Palawan has been inhabited for over 50,000 years based on evidence from the Tabon Caves. The caves also contained bone fragments and tools from Tabon Man. Traditional costumes on the island are made from natural materials like bark and tree trunks. The Tagbanua are known for their artistic bamboo baskets and carvings, which incorporate intricate designs. Houses are constructed without nails from forest materials like bamboo and leaves. Important archaeological finds from Palawan include the Manunggul Jar and Leta-Leta Jarlet depicting a yawning mouth.

1. Palawan Arts
and Crafts

2. Palawan, according to anthropologist, Dr.
Robert B. Fox, humans have lived in the province
for more than 50, 000 years. They found evidence in
the Tabon Caves. They also found human bone
fragments, from an individual known as Tabon Man,
in the municipality of Quezon, as well as tools and
other artifacts. The Tabon Cave are now known as
the Cradle of Philippine Civilization.

3. The traditional costumes of the Tagbanua were fashioned from
the bark of trees, particularly the Salugin.
Batak women, wear Sarong, bared-breasted made from
hollowed out tree trunks.
The Taaw’t Bato men wear G-strings while the women cover
their lower bodies with bark or cloth that is made into skirt. The upper
half is left exposed although some now wear blouses.
In the past, when both men and women wore their hair long,
they filed and blackened their teeth, and carved earplugs from the
hardwood Bantilinaw.

4. Tagbanua’s are known for their
artistics carving and baskets. They
apply different designs to their tingkep
or harvest basket made of hard-strip
bamboo.
The soft rice baskets, called
bayong-bayong, are made with
different unusual shapes.
Tingkep is definitely solid
because of the 10 indigenous materials
used; woven with craftsmanship. This is
used as food spices bin.
Balikbalik is a food storage of
indigenous Palawan.

6. Palawan hut was connected without iron, no rivets, no nails, the joints are
tightened by ligatures, not fixed.
The Tagbanua’s house is constructed also with forest materials. Bamboo
and wood are used for the house’s frame, anahaw leaves are used to create
walls and the roof, bamboo slats are used for flooring.
The majestic semi-Gothic Cathedral our Lady of Immaculate Conception
located near waterfront, stands on the same spot where the Catholic Church in
Puerto Princesa was built in 1872.
The Manunggul Jar excavated from a Neolithic burial site in a cave of
Lipuun Point, Quezon, Palawan dating from 890-710B.C. The two figures in the
boat at the top of its cover represent the journey of the soul to the after life. It is
considered a masterpiece and national treasure. It is now housed at the National
Museum of the Philippines.

8. Leta-Leta Jarlet with Yawning Mouth
is one of the several jarlet and intact pieces
recovered in Leta-Leta Cave, Northern
Palawan in 1965. It is an anthropomorphic
vessel depicting a yawning mouth. This
jarlet is unique and is the earliest pot
recovered in the Philippines.

9. Thank you