|
 kkil
is one of Tawi-Tawi’s claims of fine art. Using basic
chisels, hammers, and other tools, artists in Sibutu
Island transform blocks of wood, coral limestone, and
metals into works of art. The Sama apply their artistry
even in simple utensils such as the sandok panyam
(a skewer-like ladle used to flip foods being fried), or
the handles and scabbards of the kalis or kris
(sword).
Sadly, boat art in the province has remained a
hidden and dying legacy. In days gone by, the prows and
hulls of Badjao houseboats called lepa
were decorated with geometric patterns and curlicues.
Although they are not known to have had any symbolic
significance, the ukkil made the boat a work of art.
It’s prow and stern were decorated with carvings of sarimanok
(a legendary bird) or naga (serpent). The former
was sometimes sawed off and the used as sunduk
(grave marker) when the owner died.
In pre-Islamic times grave makers were
elaborately distinctive. Made of coral, the markers had
elaborate carvings that indicated the sex of the
deceased. Floral scrolls or combs were used for women
and knobbed (often hexagonal) pillars were for men. No
one seems to remember when the last coral grave maker
was made. While they have survived the ravages of time
and weather, they have not been spared by man’s greed
and enterprise. Some of the best examples of these works
of art are now found only in archival photographs and
museums.
|