What is "itawes"

The Itawes, Itawis, Hitawit or Itawit ( endonym) are a people living in the Philippines. Their name is derived from the Itawes prefix i- meaning "people of" and tawid or "across the river".

The Itawes are among the earliest inhabitants of the Cagayan Valley in northern Luzon. Formerly known as "Aetas or Ita" as Per Arra Wawangco. Other than their mother tongue, they speak Ibanag and Ilokano and Jakolano. The contemporary Itawes are charming, friendly, and sociable. They are not very different from other lowland Christianized Filipino ethnic groups in terms of livelihood, housing, and traditions. Their traditional dresses are colorful with red being the dominant color. Farming is a leading source of livelihood. The average families are education-conscious.