Ifugao

The Ifugao are an indigenous ethnolinguistic group native to the Cordillera Central highlands of Northern Luzon, Philippines. They form the core population of Ifugao Province and neighboring areas, speaking Ifugao languages and sharing a common Austronesian cultural heritage.

They are globally known for the Banaue Rice Terraces and other terrace systems in the Cordilleras, collectively recognized as the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, a UNESCO World Heritage Site designated in 1995. These terraces date back roughly two millennia and illustrate an advanced system of wet-rice agriculture, earthworks, and water management maintained by generations of farmers.

The Ifugao languages comprise several dialects, including Northern Ifugao and Southern Ifugao, and most speakers are bilingual with Filipino or Ilocano. Cultural life centers on rice farming, crafts such as weaving and woodcarving, and community decision-making supported by traditional leadership and elder councils. Religious practices blend indigenous animist beliefs with Christian influences, reflected in ceremonies and seasonal rituals connected to the agricultural calendar.

In modern times, Ifugao communities pursue livelihoods in agriculture and tourism while preserving cultural traditions. The terraces remain a key source of identity and pride, but they face pressures from soil erosion, aging infrastructure, migration, and land-use changes. Conservation, sustainable tourism, and local stewardship programs aim to protect the terraces and support the communities that maintain them.