Altan I. Ishmael is an educator, researcher, and cultural advocate from Tawi-Tawi, Philippines, and a proud member of the Sama community. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology and a Master of Arts in Education. 

Previously, as Director of the Sama Studies Center at Mindanao State University Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography, he led efforts to preserve Sama culture and promote diversity among ethnolinguistic groups. His research focuses on ecocultural education, marine conservation, and cultural preservation. 

At the TRACE project, he proposes the interconnection of traditional ecological knowledge and modern practices to empower indigenous communities and engage marginalized groups in climate adaptation strategies, especially Sama-Bajau in the Philippines.

Selected Publications

Ishmael, Altan, Igal Ka’mbo’an: A Sama master’s perspective on passing tradition to the next generations, 2026.

Ishmael, Altan, Sea nomads, sultans, and raiders: History and ethnogenesis in the Sulu Archipelago, Philippines, 2025.

Ishmael, Altan, Ethical challenges in genetic research among Philippine Indigenous Peoples: Insights from fieldwork in Zamboanga and the Sulu Archipelago, 2022.