Tabungaw hat

The hat called a Kattukong is weatherproof and made from Upo (tagalog) or Tabungaw (Ilocano), also known as Bottle Gourd or White Pumpkin which are part of the Cucurbitaceae family of plants.

Each December the seeds are planted and three to four months later in March the crop is harvested and brought down to his workshop to be cured and dried. The gourds are cut open using a hand saw and the two halves placed on the ground by his house. They are left there for about a month while nature takes over. Ants are attracted to the rotting pulp and help to clean the insides leaving the case empty. It is then finished by hand and left to dry completely. Only the upper half is used to make the Tabungaw. The bottom half can be used around the house for various storage purposes.

After drying, the Tabungaw is then coloured and varnished. Any blemishes in the gourd are left in place and not hidden, adding to its attractive look. The most time consuming and skillful part comes next. That is the weaving of the bamboo inner casing and lining.The woven interior is made of anahaw, nipa, bamboo, and/or rattan.

Only around one hundred Kattukong are made each year with each Tabungaw taking on average 7 days to transform into a hat which will last a lifetime if taken care of properly. Locally the hat is also known as “Strongkis”

Watch the video to see how Teofilo cuts the Upo in readiness for drying and curing.