The Ilocano Tribe The Ilokanos ( Ilocano : Tattao a Iloko ) or Iloko people are the third largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group . There are over 40 dialects of the Ilokano language and their speakers reside within the Ilocos region in the Philippines . The word Ilokano originates from Iloko (archaic form, Yloco ), the conjugation of i- (meaning "of") an d look (meaning "bay), which means "from the bay" in Ilokano . Aside from being referred to as Ilokano, they are also identified as Samtoy, a portmanteau of the Ilokano phrase sao mi ditoy meaning "our language here" ("sao mi" = "our language;" "ditoy" - "here"). Ilocandia is the term given to the traditional homeland of the Ilokano people. From the original western strip of Northern Luzon, Ilocandia has spread throughout the Cordillera Administrative Region , Cagayan Valley and some parts of Central Luzon . Ilokanos speak Ilokano , which is part of the Northern Philippine subgroup of the Austronesian family of languages. They also speak Cebuano (in Mindanao), Tagalog , and English as second languages. The mounting population pressure due to the substantial population density during the mid-19th century caused the migration of the Ilokanos out of their historic homeland. By 1903, more than 290,000 Ilokanos migrated to Central Luzon , Cagayan Valley , and Metro Manila . More than 180,000 moved to Pangasinan , Tarlac , and Nueva Ecija . Almost 50,000 moved to Cagayan Valley; half of them resided in Isabela . Around 47,000 lived in Zambales and the Sultan Kudarat more than 11,000 . Ilokanos boast of a somewhat healthy diet heavy in boiled or steamed vegetables and freshwater fish, but are particularly fond of dishes flavored with bagoong , fermented fish that is often used instead of salt. Ilokanos often season boiled vegetables with bagoong monamon (fermented anchovy paste) to produce pinakbet . Local specialties include the "abuos," soft white larvae of ants, and "jumping salad" or tiny, live shrimp with kalamansi juice. Another food that is popular for many Ilokanos is the Moringa or "Malunggay". It is a good condiment for meat soup(e.g. tinola) or it can be mixed with the famous "dinengdeng", a soup made of mainly vegetables with prawns "alamang". Most households grow this tree in their backyards and usually offered free for all the neighbors who may want them. Many Ilokanos from Hawai'i are fond of eating them. THE ILO C ANOS CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS Ilocanos strive hard to make a living, difficulty is never a hindrance to their success. To and Ilocano, hardships can easily be overcome. He believes in the value of study, industry and patience; thus, every Ilocano family encourages the children to go to school and learn skills to find better paying jobs and consequently, have a better life.Most customs and traditions of the Ilocanos are influence by their frugality. From the cradle to the grave, the Ilocano rituals reflect what they believe in. ABOUT THE BIRTH A woman's intense craving for sour fruits, such as tamarind, green mango or orange is usually interpreted as a sign of pregnancy. The fruits that she eats provide clues to the child's appearance.The pregnant woman observes a number of practices believed to insure against a painful and difficult delivery.She sits on a mat and never on the bare floor, to avoid having gas pains. She always has grains of salt with her whenever she leaves the house to ward off evil spirits who may take away her unborn child. She does not go outside the house at night with her hair down lest she have a snake delivered along with her baby. She is forbidden to sit on the stairway as this is a position associated with difficult delivery. When cooking, she must thrust the bigger pieces of firewood into the fire before the smaller pieces, a practice said to ensure a normal delivery. On the sixth month of pregnancy, the mother's dreams, her physical and emotional state, the food she eats, and the fetal position are taken as indications of the child's sex.Only a select few are allowed inside the house while the woman is in labor. These