ETHNOLOGY

Agriculture / Fishing / Hunting / Transportation

Mortars and pestles are among the basic equipment for rice preparation, particularly in pounding palay (rice grains) to separate and remove the hulls, among others. In the Cordillera in Northern Luzon, mortars also serve as platforms for offerings during rituals.

In communities conducting rituals related to rice cultivation, a rice cutter, with its metal blade attached to a wood or bamboo handle, is used in harvesting the panicles. These are bundled using bamboo strips and transported to the storage house.

Harrows and plows are used in breaking down the soil while cultivating it at the same time. Traditionally, these  tools are pulled by carabaos and, in some instances, by a single person.

One of the traditional methods of fishing and hunting still existing in the country is the use of traps. Fish traps are placed into the water and secured with stone weights and pungent-smelling baits to attract fish, squid, shrimp, or crabs, among others. These traps are placed into the water/sea without buoy or poles; and yet, fishermen still know where they left the fish traps after three days or a week. Chicken traps, on the other hand, are used in traditional methods to catch wild chickens among the Pala’wan and Negrito communities where the hunters patiently wait for the prey to get trapped.

Being an archipelagic country, we have many different modes of transportation – air, sea, and land. It has also become accessible to most Filipinos, but there are still cultural communities who continue to use the traditional modes of transportation when going to places

When horseback riding was still popular in the early 1900s, saddles or siya were carved by skilled artisans, and were embellished with brass or mother-of-pearl decorations and carved with ukkil designs. Some Maranao siya have carved animal head designs at the front, which the rider can use as a handle while riding on the horse. There are also those with simpler designs.

The Sama Dilaut, also known as sea gypsies, live in the lepa (houseboat) which they also use in fishing and as transportation from one island to another. Although most Sama Dilaut have settled on land, they still use and build boats for fishing and transportation.

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