Ifugao, Philippines — Ifugao State University (IFSU) is one of the Philippine representatives in the recently concluded first-ever 2025 World Indigenous Traditional Games, which officially took place from December 10 to 12, 2025, at the Pingtung Laiyi Senior High School Athletics Field in Taiwan. The event brought together indigenous athletes and cultural delegates from around the world to celebrate traditional sports and heritage, showcasing Philippine indigenous culture on a global stage.
Representing the country alongside IFSU are delegates from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the Advocating Traditions for Onboard Resilience of Indigenous Peoples (ATOR of IPs), working collaboratively to uplift the indigenous peoples community and its heritage to a global platform.
Unlike most global sporting events, the Games focused on traditional Indigenous sports and cultural practices such as traditional archery, log sawing, net casting, canoe racing, indigenous music and dance, and more.
A total of 29 teams from 10 countries participated in the competition, with over 1,100 competitors. Of this number, 20 indigenous delegates came from the Philippines, particularly from the province of Ifugao. According to IFSU, the Philippine delegation was composed of eight employees, eleven students, and one alumna.
According to a Taiwan-based international media outlet, this year’s event marked the first-ever global sports and cultural gathering of indigenous peoples.
The international Games featured 10 traditional events, including archery, music and dance, sewing, and tug-of-war, highlighting the diverse skills and cultural practices of participating indigenous communities.
Ifugao is home not only to iconic places but also to remarkable people. The province is best known for its over 2,000-year-old rice terraces, recognized as the Eighth Wonder of the World and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Among the most internationally recognized Ifugao natives is Miss World Philippines–Ifugao 2025 Valerie Pawid West, a Filipino-American beauty queen whose Filipino roots trace back to Kiangan. Other notable figures from Ifugao include ONE Bantamweight World Champion and mixed martial artist Kevin Belingon, as well as IBF Pan-Pacific Super Bantamweight titleholder Carl Jammes Martin.
With its rich culture integrating spirituality, arts, law, and oral traditions into daily life, Ifugao remains a living culture that has endured various waves of modernization, making it one of the most celebrated indigenous heritages in the Philippines.
Through its participation in the Games, IFSU aims to promote not only Cordilleran heritage but also Philippine indigenous culture, while strengthening international solidarity and cultural exchange among indigenous peoples worldwide.
In his remarks during the closing ceremony held in Laiyi Township, Pingtung County, the Minister of the Council of Indigenous Peoples, Ljaucu Zingrur, as reported by the Taipei Times, thanked all participants for the warm friendship and connections built between countries throughout the event, which ran from Wednesday to Friday.
Among the competing nations, New Zealand topped the medal table with two gold, one silver, and one bronze medal, earning a NT$200,000 prize.
.png)
