Ifugaos are skilled people. In what way?
“MALLET and CHISEL”
(Pat-u ya Lattuk)
Ifugao is known for the way our forefathers carved the world-renowned Ifugao Rice Terraces. And as our
tourism continuously developed, Ifugao craftmanship was also being recognized not only in the country
but also in some other countries who are fun of our crafts. Also, Ifugao wood carvers are being
considered as one of the best in the Cordillera region.
High quality of wood carvings requires a skilled craftsman and his tools. Woodcarvers in the province
commonly use a wooden mallet (pat-u) and the chisel (lattok) of different sizes and kinds depending on
its usage. A mallet is a barrel-shaped head with a handle from which the craftsman holds it while the
chisel is designed with a head, a body and a shaped cutting edge on its end. The head is where we strike
the mallet (pat-u), the body is the part from which the carvers hold it, and the cutting edge performs the
function of cutting.
Thus, the PAT-U and the LATTUK, together with other finishing tools play an important role in the
production different crafts from small keychains to life-sized three-dimensional art works.