Indigenous Materials

INDIGENOUS MATERIALS

Danielle Anne H. Mauricio

Arch 23

2005 - 04714

Indigenous Materials - An Introduction

Objectives To define what indigenous materials are and set them apart from acquired materials; To give a brief overview of what indigenous materials are available in the Philippines; To understand the significance of indigenous materials in affecting the environment; and To realize the potential roles of indigenous materials in the architecture/design industries.

Introduction When you think of indigenous materials, what comes to mind? Those used in native Filipino products, like in wooden or rattan furniture and handicrafts, woven abaca or pina cloth, and other handmade or carved toy or trinket one usually finds in souvenir stores, right? You have to wonder sometimes why one can find them mostly only in such tourist shops in Manila or up in the northern cities, or really mostly just in the provinces and not in Ayala’s malls. This is because we have long been citified with technology, and our transport systems have greatly improved since then, so we are now able to ship and manufacture further the materials we don’t naturally have in our locality. We have progressed into cement and steel buildings from what originally had begun as the nipa hut or the stone house of our ancestors, built from whatever material was locally dominant per region.

What are indigenous materials? Indigenous, by definition in the Webster’s dictionary, is an adjective meaning ‘originating in and characteristic of a particular region or country’. Indigenous materials, therefore, are materials that are naturally and locally found in a specific place or area. Naturally, some areas are less endowed than others, so indigenous materials vary depending on the geographic features and location and climate condition of a region. These materials in effect become a large influence on the lifestyle and culture of a region’s people overtime with the skills and crafts handed down through generations.

How do you know if it is indigenous? Something is indigenous if you can easily find it within your locality. It is something you do not need to spend or have trouble fetching; in other words, you do not need to use major and improved transport systems. Indigenous materials also do not require costly processing, which consume energy and other resources, and can be used even in their raw, untreated forms.

What are the indigenous materials found in the Philippines? Being a country rich in rainforests and other natural resources, we have an abundant variety and amount of indigenous materials present around us. The indigenous materials commonly found in our country largely consist of a variety of timbers, canes, grass, and palms. We have a large variety of soft and hardwoods used in the construction and furniture industry, a few of the most popular we know are narra, kamagong and mahogany. The ever-famous bamboo is used in both industries as well as in many handicrafts, where abaca and rattan are also greatly used and woven into wicker

products. The coconut tree is also a favorite indigenous material for its flexibility and overall usability from the root to the leaves. From a large variety of plants in our locale we can also resource many different kinds of natural fibers as well. These fibers when spun into threads and woven together create very fine clothing and textiles. Other indigenous materials in the Philippines that are commonly known and used creatively in crafts and decoration are capiz, pearls, corals, and seashells, being an archipelago naturally abundant in beaches and marine resources. Even being in the Pacific Ring of Fire has its effect on the availability of volcanic refuse as a resource. Lahar and other igneous rocks are vastly being incorporated in construction.

Why should we use indigenous materials? Due to the urbanization, today, things made of indigenous materials are fairly considered more for their aesthetic purpose, with little respect for their potential functionality, than for conventional urban development. We have grown used to buildings enclosed by concrete and glass that we get fascinated when we enter any place enclosed by traditional bamboo poles or coconut timber. “Unfortunately, the materials we use naturally affect the environment. Their production and transportation deplete resources and consume energy. More and more building materials are becoming scarce – not only the raw materials but also the energy needed to produce them – and if present trends continue, some of the most common raw materials and energy sources, such as oil and natural gas, will be exhausted within about the next century. And it is on these that we have become increasingly dependent since World War II as natural materials have been supplemented with synthetic chemicals and plastic products.

Traditional materials like clay and stone still abound, and timber can be replenished by properly managed reforestation. In addition, if these materials are easily reused or recycled, they produce little or no pollution and they are reabsorbed into the natural cycles of the environment once their use as building materials is over. Energy from fossil fuels is becoming scarce and the amount used in the production ad transportation of materials is high. The best materials therefore are those materials that need little processing and/or are local. Locally grown and reclaimed timber entails only a low energy cost expenditure. Clay dug from the site of the house and used for bricks or adobe is another example of a material that uses almost no energy except that required for the building work. In contrast to natural materials, synthetic and processed products, such as plastics, aluminum, steel, glass, and oven-fired bricks and clay tiles, require a highenergy expenditure on both production and transportation.” (Pearson) The aim, therefore, is to lean toward measures that are eco-friendly or sustainable, with the use of materials that are readily available locally and useable even in their raw form or with as little processing needed as possible, especially those that are recyclable and renewable in the environment.

What are the pros or advantages in using indigenous materials? Hereon we can conclude that the natural indigenous materials available in our country are ecological; therefore they are elementally •

Renewable and abundant, coming from diverse natural sources and whose production has low impact on the environment

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Naturally nonpolluting, emitting no harmful vapors, particles or toxins into the environment

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Energy efficient, using low energy in production, transport, and use, and generally coming from local regions

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Produced and or harvested under good working conditions and fair means

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Low waste and capable of being reused and recycled (Pearson)

What are the cons or disadvantages in using indigenous materials? •

Durability is good but still not as or failsafe as in processed materials like steel and plastics

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Is vulnerable to weathering and deterioration due to moisture

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Lower resistance to impact (compared to processed metals)

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Craft skills are much slower in processing than engineering and technology

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Those produced with craft skills in effect are more expensive than factory/machine made alternatives that are lower in buying cost and are more advertised and readily available

How can our indigenous materials find a respected place in the design industry? “Three factors make architecture truly Filipino: Filipino values, Philippine climate and the use of indigenous materials… “The point was not to rebuild the bahay kubo and bahay na bato - their time had come and gone - but to learn from them. What was their essence? What made them Filipino? And how do you build modern structures that meet present-day needs while retaining that essence? “espouse Filipino values, consider our tropical climate, use Filipino motifs…” (Manosa) “…aerial views and topographic plan that shows how structures were “designed and sited to blend with the natural landscape.” Appreciate…unifying motifs and design principles using actual blueprints and accounts of serendipity…even the hexagonal design idea for the coconut palace came from the coconut itself, how it is trimmed and cut.” (Bristles)

“We must believe in ourselves, our capabilities, innovativeness and creativity, and stop imitating alien cultures and architectures. We must believe that in accepting what we are and what we have - both their limitations and potentials - we can finally emerge as equals. “Architecture must be true to itself, to its land and to its people, for the design of the built environment reflects man's expression of his way of life, his emotional, philosophical, religious, technological and material values in response to his needs and environmental challenges.” (Manosa)

What has the government done to support the use of indigenous materials? House Bill No. 3364 proposes that the government make the scientific propagation, culture and development of indigenous raw materials a priority program and give it the proper administrative and financial support. It also proposes that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall initially set aside 10 hectare in appropriate areas for the planting and propagation of bamboo, rattan, buri, anahaw, and tambo that would serve to replace denuded forests and will be a positive step in preserving the country’s fragile ecosystem. ”…the demand in both the local and international market has not been met because there is a lack of an organized public or private sector effort to augment the supply so it can meet the demand…” (Villafuerte)

REFERENCES Pearson, David. The Gaia Natural House Book. Gaia Books Ltd. London. 2000 Manosa, Francisco. Designing Filipino. Tukod Foundation. 2006 Bristles, Helen. A Book Review on Designing Filipino by Francisco Manosa. http://www.bookstove.com/Non-fiction/Designing-Filipino.34199 July 11, 2007 Villafuerte, Luis. Proposed Bill on Promoting the Use of Indigenous Materials http://www.gov.ph/news/default.asp?i=11451 July 17, 2005