Materials and Application of Techniques in Traditional Filipino Arts (2)

Materials and Application of Techniques in Traditional Filipino Arts

A. Singkaban (Bamboo Art)

Definition:
According to Sandagan (2016), Singkaban is a traditional Filipino art of shaving bamboo to create decorative designs, primarily used for home decors, wedding arches, fiesta decorations, and welcome signage in towns or cities. It is widely practiced in Bulacan and is recognized for its intricate patterns achieved by curling and layering bamboo shavings. Skilled workers manually carve and shape the bamboo to create unique art pieces.

• Process:
  • Skilled workers carefully shave the bamboo.
  • They layer the shaved bamboo, creating curls and delicate twirls to achieve intricate patterns.

B. Puni (Leaf Folding)

Definition:
As stated by Flores (2018), Puni is a traditional Filipino art of leaf folding, which uses elongated leaves to form decorative items, toys, food wrappers, and religious ornaments. Historically, Puni was utilized in creating Kubol (resting places) and food wrappers in Bulacan. It later gained recognition for making Palaspas used during Palm Sunday by Catholic believers. However, Puni has now become a declining art, and efforts are being made to preserve its significance.

• Process:
  • Prepare the leaf by cleaning and cutting it.
  • Fold the leaf according to the desired design.
  • Tighten the folded leaf to secure its shape.
  • Trim the excess parts to finalize the design.

C. Pabalat (Pastillas Wrapper Making)

Definition:
According to Galvez (2016), Pabalat refers to the intricate art of making decorative wrappers for Pastillas de Leche, a popular Filipino delicacy made from carabao's milk and sugar. The wrapper is traditionally crafted from Papel de Hapon (Japanese Paper) with finely cut patterns, giving it an artistic touch known as Borlas de Pastillas. This craft was popularized by Luz Ocampo in Bulacan and continues to be passed down to younger generations.

• Process:
  • Create a design on a tracing board.
  • Cut the paper along the traced design.
  • Transfer the design to Papel de Hapon.
  • Wrap the pastillas using the decorated paper.

D. Taka (Paper Mache)

Definition:
Taka is the traditional Filipino art of paper mache, introduced in Paete, Laguna in the 1920s by Maria Bangue. This craft involves molding paper on a carved wood base, then gluing, drying, and painting the figures to create decorative items such as Christmas figurines like Santa Claus, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, and Frosty the Snowman.

• Process:
  • Mold layers of paper using a wooden carving.
  • Glue the layers using paste.
  • After drying, remove the paper from the mold.
  • Reassemble, dry, and paint the item with decorative patterns.

Summary Table of Processes

Techniques	Process
Singkaban	Shave and curl bamboo to form patterns.
Puni	Prepare, fold, and trim the leaf.
Pabalat	Create designs and wrap the pastillas.
Taka	Mold, glue, and paint paper figures.