The unique folk art of non-Christian Filipinos

Title

Language

English

Source

The Republic (Issue No. 24) 1 September 1973

Year

1973

Subject

Folk art -- Philippines

Islamic art -- Philippines

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

The <Arts EDISCOVERY The unique folk art of non-Christian Filipinos The Philippines has some 60-odd ino-linguistic groups whose cultures ve remained relatively untouched westernization and christianiza»n. The cultural communities of uthem Philippines, for example, ve retained their cultural identities, shown in the folk art exhibit put up the Hilton Art Center. The monthig exhibit, entitled “Non-Christian •lk Art,” featured the art of the Malaos, Samals, Tausogs, Mangyans, bolis, Bataks and Bagobos. Most of e objects on display belonged to the jslim group — Maranaos, Samals, •usogs and Darangans. This was mambecause the Muslims comprise the ggest minority group. Of the nearly re million Filipinos classified into the Kobing and T'boli brass bolo Tobacco container and baking dish Cultural calendar (For the week, Sept. 2-8) September 2 Final presentation of “Celebration,’ a song and dance con cert, at the Cultural Center of the Philip pines, 4:00 p.m. September 2 Final Presentation of Circus Band Pop Concert at the PhilAm Life Audito rium September 4-9 Severino Montano’s play, “But Not My Sons Any Longer” at Philippine Nor mal College “cultural communities,” three million are Muslims. Art, it has been said, mirrors the society of its origin and this is parti cularly true of folk art. The Maranao brass bed, the most imposing object in the exhibit, is the stage for the life, love and death rituals of the people of Lake Lanao. According to Mila Enage of the Hilton Art Center, the Mara naos place the brass bed in the center of the house because the bed is where the most important events in a Maranao’s life take place. A Maranao child is baptized on the brass bed which, for the occasion, is decorated with silver coins and yellow cloth. Lucky Christian couples may claim that their marriages were made in Solo recital of pia nist Reynaldo Reyes at the Little Theater of the CCP, 7:00 p.m. September 6-8 Tanghalang Ateneo’s production of Ed ward Albee’s “Zoo Story” at Ateneo, 7:00 p.m. September 7 Solo concert of Jose Feliciano at the Big Theatre of the CCP, 4:00p.m. September 8 “From Fantasy to Reality” at the CCP, 7:30 p.m. Maranao chess set heaven, but for the Maranao elite, marriages are made in bed. The bride, the bridegroom, the imam (officiating minister) and the two witnesses all sit on the brass bed during the wedding ceremony. The brass bed is also the scene for signing important docu ments. Important guests are made to sit on the bed when Maranao royalty entertains. When a Maranao sultan dies, he is bathed and clothed on his bed. This is also where he lies in state until his burial. The brass bed, how ever, does not accompany the sultan to his grave. The Muslim okkil design (found in brassware, rooftops and even tomb stones) and the geometric designs on Muslim fabrics and mats, developed out of the Islamic taboo against figural representation. Muslim Filipinos, like Mohammedans everywhere, are forbidden by the Koran to make any Samal grave markers Maranao brass bed image of Allah and of all living things The forms of animals,‘flowers, and plants have to be abstracted if thej are to be used by the Muslim crafts man. The open, angular cut at the end of projecting housebeams are said to represent the wide-open jaws of the crocodile. Designs suggesting fem lea: and serpent skin are often found ir the malong (Maranao wrap-around and the langkit (cloth belts). Other objects in the exhibit in eluded a Mangyan blowgun, Batat bracelets, a Tausog hand-painted bam boo screen, a Darangan warrior’! outfit, a T’boli bolo, a Yakan hand woven table runner and Bagobo beads The “Non-Christian Folk Art Exhibit’ at the Cafe Coquilla foyer, beside! providing a glimpse into the mores ol Philippine cultural communities showed the wealth of indigenous arl works in the islands. ‘HE REPUBLIC 1 September 1973 Page j

pages

7

Media