Lukay Art in The Philippines Cebus Pride

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Lukay Art in the Philippines: Cebu’s Cultural Pride and
Unique Ritual Identity
Designed after the KPUP Model of Instruction
Reynaldo B. Inocian
Author
1
Foreword
The ethnic culture of Cebu seems to have been totally obliterated by

Western borrowings. But here and there, one catches fleeting glimpses of our
pre-Hispanic past. A case in point is the “puso”. It is such a common sight as
to be easily taken for granted. Equally at home in canteens as on sidewalk
stalls, in informal office gatherings as in beach huts, it seems to have been
expressly designed with convenience in mind. Yet few people know that the
“puso” originated as a ritual object intimately for associated with the animist
religion of the pre-Hispanic Cebuanos. Surprisingly, the rituals are still being
practiced by a small community in Taptap, one of the highland barangays of
cosmopolitan Cebu City. Each “puso” design is an intricate example of the
native weaver’s craft. And, like many other indigenous skills, “puso”-making
is in great danger of being forgotten. Hence, the CNU Museum has deemed it
necessary to document the process of weaving the various designs, as
explained in this monograph by a son of Taptap.
Dr. Romola O. Savellon

Former Curator, CNU Museum
2
Acknowledgement
For more than a decade of tedious ethnographic work, the writing of

this manuscript demands a tedious yet; careful authentication of the declining
animist palm-leaf culture of Cebuano art heritage. With painstaking effort
and support of the village folks who are my subjects in the study, words of
gratitude are enough for the contribution they extended in the completion of
the study. To my colleagues (Gerome, Genara, Natty, Elena, Raffy) in the
Social Sciences department of the College of Arts and Sciences in Cebu
Normal University, who continually give incessant inspirations for the
completion of this noble work, may our tribe increase. Special indebtedness
to Dr. Romola Ouano-Savellon, former curator of the CNU museum, for her
unwavering writing mentorship, and for the bonding and joy that my family
afforded: Laliene, my wife, my children: Mary Rheyhanne, Mary Larhyelle,
and Marionrey Paul. This work is dedicated most specially to my late father,
Paulino, who was once a ritual shaman.
To God Almighty, Be the Glory!
Reynaldo
3
Table of Contents
Foreword 2
Acknowledgement 3
List of Contents 4
Introduction 5- 23
Unit I: Five Dimensions of Lukay Art 24
Chapter 1: Replication of Nature’s Beauty 25-51
Chapter 2: Perceived Utilitarianism 52-75
Chapter 3: Games and Play 76-87
Chapter 4: Self-esteem, Self-glorification and Pride 88-101
Chapter 5: Religiosity and Rituals 102-123
Unit II: Ethnography of Puso-making in Cebu 124

Chapter 6: The Origin of Puso 125-140
Chapter 7: The 6 Designs of Puso and the Braiding Intricacies 141-171
Chapter 8: The Processes in Puso Preparation 172-189
Work Cited 189-193
4
Introduction
Lukay Art is one form of traditional art in the Philippines with which
early Sugbu-anons (Cebuanos) were engaged long time ago but records of
which were chronicled by Spanish missionaries and friars at the middle of the
15th to 17th century in the Visayan group of islands. The fringes and
shorelines of these islands are known for the variety of tropical coconuts
known as “Cocos nucifera”, “lubi” in Bisaya, “niyog” among the Tagalogs,
on which this art is dependent on. This art not only widens their imagination,
but it also stirs their psyche to uplift their emotions, symbolic of their
existence and experience with Mother Nature. According to the accounts of
Antonio Pigafetta, a nobleman from Venice, who boarded in one of
Magellan’s five ships when they arrived in Visayas, attested that:
"Coconuts are the fruit of the palm trees. And as we have bread and wine, oil
and vinegar, so they get all these things from the said trees… With two of
these palm trees, a whole family of ten can sustain itself, the coconut trees
last for a hundred years"
This account validates our claim on the abundance of this agricultural

crop in the Philippine islands, like the Visayas. The different uses of the
coconuts are still prevalent in the modern days more especially in the far-
flung areas of the country. Cebu, as one of the tropical groups of islands in
the Visayas, where several pieces of lukay art designs were found, was
believed to have religious and ritual origin of this indigenous craft. This book
also features the critical analysis of the works of Elmer Nochesada’s Palm
5
Leaf Art of the Philippines and the writer’s Monograph on “Puso as a Ritual
Object”. These works were exhibited during the annual celebration of the
GSK (Gabii sa Kabilin), “A Night for Heritage”, that coincides the
celebration of the National Heritage Month as well as the International
Museum Month during every month of May as shown in the tarp below.
Sourced from the CNU Museum Tarp Exhibit, May 2012
With K to 12 as the concurrent curriculum launched by the Department

of Education (DepEd), more emphasis is given with the use of primary and
secondary sources for teaching “Araling Panlipunan”, (Social Studies) in
Grade 7. With this compelling reason, this book is intentionally prepared for
such a great need for the discussion of topics on: early cultural beliefs of the
Filipinos as one of the major topics in AP; palm weaving art in the Visayas
found in the discussion in Music, Art, Physical Education, and Health,
(MAPEH) in the aforementioned grade; and the community values where this
art was commonly practiced. Through this book, the great needs of the Social
Studies, MAPEH, and Values Education teachers are thoroughly addressed in
6
the field, not only in Central Visayas but also in the other regions in the
country, and other culture and arts enthusiasts in the global community. What
is written in italic form in the standards for music and art in the basic
education are the competencies that need in-depth curricular enhancement
through the use of this book.
Grade Level Standards for K to 12 for Music and Art
Kindergarten The demonstrates appreciation with the beauty of nature, the
different art forms (music, dance, drama and visual arts),
evaluates music, dance, drama and visual arts, uses a variety of
materials, tools, techniques and processes in the arts (music,
dance, drama and visual art) in its simplest way.
Grade 1 The learner demonstrates the basic understanding of the
fundamental processes in music and art, through performing,
creating, observing, and responding.
Grade 2 The learner demonstrates the basic and fundamental processes
in music and art, through performing, creating, listening, and
responding.
Grade 3 The learner has acquired the basic and fundamental processes
through performing, creating, listening and observing, and
responding towards the development of appreciation of music
and art, and the acquisition of basic knowledge and skills.
Grade 4 Through the formal introduction of elements, the learner can
identify the basic knowledge and skills in music and art,
towards self-development, the celebration of Filipino cultural
identity and diversity, and the expansion of one’s world vision.
7
Grade 5 Through exploration, the learner demonstrates a deeper
understanding of knowledge and skills in music and art,
towards self- development, the celebration of Filipino
cultural identity and diversity, and the expansion of one’s
world vision.
Grade 6 Through application, the learner demonstrates understanding
of the basic concepts and processes in music and art, towards
self-development, the celebration of Filipino cultural identity
and diversity, and the expansion of one’s world vision.
Grade 7 The learner demonstrates basic understanding of the
fundamental processes of music and art through performing,
creating, listening and observing, and responding towards
appreciation of the cultural richness of the different
provinces of the Philippines.
Grade 8 The learner demonstrates understanding of salient features of
Asian music and art, through appreciation, analysis, and
performance of self-development, the celebration of Filipino
cultural identity and diversity, and the expansion of one’s
world vision.
Grade 9 The learner demonstrates understanding of the salient features
of Western music and art from different historical periods,
through appreciation, analysis, and performance of self-
development, the celebration of Filipino cultural identity and
diversity, and the expansion of one’s world vision.
Grade 10 The learner demonstrates understanding of salient features of
8
contemporary music and art, through appreciation, analysis,
and performance, for self-development, the celebration of
Filipino cultural identity and diversity, and the expansion of
one’s world vision.
K to 12 Curriculum Guide – version as of January 31, 2012 Adapted by
Department of Education
This book is definitely aligned as a valuable material for Art in the

Visayas intended for Grade 7, as a component for the MAPEH. The learning
competencies of these standards are re-aligned in all the 8 chapters of this
book, with the fervent wish that both teachers and students in Art for Grade 7
may find excitement in learning through this material.
Content Content Performance Learning

Standards Standards Competencies
Art Gr.7 – UNIT 2
Arts of Mindoro, The Learner… The Learner... The Learner...
Palawan, other
Luzon Island demonstrates creates an analyzes art
Provinces, and the an artwork elements (color,
Visayas understandin showing line, shape, etc.)
Elements of Art g of art the and principles
Line elements and characteris (texture,
Shape and processes by tic proportion,
Form synthesizing elements of emphasis,
Value and applying the arts of harmony etc.) in
9
Color prior Mindoro, the production
Texture knowledge Palawan, of art and crafts
and skills other identifies
Principles of Art demonstrates Luzon characteristics
Rhythm understandin Island of arts and
Balance g of salient Provinces crafts in specific
Emphasis features of and the areas in

arts and Visayas Mindoro,
Harmony
crafts of Palawan, other
Variety
Mindoro, Island Provinces
Movement
Palawan, and the Visayas
Proportion
other Luzon
Unity
island reflects on and
Process
provinces and derives the
Drawing and
the Visayas mood, idea, or
Painting
by correlating message
Sculpture and
art elements emanating from
Assemblage
and processes selected artwork
among determines the
culturally effectiveness of
diverse artwork by
communities evaluating its
in the country utilization and
combination of
art elements and
10
principles
evaluates the
effectiveness of
mood, idea, or
message as
depicted by the
visual image in
the artwork
traces the
external
(foreign) and
internal
(indigenous)
influences that
are reflected in
an artwork or in
the making of a
craft or artifact
creates crafts
that can be
locally
assembled with
local materials,
guided by local
11
traditional
techniques
uses artwork to
derive the
traditions/histor
y of a community
(e.g. landscapes,
images of people
at work and
play, portrait
studies, etc)
correlates the
development of
crafts in specific
areas of the
country,
according to
functionality,
traditional
specialized
expertise, and
availability of
resources (e.g.
pottery,
12
weaving,
jewelry, baskets)
correlates
Philippine art to
Philippine
culture,
traditions, and
history (Islamic
influences,
Spanish
heritage,
American
legacies in
education,
business,
modernization,
and
entertainment
indigenous
practices,
fiestas, religious
and social
practices
K to 12 Curriculum Guide – version as of January 31, 2012 Adapted by
Department of Education
13
While the arts competencies in the Senior High School are still to be
conceptualized, Corpuz (2013) expounds that under the Arts track, courses on
Overview: Philippine Culture and Arts, Entrepreneurship in the Arts and
Crafts, and Indigenous Arts are to be offered by virtue of Republic Act
10533, otherwise known as the Enhanced Education Act of 2013, signed last
May 15, 2013. With this development, this book on Lukay Art in Central
Visayas has shown a potential prospect.
Overview: Phil. Introduction to

Entrepreneurship in
Culture and Arts Applied Arts and
the Arts and Crafts
(PRE-COLONIAL) design
Choose one: Music,

Introduction to Arts- Dance,
based Courses and Film/Media/IT, Visual
Careers Arts, Indigenous Art,
Theater Writing
Sourced from Corpuz (2013) PAFTE Visayas Convention
As regards with the competencies of the humanities offered in the

tertiary education, CHED Memorandum Order, Series 1995 provides one of
the cognates of the Bachelor in Interior Design Education, the course entitled
“”History of the Philippine Art” offered in three units. This course is designed
to expose students to the art culture through a survey of this development
from the ancient to the present.
14
Likewise, this book will also be used as a reference guide of the 6 unit
humanities courses offered in the General Education (GE) in the College of
Teacher Education Curriculum under CMO 30, Series of 2004. The course
aims to give students an appreciation of the various forms of arts, cinema,
theatre, architecture, and literature, and principles underlying these arts forms.
The looping and the interlacing of the strips while weaving the different
designs would give enough space for prospective teachers to appreciate the
distinct cultural practices of the Filipinos more especially in the Visayas
group of islands.
Under CMO 30, Series of 2006, Policies and Standards of the Tourism
profession provides the course entitled “Heritage Tourism” that provides
understanding of the concepts of cultural heritage tourism theory, practice,
history, terminology and current issues of cultural heritage and tourism
planning and manpower will be examined. Furthermore, the course
description also provides a basic survey of culture and heritage components,
motives, and behaviors of heritage tourist attraction (museums, arts,
festivals/events, urban/rural areas and landscapes), interpretation economics
and policies will also be discussed.
Within the same CMO cited above, one of the courses the author has
identified in the Tourism profession is “World Tourism Geography and
Culture” offered in three units. This course will equip the students with
comprehensive knowledge of world tourist attractions, mountains, lakes/seas/
15
climates, flora and fauna, the festivals, cultures and arts, cuisine and
delicacies, political structures and subdivisions, religious orientations through
the different international and domestic gateways. One of the competencies of
this course is the understanding of the differences between the Philippines in
terms of political structure, culture, history, religion, education, festivals,
tourist attraction, international and domestic gateways, cuisines and
delicacies. With this competency, this book is desired to be more useful.
With this Higher Education mandate regulating the tourism industry of

the country, it is our great pride for our students in tourism to appreciate this
unique cultural heritage before they will become professional tourist guides,
travel agents, resorts owners and managers. When tourists from all over the
world visit the Visayas, then puso-making becomes a show-window in
uplifting our unique assertion for glocalization (thinking local and then
promoting global) instead of being succumbed with the snares of
globalization.
The Writer’s Point of View
Being a former curator of the Cebu Normal University museum and a

former Vice-President and one of the former members of the Board of
Directors of the Visayas Association of Museum and Galleries, Incorporated,
(VAMGI) for Central Visayas, I am actively involved in heritage preservation
with great pride. It is my advocacy that due to the advent of massive
technology advancement and modernization, cultures in the past started to
16
dwindle and before this will be doomed to oblivion, there is great need for its
preservation. Our job in the museum institution is primarily research and
documentation as a way to preserve both the tangible and the intangible
heritage of our place. That is precisely what I intended, indeed in this book
for more than a decade, with high hopes that this would be given a public
recognition and wider dissemination through global publication.
As a son of Barangay Taptap in the upland village of Cebu City, I was

a living witness of the unique farm ritual of “puso” (rice pouch) used as a
ritual object for thanksgiving during harvest times, life’s events, and petitions
for better life. Being exposed to upland work during my elementary years, I
was familiar with the unique cultural practices of the farm where common
rituals are used. My family, then back in time, was one of those upland
farmers who practiced the said tradition. Before my father died, he was a
devout “mamumutang” (ritual petitioner) and a “mananampit” (local shaman)
and prepared the various food offerings for farm rituals. Together with his co-
shamans and others, who had the interest to become future shamans too,
performed the rituals with me and the rest of the village folks as primary
observers. I started to wonder about this practice until the rest of my college
years. I did not know that it was animistic but; one thing for sure, it was a
celebration that I frequently yearned to go back home to bond with relatives
and friends.
The entire ceremony was a solemn one; we were not allowed to talk
while the ritual went on, the rest of the children just watched and waited when
17
the ritual was over in order to eat the food on the banquet table. The entire
ritual proceedings started with the preparation of the needed food offerings,
the materials used, and the specific shaman to officiate the ritual. These three
requirements would depend on the kind of intentions or thanksgiving the
upland families would like to celebrate. The primary materials to be used
were all made of indigenous items like: banana leaves, newly cut woods,
durable vines as binders, and newly drifted bamboo strips, which are the basic
materials to construct the “lantay” (indigenous banquet table). Once finished,
it was embellished with curtains of fresh fronds of coconut leaves at the four
sides towards the tail end in opposite directions that would resemble like a
shape of a boat.
The boat-shape table signifies journey in the ritual – the astral

