TWO towering rockets, one eight feet, the other ten — rise from woven strands of nature: nito (Lygodium circinnatum), rattan, bamboo, and steel. Their form is futuristic, yet their spirit is ancient. They are Tinayok, the latest creation of the Manobo Nito Weavers of Marabatuan, Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental, and they carry with them the dreamscapes of myth, memory, and craft.
On September 18, the Tinayok was publicly displayed at the Mindanao Art 2025 at SM Lanang, Davao City, as part of Davao Occidental’s display in the prestigious art fair.
More than woven sculptures, the rockets stood as cultural storytellers, presenting both the technical mastery of the Manobo weavers and the enduring power of their mythology.
The Tinayok is rooted in Manobo folklore. In stories passed down through generations, it is a flying vessel that carries the hero Lumabot and his chosen people to the realm of the divine.
By weaving rockets, the artisans are not simply making large-scale sculptures; they are embodying an ancestral vision of flight and transcendence, translated into contemporary imagery.
At the heart of this undertaking is Bae Gemma Diems Medel, who, alongside a team of master weavers — Jackson Diems Medel, Elen Lalo, Sina Dawa, Welma Banay, Jobita Edmoyon, Maria Luyang, Iza Calibay, Merry Jean Culiaman, Jeby Muna, and Lang Lang Luda — pushed the boundaries of traditional weaving. Their work follows the path set by their earlier masterpiece, Ahungan sa Panaghiusa, which became the centerpiece of the National Museum of the Philippines-Davao.
Key to the creation of Tinayok is the material itself: nito. Scientifically known as Lygodium circinnatum, nito is a climbing fern abundant in Philippine forests. Its long, wiry, and flexible stems have been used by indigenous communities for centuries, often coiled into baskets, mats, hats, and ritual objects.
Nito is prized for its strength, durability, and natural sheen, making it ideal for weaving both functional and decorative pieces.
In Tinayok, nito takes on new life — no longer just domestic or ceremonial but monumental, a material that carries the weight of myth while stretching into modern artistic expression.
The rockets also form part of a creative dialogue with renowned Mindanao artist Kublai Millan, whose recurring imagery of rockets has long symbolized aspiration and forward movement.
Cultural heritage consultant under the Provincial Tourism Office of Davao Occidental, Karlo Antonio Galay David, and also the curator of this year’s Davao Occidental booth at Mindanao Art, explained in a SunStar Davao interview that Millan’s imagery became a move for the community to embrace their own mythology.
“Nahimo siyang prompt for the community to go back to their mythology, maong they uncovered the story of the Tinayok,” he said.
(It became a prompt for the community to return to their mythology, which is why they uncovered the story of the Tinayok.)
In response, the weavers rediscovered the story of the Tinayok and wove it, quite literally, into being.
But the work is not only about scale or spectacle. To ensure that the mythology remained authentic, Bae Gemma consulted Manobo elders Umla and Esus Lalo, grounding the project in oral tradition. The result is more than woven sculpture; it is a vessel of cultural transmission, a bridge between elders and youth, myth and material, tradition and innovation.
The Tinayok rockets that stood at Mindanao Art 2025 are a representation of not just Davao Occidental’s craftsmanship but also the enduring spirit of the Manobo people: reaching for the stars while keeping their stories alive on the ground.
Through the strength of nito and the wisdom of oral tradition, the Tinayok affirms that heritage is not a relic of the past — it is a living craft, continually woven into the future. DEF