Unless youāve learned this in school, itās likely that you know what this thing is used for but donāt know what itās called. These things are called cabin hook latches: protecting Filipino homes since the 19th Century, as one online meme pronounces with pride. These latches trace their history on ships, where adjacent doors would be prevented from swinging around as the vessels bounce around waves in the open sea.…
While mostly known for their colorful sails, the vinta is in itself a feat where shipbuilding is concerned. It blends form and function, and makes use of various design influences from some of the islands in Mindanao and its neighbors. It also demonstrates ingenuity, and shows the kind of skill our early craftsmen had to build these beautiful boats. Usually, the vinta hull was made from lawaan, while other parts…
One of the most common roofing materials in the Philippines, the galvanized iron or GI sheet was introduced to the Philippines sometime in the 1950s. It was brought about to answer the need for materials for the boosting post WWII construction industry and it was also a ādollar-savingā because it boosted the international dollar reserves of the country. Historically, the GI sheet was first developed in 1829. Henry Palmer, the…
