Igorot
The Igorot (mountain) people inhabit mountain regions in Northern Luzon, consisting of numerous ethnolinguistic tribes which include the Kalinga, Apayao, and Kankany. This collective group of tribes can be separated into two groups: those that live in the higher mountain sides, where they grow wet rice and the lower rainforest areas, where they grow dry rice. The Igorot people mostly resisted Spanish colonization, resulting in their traditions remaining untouched where they honor a number of household pagan gods. For the Igorot people, dance is seen as a form of prayer and worship to appease the gods for good fortune and luck for the benefit of the tribal community.
Chalichog derives from the Province of Kalinga, located in the Cordillera region of Luzon, where rice terraces cover the mountains. Chalichog is a stamping dance, or the dance of the rice terraces. After a rice terrace is constructed or during a ritual ceremony, men and women stamp their feet on the rice paddies to prevent erosion and to pray for an abundant harvest.
Chalichog
​Idaw
Idaw is a traditional dance of the Kalinga people in the Cordillera region of the Philippines. It represents a bird, believed to guide hunters and warriors toward good fortune in battle or hunting. Dancers imitate the bird’s movements with outstretched arms and strong steps, often carrying spears or shields, while the gangsa gongs provide rhythm. The dance highlights the Igorot people’s connection to nature and their spiritual beliefs.