VERNACUL YAKAN
AR PERIOD TRADITIONAL
1521 HOUSES
YAKAN
THE YAKAN ARE ONE OF THE MUSLIM PEOPLES OF THE
SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES. THEY LIVE ON THE ISLAND OF BASILAN,
JUST OFF THE SOUTHWESTERN POINT OF MINDANAO.
IS THE THIRD LARGEST ETHNIC GROUP IN SULU ARCHIPELAGO
KNOWN FOR THEIR INTRICATE AND COLORFUL EMBROIDERY
TYPICAL YAKAN HOUSES
• HAVE THREE MAIN COMPONENTS: THE MAIN HOUSE, THE KITCHEN AND THE PORCH.
• THE MAIN HOUSE IS A SINGLE ROOM, WITH NO PARTITIONS AND HAS VARIOUS FUNCTIONS SUCH AS A VENUE FOR SOCIAL
AFFAIRS, WEAVING AREA AND AS SLEEPING QUARTERS.
• THE KITCHEN SERVES AS THE COOKING AND EATING AREA. AND THERE WAS ALSO A BRIDGE CONNECTING THE KITCHEN AND
THE MAIN HOUSE.
• THE PANTAN OR THE PORCH IS THE MAIN ENTRY TO THE HOUSE, IT CAN BE OPEN OR ROOFED, ALSO THE MAIN WOODEN
LADDER IS LOCATED HERE. WATER JARS AND DUGTUNG OR LARGE BAMBOOS CRAFTED AS WATER CONTAINERS ARE ALSO
PLACES HERE.
• THE HOUSES OF THE YAKAN PEOPLE FACE THE EAST, AND ACCORDING TO THEIR BELIEFS THE BUILDING MATERIALS SHOULD
BE STOCKPILED ALSO IN THE EAST.
• THE SAPIAW OR THE ROOF IS MADE OF A STEEPLY PITCHED COGON ON BAMBOO OR TIMBER FRAMES.
• THE WALLS ARE MADE OF WOODEN BAMBOO STRIPS CALLED SAWALI OR BAMBOO POLES ATTACHED TO ONE ANOTHER BY
RATTAN LASHINGS
• THE FLOOR MAY BE MADE OF BAMBOO BUT OFTEN TIMES IT IS MADE OF TIMBER.
• THERE ARE NO CEILINGS AND ONLY ONE WINDOW OR TANDIWAN WAS ALLOWED FOR THE MAIN HOUSE . THE TANDIWAN AND
LADDER WERE ALLOWED AT THE KITCHEN HOUSE.
• SAMPAYAN – ROOF BEAM
• DING DING- WALL ENCLOSURE FORM HANDS ON WOODEN PLANKS LAID ON HORIZONTALLY ABOCE EVERY PANEL AND BUILT AT THE
DISTANCE FROM THE MAIN POSTS WITH SEPARATE WALL POSTS AS SUPPORT
• TANDIWAN- SMALL OPENING BUILT ABOVE 1.10 THE INTERIOR FLOOR
• PAGNUITH- FLOOR JOIST
• HARREN- MOVABLE BAMBOO OR THE WAY TO ENTER THE HOUSE
• HULUM- VERTICAL TIMBER THAT IS PLACED ON THE GROUND TO HOLD THE UPPER FLOOR STRUCTURE AND THE ROOF
• BABAG- GIRDERS WHICH IS THE HORIZONTAL WOOD MEMBERS TIGHTLY SECURED AT THE POST AS SUPPORT FOR THE FLOOR
JOIST
• GAWANG- DOOR
• SALAT- THE BEAM
• PAMUTOK- WALL POST
LUMAH
A HOUSE OF A YAKAN OWNED BY AFFLUENT NATIVES WHO ARE USUALLY W/ AUTHORITIES LIKE MAHARADJA, NAKIB, PANGLIMA
( JUDGE ) OR A YAKAN COMING FROM A BIG CLAN THAT SERVES AS VILLAGE LEADERS.
THE STRUCTURE IS HIGHLY ELEVATED FROM THE GROUND AND USUALLY MADE OF HARDWOOD AND UTILIZE AN ANCIENT AND
AUTHENTIC ENGINEERING METHODS WERE THERE ARE NO NAILS USED IN JOINING PARTS.
INSTEAD EVERY PART OF THE JOINTS ARE BOLTED W/ PIECES OF HARD WOOD CALLED LAGSAK ( WOODEN BOLT ) AND TIED IN AN
ARTISTIC BUT STURDY KNOTS USING LUBID ( ABACA ROPES ) AND BUWEY ( RATTAN STRINGS ) LUMAH IS A STRUCTURE REFERRING
T RATTAN STRINGS O A HOUSE THAT IS USUALLY MADE OF LIGHT MATERIALS LIKE BAMBOO WOOD COCONUT AND PALM TREE.
