PALASPAS

PALASPAS
My fascination with palaspas started with a palm leaf ball my father made me when I was 4 years old. My father created the BOLA with just two coconut palm leaflets. He made it so quickly that I thought it was magic!

Like any other curious child I tried to make the ball myself. I found out through the years that there are many forms that could be made out of the coconut leaves.

Four years and four decades later, I have discovered different forms of palm leaf weaving in different parts of the Philippines.
Like the PATUPAT from Santiago City, Isabela Province: and in Dagupan, Calasiao, and Lingayen, Pangasinan:


Like PUSU rice pouches from Cebu, Dumaguete, and Cagayan de Oro which have various shapes like

KINASING:

BINAKI:

INUMOL:

BINALEK:

Toys could also be made from coconut leaves like the following:

ISDA AND ISDANG DAKO:

LAHIPAN:

MANUK-MANUK:

IBON-IBON:

BITUON:

Baskets, food containers, and hats could be made as well, such as:

TAMBUSA:

SINAMAT:

SAMBALILO:

SELINGKAT:
Freshness is a great part of its beauty and esthetics. Once dried, much is lost.
However, the art of reconstruction begins. We imagine the beauty of the form when it was still fresh, as we invite the power of our senses to recreate its beauty at the time the form was freshly created.

Anak ng Pato

I was born and raised in Pateros. And I still live here. Wala na akong alam na ibang lugar na pwede kong tirhan kundi ang Pateros. Ang lolo kong si Mariano ay ipinanganak at namatay sa Pateros. Ganoon din ang tatay kong si Agripino. Di ko na inabutan ang mga pato sa Pateros. Sabi nila ay puno raw ng itik ang Ilog Pateros noon. Pero wala na akong inabutan. Kung anumang fried itik at calderetang itik ang kinakain sa Pateros, ang itik ay sa ibang lugar na nanggaling. Sabi nila ay halos hindi na nagbago ang Pateros. Sabi ko marami. Lalo itong lumiliit at sumisikip. Di ko na rin kakilala ang mga kapitbahay namin. Ang mga dating kapitbahay ay napalitan na ng kung sinusio at kung saansaan nanggaling.