Republic of the Philippines

AURORA STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

Brgy. Zabali,3200 Baler, Aurora, Philippines

MODULE 1: PRINCIPLE OF INDIGENOUS CREATIVE CRAFTS

At the end of the lesson, the learner is able to:

1. Define indigenous materials

2. Explain the importance of indigenous materials
3. Distinguish the kinds of tools and materials used in making indigenous creative crafts

Explore

The Philippines' history is littered with examples of craftsmanship in various forms.

Filipinos have a natural urge to create, exemplifying the state of being completely immersed in
their craft and deriving delight and pride in their work. The Filipino craftsman dedicates his life
to his trade and to telling the Philippines' story, giving the country's true essence—its soul—to
the rest of the world.

Filipino craftsmen are able to make magnificent works of art that convey a thousand
stories about not only their lives but also the culture of their nation because to rich natural
resources. This clearly illustrates Filipino crafts that celebrate love and persistence in their
creations. Their deft hands and inventive minds demonstrate these abilities in their work.
Craftsmanship in the Philippines not only satisfies our senses, but each artwork reflects the
artists' love and active participation in perceiving, connecting, and enjoying the culture as well as
the creative manipulation of the things in the environment.

The Oxford Concise Dictionary defines "indigenous" as "born in a particular place." This
phrase, however, has a variety of meanings. However, the term "indigenous" can also apply to a
group of people who have lived in a place for thousands or hundreds of years (Cunningham &
Stanley, 2003). Indigenous peoples are the inheritors and practitioners of unique traditions and
ways of interacting with others and the environment. They've retained social, cultural, economic,
and political characteristics that set them apart from the dominant societies in which they live.

Who are Indigenous People?

Several contemporary definitions are offered to highlight the complex problem of

defining "indigenous peoples." Indigenous Peoples are defined as follows in the Indigenous
Peoples' Rights Act (IPRA), or Republic Act No. 8371 of the Philippines:

Main Office: Barangay Zabali, Baler, Aurora president@ascot.edu.ph

Manila Office: #13 Flores De Mayo St., SFDM, Quezon City www.ascot.edu.ph
 Republic of the Philippines

AURORA STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

Brgy. Zabali,3200 Baler, Aurora, Philippines

Indigenous Peoples/Indigenous Cultural Communities (IP/ICC) are a collection of people who

share common links of language, customs, traditions, and other distinctive cultural qualities, and
who have occupied, possessed, and used a land under claims of ownership since time
immemorial. These terms shall also or alternatively refer to homogeneous societies identified by
self-ascription and ascription by others, who have continuously lived as a community on
community-bounded and defined territory, sharing common bonds of language, customs,
traditions, and other distinguishing cultural traits, and who have, through resistance to political,
social, and cultural inroads of colonization.

ICCs/IPs shall also include peoples who are considered indigenous due to descent from the
populations who inhabited the country at the time of conquest, colonization, or the establishment
of current state boundaries, and who retain some or all of their own social, economic, cultural,
and political institutions, but who may have been displaced from their traditional domains or who
may have been displaced from their traditional domains.

Importance of Indigenous Materials

 Preserves each indigenous community's culture.
 Provides a source of income for the Filipino people.
 This also contributes to the country's foreign earnings.
 It promotes our cultural heritage by utilizing indigenous materials.
 Handicraft products demonstrate a person's creativity and expansive imagination.
 Producers of raw materials will be encouraged to produce more.

Tools
1. Abaca
Abaca is native to the Philippines and is one of the country’s 35 fibercrops. It is
considered as the “strongest natural fiber in the world”. Crafts include handbags, hats,
shoes, slippers, lamps, carpets, accessories, decorations, clothing, furniture, and
wallcoverings, textiles.
2. Rattan
Rattan, yantok in Filipino term, is a long and slender climbing plant, whose sheaths are
protected by its spines that play a major role in supporting the rattan as it grows on other
plants in the forests.
Some examples of rattan crafts are baskets, hats, wall décor, ash trays, picture frames,
sofa sets, TV racks, cabinets, and other articles and furniture for home use.
Main Office: Barangay Zabali, Baler, Aurora president@ascot.edu.ph

Manila Office: #13 Flores De Mayo St., SFDM, Quezon City www.ascot.edu.ph
 Republic of the Philippines

AURORA STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

Brgy. Zabali,3200 Baler, Aurora, Philippines

3. Bamboo
This is the art of making usable products out of bamboos. Bamboos are used in
building bahay kubo (nipa hut), furniture, house furnishings such as hangers, trays,
dividers, lamp shades, and many different kinds of useful articles at home.
4. Coconut Shell
The art of producing articles from coconut shells. After coco meat is scraped from the
shells, they are cleaned and cut into various shapes to be used in making articles like
buttons, brooches, table lamps, dippers, buckles, and others. Another product of coconut
shell craft is the coco necklace.
5. Buri
Buri is the most common palm found in the country, Philippines.
The leaf is the most significant part of the Buri palm. The petiole produces the so-called
“buntal” fiber of which many crafts are made such hats, bags, and even ornaments. The
coarser fibers of young buds are spun to make ropes while the mature leaves are made for
covering tobacco bales, while the ribs are utilized for making brooms. hats, mats, cloth,
and bags.
6. Leather
Taxidermy, or the art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of animals, also
makes use of the skin of animals, but generally the head and part of the back are used.
Some examples of leather products are bags, shoes, jackets, coin purses, gloves, belts,
wallets, and others.

Main Office: Barangay Zabali, Baler, Aurora president@ascot.edu.ph

Manila Office: #13 Flores De Mayo St., SFDM, Quezon City www.ascot.edu.ph
 Republic of the Philippines

AURORA STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

Brgy. Zabali,3200 Baler, Aurora, Philippines

Assignment

Locate in the Philippine map the different IP groups and the different IP organizations

Tribes of Palawan
Lumad tribes
Negritos of Luzon
Tribes of Panay
Mangyan
Badjao
The aeta tribes
Ati tribes / and Tumanduk
The Igorots
Caraballo Tribes
Dumagats
Ifugao
Cordillera Peoples
Tingguian Yapayao
Gaddang Ikalahan Isinai
The Negrito
Visayas The “Manyan” People
Mangyan of Mindoro
Mindanao Lumad
The Moro or Muslim Groups

References

Agcaoli, R. (2021) Introduction to Indigenous creative crafts. Retrieve August 27, 2021 from
https://www.scribd.com/document/471814112/I-Introduction-to-Indigenous-Creative-Crafts-
docx

Main Office: Barangay Zabali, Baler, Aurora president@ascot.edu.ph

Manila Office: #13 Flores De Mayo St., SFDM, Quezon City www.ascot.edu.ph