ENTWINED: The Making and Meaning of the Different Basket Forms in the Philippines

ENTWINED The making and meaning of the different basket forms in the Philippines

Mu se o n g N ayo n g P il ip ino C u r at or ia l T e am

Baskets as Invisible Materials in the Past In a place where there is an abundance of plants and natural resources kept within reach, the basket and the multiplicity of its roles in Philippine community is one that may almost be taken for granted. The fibers are woven to produce several objects, which include raincoats, fans, and even mats. In this sense, the basket is an adaptable material, able to adjust to the needs of those who require them.

However, as storing vessels, we may only rely on historical records for their presence. The Vocabulario de Lengua Tagala by San Buenaventura (1613) defines some types of baskets used by the Tagalogs in Laguna. These include alat (a type of basket woven and entwined with nito vines), abobot (a case used to store clothes), or the bacay (a long basket used to harvest rice stalks, wide at the top and narrows at the bottom). In Ivatan, Batanes, Hornedo (2013) relates how helmets made of heavy rattan were used by warriors during the pre-Spanish era, and he relates the similarity of their weave to the use of the women’s burden basket called yuvuk.

Given their handy use as containers that can make transfer of goods easy for people, it is easy to see how baskets were integral to the lives of people. They may be used as storage for clothes and trinkets, as containers for food, tools for harvesting and gathering fish, as plates, or as packs to bear harvests and other personal items during travel. Throughout the Philippines, different forms of baskets may be appreciated. The designs, their technique of weave, and the plants used for the wicker may vary depending on the source community (Lane 1986). The plant fibers that make each basket unique depends on the abundant flora in the surrounding environs. It is in this sense that, beyond function, baskets are bearers of our biocultural heritage. Despite their dwindling use in modern times with the appearance of plastics and metals, the craftspeople making these baskets have transformed along with the times to ensure that their craft will continue to live on.

One attests to the importance of baskets in Philippine culture in that there are different terms for a particular form and not one that simply refers to the container. Different communities may have different terms, which Parker (2015 [1914]:5) demonstrates by mentioning that the winnowing basket is called “…‘bilao’ in Tagalog, ‘igu’ in Pampango (Kapamapangan), ‘bigao’ in Ilokano, ‘nigu’ in Bicol, and (also) ‘nigu’ in Cebu.” Other examples include the different terms for sieves (bistay in Tagalog, and yacayacan in Ilocano, for example), or the various types of rice storage baskets throughout the Philippines.

He believes that one possible clue to their relationship lies in the similarities of the method of weaving which are passed on from a long generational line of craftspeople.

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Basket Varieties and their Connection to Identity

It is likely that these organic materials are shared throughout neighbouring places. Lane (1986) supposes that the Ilocos basket variety, which include the kallaot and karatay baskets, were likely influenced by those made by groups within the nearby Cordillera region.

These were commonly found in households and were used as storage that were hung on the rafters of the houses.

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By understanding the different forms and uses throughout the Philippines, we can see the similarities and differences not only through groups within the country but in our neighboring Island Southeast Asia. In a comparison with Bornean and other Island Southeast Asian basket-weavers Novellino (2006) believes that techniques for weaving, similarities in form, and their general use may allow us to see how these organic storages were once widely shared among our neighbors.

Plant and Environment Knowledge in Craftsmanship One of the important aspects of craftsmanship is knowing the plants and materials to be used, the right season and time to harvest them, and how they can be manipulated to produce the product design. The type of plant that must be used for the part of the basket must be understood, as does the maturity of the plant. One basket may even have several types of plants used for it. The basket weavers’ familiarity with their natural environment has an element of respect and awe naturally given to the environment that provides for their raw materials. This continuous relationship between humans and the environment allows the basket-makers to know and understand the plants they must use. Preference for a particular plant can be based on the function of the final product. Different plants will have different properties that must be beneficial to the basket weavers.

Also in Batanes in the Municipality of Uyugan, De los Santos (2015-2016) hinted the important relationship between basket makers and the environment in that before gathering the raw materials, the weavers must observe kapaynahu, a practice of observing the proper time for collecting the plants. Gathering the bamboo and vines also requires efficient processing before being transported back to the village. This ensures that the plants maintain their pliability.

When they dry, or if a certain plant is not the right age to be harvested, it will be difficult to bend the strips to the desired shape. In many cases, if the stem has hardened, it must be soaked to regain its flexible qualities. She listed twenty different species that were used for a variety of baskets, all dependent on the final product, as well as the method of harvesting.

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In a plant-based comparison of shared rope and basket-weaving craftsmanship between Lanyu, Taiwan, and Batanes, Philippines, Kerfant (2020) listed at least six species of plants used to make the types of basket in Itbayat, Batanes. Her extensive ethnographic approach involved following the weavers into the forest to harvest wood and ferns needed for making the basket.

