UNIT 3.
TECHNOLOGICAL FEATURE
Overview
The Ifugaos are among the hardest-working and most inventive Filipinos. This
is demonstrated by their remarkable farming and craft-making abilities. As
indicated by their continuous use in Ifugao daily life, there is a healthy and lively
interest in the Ifugao crafts that are still being practiced. Ifugaos employs several
symbols too. to create their distinctive textiles. These symbols are traditional
patterns handed down from predecessors. All significant parts of Ifugao life have
been influenced by the highly developed traditional belief system, including
weaving, thus every design serves a function, and the combinations of patterns
reveal stories
This section consists of lessons on symbols and textiles; land, biodiversity,
and natural resource management, and on engineering and architecture.
The students would be able to impart knowledge and awareness to others about
the meanings behind those symbols, the sustainability tenets drawn from the
indigenous Ifugaos' management of their land, water, biodiversity, and the
development of indigenous dwellings.
Lesson 1. Symbols and Textiles, Arts and Crafts
I. Introduction
One of the most fascinating crafts in the Philippines is handweaving textiles,
which has a huge cultural impact. The Ifugao people have a very old heritage of
weaving. It is so ancient that every stage of the weaving process, from cotton to
cloth, has been deified. The Ifugaos weave bags, blankets, skirts, loincloths, daily
wear, and ceremonial clothing, such as clothing for the afterlife and gifts for gods
and dead ancestors (Martin et al., 2020 & Aguilar, 2019). This lesson includes the
various arts, crafts, and symbols of the Ifugao people, and the symbols present in
the textiles.
II. Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you should:
1) Present various designs of a tapis with symbols;
2) Explain the meaning of the symbols used in the tapis;
3) Identify the several arts, crafts, and symbols of the Ifugao people and give its
meaning
Mode of Delivery
The mode of delivery would be the spectrum of Power point presentations
and site visitation.
III. Reading Resources and Instructional Activities
Symbols and Textiles
One of the most fascinating
crafts in the Philippines is
handweaving textiles, which has a huge cultural impact. The Ifugao people have a
very old heritage of weaving. They employ several symbols to
create their distinctive textiles. These symbols are traditional patterns
handed down from predecessors. It is so ancient that every stage of the weaving
process, from cotton to cloth, has been deified. The Ifugaos weave bags, blankets,
skirts, loincloths, daily wear, and ceremonial
clothing, such as clothing for the afterlife and gifts for gods and dead ancestors
(Martin et al., 2020 and Aguilar, 2019).
Arts and crafts:
Ifugao arts and crafts include a variety of a wide range of
items, many of which are used regularly. Among the
examples are:
Hagabi of the Ifugao
Ifugao Bulul Lingling-o/hubong/uvong
The Ifugaos are
also popular in terms of their wood-carved
products. Most of the woodcarved products
are displayed in handicrafts stores or
museums. The Ifugaos' wood carving skills
The Ifugao wood-carved products are related to the indigenous practice of
Image Source:Ifugao Chapter Authors
the "muyong" system or community forest
preservation which the government has recognized and viewed as a practice that
will allow wood carving as a livelihood activity to be preserved (Agoot, L, 2022).
However, at present, wood products are generally for commercialization and
personal displays.
Supplemental Readings and videos:
1. Martin, M., Ngohayon, S & Dulawan, L. (2019). INABOL: Traditional and
contemporary Ifugao textiles. Ifugao State University.
2. Ifugao Nation. (June 21, 2020). Ifugao weaving
symbols. https://ifugaonation.com/blogs/news/weaving -symbols
3. Sison, S. (2017, September 28). 11 Ifugao symbols you can actually wear.
https://www.preview.ph/fashion/ifugao -textile-symbols-a00191-20170928
4. Suacillo, G. (Oct 10, 2019). A quick guide to indigenous textile symbols.
https://nolisoli.ph/68912/habi-textile-symbols-asuacillo-20191010/
5. Dapat Alam Mo. (2023, June 7). Paghahabi ng telang ‘inabol’ sa Ifugao, paano
ginagawa? [Facebook Page]. Facebook. Retrieved June 7, 2023, from
https://www.facebook.com/DapatAlamMo.GTV/videos/4142883415938142
Activities
Activity 1: Clothe me!
Instruction: Make a quick visit to one of your local weavers. Observe the different
patterns embedded in the Ifugao textiles with the help of the weaver. In your
observation sheet, list the traditional names of these patterns/symbols and draw
them. In the next column, write the English term for these symbols and their
depictions of the deities. Follow the format below. Use a long bond paper.
Traditional names English Term Symbols/patterns Depictions of the deities
* If there are no available weavers in your area, you can use the supplemental
readings and videos as references in answering this activity.
Activity 2. Art Craft me!
Instruction: Visit any local museum or any local indigenous house. Give the many
Ifugao arts and crafts that are on exhibit, along with an explanation of what they
symbolize. Follow the format below. It should be typewritten in the following format:
justified, Arial, size 12, 1" on both sides of a short bond paper.
Names Documentation/Pictures Meanings
Supplemental Readings and videos:
1. Novel PS. (2021, Aug 23). Phenomenal artworks of Ifugao // architecture,
sculpture, literature and weaving. [Youtube Channel]. Retrieved June 7, 2023,
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GHIyKP8uaQ
Loren Legarda. (2022, Oct 5). LingLing-O: Sagrado o Ornamento? Ang lingling-o ng
mga Ifuga [video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeIvUQh3218
