Indigenous
Technology in the
Philippines
GEC108 Ff3 | GROUP 3
Introduction
Thousands of years ago, the ancestors of the Filipino people,
the Austronesian speaking people traveled from the Asian
mainland by land bridges across the continental shelf to the
South East Asian archipelago. They then sailed onward to as
far East as Polynesia, and as far West as Madagascar, aboard
the ancient vessel: the Balangay.
THE BALANGAY
The Balangay, also called
as Balanghai or Butuan
Boat is a plank boat
adjoined by a carved-out
plank edged through pins
and dowels. It was first
mentioned in the 16th
Century in the Chronicles of
Pigafetta, and is known as
the oldest Pre-Hispanic
watercraft found in the
Philippines.
More About the Balangay
Construction Details
Discovery in Modern Era
The finely built boat, made without the
use of blueprints but was taught from
one generation to another, uses a
technique still used by boat makers of
Sibutu Island. Made 15 meters long and 3
to 4 meters wide, the Balangay is
propelled by sail of buri or nipa fiber or
padding and is large enough to hold 60
to 90 people. With the Balangay’s size, it
was used for cargo and raiding purposes,
giving proof that Butuan played a central
role in trade.
The first wooden watercraft excavated in
Southeast Asia, the Balangay is only
found in the Philippines where a flotilla of
such prehistoric wooden boat exists
throughout the world. Nine specimens
were discovered in 1976 in Butuan City,
Agusan Del Norte, Mindanao and 3 of
which have been excavated. Examination
and extensive investigation reveals that
the extant boats found in the excavation
site date back to 320, 990 and 1250 AD.
5
Uses of the Balangay
Travel and
Communication
Livelihood
Warfare and
Piracy
Given the nature of
the Philippines as an
archipelago,
the
ancient Filipinos who
were also seafarers
by nature used the
balangay to travel
long distances to
communicate
with
other communities
With the Philippines
surrounded by water,
fishing was the major
livelihood by our
ancestors, which was
then used to trade
for materials from
other foreign traders
such as silk and
porcelain from the
Chinese.
Ancient
Filipinos
have also used the
balangay as a way of
survival,
defense
from pirates, and as
well as to show
dominance in the
seas by using the
boat
for
raiding
enemy cargo.