Ilocano Language

The Ilocano language is the third largest in the Philippines according to the number of native speakers. Approximately 10 million people speak it around the world.

Like other Philippine languages, it is predominantly Malayo-Polynesian significantly mixed with large Spanish words. Some Chinese and English words were also mixed to which is now the modern Ilocano language.

Ilocano is the lingua franca in the Northern Philippines. Other ethno-linguistic groups in the area like the Igorots, Itnegs, Ibanags etc. can speak the language more than the national language Tagalog.

The migrated Ilocanos in other places preserved their native tongue.It is so widely used that in Hawaii and California, there are schools who teach the language. This is due to the Ilocanos who live in these places in large number.

Ilocano History

The present Ilocanos are descendants of mixed race predominantly of the Austronesian (Malay) race. Chinese, Indian and Spanish bloods are significantly mixed.

The early Austronesian ancestors of the Ilocanos arrived in the Philippines through barangays (boats) and settled the coastal side of northwestern Luzon. When the Spanish conquered the Philippines, an exploration led by Juan de Salcedo led him to the coastal towns of now Vigan, Currimao and Laoag. He find the people living in coves and described them as more barbarous than the Tagalogs in Manila.

When he conquered this place he established a province called ILOCOS which originally comprises the now provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and parts of Abra and La Union (shown on map).

During the Spanish colonial era especially in 1800s, migrations were initiated to other parts of Luzon due to some reasons aside from increasing population. Others who look for more fertile land went eastward to the wider plains of Cagayan Valley and down to Central Luzon. One of the more significant reason of the migration was that Ilocanos were chosen by the Spaniards to help them colonize the other parts of Luzon and evangelize the people.

Later migration was during the American period. When the Americans penetrated the Cordillera, Ilocanos were asked for help and were encouraged to settle just like the establishment of the city of Baguio. It was also during this era that migration in Hawaii and later in California was opened because of the needed Filipino labor in these American territories.

After the World War II, governement sponsored migration invited the Ilocanos to migrate in Mindanao especially in Cotabato, Davao, Sultan Kudarat and Zamboanga. Other migration led the Ilocanos in Mindoro, Babuyan Island and Palawan.

Today, the Ilocano diaspora has reached the whole face of the globe.

Ilocano Pride Site Begin's Today!

October 10 will be marked red in the calendar as this blog is officially started this date.

This site is called Ilocano Pride as it will tackle how proud the Ilocanos are with their pagka-Ilokano. It will contain different topics that will show the Ilocano ancestry, culture, language and most of all the people. Great Ilocanos in the past and at present will be showcased, history, present and future events and everything that will relate to this blog theme will be rendered.

Yes, Ilocano Pride, but why not the language itself will be used in this site? Simply because this site is not only for Ilocanos but for everybody who will visit this site. Anyone who is not Ilocano will learn how proud is the Ilocano race. For the Ilocanos, it will teach them more why they should be always keep the flame of this Ilocano pride.