Panday (Blacksmithing)

Colonial- Spanish Era

Applied Industrial

Blacksmithing is a craft where all

the elements in nature- earth, air, wind
and fires are used. Iron ore mined from
the earth is extracted through a process
where air blown through forge, produces
the fire necessary in smelting the metal.
Water is used to cool and temper the
material.

In most part of the Philippines, a person skilled in Blacksmithing is called “panday.”

San Nicolas Ilocos Norte is one of the few places in the country where you can still observe
Pandays at work, painstakingly crafting a variety of implements, including buneng (knife),
bolo(Long bladed weapon), kumpay (sickle), Garugad (file)and even “Rambo” knife (jungle
knife). At the beginning of the Spanish Regime in 1617, agriculture was the only source of
the town’s economy. To create additional income, the Spanish government introduced home
industries like calesa and cart making, pottery and blacksmithing.

Blacksmithing is a rare skill, a special arts handed down from generation to

generation of clannish families living together in a cluster in a close kinship. Such is the case
of Ernesto Lumabao Bumanglag of San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte, who started to rain as a
blacksmith from his grandfather at the age of 14. He continued to grow and improve his skill,
becoming the polific in producing the most finely crafted blades, ranging from bolos,
kumpay. Arado and Rambo knife.

Blacksmith has been one of the primary resources of living for some San Nicoleňeo.
The different crafted blades has been using for agriculture, cooking and mountaineers not
only within San Nicolas but also other provinces. Also it is one of the product and something
to be proud of.
 The Blacksmith crafted tools have their own uses. Buneng (knife) is use for
“pangkayas” (for scrapping) for bamboo. Bolo (Long bladed weapon) is use for clearing
vegetation, whether for agriculture or during trail blazing. Kumpay (sickle) is use for cutting
grass. Garugad (file) is use for sharpening a knife. “Rambo” knife (jungle knife) uses the
knives to make traps and hunt wild. Some other crafted tools are badang, pagiwa, asador,
imuko, siyansi, sipit and sampilok.