They have a reputation for being “the strong people of the Cordilleras.” At the same time, Kalingas greatly value family and kinship; thus, the household, extended household of the kinship circle, and territorial region are significant units of Kalinga society. In the past, they gained leadership and respect through headhunting, along with other skills at which an individual excelled. Their neighbors and even invaders feared them due to their as headhunters. In fact, the name Kalinga, which originated from the Gaddang and Ibanag languages, means “headhunter.”
The Kalingas are a proud people and well known for their intricate hand-woven textiles and beautiful and colorful beaded jewelry. In every celebration, they incorporate dance and traditional music as a form of thanksgiving and cultural preservation.
The Lower Tanudan Kalinga are found in the southern part of Kalinga. Their language, which is most intelligible with that of the Limos Kalinga, has three dialects: Minangali, Tinaloctoc, and Pinangol.
Sources:
Lewis, M. Paul (ed.), 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Sixteenth edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com/.
CCP Encyclopedia of the Philippine Art. Volume II: Peoples of the Philippines Kalinga to Yakan. 1994. Manila : Cultural Center of the Philippines.
