Ati are an ethnic group of the Philippines. The Ati have traditionally inhabited the islands of Panay, Negros, and Boracay, in the Visayas region. They are one of many groups of the Indigenous peoples who were the earliest inhabitants of the Philippine archipelago (group of islands).
The Ati traditionally practiced a nomadic (mobile) way of life. They hunted wild pigs, deer, and lizards, and they gathered a variety of plants to use as food and medicine. They spoke Inati, which means language of the Ati. Today, most Ati speak the common language of their region, such as Cebuano or Kinaray-a. There are few Inati-speaking individuals living.
The traditional Ati religion was based in animism. They believed inanimate (lifeless) objects in their environment to be inhabited by spirits. Over time, Christian missionaries converted most of the Ati to Christianity.
One of the most popular festivals in the Visayas region is the Ati-atihan. This celebration commemorates the initial contact between Spanish colonizers and the Ati in the 1500’s. It also commemorates the conversion of the Ati to the Christian faith. The festival honors the story of how the Ati helped the Spanish to conquer the Visayas region.
Farmers have moved onto much of the Ati’s ancestral land, threatening their traditional way of life. Tourism-related development has also displaced great numbers of Ati, who have been forced to relocate to permanent settlements. Today, many Ati work on sugar plantations. They face a number of challenges, including discrimination, limited access to education and health care, and continued displacement.
