Sesotunawa

Sesotunawa is Tboli for a virtue and an act of working together to serve a common good. The word is derived from two Tboli words: "sesotu" meaning to make one and "nawa" meaning spirit or character. The heart of Sesotunawa is the value of community-building, inspired by the Tboli value of working together which allow indigenous artisans to create beautiful handmade products.

Their products are handcrafted by tau temwel (Tboli brass smiths) from Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. The designs are inspired by everyday objects in nature, symbolizing their connection to the environment that is a source of their identity and culture.

These are created using the Tboli art of temwel or brass casting. Each piece begins with a wax model that is wrapped in clay which is cooked to form from a mold. A mixture of melted metals is poured into the mold to form the brass product. This meticulous process is often a collective enterprise as it involves other members of the community. Thus, every product you own embodies sesotunawa or community-building.

Seostunawa invites you to be a part of this experience. Every product you purchase will help sustain not only the livelihood of our Tboli artisans but also the tradition of temwel as an indigenous craft of the Tbolis.