Pre-colonial Philippines

Mindanao Ethno-linguistic Groups

The Tboli
of South Cotabato

The Tboli
1) The Tboli believe that
they descended from the
couples La Bebe & La Lomi and
Tamfeles & Kagef, who survived
a great flood.
2) The datu was the leader,
interpreter of Tboli customs and
traditions
3) The title of datu is not
hereditary.
4) The household was the

A traditional Tboli house called gunu bong (literally big house)

Characteristics of a
traditional Tboli house

house
house on
on
stilts
stilts high
high
off
off the
the
ground
ground

laan gunu
space under the house,
used to keep horses

roof made of cogon

tied to bamboo rafters

walls of
split
bambo
o
sawali

A traditional Tboli ladder

The interior of a typical traditional Tboli house

Tboli tnalak weaving

Designs are created by tie-dying

The cloth is woven using a backstrap loom

Finishing a tnalak cloth using a cowrie shell

Lang Dulay
Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan awardee

hilot
chainmaillike girdle

tnoyong
brass hawk bells

blonso brass bracelets

Different kinds of Tboli blonso

A brass hilot (belt)

with brass tnoyong (hawkbell)

A Tboli woman wearing a traditional

comb with beads

Tboli jewelry

Tboli brass figurines

1) production started fairly recently
2) bronze casting using the lost
wax technique (cire perdue)

A Tboli kampilan

The Maranao
of Lanao

Maranao
1) ranao = lake, Maranao
people of the lake
2) originally from Lanao del
Norte and Lanao del Sur,
around Lake Lanao
3) communities organized
into barangays with a datu
4) the title of datu is not
inherited
5) converted to Islam with

The Maranao torogan, the house of a datu.

the panolong of a torogan

The panolong using an ukkil motif

a naga motif

The torogan also

serves as a
community meeting
place

Ukkil motif a stylized plant or animal motif, usually snakes, birds, ferns, etc
- Islam prohibits the depiction of humans and animals

Maranao tambol with ukkil design

Maranao betel box copper alloy and silver inlay

Gador metal food container,

inlayed design

Panalogadan
brass jars with stands

A Maranao chest (kaban) with bone inlay design

kris and
kampilan swords

The Tausug
of Sulu, Zamboanga
and Tawi-Tawi

Tausug
1) tau = person, sug =
current
Tausug people of the current
(sea)
2) originally from the
Zamboanga Peninsula, Sulu
and Tawi-Tawi
3) converted to Islam with
the arrival of Sharif Makdum
in 1380
4) parianon coastal

tadjuk pasung roof ornament

nipa roof
supported by
bamboo
rafters

walls of
sawali (split
bamboo)
Tausug coastal houses

traditional mats from the island of Laminusa

Pis siyabit - male headdress, originally made from silk

Tausug
pis siyabit

Sunduk
Male grave marker

Sunduk
Female grave marker

Tausug kris

Tausug wedding

Next week

The Spanish Colonial Perio

QUIZ #1
1. (15 points) Vernacular houses in the Philippines share many
common characteristics. Write a short essay about these common
threads.
Your essay must cover the following:
1. architectural features
2. interior features
3. materials
Cite at least 3 ethnic groups and their typical dwellings to help
illustrate your points.
2. (5 points) Despite belonging to different communities, why
do you think Filipino vernacular architecture developed such
similar forms? Give at least 2 examples to substantiate your
argument.

Visit the following exhibitions:

1. The Gold Collection, Metropolitan Museum
2. The Ethnographic Collection, National Museum of the
Philippines

Based on these collections, create a plate design

using ethnic motif seen in class or during your
visit to the museums above.
Execute your design on a blank plate using acrylic
coloring materials.
Submission: 17 February 2015, before class starts