30/08/2024
Legends across the archipelago say that the coconut was the first fruit on earth. It has been dubbed as the tree of life for its renowned versatility. From top to bottom, from the leaves to the fruit to its trunk and roots, the coconut tree has been celebrated by many societies as it continues to sustain many aspects of human life. In 1987, President Cory Aquino declared August 24-30 as National Coconut Week “to pay tribute of honor and thanksgiving for the blessings and benefits derived from the tree.”
Coconut milk, coconut water, coconut meat, fuel from its husks, furniture from its trunk, the classic lampaso from its unhusked shell and medicinal properties of its leaves: Filipinos have used every part to serve practical uses. More than its practicality, it has also been used to innovate in art and fashion among others.
Check out these three artists who creatively transformed coconut parts:
🥥 Terra PH - When a group of high school students saw scattered coconut husks from a buko juice stall outside their school campus, they had a lightbulb moment. Their goal was to create a fashionable, yet sustainable product that every person needed and loved. The product they chose? Bags. As bags are necessary to store belongings, the founder of Terra Philippines incorporated coconut coir as an accent to their bags, alongside using used textile to further promote sustainability. Terra Philippines, in their mission of environmental preservation and sustainable fashion, has partnered with and supported coconut farming communities and local sewists across the Philippines. The women-led company has earned many awards and accolades.
🥥 Bernadette Wolf - “Bao or coconut shells have many uses. Once emptied out of their juice and meat, they are usually repurposed into coin banks, soup bowls, plant holders, and other items that could suit their owners' needs. But in the hands of a visual artist like Bernadette Solina-Wolf, they become canvasses for the majestic depiction of Philippine culture particularly its indigenous people.” “She Drew It in a Nutshell: The Art of Bernadette Solina-Wolf” was one of the artist’s exhibits that displays two opposite ends of the Philippines’ cultural milieu- the indigenous and the country as a colony. Solina-Wolf has been painting on the unconventional canvass that is the coconut shell since 2006, initially painting sea life as the subject of her art.
🥥 Razel Mari - Learning from the fundamentals and techniques of weaving from the master artisans of Pulilan, Bulacan, Industrial Design graduate, Filipino product designer and artist-in-residence at the Silvermine Arts Center in Connecticut, USA, Razel Mari has created a coconut fiber sculpture to represent the concept of impermanence. The piece is called “Sita” from the word “bisita” meaning visitor. The finished work resembles that of a deer. Mari used natural materials by weaving together coconut fibers, sticks and twines. He had done this to highlight the temporary and ephemeral nature of things. “As ‘Sita’ is in the outdoors, it will slowly be taken by the earth whether by passive elements, to include rain, the sun, or snow, or by active means, such as birds using the fibers for their own nests, the entire structure will be part of the ecosystem it occupies.” Mari’s “Sita” reminds us that humans don’t use but rather borrow natural resources, as they are meant to be returned to the earth.
🥥 Fortuna Cools - Driven by sustainability and affordability, a pair of Stanford University students in 2018 worked on a project in the Philppines that dealt with the cold supply chain and food loss. They eventually founded Fortuna Cools. The startup developed technology to turn coconut husks into insulated coolers. Co-founder David Cutler says “[coconut husks] are discarded en masse during the production of coconut meat, coconut oil and coconut water.” Often considered waste, Fortuna Cools has put them into great practical uses by extracting coconut fibers. “Husks are broken down into fibers, air-dried, and then pressed into thick boards that make up the box lid and sides.” Coconut fiber is the main material in the cooling boxes. More than being a sustainable natural alternative to plastic, the coconut boxes provide extra income to the 30 local coconut farmers Fortuna Cools works with.
The coconut is a witness to the creativity and resourcefulness of Filipinos. It is a symbol of making the best of what we have and what we are given. May the appreciation, celebration and most importantly, preservation of the tree of life and all traditions and practices associated with it go beyond National Coconut Week.
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Article by Floresque Hingoyon, Ashley Balansag, Iori Patalinghug
photos from NHCP, Fame+, The Diarist PH, Green Queen
