MODULE 16: THE INDIGENEOUS ARTS
Indigenous arts are those native arts that have grown naturally through the years in certain
locality. Indigeneous arts include the Torogan of Muslim Mindanao (previously discussed), bahay kubo,
bahay bale, bahay na bato, and other indigenous house. Traditional arts and craft are not indigenous
arts since these arts did not naturally existed in the particular area from time immemorial.
Indigenous Materials
The materials in indigenous art comes from native materials or local materials that are found in
the locality. Some of these are the sawali, coco coir, bagasse, abaca, bamboo, palm frond stems, mud
bricks, rattan, rice husks, cogon, wood and stone.
1. Sawali. This material comes from the outer covering of bamboo poles. It is woven into mats ideal for
cement backing.
2. Coco coir. This by-product of coconut is used to minimized the use of cement and as sandwich panels
for insulation.
3. Bagase. This is sugar cane waste used for insulation or cement backing.
4. Abaca. This is a fiber material obtained from the leaf stalk of a banana plant. Most of these materials
are found in the Bicol Region.
5. Bamboo. This indigenous material has low degree of elasticity, low concrete adhesion, but wide
variable moisture content. It is very useful in architectural forms and designs, mainly as reinforcement
to concrete.
6. Palm frond stems. This material is often used for non-structural panels, walls, screens, and bases of
houses. Despite being widely used, it is susceptible to termites and have to be replaced every 4 to 5
years.
7. Mud bricks. This material is brittle, has less strength, and cannot stand up well to tension. However, it
is the choice of building materials in places with hot, dry climates due to its low thermal conductivity.
Indigenous materials are widely used in architecture such as in the construction of bahay-kubo,
bahay bale, bahay na bato and other indigenous architectural structures.
Bahay-Kubo
Bahay kubo is a cultural icon, a cultural heritage and as a symbol of togetherness. The Filipino
translation of bahay-kubo is nipa “nipa hut”. The typical nipa hut has no partition for rooms so as to
accommodate the entire family. The inside area is the space for dining, sleeping and living area in one.
This typical hut symbolizes the typical Filipino family as a close knit family. This is also an indication that
Filipino families are closely tied. In other countries, it is the opposite phenomenon. When an individual
has reached the age of 18, that individual is free to move out of the house and live independently. In the
Philippines, even if the children have already grown up and already married and have children of their
own, generally, parents still prefer their children live with them. This phenomenon has gradually
decreased due to the emergence of the contemporary society where many of indigenous cultural
traditions and customs have been overtaken by globalization and industrialization.
Bahay na Bato
In Pilipino language, it is literally known as “house of stone” or better still, “stone house.” This is
the type of a dwelling unit that existed during the Spanish time in the Philippines. This type of house is
considered as an undated version of the traditional bahay kubo.
During the Spanish times, stones are found anywhere. They can be [picked up for free. Since
there were no hollow blocks available then, so stones were used instead. Using stones as foundation
material for building makes it sturdy and strong and free earthquake, storm, and other disasters.
The common architectural appearance of the bahay na bato is that of an “elevated overhanging
wooden upper story, nipa hut (with balusttrades, ventanillas, and capiz shell sliding windows) that
stands on Spanish style solid stone blocks or bricks and posts as foundation instead of junk wood,
bamboo stilts, or timber posts (all used as a storeroom or other business purposes)”
This type of indigenous house uses a Chinese tiled roof or sometimes nipa or cogon roof but
today, this roofing’s are being replaced by styled galvanized irons with various shapes and designs.
Just like Bahay Kubo, the Bahay na Bato has an open ventilation, elevated from the ground and
the inside part is used as a living room, and the ground floor as storeroom, cellar and other business
purposes. If these were carriages, the horses are housed in stables called cabellerizas.
The materials used in building the bahay kubo is a nipa or cogon hut with wood or bamboo walls
whereas in the bahay na bato, it is obviously made partially of stones.
Bahay na bato is rectangular in shape with bahay kubo is usually square. Bahay na bato reflected
an Austronesian traditional house integrated with Spanish architectural style. Bahay nab to is usually the
house of middle class and rich families whereas a nipa hut is associated for the average and poor
families.