THE LUMAH OF THE YAKANS IS VERY MODEST FOR IT ONLY CONSIST OF PATAN OR PANTALAN ( PORCH ), LAWAS LUMAH ( MAIN
HOUSE ) AND PAGBELLAHAN OF KUSINA.
THE PANTAN IS AN AREA OF RESTING AND ALSO FOR ENTERTAINING GUESTS WHERE THE YAKANS CHEW BETEL NUTS OR UPAH AS
PART OF THE PRACTICES DURING RESTING AND CONVERSATION.
MOST OFTEN IT IS ALSO AN AREA FOR WEAVING THE YAKAN CLOTH WHERE THE HANDBLOOMS ARE ASSEMBLED.
THE LAWAS LUMAH IS THE MAIN HOUSE WHERE THE MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY SLEEPS, EAT AND PRAY AND DO OTHER
OCCASIONAL ACTIVITIES LIKE WEDDING. IT IS ONE SINGLE ROOM IMMEDIATELY AFTER PANTALAN AND NO QUARTERS ARE BUILT.
THE PAGBELLAHAN OR KUSINA IS ADJOINT TO THE LAWAS LUMAH WHERE COOKING AND OTHER KITCHEN CHORES ARE DONE
LUMAH
• THE TRADITIONAL HOUSE OF THE YAKANS IN THE MOUNTAINOUS INTERIOR OF BASILAN ISLAND
• IT IS A RECTANGULAR ONE ROOM STRUCTURE WITH APPROXIMATELY 50 TO 100 SQ.MTS. FLOOR AREA
ELEVATED 2 TO 3 METERS ABOVE THE GROUND BY TIMBER POSTS
• DOES NOT HAVE PARTITIONS
• WITH FEW SMALL WINDOWS AND PROTECTED BY A HIGH PITCH THATCH ROOF
• KITCHEN IS USED AS THE FAMILY'S DINING AREA
• PORCH IS USED FOR ENTERTAINING GUESTS AND AS A RESTING PLACE FOR THE HOUSEHOLD
• IN THE LIVING ROOM YOU WILL FIND A CLOTH WEAVING LOOM LOCATED NEAR THE DOOR WHICH LEADS TO
THE PORCH OUTSIDE
ASTANANAH
IT WAS DESIGNED TO SHOWCASE THE WORKS OF THE YAKAN WEAVERS.
ON DISPLAY ARE THE BANIGS, TABLE RUNNERS, BASKETS, BLANKETS, AND PILLOWS OF
VARIOUS COLORS.
TOURISTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO TRY ON THE TRADITIONAL COSTUMES OF THE YAKANS
AND SHOOT A COLORFUL SELFIE INSIDE THE HOUSE.
ON THE GROUND FLOOR, ACTUAL WEAVERS ARE PRESENT TO SHOW THEIR SKILLS TO
VISITORS WHILE AN ADJACENT MAKESHIFT RESTAURANT SERVES DISHES FROM BASILAN.
THEY’RE COOKED AND PREPARED BY TWO LADIES WHO OWN A RESTAURANT IN THEIR
HOME PROVINCE, NURSIDRA IDRIS AND MISRA INDASAN.
THEIR SPECIALTY IS SERVED BOODLE FIGHT STYLE AND PRESENTED WITH A MOUND OF
MALAGKIT NA KANIN SURROUNDED BY VARIOUS DELICACIES.
YAKAN IN DESIGNING THE HOUSE, THE
YAKANS OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING;
1. HOUSES ARE MADE TO FACE EAST SO THAT THE HUSBAND WHO SLEEPS ALONG THE EAST SIDE WITH HIS
WIFE IN BED MAY OUTLIVE HIS WIFE;
2. NUMBER OF ROOMS AND STAIR STEPS ARE USUALLY IN ODD NUMBER WHICH SYMBOLIZES LIFE,
3. TWO DOORS ARE MADE TO FACE THE RISING SUN WHICH IS THE SOURCE OF LIFE,
4. WINDOWS ARE FEW AND SMALL SO THAT ENTRY OF EVIL SPIRITS INTO THE HOUSE WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE,
5. CROOKED IN WOOD AND POSTS WITH HOLES ARE NOT USED FOR THEY ARE SYMBOLS OF DEATH
6. CRACKS IN WOOD SHOULD BE PARED OFF SO AS TO PREVENT DIFFICULTY DURING ILLNESS AMONG THE
MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY.