Some of the plants used include the leaves of the coconut tree, a variety of palm trees, and shrubs. Some plants may have several uses but are generally only available to them. An example of this is Hibiscus tiliaceus, a type of shrub where the fibers are used as binding materials or may be used as handles for the basket.

The Alangan-Mangyan have extensive use for their forested surroundings. With their several rattan species, along with the nito vines and other stems, they produce important baskets where they store their food, spices, betel nut chews, and other important personal items. Mandia (2004) mentioned the galang, a type of basket with a head strap (uban) which is mostly used by women and are woven using these fibers found in their environment. The galang’s importance is emphasized as it allows the women to move around and travel, or to utilize this basket for harvesting.

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Throughout the Philippines, the important plants for basket-weaving also involve the bamboos, rattan, pandan leaves, abaca, nito vines, and the irao orchid plant for the yellow colour.

The basket makers demonstrate their skill by initially cutting the fibers to even strips. This ensures that the basket will be made steadily and that they will not easily collapse even after months or years of use.

The Many Ways to Make a Basket To make a basket, the fibers must be prepared. The barks are removed, or they may also be stripped with a knife or bolo. They may be dyed or smoked to produce colours, otherwise, they will immediately be used while still pliant and moist. Waiting too long may make the fibers brittle. Bamboos, which can be used for the support, will also be prepared and cut. Understanding the technological system that involves both the decision-making process and the cultural practices of the community shows that making these organic storages took years of practice, trials and errors, and eventually, a deep understanding of the materials. Although the designs appear simple to the novice’s eye, these are in fact planned and prepared solely in the mind of the basket maker. It is from here that they can decide which type of plants to be used, as well as the type of weave to implement on the basket.

For the Bukidnon of Mindanao, Cooper Cole (1956) described four major ways of weaving: the checkerwork, diagonal or twill (mentioned earlier as sawali), wickerwork, and crossed weft.

Deciding the correct method of weaving, along with the taut entwining of fiber, ensures a sturdier basket that will survive for years. The pliant weave of wild grass or rattan may be used for weaving mats, which have the same method as when constructing a winnowing basket. However, the suppleness of mats is juxtaposed by the sturdiness of the Bukidnon shield, which Cooper Cole describes as having a raised centre and may be composed of bamboo, flanked by a tightly-woven rattan. Knowing that the Bukidnon would engage with local warfare using wooden and woven shields is a testament to their solidity, passed on from generations of imbibed knowledge. Aside from these, containers range from large to small, where smaller baskets may be looped to the hip belt of the carrier.

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The basket weaver always starts from the base. The strength of the basket will be centered on this portion as this will hold all the weight of the load. The weaves must be appropriate for its use. Support for the sides follow, from which the rest of the body will be structured upon. The hexagonal weave is one of the most popular, which Spencer (2015 [1914]) elaborates in a study of Bicol baskets in the year 1914. This was taught to many schools throughout Albay. The twilled method or the sawali was also popular with other basket weavers in the Philippines (Parker 2015 [1914]). In his observation of the Itneg (Tinguian) group in Abra, Cooper Cole (1922) mentioned that V-stripes or chevron pattern weave is called the binakol. These may be used either loosely or may be woven together to produce a slanted effect. Meanwhile, the horizontal weave is called dinapálig.

Since these organic vessels are used for carrying important materials, it is imperative that the damp does not seep into the body and covers. For the Bagobo groups, Cooper Cole (1913) describes that the twining of fabric to make the tobacco containers, the bīnóta or women’s trinket basket, and even some of the wild chicken coop must be drawn tightly using whichever weave chosen to ensure that the foundation rods are closed. To further ensure that the vessel is

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waterproofed, the tabon-tabon nuts (Atuna racemose) may be rubbed to the outside surface.

While basket-weaving is a craft on its own, weavers generally view this as a usual skill practiced even as a child. However, there is an interesting distinction between the basket-making groups.

Most of the Cordillera groups indicate that basket-making is a male activity, although women might contribute by helping with the gathering of the raw materials and in the dyeing process (Capistrano-Baker et al. 1998; Cooper Cole 1922; Ng 1978; Silvestre 2000). One of the most important baskets is the pasiking or backpack, which varies its use from being a simple container for travelling, but may also be transformed depending on the activity that it will be used in (Capistrano-Baker et al. 1998). Silvestre (2000) points out that even the basket-woven pot-holders that are used by women to balance pots on their heads are traditionally made by men; meanwhile, earthenware pot-making is an activity that is exclusively done by women.

