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 high-
energy 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
• Naturally nonpolluting, emitting no harmful vapors, particles or toxins into the
environment
• Energy efficient, using low energy in production, transport, and use, and generally
coming from local regions
• Produced and or harvested under good working conditions and fair means
 • 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
• Is vulnerable to weathering and deterioration due to moisture
• Lower resistance to impact (compared to processed metals)
• Craft skills are much slower in processing than engineering and technology
• 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