The First Settlers And The First Inhabitants Of Santiago (Carig)(Santiago City)

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaddang_people

IBANAG PEOPLE, CAGAYAN, LUZON, 1885
[Adolf Bernhard Meyer, 1885. Berlin State Library]

Gaddang Man And Women In Traditional Attire (SIL International)

An artist's illustration of Aetas in 1885.

Originally, Santiago was called Carig. It was a settlement area at the bank of a river called Carig, now known as Diadi river. At that time, pueblos were named after esteros or rivers where the inhabitants settled or lived. 

The original settlers of Carig were the Aetas, the Ilongots and the Negritos. this tribes thrived on hunting wild animals that were at the time abundant in the lowlands. When the Ibanags (also Ybanag and Ybanak or Ibanak) from Cagayan and the Gaddangs from Nueva Vizcaya and Angadanan came and settled in the area, the wild animals were driven away to the forest and because there were no more wild animals to hunt, the Aetas, the Ilongots and the Negritos moved to the forest where their only means of livelihood could be acquired easily.

The word Ibanag is derived from the word Bannag which means bank of the river in the Ibanag dialect. Hence, those who lived along the banks of the river were called Ibanag in the same way that Tagalog is derived from Taga-ilog. On the other hand, Gaddang is derivedfrom the word igaddang which means 'to move up' in the Gaddang dialect.

The Ibannag settled at the center of the center of the town which they letter called Carig - from the place of their origin in Tuguegarao Cagayan. Some Gaddangs settled in the northwestern part of the town proper. This area was later called corral because it became the pasture land of cows owned by a family surnamed Guzman. The Gaddangs who settled in the northeastern part of the town called their settlement Vizcalang, possibly coined from Vizcaya, their place of origin and lamang which means " only " in the Gaddang dialaect.

When the spaniards came, they settled in Patul which was at the foot of the mountain called Mt. Dalayag. Patul, which meansking or "Lord" in Ibannag, was then part of the mission pueblo of Santa Barbara de Lappao. To this day Patul and its surroundings still keep various artifacts left  by the Spaniards, most notable of which is a huge oven popularly known as pugon kastila.

REFERENCE:

• Historical and Culture Life of the Barrios and The Municipality of Santiago. MICROFILM, gathered and compiled 1952-'53, The National Library Of The Philippines
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaddang_people
• https://www.yodisphere.com/2022/08/Gaddang-Tribe-Culture.html
• https://www.facebook.com/cagayanPIO/photos/a.618024071712284/771757689672254/?type=3
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeta_people
• History of Santiago City (1st Edition Book) by Filipina Taguinod Villapando