Apart from its beautiful destinations, vibrant food scene, and warm hospitality, what makes the Philippines unique is its array of crafts that mirror its heritage and culture. Every region has something unique to offer, from tapestries, intricate beadings, and embroideries to molded art made of wood and metal. What others may not know is that the country also has a rich heritage in jewelry making, which many local brands and artisans are working to present to the newest generation.
One of those brands is Amami. Since 2017, the social enterprise, led by Danielle Tan and Christine Tiu, has been working with local goldsmiths in reviving many of the Philippines’ age-old jewelry crafts, like the filigree tambourine, while also providing sustainable livelihood for Filipino artisans. This time, the brand launches a new collection spotlighting Batanes’ indigenous group’s heritage jewelry.
Dubbed “The Gold of the Ancients,” the collection centers on the “long-forgotten cultural heritage of the Ivatan people.” It features four pieces made of 98.5 pure silver coated in 24-karat gold. It includes the Pinatapatan link drop earrings that can be worn in two ways, Pinatapatan necklace, Vinaay bangles, and the Padijit necklace.
The Padijit necklace is one of the pieces worn by actress, model, and activist Leyna Bloom as Manila Bulletin Lifestyle’s August 2023 cover star. According to the brand, the wire-woven statement necklace is used by ancient Ivatans “as a ruff or collar,” and is “traditionally made by coiling a wire of the same thickness around a flat bamboo mold.”
“Over three years in the making, it is our goal at Amami to revive and raise awareness about a long-forgotten cultural heritage of the Ivatan people of Batanes, located in the northernmost tip of the Philippines,” the brand posted. “Believe it or not, this form of jewelry has not been seen worn in over 100 years!”
Preserving precious pre-colonial art forms is at the heart of Amami’s collection. And through “The Gold of the Ancients,” Danielle, Christine, and the rest of their team hope more Filipinos will discover it and younger generations of artisans will continue to keep the craft alive for the years to come.
“Our goal is to train younger artisans to learn the craft so that this important part of Ivatan cultural heritage can live on and be passed down to the next generations,” the brand said.
To learn more about “The Gold of the Ancients,” visit @amami.ph on Instagram or amamiph.com.