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ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Ethnic groups in the Philippines identify themselves based on one or several factors like ancestry, language, religion or a shared history. The large majority of the population is composed of lowland groups whose languages are Austronesian, and who had converted to Christianity from animism or Islam in the three centuries of Spanish colonial rule. From north to south, the most numerous groups are the Ilocanos, the Pangasinenses, the Kapampangans, the Tagalogs, the Bicolanos and the Bisaya. These groups are generally considered to be part of the Malay Race.In Mindanao, there are several ethnic groups of similar ancestry, but whose religion is Islam, and whose culture is not as "westernized" as that of the Christian Filipinos. They are collectively called Muslim Filipinos or Moros. There are also various tribal groups throughout the Philippine archipelago who are generally neither Muslim nor Christian, and are least influenced by Islamic or western cultures. There is also a minority who have Chinese or Spanish ancestry. Most of them are mestizos and are found in major cities as well as in areas having considerable agricultural importance during the colonial period.
Ethnic identity in the Philippines, like many other places, is fluid, informal and depends greatly on context. The most common identifier is language. For instance, a Kapampangan may identify himself as such by the fact that his mother tongue is the Kapampangan language. Some also identify themselves based on ancestry. For example, a woman who has Bicolano ancestry but has spent most of her life in Manila may identify herself as Bicolano, even if she doesn’t speak any of the Bicol languages. Others are lumped together to a certain grouping based on some shared characteristics. Tribal groups are commonly grouped together in spite of having very different customs and languages, and having had very little interaction with each other. Muslim Filipinos are similarly diverse and independent from each other, and they are many times grouped together due to a shared history, culture and religion. Similarly, lowland Christian Filipinos are many times lumped together due to their similar culture, despite having different languages or different ancestries.
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