Republic of the Philippines

SULTN KUDARAT STATE UNIVERSITY

Palimbang- Campus
Poblacion, Palimbang Sultan Kudarat

REPORT OUTLINE
IN EED TLE 2
Topic: Chapter 6- Handicraft

Group: 6
Members:
 SOLANO, QUENNIE
 BARON, JOHN LENNON
 ABAS, MYRA
 LU, JEAN
 ANDAL, HARZYB
 MANGACOY, JOAN

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction of handicrafts………….......……….........……

page 3-5

Handicraft in the Philippines: a brief history….........page 5-

Indigenous Philippine arts and crafts………….............…

page 6

Handicrafts from selected

region……………….............page 6-7

Handicrafts and its basic

elements……………….............page 7

Three basic of elements ………………………...................

….page 8

Types of Philippine handicraft industry………….......page

8-10

Basic principles of

handicraft……………………...............page 11

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Chapter 6 : HANDICRAFT
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

a. Explain the contribution of handicraft industries to the country’s culture

and economy
b. Demonstrate awareness on the history of handicrafts in the Philippines
c. Identify examples of handicraft from selected regions of the country
d. Define terms and concept in handicraft
e. Identify basic handicraft elements
f. Identify the basic principles in handicraft in the theory and practice

Philippine economy. Its value both as a product and skill has been
recognized time and again. This has been integrated in the Philippine
educational system because of its relationship to arts. According to UNESCO
ad International Bureau of Education. (Galvante1958), “the skill and
understanding required by studying art encourage the appreciation of nature,
life, production, and art. Moreover, handicraft is also recognized as an
important means for aesthetic, intellectual, and moral education. Taking
handicraft as part of the curriculum would help students develop self-
realization through self-confidence, creative self-expression and
communication of one’s ideas to others. Students would also learn to respect
and value the artistic expression of others within the context of values
prevailing in the community.

 Cultural Importance
- the culture and tradition of our country have also been preserved
through the love of handicraft. History gives concrete evidence of our rich
traditional art, skills and talents as well as the Filipino way of life.
Here are some examples:

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1. Tacloban’s name was said to have been derived from bamboo baskets
known as “takub” or cover.
- This “takub” was created for fishermen to catch fish, crabs or shrimps
in shallow areas by hovering a fish and covering it quickly to make a catch.

2. In Davao, a similar basket was also used by the Bagobo Tribe (Cole,
1913).
- this is the reason why, in the Social Sciences and in Home
Economics subject, these handcrafted materials are included as culture
materials to study how the community managed their resources.

 Economic Importance
- Handicraft is a great contributor to the economic development of the
Philippines through job creation and employment. A huge number of artisans
and employees are hired by handicraft industries. Even with low capital
investments, handicraft products are now part of the international market
which bring additional income to the country.
- Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and handicraft entrepreneurs
operating the cottage industries are supported through the financial programs
and trade fairs coordinated by the Department of Trade and Industry. The
Philippine Chamber of Handicraft Industries has been organized by the
entrepreneurs themselves to help in the promotion of the handicraft industry
of the country.
- Thus, acquisition of knowledge and skills in handicraft is something
that you must be proud of. You will get financial reward by doing something
for the end users and lovers of the crafted products. Above all, you help
spread the Filipino culture.
- Another similar treasure was found in Tabon Cave, Palawan. This
was believed to be a work of a master potter, the structural design of which
features a lid with boat where two human figures are seated thought to
represent souls to a voyage to the after life.

-Although there is limited literature about handicrafts during the early

period, pottery is not the only handicraft that has been documented. Furniture

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carvings and ornaments also share in the history of handicrafts. The regular
trade between the Philippines and the neighboring countries includes
handicrafts. (Galvante, etal).
- Handicraft flourished especially as religious items during the Spanish
colonial period. The more prominent handicrafts known were the sculpture,
woodcarving, metal craft, embroidery, and weaving. The Philippines was
known for embroidery such as Calado, which was applied to clothes and
undergarments. The Banton cloth in Banton, Romblon, woven from red, black,
and white abaca threads is also known as the oldest relic estimated to be 400
years old during the time of Spanish occupation
(www.nationalmuseum.gov.ph).
-The introduction of handwork skills in the primary curriculum pave the
way to the growth of handicraft in the country during the American occupation.
The teaching of handicraft was taught differentiated by gender. Carpentry was
taught for boys while the embroidery such as Calado was for the girls. Such
development gave the local designs and indigenous handicraft to flourish and
export of these products was made possible. The existing free trade
agreement with the United States has given way for the export of Marikina
shoes, buntal and Baliwag hats, and other embroiders products.
- With the advent of technology, handicrafts from the different regions
or provinces in the country have been developed through time. The products
of each region were not only known in the Philippines but also abroad.
Moreover, with advanced technology, enabling mechanized equipment to
facilitate handicraft products to differentiate them from machine-made ones
(UNESCO-ITC,1997). It is during this time that entrepreneurs saw the rising
demand for handicraft products.

