Prior to its creation, Quezon was once part of a vast track of agricultural land called the Mallig Plains. At that time, the area that is now under the political jurisdiction of the municipality was sparsely populated. Historians believe that the precursor of the present inhabitants of Quezon were the Igorots and the Kalingas of the Cordilleras. Although the Igorots and the Kalingas are primarily upland dwellers, historians have observed that these natives come down from the highlands from time to time to hunt for low-landers especially the "Kanyaw" rituals.