The Itawes, Itawis, Hitawit or Itawit (endonym) are an indigenous peoples in the Cagayan Valley of northern Luzon, Philippines. Their name is derived from the Itawes prefix i- meaning "people of" and tawid or "across the river".
Total population | |
---|---|
189,000 | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Philippines: (Cagayan Valley) | |
Languages | |
Itawes, Ibanag, Ilocano, Filipino, English | |
Religion | |
Christianity (Predominantly Roman Catholic, with a minority of Protestants) | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Ibanag, Gaddang, Ilocano, other Filipinos |
The Itawes are among the earliest inhabitants of the Cagayan Valley. Other than their mother tongue (categorized as closely related to Gaddang[1]), they speak Ibanag and Ilocano. They are not very different from other lowland Christianized Filipino ethnic groups in terms of livelihood, housing, and traditions.[citation needed] Their traditional dresses are colorful with red being the dominant color. Farming is a leading source of livelihood. The average families are education-conscious.[citation needed]
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