Learning About Some of the Indigenous Cultures of Western Visayas
When I first began traveling, I was drawn to the sheer visual spectacle of a destination—the more picturesque, the better. I believed that dramatic landscapes alone could capture the spirit of my journey, with each frame giving me a postcard-worthy memento. But as I pursued the craft of travel writing more seriously, my perspective evolved. I came to realize that a place is more than its scenery; I discovered that a great deal of a destination’s soul rests in the stories of its people. By putting more focus on the locals, I witnessed how their traditions, heritage, and daily rhythms weave a richer narrative, thus transforming every visit into a deeper, more meaningful experience that lingers long after I leave.
While I’ll never pass up the chance to walk barefoot into powdery sand on an island framed by turquoise waters or savor a steaming cup of coffee atop a mountain with a sweeping 360-degree view, I always look forward to immersing myself in local communities, where genuine connections unfold. Conversations with locals reveal not just their personal stories but also the deep-rooted history and culture of a place. These encounters transform my travel experiences into something more than sightseeing.
I found myself with that opportunity once more, joining members of the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) of the Philippines on a journey through Western Visayas. Our route stretched from the coastal city of Sagay in Negros Occidental to the quiet towns of Calinog and Barotac Viejo in Iloilo province. Along the way, the landscapes shifted—mangrove forests gave way to rolling fields, and bustling seafood markets led to quiet plazas.
Covering three communities spanning the islands of Negros and Panay, with a ferry boat ride from Bacolod City to Iloilo in between, we were introduced to the indigenous communities of the Ata’s in Barangay Puey, Sagay City, the Panay-Bukidnon’s in Calinog; and the Ati’s in Nagpana, Barotac Viejo, both in Iloilo Province.
The Panay-Bukidnon’s Quest to Preserve their Culture
As one of the earliest settlers who built communities in the mountains of Panay Island, the Suludnon—also known as the Panay-Bukidnon, Pan-ayanon, or Tumandok—have preserved a way of life that predates Spanish colonization. Not to be mistaken for Bukidnon, the province; the name Bukidnon in many Visayan languages translates to "from the mountains."
Isolated from the lowland Visayan communities of Capiz, Antique, and Iloilo, they remain one of the few indigenous groups in the region to have retained their ancestral traditions, spiritual beliefs, and oral epics. Their language, Iigbok (or Ligbok) remains distinct, a testament to their cultural resilience. Known for their intricate panubok embroidery, binanog courtship dance, and sugidanon or epic chanting, the Panay-Bukidnon embody a living heritage passed down through generations. As modernization reaches their ancestral lands, their struggle to preserve their identity continues, making them a vital link to the Philippines’ pre-colonial past.
In the town of Calinog located in the central part of Panay Island and an hour and a half away from Iloilo City, we meet several members of the Panay-Bukidnon Community especially the family of 2000 National Living Treasures or GAMABA (Manlilikha sa Manlilikha ng Bayan) awardee Federico Caballero (1935-2024).
Caballero received the GAMABA for his commitment to safeguarding Panay’s oral heritage, especially its ten epic narratives. Through his skilled chanting in extinct languages related to Kinaray-a such as Ligbok, he ensured that his community’s history, literature, and legends would endure for future generations.
After Caballero died on August 17, 2024, his surviving wife, Lucia Caballero, herself a cultural bearer who had been awarded the Unsung Woman Hero for her contributions to championing the culture and heritage of the Panay-Bukidnon Indigenous communities all over the island of Panay, became one of the most senior members and heads of their community in Calinog.
Today, they invite visitors to stay in homestay accommodations they established, offering a chance to experience their culture through local cuisine, lectures on their art—particularly embroidery—and live demonstrations of various traditional performance arts.
There's also a School of Living Traditions in Calinog where young Panay-Bukidnons learn their olden art of epic chanting—most notably the Hinilawod epic tale—alongside courtship and cultural dances, and the meticulous craft of panubok embroidery, often created from sturdy nito vines.
Prior to our trip here in Calinog, I already have a previous encounter with the members of the Panay-Bukidnon community in the province of Capiz. On a visit at the Capiz Ecology Park and Cultural Village, I met an elderly couple, Mang Kune and Nanay Modena. Mang Kune shared that his wife was the last known binukot in the island of Panay.
