Contemporary art (100)

• The term "pre-conquest" in Philippine art refers to the era before the arrival of colonizers, emphasizing the cultural and artistic heritage that predates external influences
• In exploring pre-colonial art, the terms "pre-conquest", "indigenous", and "pre-colonial" are used interchangeably
• Art in the Philippines was not confined to museums but embedded in daily rituals
• Hunter-gatherer societies laid the foundation for literature, theater, and music through activities like storytelling and rituals
• Rituals such as Cañao, Kashawing, and Mayvanuvanua persist in various regions, preserving the oldest forms of theater
• Cañao

  is a festival or a ceremony of the

  Indigenous mountain people of Northern Luzon in the Philippines. It is a socio-religious ritual where chickens, pigs and/or carabaos are butchered as a sacrifice and feasted on. This is usually a thanksgiving to their god Kabunyan.
• Pis Siyabit or Pis Syabit is the prized handwoven cloth of the Tausugs of Sulu. Usually used as head covering, it is made from cotton or silk, square in shape and provided with geometric patterns. It can also be worn on the shoulder, knotted around the hilt of the sword, or tied around the head among the Tausug men. Pis Siyabit is usually seen being worn during weddings and other Tausug occasions as a symbol of colorful history and rank.
• Langkit is a M'ranao word meaning a strip of multi-colored fabric, woven or embroidered to decorate or enhance the design or style of the malong, a multipurpose long, skirt -like or barrel-form Maranao garment with open ends, both the top and the bottom.
• Kashawing:

  • Ritual to ensure abundance during rice planting and harvesting
  • Involves a reenactment of the pact made by the ancestors of the community and the unseen spirits that inhabit the lake
  • Everyday expressions integrated within rituals marking significant moments in a community's life like planting and harvesting, rites of passage, funerary ceremonies, weddings
• Mayvanuvanua:

  • Means "making the port"
  • Refers to a sacrificial rite performed at the beginning of the summer fishing season by mataw fishers in Batanes
  • An act of attraction to successfully capture the fish dorado for a limited period of time
• Terracotta Artifacts: Burial in earthenware jars and other containers is a common funerary tradition associated with the Metal Age of the Philippines, from around 2800 to 1000 years ago. Burial jarsgreatly vary in forms and sizes, and are mostly found in cave sites, near coasts, and in the open hilly areas. It is used to place and/or store human remains.
• Pre-conquest Philippines weaving tradition:

  • Textiles served both functional and symbolic purposes
  • Weaving conveyed narratives about the community's belief systems, spirituality, and social structure
  • Weaving was a communal endeavor, reinforcing interconnectedness and cultural preservation
• Textiles like pis siyabit and langkit reflect weaving traditions beyond functionality, conveying beliefs and societal structures
• Mat and basket weaving techniques showcase the versatility of weaving, from everyday objects to tools for agricultural purposes
• "Bulols" are carved human figurines that a certain class of anito incorporates itself into when worshipped
• Bulols are usually made in pairs and kept in the house or granary
• Bulols are carved of narra wood, which symbolizes wealth, happiness, and well-being
• The carving of anito was transformed into sculptures of the saints, known as Santos
• Santos were primarily used for church altars and retablos
• Christianized communities in Laguna and Pampanga are known for carving Santos and other wooden sculptures of secular or non-religious orientation
• Okir (ukkil in Tausug/Samal/Badjao) can be found in the panolong or sultan's house called Torogan
• Okir were also featured in the central housebeam, the tinai a walai, which had ritual significance
• Okir were meant to drive away evil spirits
• Pangalay (also known as Daling-Daling or Mengalai in Sabah) is the traditional "fingernail" dance of the Tausug people of the Sulu Archipelago and eastern coast Bajau of Sabah
• Talip is a courtship dance of Ifugaos used in courtship and is mimetic of the movements of wild fowls
• Wood carving has been an integral part of indigenous cultures for centuries, representing their rich heritage and artistic traditions
• The tradition of carving is seen in bulul, santos, and okir, deeply rooted in indigenous cultures
• Regions like Paete and Betis maintain their carving heritage despite contemporary challenges
• Okir has diverse applications in musical sheaths, grave markers, and ceremonial boats, highlighting the cultural significance of carving
• The palayok, a simple, unglazed, earthenware pot, dating back to pre-colonial times around 5,900 B.C, is a part of many Filipino kitchens. It is a clay pot used as the traditional food preparation container. Palayok is a Tagalog word; in other parts of the country, especially in the Visayas, it is called a kulon; smaller-sized pots are referred to as anglit. Neighboring Indonesia and Malaysia refer to such vessel as a periuk.
• Banga (pronounced ba-nga), meaning "pot" is an earthen container originated by the northern Cordillera region of the Philippines. Traditionally, they're made of local clay found only in the Kalinga villages, an area rich with rice terraces and lush mountainsides.
• Samal/ Badjao) - can be found in panolong or sultan's house called Torogan. Okir were also featured •in the central housebeam, the tinai a walai ("intestine of the house"), which had ritual significance. Moreover, these were meant to drive away evil spirits.
• The Manunggul Jar is a secondary burial jar excavated from a Neolithic burial site in the Manunggul cave of the Tabon Caves at Lipuun Point in Palawan, Philippines. It dates from 890-710 B.C. and the two prominent figures at the top handle of its cover represent the journey of the soul to the afterlife. The Manunggul Jar is known to protect the remains of the dead. It is valued as the most impressive work of ancient pottery in the Philippines.
• The ornamentation observed among early Filipinos, manifested through gold jewelry and tattoos, held significance beyond mere artistics. Tattoos, as seen in the Boxer Codex, were badges of maturity and bravery. Jewelry and tattoos were believed to attract gods and protect individuals.
• The Boxer Codex depicted diverse ethnolinguistic groups, featuring a Tagalog couple in gold jewelry and Visayans with tattoos, supporting the region's historical "Islas de los Pintados" label. Tattoos were valued for spiritual protection, maturity, and bravery, observed across Philippine groups like Kalinga and T'boli. Ornate jewelry, such as the Tbolis brass chains and beads, was believed to enhance attractiveness and divine favor.
• The Gadur is a Maranao food jar made of. brass and has a silver inlay. It is traditionally used as ceremonial containers for rice and tobacco. It shows Marano art patterns intricately engraved on. It has a bulbous, rounded base that rises out from a low ring foot and rises to a thinner neck. It has a domed lid with a long, spire-like finial. There are handles on either side.
• Lost-wax casting - also called investment casting, precision casting, or cire perdue - is the process by which a duplicate sculpture is cast from an original sculpture.
• This brass vessel is called a "kendi" or sometimes "gendi". Its basic form is spread over most parts of South East Asia since centuries and made in clay or porcelain to keep water cool. Somewhere 19th century or earlier, they began making them also in brass, silver or gold as a token of wealth. Kendi is a particularly fine example of Minangkabau-Malay brassware cast using the lost wax process. It has a 'flying saucer' type body, a tall baluster-form neck cast with a broad collar.
• Lotoan acts as containers for betel chew preparations. served as part of male and female attire and continue. to be regarded as important heirloom property. These exquisite containers made from brass and bronze are considered to be heirloom properties and as bridal wealth.
• Betel nut boxes, from the island of Mindanao in the Philippines is cast bronze with inlaid designs. Although it was collected in the mid-20th century, it is likely older than that. It was made by the Islamic Maranao people, who are well known for their metalsmithing, especially inlay work. The decoration includes traditional Muslim okir designs, a distinct flowing motif also found in Maranao woodcarvings and textiles.