The Ivatan people are an Austronesian ethnolinguistic group native to the Batanes and Babuyan Islands of the northernmost Philippines. They are genetically closely-related to other ethnic groups in Northern Luzon, but also share close linguistic and cultural affinities to the Tao people of Orchid Island in Taiwan.

Why do Ivatans live in stone houses?

The Ivatan people, an ethnolinguistic group of the Batanes province in the northernmost part of the country, built the now-famous stone houses for a very good reason: to protect them against the harsh environmental conditions.

Are Ivatans indigenous peoples?

A large majority of current inhabitants, as well as being traditionally recognized as the island's native occupants are the Ivatan, an indigenous group of fisher-farmers.