ANITISM

The belief in Anito are referred to as Anitism (Anitismo) in scholarly literature.

Anito, also spelled Anitu, refers to ancestor spirits, nature spirits, and deities in the Anitism religion from the ancient times to the present, although the term itself may have other meanings and associations depending on the Philippine ethnic group. It can also refer to carved humanoid figures, the taotao, made of wood, stone, gold or ivory, that represent these spirits. Anito (a term predominantly used in Luzon) is also sometimes known as Diwata in certain ethnic groups (especially among Visayans).

Anitism is the distinct native religion of various ethnic groups in the Philippines. This historical religion includes a set of local worship traditions that are devoted to the Gods, Goddesses, deities and ancestors collectively known as Anito or Diwata (and their variables).

Early Philippine society was composed of diverse subgroups such as fishermen, farmers and hunter-gatherers, with some living in mountainside swiddens, some on houseboats and some in commercially developed coastal ports. Some subgroups were economically self-sufficient, and others had symbiotic relationships with neighboring subgroups.