transition of spirit of nature or if not the souls of departed love ones to partake
the ceremony together with the living in order to achieve harmony with nature
and social order. Both tail-ends were decorated with two white flag-lets that
symbolized purity of intentions, harmony with spirits of nature and the
heathens of the underworld. In Southeast Asia, according to Scharer (1963) in
Manguin (2001), expounded that:
“Many aspects of boat burial practices may be linked to the

quasi-universal belief in psycho-pomp boats as vehicles needed
for the souls to travel to the other world. However, at such a
crucial stage, individuals and society need reassuring and the
universal order is then clearly expressed. This ship of the dead,
18
or flying ship as it is often termed, whether the coffin proper or
a small model used in rituals, is loaded with cosmic symbols :
being associated with the celestial hornbill and the chthonian
snake, the tree of life and houses, it is also a representation of
the encompassing cosmological sphere”.
Manguin (2001) also added that within this sphere, at a lower

hierarchical level, one also finds the now familiar statement about social
order. The metaphor of the boat represents the house or the (boatload) of the
entire family or community for that matter wholeheartedly offered rituals to
appease the spirits of nature to be united with its grand design of harmony
through food offerings.
To prepare the food offering, the pig or any other domesticated animal
is butchered, cleaned-up, cooked without salt, and mixed with “ashuete or
achiote” (Bixa orellana) which served as a natural aesthetic that provides
natural coloring and “herba buena” or marsh mint (Mentha cordifolia) as
natural aromatic flavour. Occasionally, the “tanglad” or lemon grass
(Andropogon Citratus), for its substitute, then “sangig” or sweet basil plant
(Ocimum basilicum) is basically used when a native chicken is cooked for the
ritual. Other essential parts of the offering are the dozens of boiled eggs,
pieces of “buyo” or betel pepper (Piper Betel L), “bunga” or betel nut (Areca
catechu), “apog” (lime) is a calcium oxide taken from the burnt empty valves
of shell intended for the “mama” for Cebuanos, which Jocano (1998) calls it
as “nganga” for the Tagalogs (prepared betel leaves, areca nut, and lime for
19
social chewing), and “tinustos” (cigar) originally made out of dried tobacco
(Nicotiana tabacum) leaves.
Most of these natural herbs mentioned in the preparation of the puso

ritual are mostly endemic plants in the Philippines with medicinal values.
These herbs are recognized in the list of the medicinal plants in the
Philippines as published by the Filipino Herbs Healing Wonders, advocacy
group who believes in the power of alternative medicine from 2004 to 2013.
This implies that the shamans preconceived the holiness of the entire
preparation before the actual ritual ceremonies.
Once this preparation is done, the banquet table will have to be

prepared out of indigenous materials like wooden peg, strips of bamboos,
fresh vines, and fresh coconut fronds. All of these are to be constructed with
“bayanihan” spirit of the people in the village. The constructed table must be
in a boat shape formation following the belief that the ritual is a journey
between the living and the spirits of the underworld.
Food offerings such as: bunches of cooked puso in elaborate designs,

dozens of boiled eggs, boiled whole chickens, cups of chocolates, dozens of
cigars, glasses of “tuba” or coconut wines, betel nuts with lime, and the
different cooked foods without salt are placed on the table ready for the
entire ceremony. Nobody is permitted to talk while the ceremony went on.
The shaman starts the ceremony with the use of burning incense for the
smoke to spread in all parts of the ritual table. He invited all the spirits to
20
commune with the offering and ask to grant the request of the family whom
that he was tasked to go between. Request would vary such as: asking for
abundant harvest, healing the sick, good health, protection from other forms
of evil, and thanksgiving for abundant harvest, income, success in business,
profession, and in family life.
These requests were similar with the reasons of most sacrifices

intended in the “pagdiwata” in Cebuano or “mag-aanito” among the Tagalogs
(a system of idolatry), which Jocano (1998) enumerated such as: (1) recovery
of a sick person; (2) prosperous voyage of those embarking for sea travel; (3)
a good harvest from the sowed lands; (4) a propitious result in wars; (5)
successful delivery in childbirth; and (6) a happy union in married life. Jocano
further added that for the wealthy families, these religious festivities would
last often for thirty days celebration. As regards to the ritual in mountain
villages of Cebu, the entire celebration would last for a day usually determine
by the local shaman to be officiated the “mananampit”.
Among the Visayans, as reflected in the Boxer Coder of 1590 as

Jocano (1998) cited “a woman who wished to become pregnant raised pigs ...
delicately, giving them to eat food of the most palatable sort available and
from that time on dedicates them for sacrifice at birth to the “anito: (idols) ...
because such faith would make them pregnant”. In line with the “puso”
ritual, the family prepare to raise also a pig or chicken intended for the yearly
ceremony.
21
The “mananampit” is designated to conduct the ritual and ask for a sign
when to end the ceremony. When he sensed untoward signs then, ritual still
has to go on, but if there is none, then the ritual is ended. The observers are
asked to be quiet while they are given the food to partake in the banquet. The
banquet table would remain for one week before it will be dismantled because
the head of the family would still provide the burning of incense around it to
ensure the proper observance of the entire ritual as advised by the shaman.
How does Lukay Art flourish?
The flourishing trade relations of the Indian, Arab, and Chinese traders
and the early Filipinos during the Shri Vijayan Empire in Southeast Asia had
heavily influenced the culture of the “BISAYA”, the natives of the Visayas,
which comprises the coralline islands of Negros, Panay, Cebu, Tablas, and
Ticao, the strips of coral reefs Samar, Leyte, Masbate, Siquijor, Bohol,
Biliran, Guimaras. Some provinces of Mindanao such as: Davao,
Zamaboanga, Sulu, and Misamis were also spotted to have the practice of
puso-weaving. Cebu being at the center of these islands had remarkably
espoused the culture of “lukay” art across centuries ago, which relatively
spread all throughout the peripheral boundaries of the region.
The people in Cebu who are popularly known as the Sugbu-anons were
the natives who settled in the villages of the lowlands and the fringes of the
hills in the uplands of “Sugbu”, the old name of Cebu, which means “sug” or
“river current”, before the arrival of the Spanish colonizers in 1521. The
22
island was known as “Zebu”, which means “grease”, according to the
accounts of Pedro Murillo Velarde, “Historia de la Provincia de Pilipinas de
la Compaña de Jesus”, 1749 and Casimio Diaz, “Conquesta de las Islas
Filipinas, 1890 in Insurrections by Filipinos in the seventeenth Century in
(Blair and Robertsons 38:87-91).
A conjecture is inferred that the Hindu Malayan or Chinese traders

influenced the social ideals, cultural traditions and practices of the early
Sugbu-anons. But, one thing for sure, the traditions for “puso-making”,
reflect for an industry which mirrors a unique Cebuano ingenuity, their
superstitious beliefs, social life, economic struggle, and reverence to nature. It
was an activity performed in ceremonial celebrations in victory, harvesting,
planting, weddings, birthdays, baptisms, and burials, vis-à-vis its economic
dependency and paramount importance for survival.
23
Unit I
The Five Dimensions of Lukay Art
"He who plants a coconut tree plants food and drink, vessels and clothing, a
home for himself and a heritage for his children"
- South Seas saying
(Source: http://www.google.com.ph/search?hl=en&client=firefox-
a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-
US%3Aofficial&channel=np&q=pictures+of+coconut+plantations&oq=pictures+of+coc
onut+plantations&aq=f&aqi=g-
K1&aql=&gs_l=serp.12..0i30.1144334.1151983.0.1154291.35.21.1.5.5.4.356.3795.4j9j5j
3.21.0...0.0.mJ80EdAje80)
As gleaned on the quotation above, it is an undeniable fact that there

are many uses of coconuts. This tropical palm becomes a heritage in itself.
The “lukay” art would not become possible without the leaves of this palm.
As a critical analysis of the Elmer Nocheseda’s “Palm Leaf Art in the
Philippines”, this writer has seen five different dimensions of “lukay” art as
exemplified in the first five chapters of this book. These dimensions include
among others: replication of nature’s beauty, perceived utilitarianism, games
and play, self-glorification, self-esteem and pride, and religiosity and rituals.
24
Chapter I
Replication of Nature’s Beauty
“My profession is to always find God in nature”.
- Henry David Thoreau
(Source:
http://www.google.com.ph/search?q=pictures%20of%20cebu%27s%20mountains&ie=utf-
8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&source=hp&channel=np)
Demonstrates understanding of salient features of arts

Content Standards and crafts of Mindoro, Palawan, other Luzon island
provinces and the Visayas by correlating art elements
and processes among culturally diverse communities in
the country
25
Performance Creates an artwork showing the characteristic elements
Standards of the arts of Mindoro, Palawan, other Luzon Island
Provinces and the Visayas
Learning Uses artwork to derive the traditions/history of a
Competency community (e.g. landscapes, images of people at work
and play, portrait studies, etc)
Learning Objectives 1. Identify the topographic descriptions of the different
designs of Lukay Art.
2. Appreciate the Lukay art designs that replicated
nature through actual weaving.
3. Weave sample designs replicating the beauty of
nature.
Learning Task No. 1 (Buzz Session)
1. Show a video clip or still picture about nature and ask:

x How do you describe nature?
x What does nature provide to us?
x How do you regard nature?

2. Read the text below with focus and appreciation.
The picture embedded at the beginning of this chapter shows the

topographic landscape of the highland portion of Cebu province known as the
26
Cordillera Central (Interior Range) of the entire island. To Fenner (1985), this
mountain range runs the length of the island from north-south direction and is
covered with thick layer of tropical hardwood trees with limited arable lands
and long coastlines both in the east and in the west. This is covered with
tropical palms (cocos nucifera) from the coastlines to its fringes.
This range serves as a haven of peace for the early Sugbu-anons with
their flourishing farm rituals that they practiced as a form of animistic
tradition. Such animism of the Filipinos in the olden times was validated by
the accounts of Fr. Juan de Placencia, OSF, in Blair and Robertson 7: 186,
189, attested that:
“Among their many idols there was one called Badhala, who
they especially worshiped…. They also worshiped the sun,
which, on account of its beauty, is almost universally respected
and honored by heathens. They worshiped, too, the moon,
especially when it was new, at which time they held great
rejoicings, adoring it and bidding it welcome. Some of them also
adored the stars…. They paid reverence to water-lizards called
by them buaya, or crocodiles, from fear of being harmed by
them. They were even in the habit of offering these animals a
portion of what they carried in their boats, by throwing it into
the water, or placing it upon the bank”.
27
A similar account of Jocano (1998) complemented “celestial bodies
were also among those which pre-colonial Filipinos worshipped: the sun, the
moon, the stars, the clouds and the winds”. This belief is central to their
worship of the divine “Bathala”, the divine spirit, who is very remote and
hard to reach and the only way to communicate with Him is through the
“anitos” (idols) in a form of “likha” (statuaries). As Jocano further added
that:
“these heavenly and natural phenomena were endowed with

spirits that are said to have actively participated in the life of
the people, for example, if properly appeased, the spirits of the
clouds brought rain; the spirit of the sun brought sunshine,
which made the plants grow; the spirits of the moon and the
stars regulated the seasonal changes and caused fertility
among women; and the spirit of the wind brought comfort to
the people”.
Though, this form of worship is common in the lowlands where marsh

lands, rivers and shorelines are found among farmers, fishermen, and locals.
Typical with this account is the animist practices of the early Sugbuanons in
the upland areas of the island. The early Sugbuanons showed reverence and
respect for the divinity of nature as exemplified by the elaborate designs of
“lukay” art published by Elmer Nocheseda in his book “Palaspas: An
Appreciation of the Palm Leaf art of the Philippines”. We believe that nature
is the source of life. Thus, we often call her “Mother Earth”, where most of
28
our needs are sourced from. The early Sugbuanons were dependent on it as
they worked in the farm for their food. It is with the same nature that they had
to give indisputable indulgence.
Learning Task No. 2 (Brainstorming)
1. The class is divided into five teams.

2. Each team is expected to challenge each members to answer the following
guides questions:
x Why did early Filipinos engage in animism based on the accounts of Fr.
Juan de Placencia?
x If given a chance to be a part of their animistic practices before, which
animals in nature do you adore? Why?
x What significance did animism bring to the life of the early Filipinos
before the arrival of the Spaniards?
x What replication of nature would you think the best depiction in your
Lukay art then back in time?
It is the goal of this chapter that students would use artwork to derive
the traditions/history of a community (e.g. landscapes, images of people at
work and play, portrait studies, etc). With the illustration of different objects
of nature, they can imagine what kind of lifestyle or work the Cebuanos had
in the past. They can also relate what kind of topography the province of
Cebu and the rest of her peripheral islands in the Visayas have for the
realization of this unique form of art.
29
Learning Task No. 3 (Critical Analysis)
1. Study the 17 designs of Lukay Art that replicated Nature’s Beauty and
answer the following questions:
x Which topographic feature in the Visayas and Mindanao where each of
these designs are reflected from?
Lukay Art Topographic Descriptions of the Place

Designs
1. Isda-isda
2. Love Birds
3. Binituon
4. Manuk-manok
5. Ibun-ibon
6. Rosas-rosasan
7. Tamu
Tinumpi
8. Minais
9. Buyung
Kambing
10. Malaking
Ibon
11. Tipaklong
12. Lahi-lahipan
30
13. Sinawa
14. Tamu-
kambing
15. Kidlat
16. Binaki
17. Manan-aw
x What implications can we draw out regarding these topographic

descriptions in relation to the Lukay art in the Visayas and Mindanao?
x How do you describe the mood of the Cebuanos before when they
started weaving these designs?
Isda-isda or fish-like (sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
31
The fisherman’s imagination of a school of fish, during his fishing
experiences, is explicitly shown in woven form to his children. This design is
typical among the shoreline and fishing villages in the province of Cebu and
other neighboring islands. There are many symbolisms of fish. In Buddhism,
fish symbolizes happiness and freedom. For the Christians, fish is a symbol
of abundance and faith. For the Greco-Roman, fish is a symbolic meaning for
change and transformation. Among the Pagans, fish is regarded as a symbol
of fertility. Whichever symbolisms we believe from, one thing for sure we
believe that our life is connected with nature. It is our payback to gratify
nature and preserve for the next generation.
Love Birds (sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
The sweetness of chirping birds resting on a twig may instigate a feeling

of human passion and love. This is a reminder of two individuals who love
each other and promise for a lifetime commitment for married life with great
responsibility among their children.
32
Binituon or star-like (sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
The romantic evening experience under the sparkling stars exudes a

feeling of solitude and nostalgia, which only humans can exemplify through
the looping and bending of palm strips. The scene is an opportune time for
reflection and introspection of our life’s experiences that catapult us to move
for a bright direction.
33
Manuk-manok or chicken-like (sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
Our experience of a hen covering her chicks and keeping them from
danger reminds us of a mother’s care and protection for her children.
Motherly care and attention toward her children can never be ignored. Their
relationship with their children is a symbol of infinite bond that nobody can
separate them apart.
34
Ibun-ibon or bird-like (sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
Flying birds up in the sky symbolize human freedom in times of

oppression, emancipation in terms of decision making, and stillness in times
of distress. It is the unleashing of the spirit to find a comfortable space for
mobility.
35
Rosasrosan or roses-like (sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
The scent of roses in the garden stirs the feeling of warmth that
provokes one’s passion for endearment, intimacy, and love.
36
Tamu Tinumpi or starfish-like pouch among the Yakans in Basilan
(sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
The moment we see starfish on the shoreline, we are reminded about

life’s simplicity and contentment.
37
Mina-is or corn-like (sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
The sweetness of an ear of corn is symbolic of a farmer’s steadfastness

to hang on to life and continue earning a living for the family’s survival.
38
Buyung Kambing or goat-like testicles (sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
One of the most remarkable experiences of a shepherd’s life is how his

herd is protected. The goat’s testicles symbolize virility, power, and strength.
39
Malaking Ibon or Big Bird (sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
Though this bird is in isolation, this depicts such a readiness to fly to a

new place in search of food.
40
Tipaklong or grasshopper (sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
Green grasshoppers indicate fresh starts (new beginnings), as well as the

concepts of youth, rejuvenation, sentimentality, nature, adventure, growth and
health.
41
Lahilahipan or centipede (sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
These are nocturnal and fearsome creatures. In dreams, these represent

fears and worries that act as obstacles between us and our goals.
42
Sinawa or snake-like (sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
The snake is a phallic symbol of masculine authority and a feminine

symbol of nurturance, benevolence, and wise qualities in the olden concept of
the pagan fertility gods.
43
Tamu Kambing or Goat-like pouch (sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
Goats are anti-social in the family of rams, who respect distance and
space. They represent a high sense of independence in their adventures and
explorations for a personal search for meaning.
44
Kidlat or ligtning (sourced from Nocheseda, 2008)
Lightning connotes individual differences because this can never strike

at the same place. It is a symbol of one’s uniqueness or of one’s latent
individuality.
45
Binaki or Froglike (Inocian, 2000)
In human dreams, frogs symbolize spiritual and emotional

transformation. It reminds human transition or turning points from our
ordinary life to another level of life’s challenges. Frogs are always associated
to fertility and abundance.
46
Manan-aw or orchid (Inocian, 2000)
Caring of orchids is actually ancient custom in different cultures. It

symbolizes love, beauty, royalty, luxury, elegance, strength, perfection,
virility and fertility. Among the natives, they used these pouches for asking
very important favors like to conceive a child, strength in the marital vow,
obtaining perfection in one’s mission and the like.
Learning Task No. 4 (Hands-on Braiding)
1. Which of the 17 designs you like to weave? Why?

