Arts and Crafts in the Philippines

Traditional Arts in the Philippines

• The traditional arts in the Philippines encompass various forms, including folk architecture, maritime transport, weaving, carving, folk performing arts, folk literature, and folk graphic and plastic arts.
• These arts reflect the range of artistic influences on the country's culture, including indigenous forms and external influences.

Folk Architecture

• Folk architecture in the Philippines differs significantly per ethnic group, with structures made of bamboo, wood, rock, coral, rattan, grass, and other materials.
• Examples of folk architecture include the hut-style bahay kubo, which utilizes vernacular mediums in construction, and the highland houses called bale, which may have four to eight sides.

Maritime Transport

• Maritime transport in the Philippines includes boat houses, boat-making, and maritime traditions.
• Boats have been used in the archipelago for thousands of years, with the earliest evidence of boat-making and usage dating back to 320 AD through the carbon-dating of the Butuan boats.

Weaving

• Weaving is an ancient art form in the Philippines, with each ethnic group having their distinct weaving techniques.
• The weaving arts are composed of basket weaving, back-strap loom weaving, headgear weaving, fishnet weaving, and other forms of weaving.
• Fibers such as cotton, abaca, banana, fiber, grass, and palm fiber are used in the Filipino weaving arts.
• Examples of woven textiles include the binulan and wanno of the Ifugao, the malong of the Maguindanao, and the kandit of the Tausug.

Basketry

• Basketry is a fine art in the Philippines, with intricate designs and forms directed for specific purposes such as harvesting, rice storage, travel package, sword case, and so on.
• The art of basket weaving is believed to have arrived in the archipelago due to human migration.

Carving

• The art of carving in the Philippines focuses on woodcarving and folk non-clay sculptures.
• Indigenous woodcarving is one of the most notable traditional arts in the Philippines, with some crafts dating back prior to Hispanic arrival.
• Examples of woodcarving include the bulol, a pagan statue of the Gods or Anitos, carved by the Cordillera, and figures of man and animals.

Folk Graphic and Plastic Arts

• The field of folk graphic and plastic arts includes tattooing, folk writing, and folk drawing and painting.
• Folk writing, also known as calligraphy, has numerous indigenous scripts collectively called...