Idjang

In 1994, Eusebio Dizon, the Deputy Director of the National Museum of the Philippines, went to Batanes with his team for an archeological project. They discovered a triangular-shaped hill in Savidug, a town in Sabtang. These structures were called idjang.[1] In total, there have been 4 idjang found in Batanes.

The Ivatan traditionally lived in the idjang which were fortified mountain areas and drank sugar-cane wine, or palek. They also used gold as currency and produced a thriving agriculture-based industry as well as expertise in seafaring and boat-building.

The Ivatan people of the northern islands of Batanes often built fortifications to protect themselves during times of war. They built their so-called idjangs on hills and elevated areas.[1] These fortifications were likened to European castles because of their purpose. Usually, the only entrance to the castles would be via a rope ladder that would only be lowered for the villagers and could be kept away when invaders arrived.

In 1783, the Spanish claimed Batanes as part of the Philippines under the auspices of Governor-General José Basco y Vargas. The Bashi Channel had come to be increasingly used by English East India Company ships and the Spanish authorities brought the islands under their direct administration to prevent them falling under British control.[2] However, the Ivatan remained on their idjangs, or mountain fortresses. In 1790, Governor Guerrero decreed that Ivatans were to leave their idjang and to live in the lowlands, thereby giving them more people to tax. Basco and Ivana were the first towns.[2]

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