Buntal hat

Buntal hats are manufactured from buntal fiber extracted from buri palms (Corypha spp.). Most buntal fibers are sourced from the buri plantations of Quezon Province. Traditionally, it is extracted from seven to ten-year old buri palms. Three to six leaf stems (at least in length) are cut from a tree twice each year. The base of the stem is skinned and the exposed fiber beaten with a bolo blade until they are separated into bundles. The name of the fiber comes from this process (buntal is Tagalog for "to strike" or "to beat"). The top part of the stem is also skinned. The entire stem is then tied to a post for support. Bundles of exposed fiber are selected from the beaten part and then manually pulled out of the stem. Each pulling can yield 1 to 5 fibers, and each stem can yield four to six bundles of fibers (known as meresa), depending on the condition of the stem and the dexterity of the worker. Modern buntal fibers however, can also be extracted via the easier method of retting. ==History==

Originally, buntal hats were primarily produced in the towns of Sariaya and Tayabas, due to the buri palm plantations in Quezon Province. Early versions of the buntal hat were wide-brimmed farmer's hats () and used unsoftened strips of buntal fiber. The industry expanded into Baliuag, Bulacan, between 1907 and 1909, originally introduced by Mariano Deveza who originally hailed from Lucban, Quezon. Introducing buntal hat weaving to Baliuag was easy since the town already had a preexisting weaving industry producing textiles, pañuelos (kerchiefs), tapis, as well as woven hats made from bamboo straw. Buntal hat production in Baliuag was further enhanced by Dolores Maniquis who softened the fibers through the use of a wooden roller known as an iluhan. This process was meticulous as using the roller too many times can result in the fibers becoming too brittle. This resulted in buntal fibers that could be woven into hats with a finer weave and texture. In 2011, Rosario Quizon-Bautista, one of the last remaining weavers in Baliuag, also started a project to teach buntal weaving skills to inmates in the Bulacan Provincial Jail, due to the lack of interest among youths in Bulacan. She sells raw buntal fiber to the inmates, and buy back finished hats. This provides them with income while also preserving buntal weaving traditions. ==In popular culture==

Baliwag celebrates a 10-day "Buntal Festival" every May each year. ==Similar hats==

Buntal hats can be mistaken for similar Philippine hats also made from the buri palm, the buri hat and the calasiao hat. These differ from the buntal hat in that they are made from different parts of the palm. Buri hats are made from unopened buri palm leaves, while calasiao hats are made from the midribs of the unopened leaves. Similar hats are also traditionally made in the Philippines from other materials, the most common are bamboo hats made from bamboo straw, and the sabutan hat, made from pandan leaves. ==Gallery==

File:0156jfBaliuag Bulacan Landmark Interior Museum and Libraryfvf 14.jpg|Buntal hat from the Baliuag Museum and Library File:0156jfBaliuag Bulacan Landmark Interior Museum and Libraryfvf 07.jpg|Buntal hat with a round crown from the Baliuag Museum and Library ==See also==