A sculptor pushes his sharpest chisel in carving the finer details of the face instead of pounding it with a mallet here in Paete, Laguna, November 19, 2020.
A typical day in the Municipality of Paete, a quaint town in the 4th District of Laguna province, usually involves the scent of wood and the sound of pounding chisels. The Paete wood carving art runs deep in history. It started in the area even before the Spanish era where they carved any form that symbolizes abundance, prosperity, festivities, including figures such as the sun, moon, and stars that were considered as some of their gods.
JP Handicrafts combines Batikuling and Marang wood in carving life size and gigantic figures of saints along the Manila East Highway, Paete, Laguna, December 5, 2020.
JP Handicrafts uses a portion of the road shoulder as an extension of their showroom along the Manila East Highway here in Paete, Laguna, December 5, 2020.
It was the Spanish friars that influenced the local artists to carve religious figures. Unlike most of the places that were named after a saint, the town got their name out of misunderstanding between a native and a Franciscan friar. When asked what the place was, the native replied "paet eh" referring to his chisel. He thought that the priest was asking about the tool he was holding. By 1580, Paeteños honed their craft by carving retablos and images used to ornate the churches in the area and as well as the neighboring towns of Laguna. Wood carving or panlililok/paglililok is so ingrained in town's identity that it was named as the country's wood carving capital in 2005. To this day, Paete and its local craftsmen & artists keep the art and tradition alive.
The Process
The wood carving process begins with drying the wood for at least a week to prevent any damages such as cracks which may happen during the carving process. A local carver adds that one of the crucial skills which a wood carver must have is sketching since details
A wood carver uses the computer printout of the Divine Mercy of Jesus as his guide in carving the head part of the statue here in Paete, Laguna, November 19, 2020.
are drawn on the piece of wood first before the carving process begins. In today's digital world however, carvers who can afford, use computer printouts nowadays as they embrace the convenience brought about by the technology while those who have no capacity continue to use their drawing skills to make the pattern. In creating wooden images, the head of a sculpture is usually done separately. Upon completion, the wooden sculpture is coated with a primer to protect its interior and to serve as a surface to paint on.
A carver works on the eagle's tail by sketching the details of the feathers within the confines of his home along Dans St., Paete, Laguna, December 6, 2020.
Local carvers claim that if available, they prefer using Batikuling, a certain variety of wood found in the Sierra Madre mountain ranges near the town which is not too hard to chisel and has properties which repel termites. This claim inspired Southern Luzon State University to focus on Batikuling cloning projects as they establish partnership with select LGUs while woodcarvers also frequently plant the said tree in their locality. Carvers combine batikuling and marang wood for life size or huge figures. Kamagong and Narra wood, however, are also usually used by carvers for their sculptures. Despite the time-consuming process involved, Paeteño wood carvers' passion for the craft make it look easy.
Paete, is a quiant town in the 4th district of the province of Laguna. Every household in the town breeds a carver between 12 to 70 years old. Thus, declared by former Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the country's Wood Carving Capital in 2005.
When one browses the internet, a lot of known carvers, sculptors who have their own shops and showrooms for their masterpieces pop up automatically on your computer or cellphone screens. Most of the photos are displays of Jesus Christ, Mary, the angels and the saints. Also, seldom you can read about carvers who work for people who can provide the materials particularly the wood to be carved and earn a little out of it that could barely feed their families. Town’s folk call them as labor carvers. It is so difficult to find too, stories of carvers who opted to be employed rather than putting up their own shops just to secure their monthly expenses.
This photo essay is devoted and dedicated to these artists, THE BACKYARD CARVERS.
MARIO R, LIWANAG - The Laborer
Mario R. Liwanag tries to finish the Pista sa Nayon mural carving to be able to collect his earning for the four days of labor here in Paete, Laguna, December 5, 2020. Mang Mario is a 57 year old (father of six) piece worker type of carver. Since he has no money to buy the wood, he settles for a measly fee of 1, 500 for his work just to make both ends meet for his family. (Click the right and left arrows to see the gallery)
FRANCO P. CAGAYAT - The Hobbyist
Franco P. Cagayat uses his carving skills to create scale models of cars, motorcycle, trucks, and other motorized vehicles here in Paete, Laguna, December 5, 2020. Franco is a person with autism, who happens to be the eldest son of Justino "Paloy" Cagayat a noteable wood carver in the town. (Click the right and left arrows to see the gallery)
ANDY ABSIN - The Employee
Andy Absin arranges his set of chisels according to the order use as he finishes the face of Jesus Christ here in Paete, Laguna, November 19, 2020. He is an employee carver for over four years now at JP Handicrafts located for along the Manila East road highway in Barangay 7 Bagumbayan. (Click the right and left arrows to see the gallery)
MARCELO 'OMAR' DALAY - The Seaman
Marcelo Dalay, a 62 year old carver in Paete, Laguna, pounds his mallet and chips off the unwanted parts to reveal the face behind the of wood, December 6, 2020. Mang Omar is blessed with five children, three grand children with 3 more incoming. He started carving when he was still in grade five while observing his uncle carving different figures of varied sizes. However, he opted to sail the ravaging seas and oceans as a seaman radio operator to be able to support the education of his children.
WILFREDO 'WALLY' EDLAGAN - The Ambidextrous
Wilfredo Edlagan, smoothens the neck part of the eagle that can be finished in less than 24 hours along Dans St., Paete, Laguna, December 6, 2020. Mang Wally as fondly called by his customers and friends sis blessed with three daughters (2 teachers and 1 Hospitality Management graduate) and 1 grand daughter. He only finished grade 2 after his mother died when he was just 8 years old and started carving as young as 15 years old by simply observing and helping the veteran carvers in his neighborhood. His craft supported the education of his three daughters until they finished their respective degrees. (Click the right and left arrows to see the gallery)
For as long as the backyard wood carvers and sculptors of Paete hand down their crafts to the succeeding generations to come, Paete will continue to be known as the town of Sculptors and carvers.
Master carver Harry Griño carves the body after attaching the head of a saint while a protégé works on the head details of Jesus here in Paete, Laguna, November 19, 2020. He has been with JP Handicrafts for more than five years now.
Acknowledgement:
SK Chairman Joshua Ryan Alvarez
SK Chairman Edward B, Cadapan Wilfredo "Wally" Edlagan
Marcelo "Omar" Dalay
CREDITS:
https://www.philippinescarvingart.com/holy-week-images/paete-the-wood-carving-capital-in-the-philippines/
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