Ibanag
Encyclopedia
The Ibanags are an ethnolinguistic minority numbering a little more than half a million people, who inhabit the provinces of Cagayan
, Isabela
and Nueva Vizcaya
. They are one of the largest ethnolinguistic minorities in the Philippines
. Ibanags speak the same language under the same name. However, due to the Philippine government's attempts at displacing minority languages and imposing Filipino
as a lingua franca, the use of Ibanag language
has now diminished but remain strong with Ibanags living overseas. Thus while there may still be Ibanags around, the language is slowly being displaced. In addition to this, many if not most Ibanags speak Ilocano, which has over the years, supplanted Ibanag as the more dominant language in the region.
Ibanag is also known as "Ybanag" and "Ybanak" or "Ibanak".
Ibanags often distinguish themselves by the color of their elbows. "Kunnasi kangisi' na sikum", meaning "How dark is your elbow". Often it is joked upon by Ibanags that their elbows tend to be of darker complexion than the rest of the Filipinos. In addition to this, Ibanags tend to be taller in stock and have a peculiar height on the bridge of their noses.
Their names come from the words "I"- which means people and "Bannag"- meaning river.
, Solana
, Cabagan
,San Pablo, Isabela, Tumauini, Isabela, Sta. Maria, Isabela, Sto. Tomas Isabela Ilagan
, Gamu, Naguilian
and Reina Mercedes. There are also several speakers of the Ibanag language in Abulug, Aparri, Lal-lo and Tuao. Most of the speakers can speak Ilocano, the lingua franca
of Northern Luzon, as well. Ibanag is derived from bannag 'river' . It is closely related to Gaddang, Itawis, Agta, Atta, Yogad, Isneg and Malaweg.
Cagayan
Cagayan , the "Land of Smiling Beauty", is a province of the Philippines in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon. Its capital is Tuguegarao City and is located at the northeastern corner of the island of Luzon. Cagayan also includes the Babuyan Islands to the north. The province borders Ilocos Norte...
, Isabela
Isabela province
Isabela is the second largest province of the Philippines next to Palawan. It is located in the Cagayan Valley Region in Luzon. Its capital is Ilagan and borders, clockwise from the south, Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga, and Cagayan...
and Nueva Vizcaya
Nueva Vizcaya
Nueva Vizcaya is a province of the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon. Its capital is Bayombong. It is bordered by, clockwise from the north, Ifugao, Isabela, Quirino, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, and Benguet.-History, people and culture:The name was derived from the...
. They are one of the largest ethnolinguistic minorities in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Ibanags speak the same language under the same name. However, due to the Philippine government's attempts at displacing minority languages and imposing Filipino
Filipino language
This move has drawn much criticism from other regional groups.In 1987, a new constitution introduced many provisions for the language.Article XIV, Section 6, omits any mention of Tagalog as the basis for Filipino, and states that:...
as a lingua franca, the use of Ibanag language
Ibanag language
The Ibanag language is spoken by up to 500,000 speakers in the Philippines, in the northeastern provinces of Isabela and Cagayan, especially in Tuguegarao City, Solana, Cabagan, and Ilagan and with overseas immigrants in countries located in the Middle East, UK and the U.S.A....
has now diminished but remain strong with Ibanags living overseas. Thus while there may still be Ibanags around, the language is slowly being displaced. In addition to this, many if not most Ibanags speak Ilocano, which has over the years, supplanted Ibanag as the more dominant language in the region.
Ibanag is also known as "Ybanag" and "Ybanak" or "Ibanak".
Ibanags often distinguish themselves by the color of their elbows. "Kunnasi kangisi' na sikum", meaning "How dark is your elbow". Often it is joked upon by Ibanags that their elbows tend to be of darker complexion than the rest of the Filipinos. In addition to this, Ibanags tend to be taller in stock and have a peculiar height on the bridge of their noses.
Their names come from the words "I"- which means people and "Bannag"- meaning river.
Language
The Ibanag language (also Ybanag) is spoken by about 500,000 speakers in two of the northeasternmost provinces of the Philippines, Isabela and Cagayan, especially in Tuguegarao CityTuguegarao City
Tuguegarao City is the city capital of Cagayan, Philippines and the regional capital of Region 02 . Tuguegarao is the economic center of the Cagayan Valley Region; it is located on a peninsula in the Cagayan Valley. It is sheltered by the Sierra Madre Mountains in the East; Cordilleras in the...
, Solana
Solana, Cagayan
Solana is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 71,475 people in 12,945 households.-Barangays:Solana is politically subdivided into 38 barangays.* Andarayan North...
, Cabagan
Cabagan, Isabela
Cabagan is a 1st class municipality in the province of Isabela. According to the latest census, it has a population of 43,562 people in 7,250 households....
,San Pablo, Isabela, Tumauini, Isabela, Sta. Maria, Isabela, Sto. Tomas Isabela Ilagan
Ilagan, Isabela
Ilagan is a 1st-class municipality in the province of Isabela, Philippines. It is the capital municipality and the largest town of Isabela...
, Gamu, Naguilian
Naguilian, Isabela
Naguilian is a 4th class municipality in the province of Isabela, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 27,977 people in 5,210 households.-Barangays:Naguilian is politically subdivided into 25 barangays.-External links:*...
and Reina Mercedes. There are also several speakers of the Ibanag language in Abulug, Aparri, Lal-lo and Tuao. Most of the speakers can speak Ilocano, the lingua franca
Lingua franca
A lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues.-Characteristics:"Lingua franca" is a functionally defined term, independent of the linguistic...
of Northern Luzon, as well. Ibanag is derived from bannag 'river' . It is closely related to Gaddang, Itawis, Agta, Atta, Yogad, Isneg and Malaweg.