 Handicraft in the Philippines: A Brief History

- Handicraft in the Philippines is almost 5000 years old. In the
Philippines, some evidence of early Filipinos craftmanship have been
discovered in caves and in the burial places of ancient Philippine tribes before
the Spanish Colonial period (Galvante, Udan, & Salvador, 1958).
- Some of these relics were the 29 earthenware secondary burial pots
called the Maitum jars, named after Ayub Cave in Maitum, Saranggani

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 Province where these jars were found. The report said that these jars were
“anthropomorphic”, meaning human-shaped. The jars have head-shaped
covers which depict varied facial expressions.

 Indigenous Philippine Arts and Crafts

- Weaving is the most precious traditional livelihood that originated in
the precolonial times and is still kept until today. The art of weaving of the
Cordillera tribal groups in the northern part of the country is still existing
despite the threat of the more practical, mass production of cloth. The natives
used back strap loom to produce blankets and articles of clothing (The
Freeman, 2016).
- In the entire province of Antique, Pinya cloth as also been produced
in looms. It is a delicate and exquisite hand-woven cloth that is made from the
fibers obtained from the leaves of pineapple plants. The Barong Tagalog is
the most popular product made from this organic and airy textile of pinya fiber.
- Abaca fiber is produced from the abaca plant which is grown in some
places in the country. Eastern Visayas is the largest supplier of this product
followed by the Bicol Region. Abaca has been cultivated in the country since
1500s and became known worldwide in the 1800s mainly used as ropes in
ship rigging (https://en.mwikipedia.org). Sinamay fabric is also woven from
abaca as well as specially papers like vacuum bags, currency and tea bags.
Handicrafts like bags, carpets, and clothing are also some of the products
made from abaca.

 Handicrafts from Selected Regions

- Almost every region in the Philippines has its own “specialty” products
or unique process. Examples of traditional handicrafts from selected regions
are discussed in the succeeding paragraph.

1. Loom Weaving- Cordillera Administrative Region

Some of the tribes in the Cordillera have their unique weaving
techniques.
- In Abra, there are three known types of weaving techniques namely:

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 Pinilian- weaving features designs common to the locality (Valmero,
2010). For example, pineapple and guava are depicted since these are
the main products of Abra.
 Binakol- feature uniform geometric patterns that depict the waves of sea.
 Tiniri- is differentiated in its technique rather that its design since it uses
“twisted weaving technique” (Valmero, 2010).

2. Calado- Lumban, Laguna, and Taal, Batangas

-Calado is a type of embroidery using a process of pulling threads from
certain areas of cloth, usually pinya or jusi, the sewing the drawn threads
using various stitches to form clean holes on the cloth.

3. Marbie Craft- Romblon

-Romblon marble is known to have qualities with commercial value that
can rival those of other countries like Italy. The famous mortar and pestile
which are used in the kitchen are the earliest products carved out of marble.
Other products are the ash trays, nameplates for offices and tombstones used
as grave markers.

 Handicraft and Its Basic Elements

- As defined, handicraft is referred to as a product, process, and a
skill.
-It is a Product (or artisan craft) when referring to an object of
“aesthethic production” (Shilvers&Calder, 1974), that is created by hand or by
using only simple tools to serve a purpose or possess a value (Arribas, 2009).
- It is a Process, when its focus is on the techniques such as weaving,
to create an item by hand.
- It is Skill, when the focus is on the mode of expression as well as
motor skills, particularly on the dexterity and facility of that control and
manipulate the materials and tools.

 Three Basic Elements of Handicraft

Handicraft cannot be created without considering these three elements
which are interrelated with one another.

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 1. Design- This refers to an idea or an arrangement scheme that is
shown or exhibited into a configuration, drawing, model, mold, pattern, plan or
specification to work out the form of an object. Once the design is drawn by
the artisan or designer, the expected finished product shall be visualized with
the given perspective.
2. Material- This is the most important element of handicraft which is
used as input to a production process for subsequent transformation into the
finished product. This could either be natural, modified or in its semi-
processed state.
3. Technique- This refers to the method and process on how the
material is to be handled. The tools and equipment to be used will determine
the technique to be appliedin the production stage.

