The Art of Bontoc Basketry

By Therese Cerdan

This image shows an oblong basket and lid made from wood and woven rattan. The basket appears dark brown, possibly lacquered or painted. With the lid on the container is a fully enclosed, symmetrical oval basket. Yellow cord or hardened palm fiber binds the wooden bands and woven rattan elements together around the rim and edges of the basket.
Bontoc bituto basket. Johnny Bangao Jr. Donation. UMMAA 2023-6-10. This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

This wood and rattan basket was crafted by expert Bontoc basket weaver Johnny Bangao Jr., who hails from the Cordillera region of the Philippines. This oblong Bontoc basket, called bituto, can fully separate into two equally-sized containers, which are used as fruit trays.

This image shows an oblong basket and lid made from wood and woven rattan. The basket appears dark brown, possibly lacquered or painted The base and lid form two nearly identical oval containers. Each half can function as a serving dish. Yellow cord or hardened palm fiber binds the wooden bands and woven rattan elements together around the rim and edges of the basket.
Base and lid of Bontoc bituto basket. Johnny Bangao Jr. Donation. UMMAA 2023-6-10-a & 2023-6-10-b. This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

The process of creating this basket began when Johnny collected thin, split bamboo (inuwasan) or rattan (owey) from his farm near Baguio. He then used various Cordilleran basket weaving patterns, such as sinaadan and tinalidtid, to form the plaited basket surface. Through the process, he used awls (tik, pangsedsed) and beaters (pat-o) to pack the strands tightly together in their woven pattern. Then, the plaited surfaces were bound to the wooden hoops at the center, top, and bottom of the basket. The basket was colored using an oil-based dark brown stain to resemble the smoke stained baskets traditionally stored near hearth fires.

  • This image shows a flat, rectangular wooden bat used to flatten bamboo for weaving. The bat appears to be lacquered or painted a glossy dark brown, nearly black. The handle is wrapped with woven rattan, also coated in the same dark finish, with traces of the original light tan rattan visible through areas of wear.
    Pat-o beater. Johnny Bangao Jr. Donation. UMMAA 2023-6-3. This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
  • This image shows a bamboo weaving tool consisting of a flat-head iron nail attached to a wooden handle. The handle is cylindrical and appears dark brown to nearly black, possibly lacquered or painted. A woven rattan covering wraps most of the handle, with traces of the original light tan rattan visible through areas of wear. The iron nail extends from one end of the handle and likely served as a tool for manipulating or separating bamboo strips during weaving.
    Pangsedsed awl. Johnny Bangao Jr. Donation. UMMAA 2023-6-2. This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
  • This image shows a pointed metal awl used for bamboo weaving. The tool has a long silver metal shaft ending in a sharp point protected by a removable plastic cover. The rounded wooden handle is wrapped with woven rattan. The handle appears light brown with visible wood grain and natural fiber texture.
    Tik awl. Johnny Bangao Jr. Donation. UMMAA 2023-6-1. This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
  • A square mat woven from light and dark reeds in a geometric pattern, exemplifying the art of Bontoc basketry, displayed on a gray background with a ruler and label reading 2023-6-7 below it for scale.
    Inusong basket weaving pattern. Johnny Bangao Jr. Donation. UMMAA 2023-6-7. This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
  • This image shows a bundle of split bamboo prepared for weaving. The bundle contains eleven bamboo strips of similar size tied together with a thin piece of pale bamboo. Each strip shows two distinct surfaces, with one side dark brown and the other pale tan. The strips curve slightly inward, with the lighter tan surfaces facing the interior of the bundle.
    Inuwasan (bamboo).Johnny Bangao Jr. Donation. UMMAA 2023-6-4. This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
  • This image shows a bundle of split rattan from the Philippines prepared for weaving. The rattan strips are pale tan in color and are coiled into a circular ring. The bundle is secured by several rattan ties that bind the coil together at evenly spaced points. The thin, flexible strips appear smooth and uniform, indicating that they are prepared for use in weaving or basket making.
    Owey (rattan). Johnny Bangao Jr. Donation. UMMAA 2023-6-5. This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

The basket, tools, and knowledge were all generous gifts to the UMMAA from Johnny Bangao himself. This knowledge sharing was at the heart of the ReConnect/ ReCollect Project, which hosted Indigenous Filipino artists and culture-bearers in Ann Arbor in 2023. This was done in an effort to open access to, build reparative relationships with, and engage the collections with their descendant communities. Johnny was able to share traditional weaving practices and terminologies, as well as provide additional contexts for the historical Philippine baskets in UMMAA’s collections. This collaboration was just one part in the process of continuing meaningful connections with communities and promoting ethical stewardship of the University’s vast collection of Philippine material.

This image shows a group of people seated around a circular table in a library participating in a basket weaving activity. The participants are working with thin plant fibers or rattan strips, shaping and weaving them into small basket forms. Various tools, photographs, and weaving materials are spread across the table as reference and working materials.
Johnny teaching basket weaving at U-M Philippine Art Workshop, 2023. This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

To learn more about the ReConnect/ ReCollect Project and reparative connections to Philippine collections, visit https://www.reconnect-recollect.com/

By jmmoss

Jim Moss, Collections Manager University of Michigan Museum of Anthropological Archaeology Research Museums Center

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