M6: Understanding the Material and the Techniques

• Leaf folding or Puni


  Intended to create artful toys for kids, can also be used to create woven baskets, bags, and even fans
• Palaspas


  Common presentation of Puni art seen every Holy Week
• Singkaban

  Art of shaving bamboo into artful creations that can be used as a décor for arches or the home
• Sanikulas Cookies

  Arrowroot cookies with the image of St. Nicholas (The Healer) molded on them, made of hardwood in different shapes and sizes
• Pabalat Pastillas wrapper cutting art


  Wrapper made out of delicate Japanese paper, requires skilled hands and perfect motor control to produce the best
• Taka

  First record of a created Taka was by a woman named Maria Bangue in the 1920's, using wooded molds covered with strips of paper clipped in sticky paste, later painted carefully and presented as children's toys
• Pagbuburda (Taal, Lumban, Laguna)


  Art of embroidering floral designs, mostly done by women who are wives of farmers and fishermen, but also done by some farmers and fishermen during their "off-season"
• Factors to evaluate when deciding what artwork to create

  • Availability
  • Cost
  • Process needs
  • Durability
  • Resourcefulness & Creativity
  • Number of possible use
• Materials


  • Coconut Shells
  • Bamboo
  • Abaca
  • Capiz Shells
  • Rattan
  • Santol Wood
  • Rice Huli
  • Ash Cement