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Lepa and Other Watercrafts: Boat Building Traditions of the Sama of Tawi-tawi

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Description	Hadji Ippuk Jawah, from the barangay of Tongehat, Sibutu, Tawi-Tawi, is one of the oldest boat builder of the province. The Sama people of Tawi-Tawi, southern Philippines, particular those from the island of Sibutu, are known for their boat building practices using traditional knowledge. They make different kinds of water vessels including the lepa, the house boat.
Photographer	Roel Hoang Manipon
Place		File Size	8.04MB
Definition	5164x3066	File Format	JPG
Copyright	ICHCAP, National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) of the Philippines	-

LIST

VI00000326 Traditional Sama Boat Building
Boats are an important component of the lives of the sama people of Tawi-Tawi in Southern Philippines. The Sama use boats for various purposes including dwelling, fishing, and transportation, and possess many different kinds of boats, including lepa (house boats) and bog-go(fishing boats). Such boats are built with strong wood known locally as lupanga. The boat-building process is followed by a celebration called duwaa, which is performed to pray for prosperity and safety. The increasing prevalence of land-based lifestyles has led to a significant decline in boat-building practice, but it nonetheless remains an important part of Sama life.

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Philippines 2018

DI00000234 LEPA: THE SEA AS HOME
As sea gypsies, the Sama Dilaut of the Philippines are known for living on the sea throughout most of the year. Part of the Sama ethnic group of Southeast Asia, they crisscrossed the islands of the coral triangle until recently when they chose more permanent settlements along the coast.

Jesusa L. Paquibot Project Officer, Intangible Cultural Heritage Unit, National Commission for Culture and the Arts 2016