2. Use your palm strips and start to weave the design you selected.
3. Ask assistance from your classmate or teacher in helping you up in the
braiding or weaving process.
47
As a conclusion of this chapter, let us be reminded by Rachel Carlson
in Silent Spring “Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves
of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely
healing in the repeated refrains of nature -- the assurance that dawn comes
after night, and spring after winter.” As we continue to weave puso
replicating nature’s beauty – this is the poetry in motion that we gain strength
and submit ourselves in nature for ultimate security and Divine protection.
Learning Task No. 5 (Field-work)
1. Room around your locality, barangay, town, province, and region to

document other forms of Lukay art replicating the beauty of nature.
2. Get the details of the weaving process through interview, videotaping of
the actual weaving process of the weavers.
3. Highlight their weaving contributions in the community or society.
How I document my learning?
Activity No 1 (Knowledge)
Answer the Retrieval Chart provided below.

Questions Answers
1. Name the different designed of
48
lukay art that depicts replication of
nature’s beauty.
2. What are the purposes of each of

these designs?
Activity No 2 (Process)
1. Read again chapter one and test your mental skills.
2. Fill-out the comparative matrix below in getting information and making
inferences.
Generating Information Inferring Information
(This refers the process of lifting the (This refers to the implied
information from the given text in the information in a form of summary or
chapter) conclusion based from information
found in the given text in the chapter)
Example: Example:
The early Cebuanos create various The early Cebuanos are close to
designs of lukay based on what they nature.
like from nature.
49
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
Activity No 3 (Understanding)
Fill-in the UbD Chart provided below by answering the given questions.
Essential Questions on the 6 Facets Answers
of Understanding
1. Why people in the Visayas engaged

in Lukay Art before the arrival of the
Spaniards?
50
2. What were the implications of the
replication of nature’s beauty in
Lukay Art?
3. How can these different Lukay Art
designs in this chapter be promoted?
4. What would happen to the Lukay
Art in the Visayas if the Spaniards did
not arrive in the Philippines?
5. How do you feel if you were one of
the tribes in the Central Visayas who
engaged in Lukay Art when the
Spanish authorities instructed you to
stop its animistic tradition?
6. What is your personal reflection
about the replication of nature’s
beauty in Lukay Art?
Activity No 4 (Products & Performances)

A. Bring coconut fronds next meeting for the weaving of any of the rice
pouch discussed in this chapter.
B. Research other rice pouch designs or objects related to replication of
nature. Provide an authentic description on this artifact.
C. Plan for an exhibit of these designs.
51
Chapter II
Perceived Utilitarianism
"One of these nuts is a meal for a man, both meat and drink"
- Marco Polo
(Source:http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/coconut-palm-tree.html)

the country
Performance Creates an artwork showing the characteristic elements of
Standards the arts of Mindoro, Palawan, other Luzon Island
52
Learning Correlates the development of crafts in specific areas of
Competency the country, according to functionality, traditional
specialized expertise, and availability of resources (e.g.
pottery, weaving, jewelry, baskets)
Learning 1. Explain why Cebuanos engaged in Lukay Art weaving
Objectives for utilitarian purpose.
2. Appreciate the beauty of these designs through actual
weaving.
3. Weave sample designs that reflect perceived
utilitarianism.
Learning Task No. 1 (K-W-L Chart)

1. Show the picture of a coconut and guide the students to answer the
questions in the K-W-L Chart.
2. Divide the class into five teams in order to facilitate the task
What I know about the What I want about the What I will learn about
Coconuts? (Know) coconuts? (Want) the coconuts? (Learn)
53
It is often said that the coconut is considered a tree of life because there
are many uses of its parts. One of its parts used is the traditional “lukay”
(palm-leaf) art is its fronds – supple young strips essential in the interlacing
and braiding processes of this dwindling craft. The early Sugbu-anons loved
weaving “lukay” for functional purposes such as appreciation and necessity
for work and other forms of human services. These are primarily pouches,
nests, hats, trappings, and implements used for decorative purposes. Some of
these are used as containers of valuable objects in the absence of plastic bags,
baskets, and trays in the modern world.
Learning Task No. 2 (Synectics)
1. Synectics is a figurative and symbolic representation of an object or

something that purges a creative thinking of reality.
2. For instance, my mother is the sunlight that gives me joy during my
troubled moments. Sunlight is the representation of my mother’s guidance,
support, and assurance.
3. Give at least 3 syectics for the different uses of coconuts aside from what
is given.
Synectics Meaning
1. Coconut as a Tree of
Life.
2.
54
3.
4.
It is the goal of this chapter that students correlate the development of

crafts in specific areas of the country, according to functionality, traditional
specialized expertise, and availability of resources (e.g. pottery, weaving,
jewelry, baskets) in order to experience a touch of ethnicity and pride of their
own heritage. The selected designs in the (Nocheseda, 2009 & Inocian, 2002)
collections are carefully analyzed according to functionality and specialized
expertise of the weavers.
The students would imagine through these designs, the Cebuanos’

interest for beauty, order, safety and protection, and the assurance of after-
life. For beauty, they are weaving for flowers, and table skirts, and other
personal accessories. For order, they are weaving for containers, trays,
baskets, and nests for hens to lay their eggs. For safety and protection, they
are weaving for stools and chains. For the assurance of the afterlife, they are
weaving rice pouches for ritual purposes more prevalent in the mountain areas
of Taptap and Ga-as where the natives predominantly practice their “Harang
Festival” (a farm festival) in thanksgiving for bountiful harvests.
55
Learning Task No. 3 (Literature Circles)
1. The class is divided according to teams with 5 regular members.

2. Each of the 5 members is designated as a:
x Designer (who illustrates a new design for Lukay art related to a
specific utilitarian purpose)
x Line Catcher (finds interesting passages or quotations that stick out the
relevance of the design selected by the designer)
x Link Maker (makes connection of the passage or the quotation to real
life)
x Wonderer (thinks outside of the box and answer the “what if” questions
about the design)
x Reporter (summarizes the information generated among the rest of the
team for the actual presentation and explanation)
3. Reporting the Actual Design to the class.
56
Roses in Flower Vase as Decoration (Sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
This decoration enhances the beauty of a space that depicts nature’s

balance and simplicity.
57
Balu as container of Goods (sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
For framers harvesting their goods in the fields, “balu” is the most
immediately used container that can be available right away without the use
of money.
58
Binangkito (sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
This rice pouch exudes moment of leisure when farmers were resting
momentarily after their toil in the farm. They usually stay in their “payag”
(hut) and use the “bangkito” (stool) to sit on while eating or smoking before
they went back to the farm.
59
Kala (Sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
For enhancing one’s looks during especial occasions, rural folks used
“kala” for bracelets or belts. This accessory is typical among the adolescents
in the rural areas especially among women and children.
60
Kinulot (sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
In the “lantayan” (ritual banquet), the early Sugbu-anons decorated the

“lantay” (table) with natural skirting like the “kinulot” (kinky) design of table
skirts.
61
Kinurtina (Sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
This is another design for table skirting but the purpose of this is to
drape on the wide windows of typical rural houses when rituals are
performed.
62
Latigo or Whip (Sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
This lash was primarily woven as a tool to discipline erring children.

This obviously shows the autocratic relationship between parents and
children.
63
Talikala or Chain (Sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
Chains are symbolic of slavery, bondage, limitation, or restriction if we

view them negatively. Once viewed positively, this symbolizes an enduring
relationship through eternity, and infinity.
64
Silingkat or Tagakan” among the Bisaya (Fruit Tray) (Sourced from
Nocheseda, 2009)
A fruit tray symbolizes the togetherness and prosperity of a family. That

is why during New Year’s Eve, most families prepare this for a yearly
celebration – a wish for a bountiful harvest, health, and longevity.
65
Tsinelas or pair of slippers (Sourced from Nocheseda, 2008)
Slippers are commonly used as footwear for ordinary human functions.

They are used to protect the feet from harm.
66
Plato or Plate (Sourced from Nocheseda, 2008)
In every meal, it is a symbolic gesture to place food on a platter using

indigenous materials – the woven palm leaves.
67
Pito or Whistle (Sourced from Nocheseda, 2008)
A whistle is an instrument that produces sound primarily for the very

important purpose of reminding players to halt during a specific game or
event.
68
Rikrak or Decorative Patches (Sourced from Nocheseda, 2008)
These decorative patches were used as edgings of the reams and bottom
sides of the rice sacks, bags, and containers.
69
Binosaor Shot-glass (Sourced from Inocian, 2000)
These rice pouches resemble a wine-shot glass used primarily in a social

gathering. This represents a great rejoicing for a very important celebration of
a family’s achievement, victory, and thanksgiving.
70
Tinigib/Dumpol/Pudol or Chisel (Sourced from Inocian, 2000)
These rice pouches represent the carpenter’s passion for furniture

construction and building of houses. This reminds the essentiality of
carpenter’s labor and the satisfaction towards his craft. In closing, let us
reflect on Dave Rogers quotation “I am a bike enthusiast; there's a certain
amount of romance to bikes. They're both beautiful and utilitarian”. The
different designs of “puso” according to material objects depict what is useful
and good. The consequences of these designs become the basis on why these
have recognized since then and now. And this would still continue until we
71
consider the significance of “puso” in our culture.

document other forms of Lukay art on perceived utilitarianism.
Questions Answers

lukay art that depicts perceived
utilitarianism.

these designs?
72

inferences.

Example: Example:
like from nature.
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
73
5. 5.

of Understanding

in utilitarian Lukay Art?
2. What were the implications of

perceived utilitarianism in Lukay Art?

4. What would happen if we do not

engaged in utilitarian Lukay Art?
5. How do you feel if you engaged in
74
actual weaving of the utilitarian
Lukay Art?

about the perceived utilitarianism in
Lukay Art?

75
Chapter III
Games and Play
“Youth is happy because it has the capacity to see beauty. Anyone who keeps
the ability to see beauty never grows old.”
― Franz Kafka
(Source:VicenteManansala’s “LuksongTaga”/ http://pinoy-

games.blogspot.com/)

the country
76
Correlates Philippine art to Philippine culture,
Learning traditions, and history (Islamic influences, Spanish
Competency heritage, and American legacies in education, business,
modernization, and entertainment indigenous practices,
fiestas, religious and social practices).
Learning 1. Name sample designs in Lukay Art for games and
Objectives play.
2. Express one’s appreciation in Lukay Art through
actual weaving.
3. Create some sample designs for games and play.
Learning Task No. 1 (Verbal Retrospection)
1. What pleasant backyard memories you had in your childhood? Would you
mind sharing to us?
2. What games or play you engaged with your friends in the neighborhood?
3. How is that game played?
4. Does anyone use local materials like leaves as main objects in the game?
What are some of these objects used in the game?
77
What message does this portrait of Manansala embedded in this chapter
convey? Filipino children love play during their pastime or if not most of their
time, as a form of their social interaction among each other in the
neighborhood. Through games, they can express out their innermost feelings,
reactions, and opinions toward each other. Above all, they have fun and the
best company of one another, which we call (barkadahan) or peer association.
In the absence of PSP (Play Station Portable) and other computer

games in the past, children under the custody of their parents had fun with
fresh and perishable toys crafted mainly from supple coconut fronds. These
toys promoted weaving and braiding skills that enhanced the values of
discipline, focus, and patience.
Children developed a sense of pride in their finished toys and

experienced joy, comradeship, and unity the moment they engaged in the
actual game or play with these perishable toys. This art enhances the capacity
to see beauty and the power to intuit for possibilities to improve the quality of
life.
Learning Task No. 2 (Group Investigation)
1. Study the selected Lukay Art designs for games and play.
2. Investigate among your team members, the processes on how to play the
following local games using the:
x Kaliyakay
78
x Palabad
x Bola, and
x Elisi
3. Ask your barangay regarding these games.
4. Engage the actual weaving of these selected Lukay Art.
In this chapter, the students are expected to correlate Lukay Art as a

beautiful tapestry of Philippine art in relation to Philippine culture, traditions,
and history like the: Islamic influences, Spanish heritage, American legacies
in education, business, modernization, entertainment, indigenous practices,
fiestas, religious, and social practices. Through games and play, children in
the neighborhood are entertained with the weaving skills and the actual games
of the different indigenous toys carefully selected in this chapter with due
recognition to Elmer Nocheseda’s collection.
Learning Task No. 3 (Individual Innovation)
1. Design a unique Lukay Artwork for games and play aside from what are
presented in this chapter.
2. Illustrate the process of weaving and the mechanics on how these designs
are used in the actual game.
3. Identify the symbolisms of these designs.
79
Kaliyakay (Palabad in Cebuano) or Propeller (sourced from Nocheseda,
2009)
This is played by inserting any stick at the center of the propeller. Once
done, the individual child runs as fast as he or she could to spin the propeller.
This develops children’s agility and vigor.
80
Bola or Woven Ball (Sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
Before the onset of the synthetic and rubberized balls, children learned
from their parents the weaving of balls for the game of “Touch Ball”. This
game develops agility, focus, and sportsmanship.
81
Palabad (Sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
This resembles a fixed propeller used primarily as toys for the children
in the neighborhood. This enhances practical measurement, creativity, and
balance.
82
Elisi (Sourced from Nocheseda, 2008)
This is a decorative art that shows that once children could create a
dozen with sticks, they could also create a natural fan or a bunch of this as
flowers inside the vase.
In conclusion, Heraclitus reminded as that “time is a game played

beautifully by children.” How much time we allocate for weaving the palm
strips for games and play is worth it, vis-à-vis, we also feel like children.
83

document other forms of Lukay art on games and play.

