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Teofilo Garcia
Gamaba Awardee 2012
Abra’s San Quintin Casque Maker life
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Teofilo is solely a farmer who has become a superb craftsman while learning how to weave baskets and create gourd casques from his grandfather at the age of fifteen years old that in the long run of his early to late adulthood, he makes a living off of this to be able to raise enough money to send his five kids to school.
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When his agricultural property is not being utilized for livestock, rice, or tobacco, he plants upo instead, which he then turns into a traditional tabungaw. It takes a minimum of a week to make one tabungaw, and each step of the process—planting, harvesting, processing, weaving, and finalizing—requires the use of basic hand tools.
The “kattukong” or “tabungaw” main material
fashioned of hollowed and dried “calabash gourd”.
In Ilocano, this is commonly known as bottle gourd in tagalog.
Abra’s San Quintin Casque Maker
This one-of-a-kind headdress is crafted of native gourd called tabungaw (Family Cucurbitacaea) and polished and lacquered to a vivid orange gloss.
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On the occasions when Teofilo Garcia leaves his farm in San Quintin, Abra, he dons a distinctive and fashionable tabungaw headdress.
It is also practical and attractive. The brim has a subtle bamboo weaving, and the interior is lined with rattan matting. Numerous orders have resulted from Teofilo’s pride and honor in donning his designs.
Teofilo Garcia's creations
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President Aquino bestows the 2012 Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan Award on Teofilo Garcia on Thursday at the awarding ceremonies at Malacaan Palace's Heroes Hall. Garcia, a "Tabungaw" or Gourd Casque maker from San Quintin, Abra, was recognized for his work in preserving the ancient tabungaw-making process.
His mission and impact on people
Since November 8, 2012, After receiving the honor of being named a “Gawad sa ​Manlilikha ng Bayan” (National Living Treasure​) as acknowledgment of his skill and commitment in creating the kattukong or gourd hat, he was asked to give talks and seminars in the Philippines and internationally, instruct students from his hometown in the craft of tabungaw making, and welcome drop-in visitors who wanted to get to know him and purchase one of his special creations.
