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Salakot is a traditional lightweightheadgear from thePhilippines commonly used for protection against the sun and rain. Variants occur amongethnic groups, but all are shaped like adome orcone and can range in size from having very widebrims to being almost helmet-like. Made from various materials includingbamboo,rattan,nito ferns, andbottle gourd, the salakot is held in place by an inner headband and a chinstrap. The tip of the crown commonly has a spiked or knobbedfinial made of metal or wood.[1] The salakot is the direct precursor to thepith helmet (also calledsalacot inSpanish andsalacco inFrench) widely used by European military forces in thecolonial era.[2][3]
Salakot is a general term for a range of related traditional headgear used by virtually all ethnic groups of the Philippines. It is usually dome-shaped or cone-shaped, but various other styles also exist, including versions with dome-shaped, cone-shaped, or flat crowns with a flat or gently sloping brim. The tip of the crown commonly has a spiked or knobbedfinial made of metal or wood (sometimes with horsehair or feather plumes). The rim may also feature tassels of beads, feathers, or metal ornaments. They can range in size from having very wide brims to being almost helmet-like. It is held in place by an inner headband (baat) and a chinstrap. It was widely used in the Philippines until the 20th century when it was largely replaced by western-style hats.[1]
Salakot can be made from various materials includingbamboo,rattan,nito,bottle gourd,buri straw,nipa leaves,pandan leaves,carabao horn, andtortoiseshell. The way they are manufactured and ornamented varies by ethnic group.[1] Salakot can also have named subtypes based on the material used. AmongTagalogs for example, salakot made from split bamboo were known astinipas, while salakot made from dried bottle gourd were known astakukom. They can also be coated withresin to make them waterproof.[4]
Most salakot were simple and were made from cheap materials. These were worn as protection against the sun and rain by farmers and fishermen. More elaborate ones, made from rarer materials with inlaid ornaments and tassels, were treated as precious heirloom objects, handed down from generation to generation. They were status symbols and could be used as currency, as collateral for a promise, or as gifts.[4]
Some salakot also had cloth overlays (which are commonly decorated with elaborate embroidery) or have linings which can have pockets used for storing valuables and money, as well astobacco orbetel leaves.[4]
The name salakot is derived from the version of the headgear from theTagalog andKapampangan people. The names of similar headgear in otherethnic groups of the Philippines include:[1][4]
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Salakot is part of the pre-colonial culture of the Philippines. The earliest record of salakot was in 1521 whenAntonio Pigafetta ofFerdinand Magellan's expedition described a "queen who wore a large hat of palm leaves in the manner of parasol, with a crown about it of the same leaves like thetiara of the pope; and she never goes any place without such one."[1]
During the 19th century in theSpanish colonial era, the salakot were worn as status symbols by members of the aristocratic class (thePrincipalía) as part of thebarong tagalog ensemble.[8][9]
These Spanish-era salakot were made from prized materials like tortoiseshell and elaborately decorated with gems and precious metals like silver,[10] or, at times, gold.[11] They also commonly had long ornate spikes tipped with horsehair, or have coins or pendants that hung around the rim.[12] Many depictions ofgobernadorcillos andcabezas de barangay would portray these colonial public functionaries as wearing ornate salakot.[2][10]
Salakot were also widely used as militarysun hats in the colonial-era Philippines by both native and Spanish troops in theSpanish Army and theGuardia Civil (where they were known assalacot). They were commonly cloth-covered. This was copied first by theFrench colonial troops inIndochina who called it thesalacco.British andDutch troops in nearby regions followed suit and the salakot became a common headgear for colonial forces in the mid-19th century.[13][10]
The salakot was most widely adopted by theBritish Empire. They began experimenting with derivative designs in search of a lightweight hat for troops serving in tropical regions. This led to a succession of designs ultimately resulting in the "Colonial pattern"pith helmet.[13][2][3]
French marines also introduced the early version of thesalacco to theFrench Antilles, where it became thesalako.[14]
Thesalakot was used as the headgear by thePhilippine Republican Army, the military force of theFirst Philippine Republic.[15] It was worn alongside the MambisaRayadillo uniform and served both practical and symbolic purposes, the salakot provided protection from the tropical climate while also gave Filipino soldiers a distinctive appearance that made them easily distinguishable from their colonial adversaries during thePhilippine Revolution, and thePhilippine–American War. In contemporary times, the salakot continues to be used by the Philippine government for state and military ceremonies, it is often worn byHonor guards during the celebration of Philippine independence in June 12.
The salakot is a common symbol for Filipino identity, often worn by theNational personificationJuan dela Cruz along with abarong tagalog. The kattukung made from bottle gourd is also commonly associated with the 18th-century Ilocano revolutionary leaderDiego Silang.
In 2012, Teofilo Garcia ofAbra inLuzon, expert artisan of a special kind ofsalakot made ofbottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) was awarded by theNational Commission for Culture and the Arts with the"Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan" (National Living Treasures Award) for his dedication to the traditional craft of making gourd salakot, affirming the status of the salakot as one of theintangible cultural heritage of the Philippines under the traditional craftsmanship category.[1]
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Media related toSalakot at Wikimedia Commons
