Brassware
This blog is
being reposted having been published in 2015 in local magazines and PAL TOPIC
Magazine, to remind us how important Marawi City is as a significant cultural
seat of the Maranaos…even the whole of Lanao in this regard.
The city
today is practically being devastated without let up due to the clash between
the government forces and the Maute Group which started it all because of its
desire to transform the city into an ISIS hub in the Philippines.
The Maranaos
of Lanao find brass as a good object on which they express themselves
artistically.
Be it on
lampstands, “gong,” plant holders, jars, ash trays, and food trays, the Maranao
brass artist, whose deft hands have been made sensitive by years of experience,
imprint his personal expression of the “okir” and “naga” art forms.
Synonymous
to the southern culture which in itself is exotic, the brassware is usually
considered as an object that could enliven any living room, office, restaurant
corners, or hotel lobby.
Those who
visit Marawi City, Jolo, Zamboanga City or Cotabato City, always see to it that
they have purchased a brass item to be brought home as a souvenir.
Not only are
the brassware kept for their decorative value, but also for their cultural
significance.
While brass
handicraft is a waning source of income for some families in other Muslim
provinces that have become outlets and showcases, in southern Lanao,
particularly, Tugaya, locals still consider it their source of income.
Here, some
of the artisans still use the crude centuries-old foundry and casting methods.
Despite the crudeness of the craft in Tugaya, the cottage industry is
struggling for its perpetuation.
It is said
that the craft was brought to Tugaya by a local trader, Maruhom Maulia, who got
the knowledge from his trading trips to Tampasok, Sabah, where brass and bronze
items were manufactured.
Eventually,
while at Tugaya, he fell in love and married the Sultan’s daughter.
According to
Dr. Manitua Saber, an authority on Islamic arts, the techniques used by the
artisans of Tugaya are similar to those being used in Bali, Sumatra and Brunei.
Furthermore,
he said that the technology could have found its way to Southeast Asia by way
of China or India, in 1,000 A.D.
There are
two processes practiced by the Maranao artisans, such as, the stamping and drip
wax techniques. It is interesting to note that the tools which the artisans use
are also made by them, usually out of local materials.
In the
stamping technique, brass plates are incised using a home-made “compass” to
determine the size of the expected design.
Several
plain plate tied together are etched or punched with intricate designs of
“naga” or “okir,” or both, before they are formed into the desired item.
Brassware
produced out of this method, are cheaper compared to the drip wax technique
which is more tedious, as it involves more time and processes.
The latter,
actually, revolves around the “mold” technique, and being crude, needs several
phases to complete the process.
The
brassware comes in many forms and uses. Those who are not familiar with the use
of the items, would resort to just one thing – use them as decorative
accessories in homes and offices.
It is not
surprising therefore, to find homes whose tables in the living room are
accented with brass betel nut containers, open flat iron, small gongs or
kulintang set and urns.
In Pasay
City, brass and bronze items from the small ash trays and betel nut containers
to big jars and urns can be found at the Philtrade Center, beside the World
Trade Center, along Roxas Boulevard.
Similar
items can also be found in the Ermita district of Manila and the Islamic Center
in Quiapo.
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