The belief system of the Kankanaey culture includes "ancestor worship" and "respect for nature's spirit." One of the most important components of their spiritual belief is the "hierarchy of Deities." Being the highest deity, "Kabunian" is believed as the deity who created all things.
They also venerate spirits of ancestors (ap-apo or kakkadang). Furthermore, ancestor spirits known as "Anito" are believed to reside in caves and in rocks. It is also believed that they invoked for good health, peace, and prosperity.
The Kankanaey people also believe in "Kabunian" a greater divinity, and his son "Lumawig," who taught them to live in harmony and wealth. Nature spirits, on the other hand, are thought to live in mountains, rocks, trees, or rivers and can inflict illness and worse, death if they are disturbed.
There also exists a special kind of spirits called "Pinten" which is the spirits of men who died a terrible death. These spirits are usually called to help for success in headhunting or revenge.
Lastly, even living things (eg. stalks of rice, rats, snakes) are believed to have spirits (ab-abi-ik). The spirit or ab-abi-ik of a person are conceived at the same time but when the person dies, the soul becomes anito.