Indigenous Practices

• Indigenous Practices -Are practices of the people living in the same community and share common culture.
• Indigenous Practices -Practices that is distinct from the other group and pass on from generation to generation. Are practices of the people deeply rooted from their culture which includes ways of doing something from womb to tomb.
• Bahag is a strip of cloth worn by men which is wrapped around his waist and in between the legs, and a piece of cloth called “turban” which was wound around his head instead of hat.
• Women wore “baro” – wide-sleeved jacket worn by women, and “Patadyong” – a piece of cloth, which they wrapped about their waists and let, fall to their feet.
• Early Filipinos had a practice of “endogamy” – to marry of the same rank, or same category or tribe.
• Before the marriage, the groom gave a “dowry” or “bigay kaya” to the family of the bride, it consisted of gold, land, slaves and anything else of value.
• Ancient Filipinos believed in god and goddesses and the supreme God the creator of heaven and earth called “Bathala”.
• They also worship ancestral spirits called anitos (Tagalog) diwatas (Visayan)
• Maganito – to offer sacrifices to the anitos or diwatas
• Katalona or babaylan – the priest of priestess who made the ritual of sacrifices to the anitos or diwatas.
• Before cutting old trees, a shaman or baylan locally known as mumbaki conduct rituals to seek the permission of their ancestors.