Filipino Heritage
The Archive
This page is a curated archive of resources on Philippine indigenous cultures, pre-colonial beliefs, mythology, and historical memory.
Long before colonization, the archipelago was home to diverse communities with rich spiritual traditions, oral literatures, social systems, and worldviews. Many of these traditions continue today through living Indigenous cultures, folklore, language, and historical scholarship.
Rather than presenting a single narrative, this archive serves as a gateway to trusted external sources — including Indigenous organizations, Filipino historians, educators, academic institutions, and cultural storytellers — that elevate Filipino perspectives and voices.
The sections below are organized thematically. Each theme links to a dedicated block containing a brief context and a collection of external references for deeper exploration.
Glossary of Themes
1. Indigenous Peoples of the Philippines
2. Pre-colonial History of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao
3. Pre-Colonial Beliefs & Spirituality
The belief systems practiced before foreign religions, often rooted in animism, ancestor veneration, and reverence for nature and unseen forces.
4. Anito, Diwata & the Spirit World
Spiritual beings associated with ancestors, nature, guardianship, and cosmology, varying across regions and communities.
5. Babaylan & Indigenous Knowledge Keepers
Spiritual leaders, healers, and ritual specialists who served as cultural custodians, mediators with the spirit world, and community guides.
6. Philippine Mythology & Creation Stories
Narratives explaining the origins of the world, humanity, natural phenomena, and moral order, transmitted through oral tradition and later documentation.
7. Mythical Creatures & Folk Beings
Supernatural entities from Philippine folklore that reflect cultural values, fears, humor, and environmental relationships.
8. Epic Literature & Oral Traditions
Long-form chants and narratives passed orally across generations, often recounting heroes, cosmology, migration, and social ideals.
9. Indigenous Languages & Writing Systems
Native scripts and languages used for communication, poetry, memory, and record-keeping prior to and alongside colonial writing systems.
10. Primary Sources & Early Records
Archaeological finds, inscriptions, and early historical accounts that provide evidence of pre-colonial societies, interpreted critically.
11. Filipino Historians & Cultural Storytellers
Filipino scholars, educators, and media creators who present Philippine history and culture from Filipino perspectives.
12. Indigenous Organizations & Living Communities
Contemporary Indigenous groups and institutions advocating for cultural preservation, rights, education, and self-representation.
13. Cultural Continuity & Revival
Modern efforts to revive, preserve, and reinterpret Indigenous traditions, languages, scripts, and knowledge systems.
14. Common Misconceptions & Reframing History
Clarifications that address oversimplified or inaccurate narratives about pre-colonial Philippine societies and beliefs.
15. My Lineage - The Ivatans & Tagalogs
Academic researches, articles and official websites about my own lineage
Indigenous Peoples of the Philippines
The diverse ethnolinguistic communities that existed prior to colonization and continue to live across the archipelago, including groups in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Comprehensive list & overview by Wikipedia
Overview of major tribes by The Cuture Trip
List of tribes by region by Twinkl
Pre-colonial History of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao
The diverse ethnolinguistic communities that existed prior to colonization and continue to live across the archipelago per region.
Ateneo de Manila archive - study and research by William Henry Scott
A thorough article by The Kahimyang Project owned by Primo Esteria
From the pre-historic period to nowadays sourced from Wikipedia
An extract from Willian Henry Scott studies by The Aswang Project
An article all about Mindanao's diversified culture, rich with images and thorough research from Esquire Mag written by Justin Umali
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