Aeta << eye TAH >> is a broad category of Philippine Indigenous (native) ethnic groups. Aeta people traditionally inhabit mountain areas on the island of Luzon, in the Philippines. Today, the Aeta live in many provinces, from the northeastern tip of Luzon south to the Bicol region. They are known for their nomadic (mobile) hunting and gathering ways of life and for their vast ecological knowledge. They are called the Agta in some regions. The names Aeta and Agta mean people or human in various Aeta languages. However, these terms are sometimes used in a derogatory (offensive) way. Aeta often refer to themselves as kolot, which means curly, in reference to their hair texture.
Scientists have determined that Aeta groups were the earliest inhabitants of the Philippine archipelago (group of islands). They arrived on the islands thousands of years before farming groups colonized the lowlands. Linguists believe that the Aeta spoke a non-Austronesian language when they arrived on the archipelago. The Austronesian language family is widely spoken on the islands of Southeast Asia and the Pacific. However, they adopted the Austronesian languages of the lowland farmers when they arrived around 4,000 years ago.
Logging activity and the encroachment of farming peoples have forced many Aeta off of their ancestral lands. This displacement has created drastic changes to Aeta ways of life. Many groups have given up their nomadic lifestyle to establish permanent or semi-permanent villages. Aeta groups are among the most marginalized (disregarded) peoples in the Philippines. They have limited access to education and healthcare. The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples and other organizations have developed programs to help reduce the challenges that Aeta groups face.