Questions Answers

lukay art that depicts games and play.

these designs?
84
inferences.
Example: Example:
like from nature.
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
85
5. 5.
Activity No 3 Understanding
of Understanding

in Lukay Art through games and
play?

perceived games and play in Lukay
Art?


engage in Lukay Art through games
and play?
86
actual weaving of Lukay Art in games
and play?

about the games and play in Lukay
Art?
Activity No 4 Products & Performances


87
Chapter IV
Self-esteem, Self-glorification, and Pride
“You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and
the stars; you have a right to be here”.
- Desiderata
(Source: http://www.google.com.ph/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-
US%3Aofficial&channel=np&q=pictures+of+manny+pacquiao&oq=pictures+of+Manny+Pa&aq=0&aqi
=g2g-
K8&aql=&gs_l=serp.1.0.0l2j0i30l8.14394.42191.0.43943.91.43.18.6.10.12.266.5731.13j21j9.43.0...0.0.iktF
5ugEIA4)

the country
88
Learning Evaluates the effectiveness of mood, idea, or message
Competency as depicted by the visual image in the artwork
1. Interpret information why Cebuanos engaged in
Learning Objectives Lukay Art for self—glorification.
2. Express the importance of self-glorification and
pride through Lukay art.
3. Create sample Lukay Art designs for self-
glorification.
Learning Task No. 1 (Trivia)
1. Give me 3 boxers in our country that you know.

2. Who among them that you like best? Why?
3. What do these boxers provide for the greatest good of our country?
4. You are not a boxer, in what field that your country can be proud of you?
5. In what way in the past that Filipinos be pleased by the spirits of nature?
The picture embedded at the beginning of this chapter shows the

Filipinos’ intensity in shaping our national pride in the field of boxing. Manny
Pacquiao’s punches in all his fights represent such a great recognition of our
country from the rest of the world. Peculiar with this notion, early
Sugbuanons in the past had also shown similar practices through the use of
89
“lukay” art by symbolizing any part of their human body to please the
“anitos” (idols) and other forces of nature controlled by “Bathala” (divine
spirit) for granting of abundant harvest and healthy living.
This is self-glorification as another function of “lukay” art
symbolizing the essential parts of the human body. Essential organs of the
body are symbolized in weaving, reminding us that the designs are essential
to human survival. These represent the teeth, the lips, and the like. Phallic
symbols like the nipples and the man’s penis were used as fertility symbols
associated with virility, economic prosperity, and abundance.
Learning Task No. 2 (Think-Pair-Share)
1. Find a partner to face and share each other.

2. Take turns to listen each other on one’s personal views regarding the
following questions:
x Why the early Cebuanos used parts of their body as designs in Lukay
Art?
x Is this one way to glorify the self? In what way?
x What mood or message represented in each of these designs?
3. With permission of your partner, share to the big class the answers of the
given questions.
In this chapter, the students are expected to evaluate the effectiveness

of mood, idea, or message as depicted by the visual image in the artworks
selected from the collection of Nocheseda, (2009) and Inocian, (2002). As
90
they explore the chapter, they investigate the mood of the weavers and the
message depicted on their artwork. Ultimately, they can understand the idea
that embraces self-glorification and personal pride.
Learning Task No. 3 (Actual Weaving)
1. Divide the class into 5 teams

2. Each member of the team is given the chance to choose any of the design
that he or she likes to weave.
3. Weave the design and try to teach the rest of the team the interlacing
process.
4. Ask support from the members of the team who learn the intricacies of the
interlacing process.
91
Nginipon or Teeth-like (Sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
Human teeth have been recognized as a symbol of longevity with

pleasure and satisfaction. Weaving “lukay” in this design inspires one to have
longer life span with contentment.
92
Tamu Susu or Nipple-like Pouch (Sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
A woman’s breast symbolizes love: a bond of unity between a mother

and her child. It denotes motherly compassion, comfort, and the tender care of
a nursing mother.
93
Tamu Oten or Penis-like Pouch (Sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
The man’s penis is a symbol of life force. It is associated with the

religious creator that would symbolize great ideas and power. It also
symbolizes making money at work.
94
Pisang, “Bungi in Cebuano”or cleft palate (Sourced from Nocheseda,
2009)
Cleft palate is a congenital split in the roof of the mouth, which

symbolizes dismay and lack of self-esteem.
95
Iris-iris (Sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
Iris-iris is taken from “iris” which means the “gilid ng katawan” side of
the body. It also meant “palihim”, done secretly. This sometimes reminds us
of our bodily secret that only we and our God know about.
96
Kinasingor Heat-like shape (Sourced from Inocian, 2000)
The Kinasing rice pouches common designs among the Cebuano rice
pouch weavers. This design reminds our trait of being sincere to one another,
“kinasing-kasing”. Like the human heart, this design also means the source of
love, which is one of the foundations of peace in the family, community,
nation, and the world.
To this end of Lukay art, various designs depicting the parts of the body
as a symbol of self-glorification, self-concept, and pride remain a living
testimony between the connection of man and nature. According to Ayn
Rand “The man who does not value himself, cannot value anything or
anyone.” By all means, then nature has to suffer, but when the individual
97
respects nature and consider it a sanctuary of peace, then there is life’s
harmony.

document other forms of Lukay art replicating self-glorification, self-concept,
and pride.

Questions Answers

lukay art that depicts self-
glorification, and pride.

these designs?
98

inferences.

Example: Example:
like from nature.
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
99
4. 4.
5. 5.

of Understanding

in Lukay Art through self-
glorification?
2. What were the implications of self-

glorification in Lukay Art?


engaged in self-glorification in Lukay
100
Art?
5. How do you feel if you are engaged

in actual weaving of Lukay Art
through self-glorification?

about the perceived utilitarianism in
Lukay Art?

101
Chapter V
Religiosity and Rituals
“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside,
somewhere where they can be
quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God.”
- Anne Frank
(Source: The Palaspas, Personal Collection of Dr. Inocian during Palm

Sunday in Puerto Princesa City)

the country
102
Learning Reflects on and derives the mood, idea, or message
Competency emanating from selected artwork.
Learning Objectives 1. Interpret the mood generated in different designs for
rituals and religious purposes.
2. Appreciate the important message of each design for
ritual purposes.
3. Weave sample designs for puso that they like.
Learning Task No. 1 (Photo Analysis)
1. What mood is generated from the picture provided below?
Sourced from the

(http://www.google.com.ph/?gws_rd=cr#bav=on.2,or.&fp=7dd42d03d7966c
18&q=picture+of+a+Palm+Sunday+in+the+Philippines)
103
2. What is the event or celebration depicted in the picture?
3. How symbolic are the palms braided into crosses? What is the meaning of
this symbolism for the Catholics?
4. What was like this religious activity prior to the coming of Christianity in
the Philippines?
As a component of the animistic practices of the early Sugbu-anons,

they braided different rice pouches (puso) and other objects as an offering for
religious celebrations and rituals. The term “puso” is derived from a Visayan
word, denoting “bunga” (fruit) or “bulak” (flower). The banana flower called
“puso” is an obvious example. Like the “puso sa saging”, (banana flower) that
is suspended from its natural trunk setting, the “puso” depicts a Sugbu-anon
belief in fertility and abundance.
That is why other people call the Cebuano “puso” as “hanging rice,”
calling to mind bunches of these which are hung from a local “tabo-tabo”
store, (village faire) in the rural areas. Similarly, upland farmers living on the
hilly slopes of “Sugbu” (Cebu) made and cooked “puso” in several designs
during harvest season to celebrate a bountiful harvest of farm crops,
especially corn and rice. Upland farmers living in the hilly slopes of Sugbo,
made and cooked “puso” in several designs during harvest season to celebrate
a bountiful harvest of farm crops. They did this in the form of “HIKAYAN”,
the local version of “diwata” or ceremony.
The “HIKAYAN” (annual banquet) is not exclusively intended for

thanksgiving to celebrate a good harvest, but also for exorcism to drive away
104
demons in healing rituals. This ritual is called “YAMYAM” (prayer of
intentions) which is performed by a “TAMBALAN”, (village shaman) or the
“MANANAMPIT” (a designated ritual leader) on a sickly person whose
illnesses are caused by supernatural forces like: “duwende”, (dwarfs) “agta”,
(black giant), “engkanto” (spirits from the nether world), and “kalag” (souls
of the departed).
“Puso” is made out of a simple tropical material called “lukay”, a

Sugbu-anon term for tender coconut fronds. The “tukog” or midrib of the
“lukay” (frond) is removed to make “lilas”, or coconut palm strips to start the
“lah” which means to “to weave”. Experts in “puso”-making are called
“manlalah”, (rice-pouch-weavers). Every Sugbuanon family, in the upland
areas, is expected to learn the weaving of puso as part of the informal
education handed-on their children. This craft is taught especially by mothers,
in preparation for the occasional “HIKAYAN” (annual ritual ceremony).
The picture embedded in the subsequent page shows a classical Cebuano
“manlalah” (Manang Paterna).
The goal of this chapter is to guide the students to make reflections and
derive the mood, idea, or message emanating from the puso designs used in
the actual ritual ceremonies.
Learning Task No. 2 (Mental Maps)
1. Read the given texts provided in this chapter.
105
2. Make a graphic organizer of all the significant information provided in this
chapter.
3. Choose the best organizer from the list below:
x Concept map
x Spider map
x Retrieval chart
x Clothes line chart
x Fish-bone chart
x Concept cluster
x Web strand
106
(Paterna Bontuyan, a native of Taptap, Cebu City, is one of the known
mamumuso)
There are several farm rituals (butangan) associated with the use of
several designs of “puso”, the Sugbu-anons of Taptap practice according to
purpose or family intentions: (1) “Harang sa mga kalag” (ancestor worship
offering), (2) “Buhat Silung” (diwata ritual for good fortune and thanksgiving
for abundant harvest), (3) “Tigpo” (for farmers’ atonement of sins of the
spirits of the underworld), (4) “Sagangsang” (for tuba gatherers’ ritual for
abundant wine), (5) “Damit” (in preparation for abundant harvest), (6)
“Balangkisaw” (rituals for the atonement in sinning the spirits of the water
gods), and (7) “Bug-os” or “Pamisa” (for the souls in purgatory). All these
rituals are abhorred by the teachings of the Catholic Church; but, for the
107
animistic upland farmers of Taptap and its neighboring barangays, these
cultures have connected to an unexplainable mystical experience, which
majority of them in the past had shown adherence and loyalty without any
doubt: not even the teachings of the church could stop. Because if they stop,
they feared that the spirits would bring havoc to the entire community. As
pointed by Jocano (1998) when appropriate rituals did not appease the sprits,
it could bring the following catastrophes:
“The wind could cause storms and typhoons, the sun could
cause drought, the clouds could refuse to bring rain and the moon
and stars could opt not to regulate the seasons”.
That was how religiosity worked among them away from the clutches of
modern education, which little by little slowly eradicated among the young
generation. They acted like local scientist in the environment controlled by
the spirits of nature and the only means to harmonize with nature is the annual
regular observance of a ritual. (See inset picture of Noy Paulino who
conducted the typical ritual called “hikayan” (regular ritual ceremony) and
“lantayan” (boat-shaped annual ceremony), which are annual thanksgivings
for abundant farm harvest, for asking favors for good health and good
fortune). Eslao-Alix (2013) describes the “hikayan” to be done by a
household once a year, by slaughtering a pig, cooking “bibingka” (rice-cake),
budbod (rice suman), puto (rice cup-cake) and puso (rice dumpling), which
are prepared in an offering table in specific numbers. Ursal (2015)
complements this practice among the “diwata” (ritual) of the Cebuanos with
108
several “puso” or ball-shaped pouches of cooked rice wrapped in coconut
leaves, roasted ears of young corn, millet, and rice cakes.
At present, seldom we can see practices of these rituals, the writer was
so lucky while he grew up, he was able to witness the jewels of the past in
tranquil slopes of Taptap during the 70s and 80s. Towards the 90s up to the
present, these rituals have slowly dwindled except for few families that retain
the significance of these traditions. On the other hand, Miguel de Loarca in
his “Relation of the Philippine Islands,” 1582, in Blair and Robertson 5: 173,
175, attested that:
“In some places, and especially in the mountain districts, when

the father, mother, or other relative dies, the people unite in
making a small wooden idol, and preserve it. Accordingly there
is a house which contains one hundred or two hundred of these
idols. These images also are called anitos; for they say that when
people die, they go to serve the Batala. Therefore they make
sacrifices to these anitos, offering them food, wine, and gold
ornaments; and request them to be intercessors for them before
the Batala, whom they regard as God”.
Loarca’s account substantiates the propensity of the food offerings the

natives used through the use of puso, which corroborates the findings of
Fathers Alcina and de San Buenventura. According to Fr. Alcina, as cited
by Nocheseda (2011), noted that:
109
“During the rituals, the people serve puso not as everyday victual
but as important instruments in many animist offertory practices.
They use puso offerings in the paganitu rituals to communicate
with the diwata”. A similar account was also documented by Fr.
Pedro de San Buenventura (1613/1994, 451) translated offrenda,
or offerings to the spirits, as dahon since most of the food they
offered to the spirits were wrapped in leaves and, once offered
and consecrated, should never be unwrapped, or “badbaran”, by
mortals. Alcina also noted that babaylan priest took hold of
banay, or anahaw leaves, during their rituals to make all sorts of
actions when they prepared sacrifices and offerings. As such
these leaves became the mark of their office and were used as
symbolic memorial for their graves when they died” (pp. 259-
260).
Loarca, Alcina, and Buenventura’s accounts give enough validity of the

writer’s claim that puso was used as a ritual object among the Cebuano
natives before the colonization of the Spaniards. What are shown below are
the full descriptions of how these two rituals are facilitated with the use of
different puso designs.
110
The picture in the upper left is the
“lantayan” ritual where rice
pouches (puso) of different designs
are used for farm rituals.
“Lantayan” is derived from a
Cebuano word “lantay”, which
means banquet table (made of
indigenous perishable materials)
which is usually to be constructed
on the ground beside the house to
invite the spirits of the underworld
to partake the banquet.
At the lower left is the “harangan”
ritual where rice pouches (puso) of
different designs are used for
inside the house. “Harangan” is
taken from the Cebuano word
“harang”, which means to block.
The ritual is usually placed on the
floor of the house blocking the
main door of the kitchen door to
block the souls of the departed to
partake the banquet. As shown in
the lower end is the late Noy
Paulino who acted as the local
111
“mananampit” (practitioner), who
serves as intermediary between a
person or group and the spirit to
be connected as revealed by the”
tambalan”, the local shaman.
(Source: Reynaldo B. Inocian pictorial collections)
Though animistic in context, that is the way how Noy Paulino

manifested his high regard to nature’s reverence and preservation, when he
stopped swidden agriculture in lieu of contour farming - to preserve the fertile
silts on the ground and minimize the use of commercial fertilizers and soil
erosion. This was one of the popular programs of the hilly-land development
projects in the early 90s, of the local government which Noy Paulino and the
rest of the locals seriously observed and involved.
Like Noy Paulino, the author being one of his sons, tried to imitate
that reverence to nature but dropped that animistic ritual for sole reverence of
one God, but had never discount its anthropological significance – a Malayan
heritage worthy of admiration in the preservation and orderliness of nature.
Such findings of Loarca and Fathers de San Buenventura and Alcina were
also substantiated by similar findings of Montebon (2000) in her book,
entitled “Retracing Our Roots: A Journey into Cebu’s Pre-Colonial Past”,
cited that:
“Our ancestors believed in the diwata who were either ancestral
spirits or regional spirits. They thought the former had the power
112
to inflict good and evil in the form of sickness to their
descendants while the latter had jurisdiction over mountains,
fields, seas, and houses. Before, the natives crossed the seas, they
asked permissions from the spirits.”
Jenny King (2002), in her book, World’s Religions”, pointed out that
in those countries that practice Hinduism as a religion, people doing “puja” –
certain ceremony that may include making offerings to their gods or deities,
in the form of coconuts, flowers, and apples. In this context, the use of
coconuts-being dubbed as the “Tree of Life” has been noted as significant in
the ritual as its leaves are being used in the “puso” among the Cebuanos, the
“tamu” among the Tausugs in Basilan, the “ketupat” among the Malaysians,
the “ketipat” among the Indonesians, and the “katupat” among the Thais
proves such a diversity with one common identity.
With these accounts, enough justifications were provided on the

