
ancestral welfare.
Mindanao (Lumad groups like the T'boli and Manobo): Cosmology centers on a supreme creator
alongside environmental spirits inhabiting sacred domains like Mount Kalatungan's igmale'ng'en
forests.
Central Visayas and Panay (Mari-it): Local folk spirituality acknowledges overlapping unseen
realms (mari-it) where humans must ask permission from environmental entities before treading
through forests or rivers.
UNIT 2:
Cultural Heritage and Traditions
of Indigenous Peoples
2.1 Indigenous belief systems, rituals, music, dance,
clothing, oral literature
2.2 Value systems and worldview
, Belief Systems
Indigenous belief systems in the Philippines are rooted in animism and
polytheism, broadly referred to as Anitism or Dayawism.
,Spirits are divided into ninunò (ancestor spirits) and nature guardians or higher deities
who control elements like rain, harvest, and health.
Physical landmarks such as Mount Apo, sacred forests, and ancient balete trees are
treated with deep reverence to avoid angering unseen guardians.
Communities rely on shamans and spiritual mediums—such as the babaylan,
mumbaki, or catalonan—to lead healing rituals, chants, and offerings.
, Examples
Cordillera (Igorot/Ifugao): Polytheistic traditions feature a rich pantheon of gods directed by
rituals for terrace farming, utilizing carved wooden figures called bulul to guard rice granaries and
ancestral welfare.
Mindanao (Lumad groups like the T'boli and Manobo): Cosmology centers on a supreme creator
alongside environmental spirits inhabiting sacred domains like Mount Kalatungan's igmale'ng'en
forests.
Central Visayas and Panay (Mari-it): Local folk spirituality acknowledges overlapping unseen
realms (mari-it) where humans must ask permission from environmental entities before treading
through forests or rivers.
