The Itawes inhabit the territory drained by the Chico and Matalog Rivers as well as all of the Village of Cavug, now the town of Enrile. Except for certain nuances in their language and the flair among their womenfolk for ornamentation and colorful attire, nothing basically differentiates them from the Ibanags of whom they really are an ethnic subgroup. They got their name from "tawid"; the early natives of Cagayan never referred to one another by the group description of Ibanags, or the I-Rita, those from the south; occasinally, I-Raya was also used.
The Itawes culture seems to be quite distinct from that of the Ibanags. Their mode of dressing appears to be likewise more colorful, red being a dominant color. The woman used to wear beads on their heads, a practice still found among these in the remote areas.
Farming seems to be a leading source of livelihood 72.7% of the people of the province are engaged in agriculture, hunting, forestry, fishing and related occupation.
The average Itawes family seems to be education conscious, this being shown by the good number of their children being sent to school.
Based on the dialect the people appear to be the most versatile group in the province. They speak Ibanag and Ilocano. The Itawes dialect has also other peculiar characteristics such as the frequent use of double consonants like cc, kk, and vv.
The contemporary Itawes are a charming friendly and sociable group whose daily mode of life is not markedly different from the rest of their countrymen, whether in the style of their houses, their occupation and religious affiliation, all of which are signs of the Itawes culture.
Death among the Itawes galvanizes not only the family but also the whole community or neighborhood into action. The usual church rites for the wake and burial are observed.
