Itawes Indigenous Foods: Their Health and Socio-Cultural Meaning
The Itawes is one of the indigenous groups of Isabela, Philippines, along withthe Ybanags, Yogads, and Gaddangs. In Cagayan Valley, two groups of Itawes arefound: one from the Province of Cagayan and the other, from Echague, Isabela.This study was conducted to document the indigenous foods of the Itawes thatare gradually vanishing due to the modern way of living or due to acculturation.As the foods slowly disappear, so do the foods’ associated meanings and beliefsattached to them. Being aware of their indigenous foods would help maintainand create a link or bridge the gap between the Itawes’ past generations to thepresent. The study used the descriptive research method. Triangulation wasutilized using direct participatory approach, in depth interview and a focus groupdiscussion. The foods were documented and the health and social meanings andbeliefs attached to these foods were noted and explained by the elders. Frequencyand percentages were used. The findings showed that Itawes favorite exotic foods were the following: fried “duron”, ‘simmawa”, “utoy” and “talagang”; their dessert, “bahat”, “mang-ga”, “dendelut”, “pinatarak” and “dinuntuan”. TheItawes’ social life and physical health had been closely associated with their foods.Some of their indigenous foods and practices had been consistently confrontedwith the influence of modernization and development that seriously endangertheir traditional cultures or the total obliteration of their culture.Keywords: Social Research, Itawes, indigenous foods, descriptive design, Philippines