Batak people (Philippines)

Batak

Batak people in Palawan (c. 1913)
Total population
1,531 (2020 census)[1]
Regions with significant populations
Philippines Palawan
Languages
Palawan Batak, Filipino, English
Religion
Christianity, Anito, folk religions
Related ethnic groups
Aeta, other Negrito peoples

Demographics of the Philippines
Philippine Statistics Authority Census Religions Languages Ethnic groups Country of citizenship
Filipinos
Indigenous Mestizos
v t e

The Batak are one of about 140 indigenous peoples of the Philippines. They are located in the northeastern portions of Palawan, a relatively large island in the southwest of the archipelago. Since ancient times, the Batak have inhabited a series of river valleys along the coastline of what is today Puerto Princesa City.^[2]

There are only about 1,500 Batak remaining according to the 2020 census.^[3][2] Also called Tinitianes, the Batak are considered by anthropologists to be closely related to the Aeta of Central Luzon, another Negrito tribe. They tend to be small in stature, with dark skin and frizzy or curly hair, traits which originally garnered the "Negrito" groups their name. Still, there is some debate as to whether the Batak are related to the other Negrito groups of the Philippines or actually to other, physically similar groups in Indonesia or as far away as the Andaman Islands.