writer’s researches on Cebuano heritage related with the ethnography of puso-
making in Cebu. These researches brought light to both private and
government sectors in bringing out the best for Cebu among the rest of our
Asian neighbors. With puso-making culture thriving over several decades,
Cebu City was declared the “ASEAN City of Culture”. The author is proud
of his very own Cebuano identity through his puso researches presented in
various fora that brought honor to Cebu.
113
As a “puso-weaver”, he learned personally the craft from his mother
who was a “MAMUMUSO” from the tender age of seven. There are six
major designs of “puso” used in the rituals, while other designs in some areas
like the “kinabayo” (horse-like) and others still need further validation. The
local names of these designs are derived from the Sugbu-anon tradition of
HIKAYAN and the uses of each.
As wide Christianization went on, this ritual slowly disappeared

because of the severe punishment imposed to the Sugbuanons, in return, some
of those who disobeyed and insisted their pagan worship received severe
punishment. The evidence of this ill-treatment is written from the accounts of
Antonio Pigatfetta, and to wit:
“On Sunday morning, April fourteen [1521], forty men of us

went ashore, two of whom were completely armed and preceded
the royal banner…. The captain [Magellan] and the king [Rajah
Humabon] embraced…. The captain told the king through the
interpreter that he thanked God for inspiring him to become a
Christian; and that [now] he would more easily conquer his
enemies than before. The king replied that he wished to become a
Christian, but that some of his chiefs did not wish to obey,
because they said they were as good men as he. Then our captain
had all the chiefs of the king called, and told them that, unless
they obeyed the king as their king, he would have them killed,
114
and would give their possessions to the king. They replied that
they would obey him….
The captain told them that that if they wished to become
Christians as they had declared on the previous days, that they
must burn all their idols and set up a cross in their place. They
were to adore that cross daily with clasped hands, and every
morning … they were to make the sign of the cross (which the
captain showed them how to make); and they ought to come
hourly, at least in the morning, to that cross, and adore it
kneeling…. The captain led the king by the hand to the platform
while speaking these good words in order to baptize him…. Five
hundred men were baptized before mass….
xxx
… Before that week had gone, all the persons of that island
[Cebu], and some from the other islands, were baptized. We
burned one hamlet which was located in a neighboring island,
because it refused to obey the king [Humabon] or us. We set up
the cross there for those people were heathen. Had they been
Moros, we would have erected a column there as a token of
greater hardness, for the Moros are much harder to convert than
the heathen.
xxx
There are many villages in that island [Cebu]…. All those
villages rendered obedience to us, and gave us food and
115
tribute…. That city which we burned was in that island and was
called Bulaia”.
These excerpts are taken from the “First Voyage around the World”,
ca, 1525, in Blair and Robertson, The Philippine Islands 33: 155, 157, 159,
161, and 167. When the natives in Cebu and the rest of the Visayas were
converted to Christianity, animist practices were abhorred by the Spanish
colonizers; the natives who retained the said tradition moved up to the
mountainous areas of the islands and kept their indigenous rituals.
The converts to Christianity were forced to embrace the new religion

blended with the rooted animistic ritual practices. The best example of this
cultural fusion is the dancing of the Sinulog, where the natives worshipped
the Holy Child Jesus, the (Sto. Niño) as it is taught by the clergy to them.
However, animistic worship of the anitos is hard to give up; the natives
danced the beat with the rhythms of drums in a peculiar animistic fashion
with the Sto Niño as their “anito” (See inset pictures below). While the time
passed by, the natives learned the gospel of Christ and the Christian
testimonials gradually.
116
Sourced from Shared photos
(http://www.google.com.ph/?gws_rd=cr#bav=on.2,or.&fp=2a19eaf8171de5d2&q=photo
+of+a+Sinulog+Dancer)
During Lenten season, the practice called Palm Sunday, a Sunday

before the Holy Week; all Catholic devotees attend the mass and bring Palms
crafted like crosses and other designs as a sign of Jesus’ welcome when he
entered Jerusalem. The following pictures are some of the examples of the
“Palaspas” or the “Bendita Sa Lukay” among the Cebuanos in central
Visayas, where most of the Catholics used. (See inset photos below from
http://www.google.com.ph/?gws_rd=cr#bav=on.2,or.&fp=2a19eaf8171de5d2
&q=photo+of+Palm+Sunday).
117
(The Cebuano “bendita” or “palaspas” or the palms to be blessed during
Palm Sundays)
Palaspas during Palm Sunday (Sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)
During Palm Sunday, it is a tradition among the Catholics to create

different designs of coconut fronds with a bunch of crosses blessed by the
priest as a sign of welcome for Jesus’ entry in Jerusalem before the Holy
Week.
118
The blessing of a Palaspas inside the Cathedral, Puerto Princesa City,
Palawan (Sourced from Inocian, 2013)
Lukay Art designs that are used primarily for religious and ritual
purposes have become a fragment of the Filipino cultural lifestyle. Yann
Martel once said “religion is more than rite and ritual.” This would mean
that whatever religion is embraced by people has been a foundation of our
faith that whatever forms of ritual may become trivial without it.
119

document other forms of Lukay art replicating used for religious and ritual
purposes.
Learning Task No. 5 (Exhibit)
1. The class is divided into 5 teams.

2. Each team is expected to stage for an exhibit of all the Lukay art
documented for religious and ritual purposes.
3. All the woven designs are included in the exhibit.
Questions Answers

lukay art that depicts religiosity and
120
rituals.

these designs?

inferences.

Example: Example:
like from nature.
121
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.

of Understanding
1. Why people in the Visayas use

Lukay Art for religiosity and rituals?
122
religiosity and rituals in Lukay Art?


make use religiosity and rituals for
Lukay Art?

actual weaving of Lukay Art designs
for religiosity and rituals?

about religiosity and rituals in Lukay
Art?

123
Unit II
Ethnography of Puso-making in Cebu
“Luck is like having a rice dumpling fly into your mouth”
Japanese Proverb
The Freshly cooked Badbaranay Pouches (Cebu

Central/http://www.cebucentral.com/bestofcebu/Puso.html)
Ethnography is simply defined as one of the research methods on a

specific cultural group. The cultural group in this case, is the Cebuano rice
pouch braiders and the upland farmers who still practice their farmland rituals
in different areas of the province of Cebu. In terms of the types of
ethnography used in rice pouch making in Cebu, the writer used critical
ethnography whereby he advocates for the emancipation of the farmland
rituals independently treated as unique away from the clutches of church
condemnation as a pagan practice. Respect for cultural relativism was
evidently used when the important data were generated.
124
Chapter VI
The Origin of Puso
“Nature is a haunted house--but Art--is a house that tries to be haunted.”
― Emily Dickinson
http://www.google.com.ph/search?q=puso%20pictures&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-
8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-
a&source=hp&channel=n
the country
125
Learning Traces the external (foreign) and internal (indigenous)
Competency influences that are reflected in an artwork or in the
making of a craft or artifact
Learning 1. Identify the foreign and indigenous influences of
Objectives Lukay Art in the Visayas.
2. Express the significance of these influences to the life
of the Cebuanos.
3. Demonstrate the different elements and principles of
art utilize in the Lukay Art.
Learning Task No. 1 (Blitz)
1. Why Emily Dickenson considered nature a haunted house?

2. Why she considered Art as a house that tries to be haunted?
3. In relation to origin, is it necessary to know our roots? Why?
4. Read the given text in order to understand the origin of “puso” in Cebu.
In order to justify the idealism of Emily Dickenson, there is a need for

the students to trace the external (foreign) and internal (indigenous)
influences that are reflected in an artwork or in the making of a craft like that
of the “puso”. Thirteen years over since puso-research was conducted, many
had been asking the obscure origin of puso, which dominantly seen in the
province of Cebu and its neighboring islands. Since then, that is always a
126
puzzle that needs a profound answer. Based on the accounts by the Spaniards
by Fathers Alcina and de San Buenventura in the 16th century, it was obvious
that the natives in the Visayas had made use of puso in their so-called
offrenda, an offering to the “anitos” (idols) in the form of pagdiwata (ritual).
Cebu, being at the center of the Visayas, had contacts with different
international traders such as the Chinese and the Malays since the beginning
of the 13th century if Otley Beyer’s Migration Theory is proven to be true
(Jocano, 1998). However, if it is untrue, there is a possibility that puso-
making is uniquely indigenous. With the massive arrivals of Chinese traders
who went into the country for their business interests during the Emergent
Phase (ca AD 1st – 14th Centuries) of our country’s development in the port of
Cebu, then probable that we imitated their “machang” (rice dumpling which
was wrongly cooked and became puso) or we showed to them our “puso” as a
native way of cooking rice dumpling as a sign of our own hospitality to treat
visitors, only by then that puso cooking is indigenous.
This indigenous form of ritual had a repressed pattern for centuries

that needed to be resurfaced due to the overly of exogenous influences by the
subsequent migrants like the Chinese, Arab, and Indian traders and Spaniards
and the Americans as foreign colonizers. In order to provide a little amount of
light to obscurity, there is a dire need for re-assertion to bring this to a new
paradigm that is a different sphere of socio-cultural orientation for the
promotion and preservation of our heritage. Whilst, Jeffrey James Y. Pacres
127
(2006) of Ontario, Canada said in his blog that the legend of the puso started
when the Chinese traders came to Cebu mentioned:
“These Chinese people were good at making rice dumplings and
the Cebuanos tried to imitate the so called "ma-chang" which is
delicious. Then a Cebuano came, proud of what he has made and
showed it to the Chinese, the Chinese did not agree with what the
Cebuano had cooked out of the palm leaves and said "phu-shr"
(which means "it isn't") while pointing out on the puso, and saying
"ma-chang" while pointing on the rice dumpling, that was when
the Cebuano realized that, what he made is named "pu-so" (in
which the Cebuano didn't get the pronunciation well). Well, that
was how the pu-so was born.”
If this legend is true, then the veracity of “puso” braiding and cooking
might have been in existence among the Cebuanos before the arrival of the
Chinese traders, as an indigenous art of the “Bisaya” (people from the
Visayas). So, the erroneous “ma-chang” (rice dumpling) was the beginning of
“puso” cooking, then on. Though, this theory might have been validated by
other findings, the Malays also have their own “ketupat” (Malay rice pouch) –
a heritage food in Malaysia. Lin & Lin (2003) cited that the “ketupat” is
matched with “satay” (lamb meat barbecue) or “rendang” (a type of dry beef
curry) for very important celebrations like the “Eidul-Fitr” (Breaking of
Fasting Festivity), marking the end of the Ramadan and the Hari Raya
(festival).
128
(Source: http://holidaysinmalaysia.org/heritage-food/ketupat/)
Learning Task No. 2 (Learning Together)
For the purpose of socio-cultural discussion, the teacher provides a reading

material about Eidl-Fitr for students in order to answer the following
questions:
1. How is the Eidul-Fitr celebrated in the Philippines?
2. Do the Muslims also use “puso” (ketupat among the Malaysian Muslims)
in the celebration of Eidul-Fitr?
3. What values are held on during this celebration worthy of emulation by the
Christians?
The Malaysians were also greatly influenced by the Hindu and Chinese
cultures. Therefore, it is evident that traces of this culture reached to the
Philippines during the Emergent Phase of cultural development (ca. AD 1 st -
14th Centuries) of the country (Jocano, 1998) that coincided the golden ages
of the Shri-Vijayan and the Madjapahit Empires in Southeast Asia. In the
island of Bali, Indonesia, this rice pouches is known as “ketipat” primarily
129
used for important celebrations like weddings. The Balinese article “Rice and
Ritual”; Fred B. Eiseman, Jr. has done ethnographic study of the Balinese rice
farmers and found out a lot of rituals related to rice culture and preparation.
One of his findings that he observed among the Balinese rituals that
resembles Cebuano “puso” is the “ketipat”. Eiseman said that:
“A “ketipat” is a kind of a rice pouch woven of coconut leaves by
prying and opening apart. The “ketipat” is then put into the rice
steamer, or boiled in the pot. The rice swells to fell the container,
then put into the rice steamer, or boiled in the pot. The rice swells
to fill the container, and the result is a package of rice that the
husband can take to the field for a snack or the kids can take to
school, or that can be used as an offering in whatever rice
rituals” (http://www.hotelwww.net/rice.htm).
Dewi Sri, an Indonesia goddess of rice, has been an embodiment of the

“Rice Mother” whose body the Indonesians believe, where the first rice ever
produced. She is responsible to ensure good harvests. The “Rice Mother” is
believed to be the guardian of all the crops. This version among the
Indonesians is similar to the culture of rice practice in Thailand. Mae Possop,
the “Rice Mother” is being paid homage in a Royal Plowing Ceremony to
signal the rice planting in the country. This ceremony is spearheaded by the
King, who leads the oxen and the slough for three times, while the Queen
broadcasts rice seeds across the newly plowed earth. Then, the oxen are led
to a Hindu shrine erected in honor of Lord Vishnu, the “Preserver God”.
Whether or not the Thais’ Mae Possop sounds like “May Puso” in Bisaya.
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This would theoretically make a conjecture of how it is uttered. With
Thailand’s “katupat”, there is a possible connection that despite language
variance, a probability could have been established, with Malaysia’s
“ketupat”, and Indonesia’s “ketipat” with “puso” and “tamu” in the
Philippines.
Among three Southeast Asian countries, these rice dumplings:

“ketupat” in Malaysia, “ketipat” in Indonesia, “katupat” in Thailand, Laos,
Guam and other Pacific islands, “patupat” in Northern Philippines, “puso” in
central Philippines, and “tamu” in Southern Philippines are all basically
woven and braided with the use of “lukay” (young and supple coconut
fronds). Rice is the best staple in Southeast Asia. It is known with its
scientific name as “Oryza Sativa”, a grass popularly grown in Orissa, an
eastern province of India, where its name was derived. This essential grass
grew widely in Southern China’s Yang Tze River valley, which
archaeologists believe that rice cultivation could have started in this area and
extended to Northeastern Thailand to that of the Irrawaddy river valleys in
Myanmar since 4500 B.C. (http://www.akasia.org/vietnam-
challenge/curric/middle/11.htm)
Considered as staple food for many in Southeast Asia, rice links

Heaven and Earth, between mortals and gods. As a sacred food, rice has been
used for numerous offerings in animism. Lakshmi and Annapura are two rice
goddesses of India, illuminate through the people’s faith as they offered
“puja” or ritual prayer with elaborate decoration to yield abundant harvest. It
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is among the Hindus that rice is considered an auspicious or lucky food and is
used as an offering to the gods in thanksgiving as part of India’s Pongal
Ceremonial Festival
(http://www.riceromp.com/teachers/lessoncocntent.cfm?pId=12) Annapurna,
which means “She of Planteous Food”, sanctifies the grains of rice before
consuming it, while Lakshmi is associated with wealth and prosperity. Her
images show her hands with falling rice grains.
Among the Japanese, rice is considered sacred. Japan’s countryside is

dotted with shrines in honor to Inari, rice bearer goddess who gives
abundance to most of the farmers. The Japanese common drink called ‘saki”
is made of fermented rice. The processing and eating of rice is a sacred ritual.
Whether they eat or drink, rice is a major ingredient as part of their tradition.
Rice culture had widely shaped the Japanese culture like auto titans at present
are example are even rooted in rice-fields like: Toyota that means bountiful
rice filed and Honda means rice fields
(http://www.ne/ricecampaign/docs/ricecult.doc).
Learning Task No. 3 (Poster-Making)
1. The class is divided into 5 teams for a creative task.

