Abstract:
Gourd hat making, locally known as "Tabungaw Kattukong" making, is a nationally recognized indigenous art in the northern province of Abra, Philippines. The Kattukong Master, Teofilo Garcia was conferred a state recognition as National Artist through the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in 2012. The art is in danger of being lost as Garcia is the only person in the province who continues to make them. In this regard, the art has become vulnerable and its survival could be dependent on the younger generation (Kallio and Westerlund, 2016)
Recognizing that teaching about native artworks as part of school curriculum can serve to pass on traditions (Bequette, 2007) and having the primary purpose of safeguarding this valuable form of art by training the younger generations, a techno-transfer program was developed and implemented in San Quintin National High School located in the local residence of the" Kattukong" Master. The program started with the development of a manuscript that recorded and described the entire process of gourd hat making. This manuscript was used as a basis in the development of teaching-learning modules intended for Grades 7 to 10 students. The modules covered the agricultural and technological aspects of the craft and the objectives were interwoven with the National Competencies in Technology and Livelihood Education of the Department of Education.
Five years after its implementation, the program was evaluated by employing consensual qualitative research (CQR) using the teachers and Grade 10 completers as respondents. This study aimed to explore how the traditional art of "Kattukong" making could survive in a rapidly changing community and how its survival could co-exist with education, and in a wider perspective, the community.
Data revealed that the program was effective in transferring the technology to Grade 10 completers. Completers showed revitalized appreciation of the indigenous art and the acquired skills were viewed as an opportunity to safeguard and promote the art. Respondents also viewed the program as preparation for livelihood. Most noteworthy is the renewed love of the art by the students and the whole community.
The effectiveness of the techno-transfer program offers a great potential in scaling the study to cover other traditional arts in the province through indigenization of the basic education curriculum.
Recognizing that teaching about native artworks as part of school curriculum can serve to pass on traditions (Bequette, 2007) and having the primary purpose of safeguarding this valuable form of art by training the younger generations, a techno-transfer program was developed and implemented in San Quintin National High School located in the local residence of the" Kattukong" Master. The program started with the development of a manuscript that recorded and described the entire process of gourd hat making. This manuscript was used as a basis in the development of teaching-learning modules intended for Grades 7 to 10 students. The modules covered the agricultural and technological aspects of the craft and the objectives were interwoven with the National Competencies in Technology and Livelihood Education of the Department of Education.
Five years after its implementation, the program was evaluated by employing consensual qualitative research (CQR) using the teachers and Grade 10 completers as respondents. This study aimed to explore how the traditional art of "Kattukong" making could survive in a rapidly changing community and how its survival could co-exist with education, and in a wider perspective, the community.
Data revealed that the program was effective in transferring the technology to Grade 10 completers. Completers showed revitalized appreciation of the indigenous art and the acquired skills were viewed as an opportunity to safeguard and promote the art. Respondents also viewed the program as preparation for livelihood. Most noteworthy is the renewed love of the art by the students and the whole community.
The effectiveness of the techno-transfer program offers a great potential in scaling the study to cover other traditional arts in the province through indigenization of the basic education curriculum.