MARINDUQUE BIRD CARVERS AND PAINTERS

Location: Marinduque-Southern Tagalog Region

Type of business: Grass-root family led project

Products: Wooden Mobiles, Carved birds and Fishes

Number of workers: 20 Male/Female: 14/6

PREDA LOGO

People's Recovery, Empowerment and
Development Assistance Foundation, Inc.

PREDA Fair Trade Assisted Project

Marinduque is an island province located approximately 120 kilometers southwest of Manila. It is accessible by plane from Manila and by ferry from Dalahican Port in Lucena City. Telecommunications facilities are commonly available in the towns and telephone system is operating in the capital town of Boac and nearby Gasan, where the producer partners are situated. Telegram and postal services are regularly available.

Common resources include agricultural produce: (coconut, copra, rice, rootcrops, some vegetable varieties) : minerals (mainly copper) and marine products. Sources of income are derived from agriculture, mining, tourism (owing to the popular Moriones Festival during the Lenten Season), and to a very significant extent, the handicraft and woodcarving sectors. Trade statistics indicate that 5,000 to 6,000 persons are directly involved in all aspects of the softwood carving industry.

In the late 1970's and into the early 1980's, there had been a significant decline in the demand for woven nito baskets and items (the nito material is abundantly found in the island then). Most of the village crafts people were into weaving and it contributed significantly to their livelihood. With the decline in the demand for nito items, they gradually shifted to other suitable crafts. Among these was the softwood carving. Mrs. Edilberta Paragas, an old woman running a small business on nito items that was also affected on the decline of the demand for their products, stated that a group of woodcarvers from Cordillera came to Marinduque to continue their craft as wood sources have been depleted in their areas. The group was highly skilled in carving out animal and human figures and the quality of craftsmanship was good. With the decline in the demand for nito baskets and the lack of appeal of the Moriones woodcarving in the wider international market, they saw a need to work on something different from what they were doing.

Their livelihood were at stake and the usual items that they made were not as popular as they were a few years back. With the guidance of the Cordillera carvers, the craftspeople in the group learned to carve animal figures in a matter of weeks (and with due patience). They honed their skills and crafts in carving birds. They passed on this new skill to other members of their village and soon, bird figures were all over the place.

These items were made in the tradition of the local craftworkers and bird carving became a popular craft in the area, especially in the towns of Gasan and Buenavista. It was never difficult to learn the craft as some have been carving exquisite Morion masks before they became involved in bird carving.

Bird carving and painting is now a very good alternative for most of the villagers. A few years back, education for the children were uncertain things that parents in the villages often worried about. For most families, even scraping enough for meals was a hard task in each day. But with the advent of the bird carving and painting, hope was not really lost. The people persisted and with such remarkable industry, managed to learn the basic processes and details that make the painted birds such a demand in the markets. Children and youth found hope in continuing their education. Young people involved in painting and carving do not have to depend fully on the family for education expenses, as a large part of what they spend studying in the local schools came from their own earnings. So whatever the parents earned, stretch a lot more and enabled the family to purchase other things that were needed at home. Such is the importance of the craft to the villagers. A lot of people from the villages started their careers right from the painting sheds of Barrio Pangi.

A young man related that he is forever grateful for the craft as it opened opportunities for him. After high school, he set out from the island with only his painting skill and no technical training. He was hired as a maker of streamers and backdrops, then moved on to become a lay - out artist. He is now a permanent lay - out artist in the promotions division of a food conglomerate and will soon earn his degree in architecture. He has earned enough to buy his wife and children a modest house.

Their Products:

Mobiles 2004
Carvings and mobiles