2. Using the assigned materials, each team will make a poster reflecting about
the rice rituals.
3. The poster is evaluated with the use of these criteria:
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x Balance .............................................................. 10 points
x Emphasis .............................................................. 10 points
x Rhythm .............................................................. 10 points
x Proportion ............................................................... 10 points
x Arrangement ............................................................... 10 points
Total ............................................................... 50 points
4. The duration of time for the poster-making is one hour.
5. The leader of the team will present the finished poster with thorough
explanation for the next meeting.
The art of puso-making can be fully understood into 7 art elements such
as: lines, texture, space, color, value, shape, and form. For lines, Cruz, et.al
(1976) defined these as:
“A prolongation of a point. It may be straight or curved. Straight
lines can be categorized into vertical, horizontal, slanting, broken, or
jagged lines. Curved lines may be concave, convex, spiral or scroll.
Lines suggest various meanings. Vertical lines suggest stability,
dignity, solemnity, strength, and majesty. Vertical lines give the feeling
of a person’s ambition, success, and grandeur. These stir the emotions
of soaring high or going up. Horizontal lines express calmness, repose,
and quietude. Slanting lines give us a feeling of motion while straight-
jagged lines suggest disorderliness and violence. Curved lines suggest
continuity or fascination, grace, lyricism, and sensuousness. Angular
lines have sharp edges which denote tension, harshness, rigidity, and
agitation”.
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The supple and fresh coconut fronds called “Lukay” represent lines in
vertical strips that can be placed overhang on one hand for the start of looping
and interlacing process of weaving. This is characterized with the upper and
the lower end lines from the head strip to tail-end of the lower strip of the
“lukay”. The fronds would not be a good material for weaving if these have
no good texture. Cruz, et.al (1976) defined texture as:
“The surface of an object may be described as glossy, smooth,
eggshell, bumpy, rough, or hilly. These terms and many others are
merely approximate attempts to describe texture. Our tactile
experiences with stone, sandpaper, glass, metal, wood, cotton, brick,
and others give us different feelings of touch. Our eyes may also be
able to distinguish different textual effects. When it involves actual
physical touch, this kind of experience is called vicarious experience.
When a smooth object is made to appear rough or wrinkled by the use
of decorative patterns of color, tone or line contrast, it is called
simulated experience”.
The best textures for the fronds are supple and smooth. These can be
ensured when the fronds are young and freshly picked from the farm. When
these qualities are assured, the interlacing process would not be difficult. It is
the texture of the “lukay” that provides the best aroma for the “puso”
compared with the rough and dry textures. Color is one of the elements of art
that provides beauty or attraction of the “puso”. Cruz, et.al (1976) perceived
that:
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“Color plays important part in our lives. Nature is very rich in colors.
People love bright colors as revealed in the way they dress and the way
they paint their homes. Colors are present in sunlight through hue (the
warmness and coolness of colors), value (the lightness and darkness of
colors), and chroma or intensity (the brightness and dullness of
colors)”.
The dominant color of a fresh frond would range from the

monochromatic shades of yellow and green. A very enticing color of nature,
but once it is cooked this would change to shades of rustic, golden, and mutt
gold. Once hang on the stall, these rice pouches look like golden treasures.
But if the strips color is dark green representing the old palm texture, then the
cooked “puso” would look very dull and dark. Values are one of the qualities
of color that makes the masterpiece of art appears so striking or dreary. Cruz,
et.al (1976) expounded that:
“Values are also referred to as “notan” or “tone” is the “darks” and
“lights” in the color of an object. It can be light, medium, or dark.
When we look at an object, the part that is not exposed to light is dark.
In an art representation, it is value that gives solidity, distance or
depth. Values can be made lighter by exposing it to the sum or to an
artificial light. White is the lightest value and black is the darkest”.
“Puso” has ranges of color values. The younger and lighter the fronds
used the more attractive the values become, while the darker the fronds used
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the more boring the values become. That is why in selecting for the fronds for
puso weaving, it must be ascertained to determine its freshness and
suppleness because this affects the entire value of finished rice-pouches. Once
cooked, there is an enticing value of mutt gold that invites customers to buy
and satisfy their appetite. It is very unthinkable to have art without shape. It
is shape that gives possible forms and sizes. Cruz, et.al (1976) expounded
that:
“When an area is completely surrounded by line, it is called shape.
Shape has length and width. But line has only length. The basic shapes
are the square, circle, triangle, and free irregular shapes”.
Once “puso” has been woven, it creates elaborate shapes of a fist, a

diamond, a shot glass, a froglike, and others. These shapes are dependent of
what the puso weaver desires to weave. The geometric angles, points, and
sides of these shapes are equidistant that provide a perfect balance of reality.
Unlike other forms of art, form may not be present in the artwork because of
its two dimensions; but not in the case of “puso” because it is three
dimensional. The art of “puso” has it as expounded by Cruz, et.al (1976):
“When depth is added to a shape, it becomes form because, it has
thickness. It then has three dimensions namely: height, width, and
depth. The basic shapes when given thickness become the basic forms
called cube, ball, cone, and cylinder. Every object in nature is made up
of combinations of these four basic forms and their variations”.
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Once the weaving of “puso” has been completed, its form can
obviously identified. We can measure its three dimensions like height, width,
and depth. These dimensions depend on the ideal sizes of puso, the weaver
intends to weave. The uniqueness of puso in Central Visayas has brought
awareness on the significance of this cultural heritage as an output of our
relentless efforts in materializing this research for more than a decade already.
Emily Dickenson once said “Nature is a haunted house--but Art--is a house
that tries to be haunted.” This quotation is prevalent to Lukay Art in the
Visayas, it was a haunted house for quite a long time, it co-exist with nature,
but it is now our simple attempt to make this art to be haunted for wider
dissemination and utilization.
1. All the team posters are to be exhibited at the school lobby.

2. Each team is responsible for the panel board in the said exhibit.
3. The team is also expected to write captions of their poster.
4. The class is responsible to cordon and decorate the exhibit area.
Questions Answers
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1. Trace the origin of puso.
2. What are the various names of

puso outside of the Philippines?

inferences.

Example: Example:
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like from nature.
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.

of Understanding
1. Why the Malaysians weave for

their ketupat?
139
2. What implications can be drawn if
there are several rice pouches in
Southeast Asia?
3. How can these ketupat be braided?
4. What would happen if Southeast

Asia engaged in rice pouch braiding?
5. How do you feel if the Malaysians

and the Indonesians have also their
rice-pouches similar to out puso?

about the variety of rice pouches in
Southeast Asia?
A. Research for the other uses of rice pouches in Malaysia and in Indonesia.
B. Plan for an exhibit of these designs.
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Chapter VII
The Six Designs of Puso and the Braiding Intricacies
“The poetry of the earth is never dead.”
― John Keats
Provenance: Dr. Reynaldo B. Inocian/CNU Museum permanent collection

141
the country
Learning Creates crafts that can be locally assembled with local
Competency materials, guided by local traditional techniques
Learning 1. Explain the elements of design used in puso-weaving.
Objectives 2. Appreciate the movement of the Lukay art through the
actual interlacing and loping process.
3. Weave the six designs of puso.
Learning Task No. 1 (Anticipation)
1. How many of you have explored nature? Did you enjoy that exploration?
Why?
2. Do you agree that nature is an art masterpiece? Why?
3. What are the elements of art you see in nature? Can someone mention
some?
4. What are the designs of art you spot in nature? Can you mention some?
5. Don’t you know that weaving of puso is an art? Read the text provided for
seeing its big picture.
The Mother Earth is poetry in motion. Everything in it is beautiful.

Replication of anything beautiful inside it is a great masterpiece. The rice
pouches in different designs are form of art and a ritual in itself. There are
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many elaborate designs of puso in Cebu depicting on different dimensions
according to purpose. These are the binosa, kinasing, badbaranay, binaki,
tinigib, and manana-aw with intricate braiding and interlacing processes, that
one who wishes to learn its weaving should have maximum focus.
Like any other forms of art, Lukay Art observes the following
principles of art designs such as: balance, rhythm, emphasis, harmony,
variety, movement, proportion, and unity. According to Cruz & others (1976)
“Balance in design means rest or repose. This restful effect is
obtained by grouping shapes and colors around a center in such a
way that there are equal attractions on each side of the center. It
makes the design in a composition stable. It gives a feeling of
equilibrium on both sides. Visual balance is the principle of
weighing things through our eyes. The elements which determine
the visual weight are the elements of art namely: line, form, color,
value, space, and texture”.
The “puso” designs are characterized mostly with Formal Balance

because there is the balance between equal weights at equal distances from
the center. This type of formal balance is called bisymmetric balance. The
triangular points in every corner of the design are balanced because of the
uniform measures of the length and width of the supple fronds as the primary
materials in the weaving. (See the actual 6 designs infused in this chapter)
There is no “puso” if rhythm is not used in the actual weaving in a form of
organized movement. As regards to rhythm, Cruz & others (1976) defined it:
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“As organized movement. It is a repetition of patterns that provides
variety, regularity, and contrast. Majority of us confuse movement
for rhythm. Not all movements are rhythmic. There must be proper
timing and tone sequences to make a movement rhythmic. Rhythm
means that our eyes should travel from one unit to another with
ease and pleasure. Rhythm can be achieved by repetition,
progression, and continuous line movement. Rhythm by repetition
is commonly found in nature forms like leaves, flowers, and shells.
It is achieved through the repetition of line, form, value, color, and
texture. The repetition of these elements may be done by:
alteration, sequence, radiation, and parallelism”.
Rhythm is obviously utilized in the actual interlacing and looping

process of the “puso” through parallelism rhythm of vertical and horizontal
strips that interlocks from right over left direction. The emphasis of the lukay
art is basically the actual object represented in various shapes. Cruz & others
(1976) presented two definitions of emphasis such as:
“(1) Emphasis refers to the importance of the material that
highlights the concept of the lesson to be developed. It is noted that
not all parts of the arrangement can be equal in importance.
Decide on which parts are the most important and emphasize them.
(2)Emphasis is the art principle by which the eye is carried first to
the most important thing in any arrangement to the rest of the
details. It is the putting of stress to the arrangement. In emphasis,
attention is emphasized the following: size that easily catches the
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eyes; color that easily strikes or notices than the other colors;
contrast that stirs diversity; and position and arrangement”.
As regards to the puso-weaving, emphasis is seen on the elaborate

shapes of the designs. For instance, for the “kinasing”, someone would like to
find out how the heart shape of the design is emphasized in the actual
weaving, while the rest of its geometrical points serve as subordination.
Emphasis can also be fully enhanced in the actual tightening process of the
“puso” that the design would represent reality. Another important principle in
the art of weaving is harmony. This refers to the correspondence in size, form,
and arrangement of parts on opposite sides of a plane, line or point; regularity
of form or arrangement in terms of like, reciprocal, or corresponding parts.
Cruz & others (1976) said that:
“Harmony produces impression of unity in the selection and
arrangement of consistent objects and ideas. Harmony refers to the
synchronization of colors, lines and shapes in the visual design. A
variety of objects can harmonize by the use of binding element that
produces oneness to the whole composition. Some of the possible
ways of achieving harmony are as follows: repetition, contrast,
transition, harmonizing ideas, and purpose”.
In puso-weaving, harmony can be determined through the regularity of

the size and lengths of the palm strips that create a certain form of impression
in the entire interlacing process and its tightening to produce very
symmetrical rice pouches in various shapes. Art variety refers to the
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assortment of other elements of art that provide the whole aesthetics of the
“puso” as an artwork. Variety is the quality or state of having different forms
or types, notable use of contrast, emphasis, difference in size and color
(Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principles_of_art).
In puso-weaving, variety can be actually seen in sizes and shapes of the
rice pouches. But, concentrating to one “puso’ design alone, variety can be
viewed in the interlacing process of geometrical lines and points of the rice
pouch, which serve as primary structure of its shape and form known as the
entire arrangement of the weaving and the braiding process. Movement is
another principle in art. There are various definitions of movement in art.
One of these definitions provided by the Wikipedia is that:
“Movement shows actions, or alternatively, the path the viewer's eye

follows throughout an artwork. Movement is caused by using elements
under the rules of the principles in picture to give the feeling of motion
and to guide the viewer's eyes throughout the artwork. In movement an
art should flow, because the artist has the ability to control the
viewer's eye. The artists control what the viewers see and how they see
it, like a path leading across the page to the item the artist wants the
viewer's attention focused on” (Wikipedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principles_of_art) .
In puso-weaving, the designs of the rice pouches are projected to the

actual actions of the real objects and animals found in nature. For instance,
the “binaki’, froglike-shape, is woven like the real frog that touches the
146
ground, the “manan-aw” that is suspended in an orchid garden, the “binosa”,
shot glass ready for a wine drinking, and “tinigib”, chisel, ready for
carpenter’s use. Movement is the element that makes the viewer’s
imagination catapulted to an immersion of reality. Rice pouches, like other
forms of art, have also proportion. Proportion is defined as a measurement of
the size and quantity of elements within a composition. Cruz & others (1976)
said that:
“Proportion is the pleasing relationship among the various elements
of art that utilizes the following terms: weight, height, degree, and
quantity”.
In puso-weaving, weight, height, degree, ands size can be ascertained by

the use of proportion. For example, the “binosa”, shot glass, appears smaller
than the “binaki”, froglike shape, because in reality frogs are much bigger
than wine shot glasses. In order to follow certain proportion in the weaving,
the “binosa” is woven with only one strip of fronds, compared to the “binaki’
that this is woven with four strips. The number of strips would make the
entire size of “puso”, rice pouch, proportionate.
The artwork or any art masterpiece would not be complete without the
principle of unity. According to Wikipedia “unity is the concept behind the
artwork. An analogy would be the way in which a conductor directs a wide
variety of instruments in an orchestra to produce a symphony that is
recognized as a single comprehensible piece. Unity is how well different
parts of an artwork build on each other”
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principles_of_art). In puso-weaving, unity is
147
applied when the weaver knows how to find perfection of the entire parts of
the weaving process such as: the ideal palm strips to use, the weaving skills,
the object representations, the time element for weaving, and the intended
purpose for the ritual.
“BINOSA” (a shot glass), is a one strand “puso” or “inumol” (molded)
or “kinumo” (human fist-like mold) among the weavers of Anda, Bohol,
when they perform the “pagdiwata” ritual before clearing a stretch of
farmland or erecting the first post of a new house (Nocheseda, 2009).
This rice pouch resembles a small shot-glass. This is offered in
bunches of a dozen each to the spirits of the lesser gods of the underworld to
start a joyful banquet molded (inumol) with the family’s pure intentions.
A shot glass which locals call “Binosa”, or fist, which locals name “Inumol”
or Kinumo”
148
BINOSA/INUMOL BRAIDING PROCEDURE
Figure 1 Take one Figure 2 Take the leg Figure 3 Take the Figure 4 Take the tail
strip and interlace strip and loop it to head strip and insert end strip and insert it
right over left firmly the rear side to form it right over left on to the rear side of the
held by your thumb the lower coil. the upper coil. lower coil.
Figure 5 Insert the leg Figure 6 Insert the leg Figure 7 Tighten the Figure 8 Pour rice
strip and interlace to strip and interlace to newly woven pouch grains into the pouch;
the lower end of the the upper end of the by pulling down both the amount is half of
the head strip and leg
head strip. upper coil the pouch’s size.
strip to the tail end
149
Figure 9 Lock the tail
strips in preparation
for boiling.
Finished Binosa Rice Pouches
“KINASING” (heart-like) or “KASING” (top) is a two strand

