Philippine Art Before Colonization

In art historical terms, we refer to art before the coming of the
first colonizers a “pre-conquest”, “indigenous” in stylistic terms, to

emphasize the idea that our ancestors have been making art even
before colonization. It is also described as “pre-colonial” as a term to
use for the general way of life before colonization.
Art of the ancient Filipinos were woven into the fabric of
everyday life. They do not refer to art as we do today, and they did not
distinguish forms into different categories like music, theater, visual
arts etc. Everyday expressions were integrated within rituals that
marked in a community’s life, like planting harvesting rites of passage,
and funerary ceremonies.
Our ancestors were hunter-gatherers. Before large cities
emerge, pre-colonial Filipino hunted food and game, which were
shared among members of a community during gatherings.
In time they devised an alphabet and wrote stories about their
hunts, adventures etc. Imitating movements and sounds of animals led
to the development of theater or play acting. When they learned to add
drums and rhythm to their movements, music and dance were given
birth.
Many rituals are still alive in different regions. In the upcoming
chapter, we will learn about mayvanuvanua in Batanes. Kanyaw is
from the Cordillera Autonomous Region, which is officiated by a
mumbaki(shaman) it is similar to mayvanuvanua. Kanyaw involves
animal sacrifice, where the entrails are read through a process of
divination that may be performed for healing, to announce the birth of
a child, or coming of age, during wakes, weddings, and burial
ceremonies.
In Lake Lanao in Mindanao a ritual called Kashawing is still
observed and performed to ensure abundance during rice planting
and harvesting. It involves reenactment of the pact made by the
community’s ancestors and unseen spirits inhabiting the lake.
The Tagbanwa of Palawan believe that every thirteenth moon,
three goddesses descend from heaven to bless the planting of rice,
wherein the shamans go into a trance amidst ritual chanting and
dancing, which is believed to be possessed by the goddesses.
Philippines already possess a varied and vibrant musical
culture before the coming of Spaniards. The instruments that are used
then are pipes, flutes, zithers, drums, kudyapi (three stringed
guitar), kulintang (array of bossed gongs), gansa, bamboo
percussion instruments, and the agong (large bossed gong).
Wealth of ethnic musical instruments were further
complimented by native dance forms. The Pangalay of Sulu
archipelago is mimetic of the movement of seabirds, Mandaya’s
kinabua, banog-banog of the Higaonon and of the B’laan
communities, and the man-manok of the Bagobos of Mindanao
imitate predatory birds. Ifugaos use talip in courtship, a type of dance
imitating wild fowl movements. The inamong of the Matigsalugs, and
kadaliwas dance of T’bolis representing the comedic movements of
monkeys. The tinikling is evocative of the movement of cranes, flitting
away from the clutches of bamboo straps.
Pre-colonial Filipinos have been making images long before
colonization, exemplified by the country’s rich tradition in carving.
The Cordillerans carve the bulul regarded as a granary god.
Anthropomorphic bulul may appear in containers, bowls, and
spoons. Hagabi, produced by the Ifugaos, is a wooden bench marking
socioeconomic status of its owner. Christianized communities in
Laguna and Pampanga are known for carving saints’ sculptures as well
as wooden sculptures for secular orientations.
Paete, Laguna is recognized for its carving tradition; and the
town of Betis, Pampanga remains active even with challenges posed
to contemporary practice.
Okir (termed ukkil in Tausug, Samal, Badjao) are curvilinear
decorations employed in woodcarving . Sensuous figures may be
painted in primary colors and follow the basic designs of the
sarimanok, naga (serpent), pako rabong (fern). More elaborate
designs of okirs can be found in the house of the sultan called
torogan. Okirs can be used for ornamentation in musical instruments,
grave markers (sunduk), and marking ceremonial boats.
The manunggul jar, dated to the late Neolithic period (890-
710 BC), was discovered at Manunggul Cave, Lipuun Point, Palawan. It
is a secondary burial vessel glazed with reddish hematite and incised
with curvilinear designs. It has two anthropomorphic designs atop the
lid: a boatman with a deceased charge, a metaphor for travel to the
afterlife. Other burial jars were created during Metal Age (5 BC- 225
AD), found in Ayub Caves in Maitum, Saranggani province. These
jars have more detailed craftsmanship than the manunggul jar.
Like pottery, weaving is a cherished living tradition. Textile
weaving is not only functional, but also educational about people’s
belief systems. In traditional weaving, fibers are gathered from cotton,
abaca, and pineapple leaves while pigments are extracted from clay,
roots, and plant leaves. A backstrap or pedal loom is used to weave
designs holding special meanings which varies from one cultural
group to another. Pis siyabit, a woven headpiece of the Tausug of
Sulu and malong with exquisite tapestry panels known as langkit
woven by Maranaos. Other weaving techniques include mat and
basket weaving. Tawi-Tawi’s tepo mat is a colorful double layered mat
made with pandan leaves. Ovaloid baskets made of nito and bamboo
in Itbayat, Batanes, are used as head slings to carry harvests, while in
Ilocos region, bamboo strips are used to create fish traps called
bubo.
Boxer Codex , is an illustrated manuscript featuring various
ethnolinguistic groups. An upper class Tagalog couple was portrayed
wearing gold jewelry, Visayans were shown fully covered in tattoo,
when the Visayas were referred as Islas de los Pintados. In ancient
time tattoos were believed to ward off evil spirits, and sometimes
considered a badge of maturity and bravery. Kalinga, Kankanay, Ibaloy,
and Ifugao practiced tatooing. Jewelry is believed to make its wearer
more attractive to the opposite sex and pleasing to the gods. The
T’boli in particular wear brass chains, bells, and colorful beads.
As with jewelry, the Maranao produces lotoans or betel nut
boxes of various shapes, made of brass or bronze. The designs are
achieved through a technique called cire perdue or lost wax, which
involves the use of moulds filled with a liquefied metal. Other vessels
that employ the same technique are kendi and gadur, used in
ceremonies and are cherished as status symbols or as heirloom
pieces. Kendi has a round body with no handle, while the gadur has a
tapered top, round body, and a flared base.

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In art historical terms, we refer to art before the coming of the

first colonizers a “pre-conquest”, “indigenous” in stylistic terms, to

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