Itneg people

Itneg

Itneg (Tinguian) man from Aoan and woman from Dallaoas in traditional attire, circa 1906
Total population
149,777[1] (2020)
Regions with significant populations
Philippines (Cordillera Administrative Region and Ilocos Region)
Languages
Itneg, Ilocano, Tagalog, English
Religion
Animism (Indigenous Philippine folk religions), Christianity (Roman Catholicism, Episcopalianism, other Protestant sects)
Related ethnic groups
Cordilleran (Igorot), Ilocano, Austronesian peoples

The Itneg people also known as "Tinguian" or "Tingguian" are an Austronesian ethnic group indigenous to the Philippines. They are part of the broader Cordilleran or Igorot ethnolinguistic group. The Itneg primarily inhabit the Cordillera Administrative Region in northern Luzon, particularly in the provinces of Abra, Kalinga, Apayao, and Mountain Province. The group is further divided into nine distinct sub-groups.^[2] They are also present in the upland areas of the Ilocos Region, notably in Nueva Era, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.

The Itneg are generally classified into two main groups. The valley Itneg form a homogeneous and concentrated population in the lower reaches of Abra, primarily engaged in wet rice cultivation. In contrast, the mountain Itneg inhabit higher elevations, relying on dry cultivation and root crops for subsistence.^[2] Further distinctions exist within the Itneg community, dividing them into nine subgroups: Adasen, Mabaka, Gubang, Banao, Binongon, Danak, Moyodan, Dawangan, and Inlaud (also spelled Illaud).^[2]

Genetic studies indicate that the Itneg population is composed of approximately 75% Austronesian, 9% Austroasiatic, 10% Tai-Kadai, 3% South Asian, and 3% Negrito ancestry.