“puso”, which resembles a diamond or a heart-shaped pouch, a precious
design, used to remind us of nature’s bounty; it is offered to the important
minor gods. The “kasing” (top) once played with by children is a symbol of
joy with a happy heart. A happy heart is capable of generating love which
these pouches primarily symbolized. It is offered to the gods with pure
intentions and love.
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“Kasingkasing” (heart) and “kasing” (top) after which the shape of rice
pouches “kinasing” is patterned.
KINASING BRAIDING PROCEDURE
Figure 1 Hang the Figure 2 Take the Figure 3 Take the Figure 4 Insert the
frond side of the strip frond strip in front of frond strip at the tail-end of the back
by the left hand (for you and loop it to the back and loop it strip to the lower
a right-handed right with the back towards the left with part of the front
weaver) or by the strip folding it to the the front strip to the strip.
right hand (for the top and the left bottom and the left
left-handed weaver). thumb supporting it. thumb supporting it.
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Figure 5 Insert the Figure 6 Insert the Figure 7 Insert the Figure 8 Loosen-up
tail-end of the front tail-end of the front tail-end of the front your left hand, and
strip to the lower strip to the upper strip to the upper take the leg-strip in
part of the back strip. part in between the part in between the front and weave
two head-strips and two head-strips and directly toward the
release the strip out release the strip out bottom following the
to the rear side. to the front side. position of the head
strip.
Figure 9 Loosen up Figure 10 Take the Figure 11 Intertwine Figure 12 Continue

your left hand, and leg strip to the front the leg strip with the intertwining the leg
take the leg-strip at side and twist it second woven strip with the fourth
the back and weave towards the right and horizontal strip. woven horizontal
directly toward the weave upward strip.
bottom following the following the right
position of the head over left interlacing.
strip.
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Figure 13 Release Figure 14 Intertwine Figure 15 Release Figure 16 Start
your hand and take the leg strip with the your hand and tightening the pouch
the leg strip at the third woven tighten the pouch. by always pulling the
rear side and twist it horizontal strip. head strips down to
towards the left and the tail strips on both
weave upward the front and the rear
following the right sides of the pouch.
over left interlacing.
Figure 17 Pour rice Figure 18 Lock the

grains into the pouch; tail strips in
the amount is half of preparation for
the pouch’s size. boiling.
Finished Kinasing Rice Pouches
153
“DUMPOL, or “PUDOL”, is a variation of the “KINASING”, which
has the same number of strands and features, but unlike the latter, it possesses
a flattened bottom. In some other areas, the villagers call it “TINIGIB”
(chisel), such as among the weavers of Glan, Sarangani province (Nocheseda:
2009), because the bottom looks like a chisel blade. This pouch is offered to
the spirits of the gods by placing it on the ground below the “LANTAY”, a
table-like platform decorated with coconut fronds as side skirting with two
white flag lets on two opposing ends, which would make it look like a
floating vessel.
This is where the term “LANTAYAN” is derived, which means annual

or occasional “HIKAYAN” (an annual tradition). For a carpenter, a chisel is
one of the most essential tools in furniture-making, the same way that in
“hikayan”, the “tinigib is one of the rice pouches that should not be missed
out in the actual ceremonies.
Wooden Chisel which locals call “Tigib” with a “dumpol” (flattened) blade
154
DUMPOL/PUDOL/TINIGIB BRAIDING PROCEDURE
Figure 1 Hang the Figure 2 Take the Figure 3 Take the Figure 4 Insert the
frond strips on the frond strip in front of frond strip at the tail-end of the back
left hand (for right- you and loop to the back and loop to the
handed weaver) or right with the back strip to the lower
left with the front
on the right hand (for strip to the top while part of the front
strip to the bottom.
the left-handed supported by the left strip.
weaver). thumb.
Figure 5 Insert the Figure 6 Insert the Figure 7 Insert the Figure 8 Loosen up
tail-end of the front tail-end of the front tail-end of the front your left hand, and
strip to the lower strip to the upper strip to the upper take the leg-strip in
part of the back strip. part in between the part in between the front and weave
two head-strips and two head-strips and directly toward the
release the strip out release the strip out bottom following the
to the rear side. to the front side. position of the head
strip.
155
Figure 9 Loosen up Figure 10 Take the Figure 11 Intertwine Figure 12 Intertwine
your left hand, and reverse position of the leg strip with the the leg strip with the
take the leg-strip at the pouch and second woven first woven horizontal
the back and weave interlace the leg strip horizontal strip. strip.
directly toward the and upwardly weave
bottom following the following the right
position of the head over left interlacing.
strip.
Figure 13 Intertwine Figure 14 Release Figure 15 Start Figure 16 Continue

the leg strip with the your hand to tighten tightening the pouch tightening the pouch
third woven the pouch. by constantly pulling at the reverse side by
horizontal strip. the head strips down constantly pulling the
to the tail strips on head strips down to
both the front and the tail strips of both
the rear sides of the the front and the rear
pouch. sides of the pouch.
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grains into the pouch; tail strips in
Finished Dumpol Rice Pouches
the amount is half of preparation for
the pouch’s size. boiling.
“BADBARANAY”, which means unraveling or opening with an “abridor”

(opener). This is offered together with other designs, in the belief that the
gods can open up and grant a pleasant and successful celebration officiated by
the “MANANAMPIT” or the local” tambalan” (priest or priestess) to the
“MAMUMUTANG”, the family which offers the “hikayan”.
157
An “abridor” (a bottle and a can opener).That without it, consumption is
impossible.
BADBARANAY BRAIDING PROCEDURE
Figure 1 Hold the two Figure 2 Interlace the Figure 3 Take the Figure 4 Repeat Figure 3
leg strips with one open leg strips right two leg strips for the second time to
common head strip together and bring form the second spiral.
over left.
these once to the If the leg strips are long,
in an open position.
right side to form a make a third spiral.
spiral in the front
side of the open
hand, locked by the
thumb with the rest
of the fingers
providing support.
158
Figure 5 Hold it Figure 6 Interlace Figure 7 To add size Figure 8 Repeat
carefully and openly the second coiled to the pouch, Figure 7 to the rear
spread the coils and spiral in both sides. interlace the side to provide
interlace the curls remaining third balance. If a length of
right over left with coiled spiral in both leg strip is still
the first coiled sides. available, repeat
spiral. Figures 6 and 7.
Figure 9 Release the Figure 10 Release the Figure 11 Position Figure 12 Tighten the
coiled strips from your hand in pouch by pulling both
coiled strips from
your hand; insert the preparation for head strips down until
tail-end to close. your hand until they tightening. the tail-end of the leg
reache the opposite
strips.
side.
159
grains into the
tail strips in
pouch; the amount is
half of the pouch’s preparation for
size. boiling.
Finished Badbaranay Rice Pouches
“BINAKI” means frog-like. This is offered to the gods as a reminder of

the earthly-life-relationship of man with the supernatural forces.
“ranahexadactyla” which locals call “baki”
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BINAKI BRAIDING PROCEDURE
Figure 1 Open two Figure 2 Interlace the Figure 3 To interlace, Figure 4 Hold them
head strips to make four strips right over twist the two inner firmly in the same
four equal leg strips left with the two leg strips. position.
size. heads in opposite
directions.
Figure 5 Repeat Figure 6 Repeat Figure 7 Release your Figure 8 Release your
Figures 3 and 4 for Figures 3 and 4 for hand a bit and hand a bit and
the second round of the third round of interlace the two leg interlace the other
twisted interlacing. twisted interlacing. two leg strips with
strips with the first
the second head
head strips. strips at the opposite
sides.
161
Figure 9 Interlace the Figure 11 Interlace Figure 12 Twist the
Figure 10 Interlace
two leg strips to the the four leg strips two inner leg strips
right side right over the two leg strips to right over left to to form a point.
left. the left side right form the opposite
over left. end of the pouch’s
body.
Figure 13 Close the Figure 14 Interlace

Figure 15 Interlace Figure 16 Loop the
two outer leg strips the first head strips
and interlace them right over left. the second head first leg strips with
by following the strips right over left the head trips
same direction of the in the opposite side. towards the opening.
inner leg strips.
162
Figure 17 Loop the Figure 19 Interlace Figure 20 Interlacing
Figure 18 Interlace
second leg strips with the second two leg of the pouch is
the head strips the first two leg strips right over left concluded.
towards the opening. strips right over left to close.
to close.
Figure 21 Tighten the Figure 22 Pour rice Figure 23 Lock the

pouch by pulling grains into the
down both the head tail strips in
pouch; the amount is
and four leg strips preparation for
half of the pouch’s
toward the opening size. boiling.
of the pouch.
Finished Binaki Rice Pouches
“MANAN-AW” is a local Sugbu-anon term for white “phalaeonopsis

amabilis” – native orchids which locals hang near the window to be admired
by spectators for their captivating charm and beauty.
163
Its cascading bunch of flowers resembles the eight leg-strips of this
rice pouch. This is the most intricate design. It is made up of eight little
strands of “lilas”, (strips) that would produce the biggest “puso”. This is
offered to the highest gods especially for asking special favors like good
health, good fortune, and a good harvest.
“phalaeonopsisamabilis” which locals in Cebu call Manan-aw

MANAN-AW BRAIDING PROCEDURE
Figure 1 Prepare Figure 2 Position Figure 3 Interlace the Figure 4 Twist the
eight strips of fronds your hand for the first four strips two inner leg strips
with four separate right over left towards the opposite right over left and
head strips. interlacing. first pair of four. interlace in the same
Intertwine these to direction with the two
have two separate outer leg strips.
sets.
164
Figure 5 Interlace the Figure 6 Twist the Figure 7 Release the Figure 8 Interlace the
second other four two inner leg strips other four leg strips other four leg strips
strips towards the right over left and and start interlacing at the opposite side.
second pair of four, interlace in the same the first set of four
while the rest of the direction with the leg strips right over
fingers are providing two outer leg strips. left.
support to the
interlaced end of the
pouch.
Figure 9 With your Figure 10 Interlace Figure 11 Interlace Figure 12 Interlace

left hand, hold the the second leg strips the third leg strips the fourth leg strips
other two leg strips toward the second toward the third head toward the fourth
while the right hand head strips. strips. head strips
interlaces the first
two leg strips
towards the first
head strips.
165
Figure 13 Interlace Figure 14 Interlace Figure 15 Interlace Figure 16 Interlace
right over left the first right over left the the first four leg strips the second four leg
four leg strips. second four leg strips toward the two head strips toward the two
on the opposite side. strips. head strips on the
opposite side.
Figure 17 Interlace Figure 18 Interlace Figure 19 Interlace Figure 20 Interlace

the first leg strips the second leg strips the third leg strips the fourth leg strips
toward the pouch’s toward the pouch’s toward the pouch’s toward the pouch’s
opening. opening opening. opening.
166
Figure 21 Hold the Figure 22 Pour rice Figure 23 Lock the tail
finished pouch for grains into the pouch; strips in preparation
tightening. the amount is half of for boiling.
the pouch’s size.
Finished Manan-aw Rice Pouches
167
Learning Task No. 2 (Actual Braiding)
1. Choose any of the design you like, and weave it using your palm strips.
2. Follow the required steps in the interacting process.
3. Identify the elements of design used after completing the weaving process.
1. The finished designs of “puso” will be displayed for an exhibit to be

participated by teachers, parents, students, and the school principal.
2. Write the news and feature articles of these exhibits.
3. Invite media personality for wider dissemination of this activity.

document other “puso” designs.

168
Questions Answers
1. Name the six designs of puso in

Cebu.
2. What is the purpose of each of the

six designs of puso?

inferences.

Example: Example:
like from nature.
169
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.

of Understanding
1. Why there are complicated designs

of puso?
170
2. What is your personal
interpretation about puso?
3. How can one designed of puso be

braided?
4. What life was without puso?
5. How do you feel about the puso

weavers in different areas in Cebu?

about the economic life of the puso
braiders?
B. Braid the desired puso out from the six designs.
171
Chapter VIII
The Processes in Puso Preparation and Cooking

“Without rice, even the cleverest housewife cannot cook”
Chinese Proverb
The freshly cooked Kinasing (Source: Edgar Jediza

http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/Philippines/photo1298804.htm)
the country
172
Learning Creates crafts that can be locally assembled with local
Competency materials, guided by local traditional techniques
Learning 1. Explain the basic terms used in puso-cooking.
Objectives 2. Immerse oneself through the actual puso-cooking.
3. Design a feasibility study for a puso business.
Learning Task No. 1 (Topical Barometer)
1. Tick out the checklist provided honestly as you can by providing a check
mark in the appropriate matrix of each benchmark statements.
2. The result of this one will be processed in the class by the teacher.
Statements Disagree Undecided Agree

1. I eat “puso” in stall as often.
2. I’m interested to weave “puso”.
3. I experienced cooking of “puso”.
4. I appreciate the selling of “puso” in
the market.
5. In the future, I will engage in “puso”
trade.
6. I will disseminate the culture of puso-
making.
173
7. Eating of “puso” is safe.
8. The cooking of “puso” is clean.
9. I recommend Cebu visitors to eat
“puso”.
10. I’m proud of being a Cebuano
through the “puso”.
Puso-weaving has become an industry in the metropolis of Cebu

dominated by only a few who made this into a lucrative trade. Through
preservation of its heritage, there is a need for students to create “puso” crafts
that can be locally assembled with local materials, guided by local traditional
techniques through the actual braiding and cooking processes.
BASIC TERMS USED IN PUSO BRAIDING
1. Lukay is a Sugbuanon term for coconut fronds. The midrib of the “lukay”
is removed to make the “lilas”, or the palm strips to start the “paglah”, which
means to braid.
2. Paglilas is the process of removing the midribs of the fronds to produce

sizes and designs of “puso”.
3. Paglah is the braiding process of interlacing and looping the strips to

produce the desired sizes of different designs of “puso”.
174
4. Manlalah is an expert in puso-weaving or “puso-weaver” who loves the
passionate art of puso-weaving.
5. Mumumusoare the experts of puso-making and puso-cooking who

ventured these activities as a form of business.
6. Pagpahut is a set of interlacing, looping, and twisting strips in actual rice-

pouch braiding.
7. Paghugot is the tightening process of the braided “puso” to prevent

spillage of rice grains before the pouches are placed in a cauldron for boiling.
175
Sourced from the collection of the Inocian clan, July 2012
The inset picture above shows the basic braiding process that includes
the intricate “paglah” (braiding), “pagpahut” (interlacing, looping, and
twisting), and “paghugot” (tightening) of “lukay” (palm strips) of the six
“puso” (rice pouch) designs headed by Paterna and the rest of her weavers
(Dr. Romola Savellon, residents from Barangay Taptap, and visitors from the
city government during the “Laag-laag sa Dakbayan” (a sponsored city tour
by the city government for the “Pinanggang Banay”).
176
BASIC PROCEDURE IN RICE-POUCH MAKING
The following are the basic steps in rice pouch braiding, which most of the
“mamumuso” commonly use of:
1. Remove the midrib of each coconut frond with the use of the nail of the
right thumb finger or with the use of a small knife blade to ensure its sanitary
value.
2. Slash desired strips to create whatever sizes of “puso”, the weaver likes to
make according to its purpose like: offering, eating, or selling.
3. Braid the desired designs of “puso” using interlacing and looping figures in
each of the desired designs indicated in the subsequent pages.
4. Tighten the “puso” to ensure its stable shaped design and to keep the rice
grains intact inside its surface.
177
Sourced from the CNU Museum’s Gabii sa Kabilin collection (Night in the
Museum) Celebration, May 2012
The inset picture above shows the removal of the midrib from the
bunch of coconut fronds freshly picked from the farm. Cristita, Caridad, and
Dawin Yote were one of the puso weavers invited during the historic Gabii sa
Kabilin celebration last May 2012.
Learning Task No. 2 (Demonstration)
1. With the available palm strips that are required of them to bring, the
students are expected to learn the actual procedure in weaving.
178
2. The students will observe and imitate the teacher’s demonstration.
3. When they got already the process, they are also expected to assist those
who have a hard time learning the process.
BASIC PROCEDURE IN PUSO COOKING
After the desired number of “puso” has been woven, “puso-weavers

