DEVELOPING FILIPINO

IDENTITY IN THE ARTS

“An Artist’s Personal Inventory”

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ROOTING MYSELF:
• Who am I?
• What is the Philippines to me?
• What is my relationship to my
community/country?
• What are the art forms in my community?
• As an artist, what can I contribute to my
community/country?
HISTORY OF PHILIPPINE
ART AND CULTURE
“When you are lost the only way to
learn is to go back to the start”
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CULTURE
• In Philosophy – refers to what is
different from nature; acquired not
innate.
• In Sociology - "what is common to a
group of individuals and as what
ties them together.”
• It is a distinct way of being, thinking,
acting and communicate.
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ART AND CULTURE
• Art influences society by
changing opinions, instilling
values and translating
experiences across space and
time. 
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ART AND CULTURE
• Art preserves what fact-
based historical records
cannot: how it felt to exist in a
particular place at a particular
time. 
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ART AND CULTURE
• Art is communication; via
images, sounds and stories.
•  Art is often a vehicle for
social change.
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ART AND CULTURE
• Art also has utilitarian
influences on society.
• Art not only fosters the
human need for self-
expression and fulfillment; it
is also economically viable.
 PHILIPPINES

“A Brief Rundown”
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THE DIFFERENT NAMES OF THE
PHILIPPINES:

• Ma-I (Present-day Mindoro) - named by the Chinese

meaning “Country of the Blacks”
• Maniolas – named by Claudius Ptolemy.
• La Islas de San Lazaro (St. Lazarus’ Islands) –
named by Ferdinand Magellan
• Las Islas de Poniente (Islands to the West) –
• Las Islas Felipinas (Philippine Islands/Islands
belonging to Philip) -
•  Filipinas (Philippines).
• Pearl of the Orient/Pearl of the Orient Seas 
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THE ORIGIN OF THE PHILIPPINES

Based on three main sources:

• Genesis from the Bible
• The Story of Evolution
• Legends and Fairytales
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THE ORIGIN OF THE PHILIPPINES

Examples of Legends and

Fairytales:
• Malakas and Maganda
• The Story of the Brown People
• Tungkung Langit and Alunsina
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THE EARLY ANCESTORS

• Negritos – a.k.a. Aetas or Atis –

migrated using land bridges and
known as nomads.
• Indonesians – first immigrants to
come from the sea.
• Malays – came from South East
Asia.
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THE EARLY ANCESTORS

• The Tabon Man –

existed during the
Stone Age.
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EARLY FILIPINO COMMUNITIES

• Barangay/Balanghay –
meaning “a water vehicle” –
refers to an ethnic group who
migrated and rode together
• The Barangay Government –
made up of 5 to 10 barangays
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EARLY FILIPINO GOVERNMENT

• Datu – leader, lawmaker and judge.

Called as “Lakan” or “Gat”; wives as
called “Dayang-Dayang”
• Atubang ng Datu – advisors to the
Datu
• Council of Elders –who reviews and
agrees to the laws of the Datu before
they are announced.
• Umalohokan – Barangay announcer
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EARLY FILIPINO GOVERNMENT

• Maharlika – the free or the noble

people
• Timawa – the ordinary people
• Alipin – slaves; the lowest of the low
• Babaylan – female priests, shamans;
heads all rituals
• Tambalan – healers or doctors
• Daragangan – outstanding soldier
• Binukot – kept maidens who are
treasured
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EARLY CUSTOMS & BELIEFS

 Panganga – chewing of betel

nut.
Nganga are areca seeds , lime
and a leaf of betel.
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EARLY CUSTOMS & BELIEFS

 Beliefs in the Afterlife:

• T’Boli – soul leaves the body
during sleep (astral
projection). Person dies when
the soul fails to return.
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EARLY CUSTOMS & BELIEFS

• Bagobo – Each had two souls;

one is bad and one is good.
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EARLY CUSTOMS & BELIEFS

 Burial Practices:
• Manobo – Bury dead in trees
• Sulod – Bury inside the tree
trunk, removes the bones and
place inside a jar.
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EARLY CUSTOMS & BELIEFS

• Ifugaos – Corpse is seated in a

chair for several days, brought
to a cave, after a year buried
somewhere else. Hudhud is
pracitced.
• Sagada – Hang the head by
the side of a mountain
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EARLY CUSTOMS & BELIEFS

 Other Burial Practices:

• Embalming with herbs and oils
and placed in a coffin
• Buried right under the house,
cave of a cliff overlooking the sea
• Buried with dead are their
material possessions; sometimes,
eyes are covered with gold
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EARLY CUSTOMS & BELIEFS

• Families wear white during their

mourning.
• For others, the house will be burned
down and the family would find a
new home.
• If the person was murdered, the
family is allowed to exact retribution
– to appease their sorrow.
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EARLY WRITING SYSTEM
• Alibata – from “Alifbata” – Arabic
alphabet.
- wrong term.
• Baybayin – from the root word
“baybay” meaning “to spell”. The
early alphabet of the Filipinos.
A.k.a. Tagalog Script.
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LANGUAGES OF THE PHILIPPINES

• Filipino – the national language,

synonymous to Tagalog.
• Top 10 languages spoken:
Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocan, Hiligaynon,
Waray-Waray, Kapampangan,
BicolanoPangasinense, Maranoan
and Tausug.
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ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE PHILIPPINES

• Ethnicity – the fact or state of

belonging to a social group that
has a common national or
cultural tradition.
• There are 134 ethnic groups in
the Philippines.
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ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE PHILIPPINES

• Indigenous Tribes – who have

managed to preserve their
identity. They mostly reside in
the mountains.
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ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE PHILIPPINES

 Two Main Ethnic Groups:

• Igorots – from the north
• Lumad – non-Muslims from the
south
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ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE PHILIPPINES

  IGOROTS
• Resides in the mountain ranges of the
Cordillera region.
• Primarily known as rice cultivators.
• Ifugaos – built the Banaue Rice Terraces
more than 2,000 years ago. They are also
known for their stone-carved anitos and
ornate tattoos.
• Kalinga – famous for their tattoos.
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ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE PHILIPPINES

• Also includes the Bontoc, Ibaloi,

Isneg, Kankanaey and Tinguian
groups.
• Other northern tribes are Isnag and
the Ilongots.
• The Ilongots are known for their
intense aggressiveness and cultural
conservatism.
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ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE PHILIPPINES

 LUMAD
• Comprise about 13 ethnic groups:
Blaan, Bukidnon, Higaonon,
Mamanwa, Mandaya, Manobo,
Mansaka, Sangir, Subanen, Tagabawa,
Tagakaulo, Tasaday, and T’boli.
• Generally known for tribal music
produced by musical instruments
they’ve created.
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ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE PHILIPPINES

 BADJAOS
• From Sulu, Mindanao.
• Known as sea tribes living on
houseboats.
• Divers, fishermen and
navigators.
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ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE PHILIPPINES

 ATI AND TUMANDOK

• tribes of Panay Island
• Most resemble Aetas
• Still carry animalistic beliefs and
rituals
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ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE PHILIPPINES

 PALAWAN TRIBES
• Mountain and lowland dwellers
• Live in rural settings
• Tribes are: Batak, Palaweño,
Palawano, and the Tagbanwa
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ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE PHILIPPINES

 MANGYANS
• Well-known
• Biggest populace
• Comprised of eight different
groups
• They have a peaceful reputation.
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ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE PHILIPPINES

 AETAS OR NEGRITOS
• Earliest known inhabitants
• Nomadic
• Skilled in weaving and plaiting;
experts in herbal medicine.
HOMEWORK: CHARACTER DESIGN

TRIBES:
Mangyan T’boli
Maranao Bikolani
Manobo Ilongots
Tagalog Ifugao
Kapampangan Ilokano
Badjao Tumandok
HOMEWORK: CHARACTER DESIGN
• Choose 1 tribe.
• Research about that tribe, its practices, traditions,
beliefs and lifestyle.
• Make 1-2 characters (creatures are allowed);
full-body in ¾ position (action pose) with
costume and weapon/object.
• Finished work must be done ink. Colored pencils
and watercolors are allowed. Pastels are not
allowed.
• Use a 1/8 illustration board or grey board.
• Write a short description about your
character at the back.
 GROUP REPORT PRESENTATION
• Group yourselves by 7-9 members. Each group
will be given a topic to research.
• They will present their research in PPT form
(audios and videos are optional).
• Each group will only be given 10 -15 minutes to
present. Presentation is due next Track 4meeting.
• The topics are: Philippine Fine Arts, Philippine
Sculpting (inc. Pottery), Decorative Art (inc.
Weaving and Tattoo), Literature, Music and
Dance, Theatre and Superstitions & Beliefs.