Meaning "veiled" in Visayan language, a binukot involves a noblewoman who is kept in seclusion from childhood to the day she got married when she becomes known as a “nabukot”, to preserve her grace and mystique, elevating her status among suitors. This pre-colonial Visayan tradition meant Modena never left her home until her arranged marriage in her twenties.
However, over the past few decades, this traditional practice has gradually become less prevalent. "We sent our daughters to school," Mang Kune stated in Kinaray-a when asked who among the females in their nine children became a binukot.
Celebrating Ata Day with the Ata Community in Sagay City
The Ata people in Negros Island, were previously known as a nomadic people who chose to live by the river. Sagay City Tourism Officer Helen Javier Arguelles explains how the once-nomadic Ata found a permanent home in the highlands of Sagay.
“After a devastating flood displaced several Ata families, the late Governor Joseph G. Marañon, then the municipal mayor, relocated them here,” Arguelles says. “In 1997, the local government secured a five-hectare lot for them, now known as Purok Ata in Barangay Puey.”
From then on, beginning on a tiny enclave of three households, the community grew and attracted more community members to build their own homes in Purok Ata.
Beyond having a place to call their own, Arguelles notes, the Ata community now welcomes visitors eager to learn about their history and traditions firsthand.
Today, the Ata community continue to thrive within a self-sustained village equipped with a daycare, a clinic, and modest housing. Here, elders take on the role of educators, ensuring that the Ata Youth—future stewards of their heritage—carry forward their customs and beliefs.
Our visit couldn't have been timelier as it coincided with a special occasion, the Ata Day, which the community celebrate every last week of November. A troupe of cultural performers welcomed us with the “Inagong,” a spirited courtship dance, and captivated us with bird calls—an art they call “pispis”—before sharing a feast of traditional fare.
Among Indigenous groups in the Philippines, the Ata remain largely overlooked. But Ata Day offers them a rare opportunity to share their culture, a quiet assertion of identity in a rapidly changing world.
“When we conducted a perception survey, most residents appreciate their culture, however only 30% actively practice it, hence celebrating Ata Day is all the more significant” Arguelles added. “If unpreserved, unappreciated, and uncelebrated, their culture will die.”
Spending an afternoon among them offered more than just a brief encounter. It was an invitation into a way of life rarely seen by outsiders. It was a quiet but profound reminder that, even in a world mapped and documented, there are cultures still waiting to be understood.
Stop and Smell the Coffee of the Ati Community in Iloilo
On another visit to Iloilo Province, while documenting the Philippines’ Tourism Promotions Board’s community-based tourism projects, I saw firsthand how the Ati community in Barotac Viejo has built self-sufficiency. At the heart of it is Balay Kape Nagpana, a community-run enterprise where a thriving coffee farm has become a hub for roasting exceptional coffee beans.
This Ati community in Iloilo is one of several settlements spread across the islands of Panay, Guimaras, and Negros. Both the Ata and the Ati trace their ancestry to the same sub-groupings of other Negrito ethnic groups in the Philippines, including the Aeta of Luzon, the Agta of Sierra Madre, the Batak of Palawan, and the Mamanwa of Mindanao.
Balay Kape Nagpana is a seed-to-cup coffee farm and café, operated by the Ati community in Barangay Nagpana, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, with support from the NGO organization Taytay Sa Kauswagan (TSKI) and the Department of Science and Technology.
Here, Ati women meticulously handpick and roast robusta beans, producing a rich, aromatic blend. The farm also processes Kape Miro, named after the Asian palm civet, which grow well in the surrounding forests and feeds on coffee cherries, wild berries and other pulpy fruits.
During our visit here before we tasted their coffee, which are grown and processed on site, several Ati women greeted us with a welcome dance and a song about the history of their community.
The need for more #CultureTrips
By being able to visit these three indigenous communities that spreads across the two islands of Panay and Negros, a common thread became evident: a quiet resilience, and a determination to safeguard heritage in a rapidly modernizing world. I immediately found myself being in awe at how each community tell its own story of preserving their culture and identity.
As travelers chase stunning landscapes and postcard-perfect views, there’s something just as rewarding in seeking out culture-driven experiences. By weaving these communities into our journeys, we do more than just visit—we help create opportunities for them to share their traditions, celebrate their identity, and keep their heritage alive for generations to come.
