The Tabungaw Hat Maker of San Quintin Teofilo Garcia – A Philippine National Living Treasure

 Teofilo Garcia

•Born 27th March 1941 to Francisco Garcia and Concepcion Callos from San Quintin, Abra.

•He attended Villa Mercedes Elementary School (formerly known as Barbarit Elementary School) until 4th grade

•At the age of 15 he learned the art of Kattukong or Tabungaw hat making from his grandfather Hipolito.

•He married Dolores Cabael from Narvacan, Ilocos Sur

•They have five children Ferdinand, Redentor, George, Jocelyn and Carol

Teofilo Garcia is a simple man, still a farmer at heart and since he was bestowed the title of “Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan” ( National Living Treasure) he has been invited to give talks and demonstrations in the Philippines and abroad, teach local school children the art of Tabungaw making, and open up his home/workshop to drop in visitors who wish to meet him and buy one of his unique products.

He acquired the knowledge of making kattukong and weaving baskets from his grandfather at the age of 15. He is known for being self-sustaining in his craft as he personally harvests the tabungaw, a round type of gourd (Family Cucurbitaceae) planted specifically for making kattukong.

The hat called a Kattukong is weatherproof and made from Upo (tagalog) or Tabungaw (Ilocano), also known as Bottle Gourd or White Pumpkin. The seeds are planted in December and harvested in March. The gourds are cut open using a hand saw and placed on the ground by the owner’s house for a month while nature takes over. After drying, the Tabungaw is coloured and varnished. The weaving of the bamboo inner casing and lining is made of anahaw, nipa, bamboo, and/or rattan.

Only around one hundred Kattukong are made each year, 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”.

References:

S. (2018, May 10). The Tabungaw Hat Maker of San Quintin – silverbackpacker.com. silverbackpacker.com. Retrieved April 6, 2023, from https://www.silverbackpacker.com/teofilo-garcia-tabungaw-hat-maker-san-quintin/Birth

Anniversary of Manlilikha Ng Bayan Teofilo Garcia – National Museum. (2022, March 27). Birth anniversary of Manlilikha ng Bayan Teofilo Garcia – National Museum. Retrieved April 6, 2023, from https://www.nationalmuseum.gov.ph/2022/03/27/birth-anniversary-of-manlilikha-ng-bayan-teofilo-garcia/