(mamumuso) prepare the following procedures:
1. Place the finished “puso” in a clean basket, tray, or container away from
dust or any form of dirt to protect its sanitation.
2. Winnow the rice to remove rice hull, small pebbles and other particles.
3. Mix together the violet or black rice (Tapul nga humay) to add color for
aesthetic variation; however, this is optional;
4. Hold the “puso” on your left hand by pulling one of the two strips upheld,
to place the rice by gripping as it slowly loosens to drop inside its surface
area.
5. Calculate the amount of rice half from the puso’s surface area to ensure its
proper cooking.
179
6. Loop finally one of the upheld strips to closely tighten the “puso” to
prevent spill of rice from its surface.
7. Clean a large can or any cast iron container called “calderong dako” and
place it in a large cauldron called (pugon or sug-ang).
8. Regulate the amount of heat for a safe boiling water and proportional
cooking effect.
9. Pour water inside the container three-fourths from its surface area enough
for the desired volume of“puso “to be contained inside it and to give
allowance for evaporation while water is boiling.
10. Wait for 15 to 30 minutes to boil water before the puso should be placed
inside it.
11. Drip the filled “puso“ in the boiling water altogether to make sure that
water absorbs rice inside the “puso” to have equal amount of cooking.
12. Cover the container within 30 minutes to properly cook the “puso “.
13. Determine whether the “puso“is cooked by removing its cover and by
then pulling up one of these from the cauldron for the purpose of testing.
180
14. Observe the drip of water droplets from its pointed surface. “If it drips one
to three times as it vanishes, then the “puso” is already cooked, if the droplets
continue to drip many times, the “puso” is still half cooked, then place it back
to the container to ensure proper cooking”.
15. Rinse the cooked “puso” in a clean tray right after these are pulled up
from the container to dry up in few minutes before these are to be bunched in
a desired number.
16. Bunch these “puso” into dozens ready for its use like eating, offering,
selling, or for delivery.
Source from
(http://www.google.com.ph/?gws_rd=cr#bav=on.2,or.&fp=bcb7a650cec42e9
3&q=picture+of+puso-making)
181
Sourced from Liron Bruce
(ww.google.com.ph/?gws_rd=cr#bav=on.2,or.&fp=bcb7a650cec42e93&q=p
icture+of+puso-cooking+)
The inset pictures show the actual procedure of mid-rib removing,

weaving, packing the rice, and cooking of puso.
Learning Task No. 4 (Puso-Cooking Content)
1. The class is divided into 5 teams to participate the puso-cooking contest.

Using the 15 procedure.
2. There are invited guests and panel of judges for the competition.
3. The actual eating of cooked “puso” matched with satay or lechon
What are the implications of the six varied designs of rice pouches in
Cebu? The early Sugbuanons had shown reverence and respect with the
divinity of nature as exemplified in the “binaki” and “manan-aw” designs.
Nature is the source of life. They are dependent with it as they worked in the
182
farm for the source of food. It is the same nature that they had to give
indisputable indulgence. With such reverence, they commit themselves to
their existence with the supernatural being as they performed the annual ritual
with pure intentions and love as exemplified with the “kinasing” design. The
designs of “binaki”, “manan-aw”, and the “kinasing” represent the spiritual
ethos of the early Sugbuanons as regards with their reverence to nature.
Aside from this spiritual ethos, they also thought of using material
objects that would symbolize the significance of the ritual as majestic as they
could through the use of the “binosa”, “badbaranay”, and the “tinigib”. They
have not forgotten to recognize their human potential – a material ethos that
recognizes our human limitations. The spiritual and the material ethos can
divide humans and nature, but the three designs manifest the early Cebuanos’
values for manual, social, and decisive competence as a synergy of both
human and spiritual existence in the engagement of the ritual. Every amount
of toil is always be equated with spiritual gratification. This combined ethos
(spiritual and material) represents harmony of nature’s grand design in order
to shun violence and other sorts of nature’s abuses.
When the Spanish colonizers invaded the Philippines and with the
introduction and propagation of Christianity among the natives, this
superstitious belief of the early Sugbu-anons gradually disappeared, except
among few families in the hinterlands of the city and nearby towns, which
retained this vanishing tradition.
183
As a result, the “puso-making” tradition is also in danger of
disappearing. Hitherto, the craft still exists but it has been transformed into an
industry that caters to the economic needs for survival especially of the
present poor and middle-income Cebuanos. The “puso” which had to be hung
from a piece of rope is now placed in a sack or basket in barbecue stands in
street corners or carenderias. Its cultural meaning has been lost. The young
generation does not anymore care about it. The present “mamumuso” does
not anymore make the different designs but rather has fallen back on weaving
“kinasing”, “badbaranay”, and the “binaki” representing the small and
medium sizes of their products. These designs are easy to weave and fastest
time to finish – for mass production and for greater profit.
The “puso” has now become a solution to the Cebuano’s laziness to

cook an ordinary rice dish, as well as a handy substitute for plates for beach
picnics and parties and even for longer sea travel. The “puso” has always
been a part of the Cebuano identity. However, if nothing will be done about it,
then this will finally disappear. There is a need for “puso-making” to be
taught in schools and integrated the Arts and Technology and Home
Economics curricula as an example of indigenous craftsmanship.
Puso-making, a component of rice dish culture of the Cebuanos, has

always been a glimpse of a cultural heritage, which reflects Cebuano identity.
On the question, whether or not this heritage is worthy of preservation, the
answer lies in our hands, if we try opening our consciousness on its
significance to our culture. In her column, “Into the Heart of Puso”, Sunstar
184
Daily columnist Corazon Almerino (2002) viewed that in “every time people
eat puso, they become part of a heritage celebrating itself”. So, why not take
part of this heritage? With the hope that one can be proud to say this phrase
“wala ang puso kung wala ang mga Cebuanos” (no rice pouches without the
Cebuanos). This would give credit and recognition to the Cebuanos. Hence,
they ought to know the intricacies of braiding such as the interlacing, looping,
and twisting the supple palm strips so that this craft will not be finally gone in
oblivion.
Learning Task No. 5 (Symposium)
1. The class organizes for a symposium for puso-cooking business.
2. With the use of the same grouping, each of the team works on the
following task:
x Panel of Discussants (serves as experts, does the research, feasibility
study, etc.)
x Panel of Interrogators (serves as the arbiters, asks questions about the
topics presented by the discussants)
x Panel of Evaluators (serves as arbiters, critiques the presentation,
provide recommendations to the discussants)
x Panel of Presenters (serves as the organizers of the symposium,
facilitates the activity from start to finish)
x Panel of Wonderers (serves as an outsider of the symposium, sees the
185
big picture of the business, and gives their intuition on how to make the
business successful).

Questions Answers
1. What are the basic terms used in

puso braiding?
2. What are the steps in puso

cooking?

inferences.
186
Example: Example:
like from nature.
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
187

of Understanding
1. Why weave for puso?
2. Seeing for bunches of puso in the

stall, What do these mean to you?
3. How to weave the desired puso you

want?
4. What would it take if you know the

weaving of puso?
5. How do you feel if puso are most

significantly seen in Cebu?
188
about the weaving and the cooking of
puso
1. Weave a dozen of puso in elaborate designs.
2. Bring enough rice for puso cooking.
3. Taste and evaluate the cooked puso based on the constructed rubrics by the
group.
Work Cited:
Almerino, Corazon M. (2002), Into the heart of puso, Life and Leisure
Column, Sunstar Daily, July 25, 2002.
Cruz, et al, (1976), The teaching of elementary school subjects, Rex

Bookstore, Quezon City.
Eiseman, Fred B, Jr. (1994), Indonesia: honoring the rice mother, dewi
sri
(http://www.hotelwww.net/rice.htm).
189
Eslao-Alix, Louella Theresa (2013), Hikay: the culinary heritage of cebu,
University of San Carlos Press, Cebu City.
Fenner, Bruce L 91985) Cebu under the spanish flag (1521-1896), San Carlos
Publications, Cebu City
Inocian, Reynaldo B. (2010), Aesthetics Teaching Pedagogies, 3rd Edition,

Optima Printing & R2L2 Bookpage Publishing Center, Cebu City.
Jocano, Landa F. (1998), Filipino prehistory: rediscovering pre-colonial

heritage, Punlad Research House, Inc., Quezon City.
King, Jenny (2002), World’s religions: know and understand different beliefs,
World Link Books, http://www.goodreads.com/book/show /6404326-world-s-
religions
Lin, Catherine & Chua Wei Lin (2003) Gateway to malay culture, Asiapac
Books,
Singapore.
Manguin, Pierre-Yves (2001), Shipshape societies: boat symbolism and

political systems in insular southeast asia, techniques and cultures,
http://tc.revues.org/301.
190
Montebon, Marivir R. (2000, Retracing our roots: a journey into cebu’s pre-
colonial past, Minglanilla, Cebu: ES Villaver Publishing.
Nocheseda, Elmer I. (2011) The art of puso palm leaf art in the visayas in
vocabularios of the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries, Philippine Studies,
No. 2 Ateneo de Manila University.
Nocheseda, Elmer I. (2009) Palaspas: an appreciation of palm leaf art in the

philippines, Ateneo De Manila University Press: Quezon City.
Pacres, Jeffrey James Y. (2009) Blog commentaries on the origin of puso,

Central/http://www.cebucentral.com/bestofcebu/Puso.html)
Ursal, Sofronio B. (2015). The bisayan, Good Governance Books,

Philippines.
K to 12 Modules in Araling Panlipunan for Grade 7, DepEd National Office,

2012.
Filipino Herbs Healing Wonders (2013) “List of Medicinal Plants in the

Philippines”
http://www.filipinoherbshealingwonders.filipinovegetarianrecipe.com/list-of-
medicinal-plants-in-the-philippines.htm
______________, Puso: Best of CebuCentral

http://www.cebucentral.com/bestofcebu/Puso.html)
191
_______________, Picture of a Frog
http://www.google.com.ph/search?q=picture%20of%20a%20frog&ie=utf-
8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-
a&source=hp&channel=np
_______________, Picture of a
Phaleonopsishttp://www.google.com.ph/search?hl=tl&client=firefox-
US%3Aofficial&channel=np&q=pcitures+paleonopsis&oq=pcitures+paleono
psis&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_l=serp.12...183206l190694l0l192224l23l23l0l0l0
l0l232l2840l0j22j1l23l0.frgbld.
_____________ Pictures of Toy Tops

http://www.google.com.ph/search?hl=tl&client=firefox-
US%3Aofficial&channel=np&q=pcitures+of+a+toy+top&oq=pcitures+of+a+
toy+top&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_l=serp.12...3217l13651l0l15483l17l12l0l0l0l
1l253l1404l3j8j1l12l0.frgbld.
_____________ Picture of a Human Fist http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-

images/human-fist.html
_____________ Picture of a Shot Glass

US%3Aofficial&channel=np&q=pcitures+of+a+shot+glass&oq=pcitures+of+
a+shot+glass&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_l=serp.12...3125l18593l0l20332l21l21l0
l0l0l0l130l2399l1j20l21l0.frgbld.
192
_____________ Picture of a Human Heart
US%3Aofficial&channel=np&q=pcitures+of+a+human+heart&oq=pcitures+
of+a+human+heart&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_l=serp.12...258030l263671l0l265
456l17l17l0l0l0l0l197l2170l1j16l17l0.frgbld.
_____________ Pictures of a Chisel

a&hs=zQP&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-
US%3Aofficial&channel=np&q=pcitures+of+a+chisel&oq=pcitures+of+a+c
hisel&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_l=serp.12...2854l10916l0l12598l44l34l0l0l0l1l2
32l3829l7j26j1l34l0.frgbld.
_____________ Picture of a Can Opener

US%3Aofficial&channel=np&q=pcitures+of+a+can+opener&oq=pcitures+of
+a+can+opener&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_l=serp.12...2047255l2050598l0l2052
846l16l15l0l0l0l0l310l1863l6j6j2j1l15l0.frgbld.
_____________ Picture of a Bottle Opener

US%3Aofficial&channel=np&q=pcitures+of+a+bottle+opener&oq=pcitures+
of+a+bottle+opener&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_l=serp.12...23156l32210l0l33630
l29l25l1l0l0l0l213l2761l5j18j1l24l0.frgbld.
193
194

Lukay Art in The Philippines Cebus Pride

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Designed after the KPUP Model of Instruction

The ethnic culture of Cebu seems to have been totally obliterated by

Dr. Romola O. Savellon

For more than a decade of tedious ethnographic work, the writing of

Unit II: Ethnography of Puso-making in Cebu 124

This account validates our claim on the abundance of this agricultural

Sourced from the CNU Museum Tarp Exhibit, May 2012

With K to 12 as the concurrent curriculum launched by the Department

This book is definitely aligned as a valuable material for Art in the

Content Content Performance Learning

Balance g of salient Provinces crafts in specific

Emphasis features of and the areas in

Overview: Phil. Introduction to

Choose one: Music,

Sourced from Corpuz (2013) PAFTE Visayas Convention

As regards with the competencies of the humanities offered in the

With this Higher Education mandate regulating the tourism industry of

The Writer’s Point of View

Being a former curator of the Cebu Normal University museum and a

As a son of Barangay Taptap in the upland village of Cebu City, I was

The boat-shape table signifies journey in the ritual – the astral

“Many aspects of boat burial practices may be linked to the

Manguin (2001) also added that within this sphere, at a lower

Most of these natural herbs mentioned in the preparation of the puso

Once this preparation is done, the banquet table will have to be

Food offerings such as: bunches of cooked puso in elaborate designs,

These requests were similar with the reasons of most sacrifices

Among the Visayans, as reflected in the Boxer Coder of 1590 as

How does Lukay Art flourish?

A conjecture is inferred that the Hindu Malayan or Chinese traders

As gleaned on the quotation above, it is an undeniable fact that there

“My profession is to always find God in nature”.

- Henry David Thoreau

Demonstrates understanding of salient features of arts

Learning Task No. 1 (Buzz Session)

1. Show a video clip or still picture about nature and ask:

x How do you regard nature?

The picture embedded at the beginning of this chapter shows the

“these heavenly and natural phenomena were endowed with

Though, this form of worship is common in the lowlands where marsh

Learning Task No. 2 (Brainstorming)

1. The class is divided into five teams.

Lukay Art Topographic Descriptions of the Place

x What implications can we draw out regarding these topographic

Isda-isda or fish-like (sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)

Love Birds (sourced from Nocheseda, 2009)

The sweetness of chirping birds resting on a twig may instigate a feeling

The romantic evening experience under the sparkling stars exudes a

Flying birds up in the sky symbolize human freedom in times of

The moment we see starfish on the shoreline, we are reminded about

The sweetness of an ear of corn is symbolic of a farmer’s steadfastness

One of the most remarkable experiences of a shepherd’s life is how his

Though this bird is in isolation, this depicts such a readiness to fly to a

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2&)*3/ +)

* &

/- ;8<7=2&)*3/ +)