The Inter relationship of the three elements is illustrated in the following

diagram as espoused by the late Prof. Lydia Arribas. As shown, the handicraft
product is the realization of the elements of design and is most probably
created depending on the need of the customer. In the selection of the
material to be used in the execution of the planned concept, the design and
function of the object have to be considered. In turn, the material selected will
suggest the technique on how the material is treated, processed and handled
to convert it to the desired object.

 Types of Philippine Handicraft Industry

There are several handicraft industries in the Philippines. Different
materials are used to produce these products. These are sold both to local
and foreign markets. Handicraft industries generate income and improve the
quality of lives of the owners and their workers, their respective families and
contribute valuable growth to our economy as well. The following are some of
the major handicraft products in our country:

Rattan belongs to the regions such as the Philippines the palm family and a
native species sin Asia, Australia, and Africa. Are found

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 Rattan Craft
In Filipino term, rattan is known as yantok. It is a long and slender
climbing plant, whose sheaths are protected by its spines that play a major
role in supporting the rattan as it grows on other plants in the forests. The
flexibility and durability characteristics of rattan made the finished products
popular. Some of the products made out of rattan are bags, baskets, hats,
wall décor, ash trays, picture frames, sofa sets, TV racks, cabinets, and other
articles and furniture for home use.

 Bamboo Craft
The art of making usable products out of bamboos is called bamboo
craft. You must have observed that bamboos are used in building bahay kubo
(nipa-hut), furniture, house furnishings like hangers, trays, baskets, dividers,
lamp shades, and many more useful items at home.

 Leather Craft
Articles made out of leather are called leather craft. Taxidermy is the
term that refers to the art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of
animals. This also makes use of the skin of animals, but generally it is the

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head and the parts the back are used. Some examples of leather products are
bag that shoes, jackets, coin purses, gloves, belts and wallets.

 Coconut Shell Craft

Coconut shells are made into useful articles through coconu shell craft
industry. After the coco meat is scraped from the shells, they are cleaned and
cut into various shapes to be used in making articles like buttons, brooches,
table lamps, dippers, ladles, and many more.
Coco necklace is another product of coconut shell craft. Several
varieties of coco necklace are sold. The coconut shell components are
combined with wood, shells, and many other products to make them more
attractive and marketable.

 Basket Weaving
this is also called basketry, basket making,which is the process of
weaving unspun vegetable fibers into basket. People who weave baskets are
calls basket makers. Material used in basketry are pine straw, stems, animal

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hair, grasses, thread and other varieties of fibrous or pliable materials that will
bend and from a shape.

 Weaving
This is a fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads
are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. Methods of this are
known as knitting, lace making, felting, and braiding or plaiting.

 Tatting
This is a technique for handcrafting a durable lace through constructing
a series of knots and loops. Tatting is commonly used as lace edging, as
doilies, collars, and other decorative pieces. The lace is formed by a pattern of
rings, and chains formed from a series of cow hitch, or half-hitch knots, kown
as double stitches, over a core thread.

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 Macrame
This is a form of textile making using knotting instead of weaving and
knitting. Square knots are the primary knots formed; and forms of hitching like
full hitch and double half hitches are made. Material used in macrame are
cords made of cotton twine, linen, hemp, jute, leathern or yarn.

 Crochet
The process of creating fabric from yarn , thread, or other materials
strands using a crochet hook. Hooks available in the market are made of
different materials such as metals, woods, or plastics.
Crocheting is done by pulling loops through other loops, but in addition,
this incorporates wrapping of working materials around the hook one or more
times. Crochet differs from knitting . it only uses one hook while knitting has
two knitting needles.

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 Basic Principles of Handicraft
The basic principles (Aribas 2009)
1. Handicraft always serves a purpose or a need.
2. Knowledge of handicraft always requires the understanding of its essentials
or basic elements which are materials, techniques, and design (product).
3. Economy of materials and techniques must be practiced.
4. Handicraft activity requires attention in mind.
5. Handicraft should be learned from simple to complex.
6. Good craftsmanship is influenced by the materials, techniques, tools,
equipment, the working environment, and the skill of the craftsman.
7. Form follows function.
8. There is always the best technique for accomplishing a design.

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 References

Galvante, Udan, & Salvador, (1958)

Philippine arts and craft.

Valmero, Anna, (2010 Trinny and Sussanah, (2010)

The Body Shape. Weidenfeld and Nicolson. ) Binakol weaving for kids

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