HISTORY OF

OKIR
Okir, a pre-Islamic art form, originated from the okil decorative carving
traditions of the Sama people. These designs were highly individualistic and
rectilinear, and were later refined by the Maranao to decorate torogan
houses. The most prominent parts of the torogan were the panolong, carved
floor beams with elaborate okir designs, usually of a naga or sea serpent.
These designs became symbols of power and prestige, influencing other
Maranao artforms. Okir spread to nearby regions through the migrations of
the Iranun people, and elements of okir were adopted by the neighboring
Maguindanao, Lumad, Yakan, and Tausug peoples, influencing the
carvingtraditions of the Sama later on.
 WHAT IS
OKIR?
The Okir motif is an exclusive artistic cultural heritage of the Maranaos of
Lanao, Philippines, dating back to the early 6th Century C.E. It is a fine art
of figuring, painting, curving, and sculpturing that depicts the social and
p s y c h o l o g i c a l i d e n t i t y o f t h e M a r a n a o s o c i e t y. T h e M a r a n a o s u s e v a r i o u s
patterns, such as Matilak (circle), Poyok (bud), Dapal (leaf), Pako (fern or
s p i r a l f o r m ) , To d i ( f e r n l e a f w i t h s p i r a l a t u p p e r e d g e ) , a n d P a k o l u n g a t
(fern leaf with cut at one edge). The Maranaos preserve their cultural
heritage by keeping their artifacts permanently located in their households.
Fig 1. Elements of Maranao Okir motif. MATILAK - circle; POTYOK - bud; DAPAL - leaf; PAKO -
fern or spiral form; TODI - fern leaf with spiral at upper edge; PAKO LUNGAT - fern leaf with a cut at
one edge
Fig. 2. Elements of Maranao okir motif. NAGA - serpent; OBID-OBID - rope-like
motif; BINOTOON - star-like; KIANOKO - fingernail-like; PAKONAI - fern leaf
with two cuts at one edge; TALI-TALI - rope motif.

Introduction
Fig. 3. Elements of Maranao okir motif. AMALIS, a combination of fern (pako), leaf (dapal), and
some flowers or a bud; also shown is a simplified magoyoda, the motif where the S-shaped serpent
dominate; and birdo, a motif of growing vine or crawling plant, often in horizontal movement. The
sample of the birdo shown here is fully executed.
Introduction
EXAMPLES OF
OKIR
 WHAT IS
FROM ART
TO ART?
Art is a diverse range of human activity and
its resulting product that involves creative or
imaginative talent generally expressive of
technical proficiency, beauty, emotional
power, or conceptual ideas.
EXAMPLES
OF FORM
OF ART TO
ART