In the meantime, in some areas of the Philippines, such as in Bicol (Spencer 2015 [1914]), among the different ethnolinguistic groups in Davao (Cooper Cole 1913), in Bukidnon (Cooper Cole 1956), and among the Batak of Palawan (Novellino 2009), it is women who make the elaborate baskets. Nevertheless, the gathering of plants, stripping of the hemp and other plants, and other pre-basket weaving preparations may also be done by men.

Other groups are not so concerned with gender roles in the production. Among the basket weavers of Batanes (de los Santos 2015-2016; Hornedo 2013; Kerfant 2020), and in Ilocos Sur, both men and women may weave baskets. However, the type and form of the final product will also depend on their gender. In Batanes, men will weave the kalapay, but will not make the basket commonly associated with women, called the yuvuk.

The kalapay and the yuvuk of Batanes have some similarities in that they are conically-shaped, yet the method in which these are carried seems to be different. Hornedo (2013) mentions that the kalapay has woven straps that may be looped around the man’s arms as a backpack. The yuvuk is also firm against the woman’s back, however, the strap is wound on her head, which can serve as counterweights when the carrier is straining forward.

The pasiking, similar to the kalapay, is also worn as a backpack. Fibers and other decorations may be attached according to the personal taste of the user (Capistrano-Baker et al. 1998; Lane 1986), likely attesting to the duality of the kalapay’s nature of being utilitarian and as a ritual object. However, according to Silvestre (2000: 100) mentions of the similarly north-dwelling Kalinga group that the “…langaya, labnak or lukgud…are used by the Kalinga women for palay or rice, camote or sweet potato or harvesting coffee.” These are placed on the women’s head, resting on top of a rolled woven cloth. hese baskets have four-cornered bases while the body itself is round. These do not have straps. Fish traps and locust container baskets are also made, primarily with the use of bamboo. Both serve as food for the Kalinga people, thus catching and storing plays an important role in the community. Chicken coops are also made and hung under the house to protect them from the fouls of predators, especially at night. The door may be made of hardwood, it can also be woven.

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The Form and Use of Utilitarian Baskets

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It is the Mangyan women of Mindoro who carry their packs through a strap (uban) wrapped around their foreheads. The galang may not have the same form as the yuvuk of Batanes, but Mandia (2004) mentions that their use, which is to gather harvest, has a similar purpose.

In Mindanao, however, there are no mentions of head straps and backpacks. Cooper Cole’s basketry photos from various Davao groups (1913) and of the Bukidnons (1956) show that the baskets highly vary from those of their northern counterparts. For the Bukidnon, the body is commonly elongated and narrow to ensure that the harvest will not topple over while the straps are narrow. Bamboo, rattan, and pandanus are the more favored plants. Men make fish traps made of bamboo to be placed in rivers. These are elongated traps with a wider mouth containing a smaller cone-shaped bamboo form with spikes turned inwards. Once the fish manages to swim inside, it cannot get out. Since Mindanao forests had an abundance of wild chicken, woven chicken traps were set up throughout the area.

Variety of Baskets and the Identity of Groups

Each group in the Philippines may very well likely have their own take for the basket, all of which entwine their intimate relationship with the use and the environment in which they move in. It is in seeing the variety of these craftsmanship that we can truly appreciate the ingenuity of the makers. And as Robert Lane (1986) mentioned, the baskets continue to serve their purpose and will transform according to the needs of the users. True to their nature, they are primarily for utilitarian use and not simply for display. It is when these baskets are consistently used, exposed to the elements, with smoke blackening their fibers and oils from hands and the earth holding them, then the beauty of the basket can truly emerge. The skillful wickering of fiber, grass, rattan, bamboo, and other plants, all telling entwining stories of ancestors past whose knowledge are now passed on to the basket makers of today.

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The techniques of production combined with the numerous styles and decoration are indicative of the demand for baskets in the community. It is not a stretch to believe that these baskets definitely played a major role in everyday life, not only in the Cordilleras (Worcester 1906) but also throughout the entire Philippines. From packs to sieves, to traps to coops, the baskets serve their purpose to meet the demands of their users.

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Capistrano-Baker, Florina H., Albert S. Bacdayan, B. Lynn Milgram, and Roy W. Hamilton.

1998. Basketry of the Luzon Cordillera, Philippines. Los Angeles, USA: UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History.

Cole, Fay-Cooper. 1913. The Wild Tribes of Davao District, Mindanao. Anthropological Series 12 (2):49-203.

Cooper Cole, Fay-. 1922. The Tinguian: Social, Religious, and Economic Life of a Philippine Tribe. 2 vols. Vol. XIV, Anthropological Series. Chicago, USA: Field Museum of Natural History.

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Novellino, Dario. 2009. From Museum Collections to Field Research: An ethnographic account of Batak basket-weaving knowledge, Palawan island, Philippines. Indonesia and the Malay World 37 (108):203-224.

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References

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