Teofilo Garcia | |
|---|---|
 Teofilo Garcia in 2017 | |
| Born | March 27, 1941 |
| Occupations | Farmer, hatter |
| Known for | Tabunggaw (gourd) hat |
| Awards | National Living Treasure Award 2012 |
Teofilo Garcia (born March 27, 1941) [1] is a Filipino hatter who is regarded as a National Living Treasure in the Philippines for making tabungaw hats, a type of Ilocano headwear.
Garcia is known for crafting tabungaw hat, a type of Ilocano hat made from a variety of gourd ( Cucurbitaceae ) known locally as tabungaw. [2] [3] [4]
Garcia, who has five children, primarily works as a farmer. He primarily cultivates rice and tobacco and tends to a herd of cows. During the period when he does neither of these, Garcia grows tabungaw. [5] He is a native of the town of San Quintin in Abra. [6]
Garcia learned how to create tabungaw hats and weave basket from his grandfather when he was 15 years old. [5] He eventually became known for producing tabungaw hats – his hats were reputed to be the most sturdy and smooth in his community. [2] Garcia himself would wear tabungaw hat in his daily life and he could create 100 headwear in a year if the gourd harvest is good. [5]
He would also innovate on the creation of tabungaw hats experimenting on using nito and bamboo fibers as decor. The interior of Garcia's hats would also vary in decoration. [2]
On November 8, 2012, he was conferred the National Living Treasure Award. [2]
  | This article about a Filipino artist is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |