Manobo Pouches

Traditional Manobo men own a cloth bag called puyot, into which they put their betel quid and other important things. According to Defending the Land, a book on ancestral domain claims in Mindanao, a puyot is “usually colored blue” and “slung around [the] forehead even in plowing the field, to reach out to while resting from the task.

The other puyot displayed in Delesan Menubo is plaid and looks more “tribal.” Its string is also made of abaca, a native fiber. The string of the blue puyot, shown in the first photo above, is made of a synthetic material.

Just like how they wear their tubaw, Manobo men wear their puyot as they please. This grandfather prefers to sling the string on his shoulder and keep the cloth bag on his chest.

(Blogger's note: This post is part of a series on items that the Dulangan Manobo people traditionally use in their daily lives. Special thanks to the RNDM nuns assigned in Kulaman Plateau. For more information about the series, read my introductory post or click the label Delesan Menubo below.)