The Ifugao were once known for their practice of headhunting. They believed that the taking of a head would benefit the health and well-being of a community, increasing the fertility of families and the productivity of farms. They also believed that losing a head to another community would cause a decrease in the well-being of a village. If a village lost a head, they would kill a member of the opposing community and take the head in an effort to restore the well-being of the village. The head would be placed as a trophy in the home of the man who had cut it off.
Ifugao religion is quite complex.
It recognizes eleven different classes of deities. The most important deities are those of the spirits of dead ancestors. If a dead ancestor becomes displeased for some reason, the people sacrifice a chicken or pig to pacify the ancestor. The body of the deceased is dressed in its finest clothes and strapped in a chair. If the family of the departed person is wealthy, the body is carried from one house to another, as each branch of the family tries to outdo the others by giving a feast in memory of the deceased.