Ilokanos will build tiny houses for supernatural beings called “saan-nga-katataoan” or anitos. During parties, offerings like uncovered plates of food are left by the house to keep them happy.
To make an anito house, you can use local, natural materials like bamboo, coconut, and gourds, or even recycle materials like PVC pipe or plastic bottles. Be careful when handling any sharp tools or power tools!
Here are some ideas to get you started:
If you live in the Philippines or in a hot climate, you may have some bamboo growing in the area. If so, you can use a small piece of bamboo (ask a neighbor/friend and say "tabi tabi, po!" before you knock anything down!).
- Using a hatchet or machete, cut the bamboo into a small piece between nodes.
- Gather some wood, sticks, or leaves and create a roof for the top of the bamboo. Glue the roof down, or drill a few small holes near the top of the bamboo to tie the roof to the top of the house.
- Using a small saw, cut a door and maybe even some windows.
- You can also try to carve or burn designs on the bamboo, similar to wood. Draw on the bamboo with a marker and use a sharp carving knife to cut out the design. Use a woodburning tool for burning designs on the bamboo.
If you can't source bamboo locally, but like the cylindrical look of it, you can also use PVC pipe! Unlike bamboo, you may have to use more specific tools (like a PVC hand saw) or even power tools to cut out any shapes. Unlike bamboo, do not try to burn designs onto the plastic! Use other methods like paint to decorate your PVC anito house.
Another natural tropical material is coconut shell. For best results (and better control over the cuts), use a dried coconut shell for this.
- Drying coconut shells can take a while. If you chose a fresh coconut, scrub and thoroughly clean the inside and outside of the shell. Lay it out in the sun to dry. You can also bake it in a very low setting to dry slowly, but be aware that the shell may crack!
- If you want a smooth coconut house, remove the coconut coir and use it for your potted tropical plants. Once removed, you can also carefully sand the shell to further smooth it out.
- Use a handsaw or jigsaw to cut out the doorway.
- You can also try to carve or burn designs on the coconut shell, similar to wood or bamboo above! Draw on the shell with a marker and use a sharp carving knife to cut out the design. Use a woodburning tool for burning designs on the coconut.
- For the roof, gather a bundle of palm leaves, rattan, nito vine, or grass. Tie one end off to a point, and spread the other side around the coconut. Glue it down or drill a few holes to attach it to the coconut shell.
For a similar look to the coconut, you can also use gourds. Bottle gourds can be found in the summer/fall time if you don't live in a tropical area. In fact, there's a whole set of DIYs you can make out of dried gourds! In Ilocos, they make tabungaw, or upo hats made from bottle gourds and a woven interior to keep it on. Other indigenous communities around the world have used dried gourds as bowls and water bottles, while in today's era, they have been used for birdhouses, lanterns, etc.
- If you are growing and harvesting your own bottle gourd, you first need to dry it. Hang tight, this can take months! To dry the gourd, wash it and then thoroughly dry it using vinegar or alcohol. Leave it in a dry, well-ventilated area for a week or two until the outside is fully dry. Then move the gourd in a dark, dry, well-ventilated area and hang to cure. The seeds inside the gourd will rattle when complete.
- Using a small saw or jigsaw, cut a doorway. Windows can also be cut out, but paint may be preferred, to minimize cutting.
- Like the bamboo and coconut shell, you can also try to carve or burn designs on the dried gourd. Draw on the gourd with a marker and use a sharp carving knife to cut out the design. Use a woodburning tool for burning designs on the coconut.
- For the roof, you can use the same techniques as the coconut by using a bundle of palm leaves, rattan, nito vine, or grass and tying it to the top of the gourd. You can also use a different gourd to create a unique decorate roof. Other things like pinecones can be used to make shingles.
If you can't source any of the natural materials or to keep the costs low, recycle some old water bottles, soda bottles, milk jugs, etc!
- Plastic (especially for thicker milk jugs) can be tough to cut through, so be careful when using any sharp tools. We like to use kitchen scissors since they are durable and allow for precise cuts.
- Get creative! Use the off cuts for roof shingles, openings, and eves.
- Unlike the natural materials like bamboo, coconut, or gourd, do not burn plastic! Use other methods like paint to decorate your plastic anito house.
Don't forget to decorate! You can use acrylic paint to make the anito house feel homey, and carefully cover it with mod podge to "waterproof" the design.
Remember to bring out offerings of food to keep the anitos happy!