The bahay na bato style was used for Philippine’ Spanish era convents, monasteries, schools,
hotels, factories and hospitals. And also, some of the American era Gabaldon school buldings. All with
few adjustments. During the American era of the Philippines, they still incorporated Bahay na bato
architecture, but merge with American influence.
This type of house should not have confused with the Ivatan houses in Batanes, as there are also
Bahay na bato houses called “Sinadumparan” with radically different form and style. Although a type of
Ivatan house called Rakuh is very similar to Bahay na Bato outside Batanes and have originated during
the Philipppines colonial era too.
The Bahay na Bato in Batanes is not symbol for wealth. It was constructed to protect the family
from the ravage of a disaster such as a storm and typhoons. There are also existing stone houses in
Ilocos Regions, particularly in Vigan City, which was built during the Spanish time. These houses are
either ancestral houses or were developed and designed for cultural heritage of the place.
Ifugao Bale (or Native House)
This type of indigenous house is sometimes called referred to as “No-Nail House” because itt
was constructed without the use of nails. And since it was built without the hassle of nails, it can be
dismantled and conveniently relocated to a new location where it will be reassembled. Thus, it is
considered to be one of the most indigenous and nearly perfect architectural constructed ever made by
man. They are known as the “architectural marvel” of the century.
Local carpenters of Banaue who are called “munhabats” built the Ifugao bale as a part of dangah
or free service. The bale evolved from primitive dwelling called “abong” which is equivalent to “house”
in Pangasinan dialect.
The Ifugao bale is made from the timber of amuwagan tress. It stands on 4 posts buried 50
centimeters underneath and the post are only covered with stones. Thes thatched triangular roofs
shields dwellers from the ttropical weather.
According to Otley Beyer, a renowned anthropologist, the Bale is the “first pre-fabricated house
in the world” because it can be relocated without destroying any part of it.
The Ifugaos observe the “ngilin’ which is pagan ritual, and during the construction of this house,
the munhabats abstain from sex right before they start building the Bale.
Other Indigenous Houses: The Mountain Houses
In the masteral study of Rodrigo D. Perex on the “Folk Architecture” he pointed out that Willy
Henry Scott classifies the Cordillera houses into Northern and Southern strains”. The northern strain is
exemplified in the Isneg and Lower kalinga house, and the southern, in the Ifugao, Ibaloi, Kankanai, and
Bontoc houses. The octagonal Kalinga house is a combination of both strains. The northern style is
characterized by a gable roof, sometimes with bowed rafters; a three-section, two-level, reed mat floor;
and two sets of posts, one; floor-bearing and the other, roof-bearing. The space below the floor is not
used.
The common features of the southern strain are a steep pyramidal or hip roof; a house cage,
which among the Ifugao, Kankanai, and Ibaloi is the living area, and among the Bontoc and Sagada, a
granary; and the house cage support consisting of four posts carrying two grinders, in turn carrying
three beams or joists. The space below the floor is used. Except in the Ibaloi style, the house has no
windows. The prototype of the southern strain is the Ifugao house, which probably developed from
granary. This is a parent from the use of stilts and rat guards, features of granary constructions.
The Kalinga octagonal house combines four posts-two girders-three joists support of the
southern strain with the floor and roof construction of the northern strain. The space under the floor is
not used. Igorot houses religiously employ post and-lintel construction to the exclusion of diagonal
bracing even in the roof frame. Roof supports consist of king posts, and queen posts in some cases,
resting on beams and stabilized by horizontal straining members. House size and structural appear to
result partly from the custom of cutting timer in the forest to sizes that could be easily carried by men.
The interior design both northern and southern strain houses appears as an attempt, conscious
or otherwise, to visually expand the one-room space by means of levels and defined sections. The Ifugao
house has a peripheral shelf at waist height. The Mayoyao and Kankanai houses have a low platform
around the floor, or in fact, a two-level floor. The Kalinga and Isneg houses have lateral platforms which
are used as head-rest or ‘pillow” and which provide space for storage. Platforms wide enough for
sleeping create a play of levels in the Sagada house. In the Bontoc house, levels and clearly defined
sections exemplify both a practical and ritual organization of space. In spite of its minimal area, the
interior of the Igorot house is, like the far larger houses in the lowlands, a space surrounded by space.
