Ethnic Groups of the Philippines

Itneg, Banao

Abra, the Itnegs’ territory, lies in between the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, Kalinga, and Apayao. Their economic activities include swidden farming, fishing, and hunting; their staple crop is rice (planted using both dry and wet methods). Itneg villages are usually composed of around 50 households, all of whom are related to each other.

The Banao Itneg are concentrated in eastern Abra. They are also called Banao and Banao Tingguian. They have three dialects — Malibcong Banao, Banao Pikekj, and Gubang Itneg — which, interestingly, belong to the Kalinga subgroup.

 

Sources:
Dumagat, Fay. 1996. Itneg (Tinggian) Justice & Conflict Resolution. Quezon City: New Day Publishers.
Cole, Fay-Cooper. 1922. The Tinguian: Social, Religious and Economic Life of a Philippine Tribe. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History.
Lewis, M. Paul (ed.), 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Sixteenth edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com/
National Statistics Office. 1999. Abra in Focus: Its Demographic and Socio-Economic Profile. Manila: National Statistics Office.