Okir

A malong bearing okir designs.

Okkir or okkil is the term for geometric and flowing designs (often based on an elaborate leaf and vine pattern) and folk motifs that can be usually found in Maranao and muslim-influenced artwork, especially in the southern Philippines, and in some parts of Southeast Asia. Okir a dato refers to the ornamental design for men and okir a bay to that for women.

In the Philippines, an ancient proof of okir's style of flowering symbols is the torogan, the ancestral home of the highest titleholder in a Maranao village. It is a symbol of power and prestige usually adorned during festivities. Its prominent part is the panolong, a carved beam that protrudes in the front of the house and styled with okir motif. The okir design is found woven or printed in textiles, carved into wooden cemetery markers and wooden boxes, and it can also be found etched into knife or sword blades and handles, and cast or etched into various brass and silver objects.

Other variations of the okir involves the use of naga or sepent motif. Maranao instruments usually are styled with okir. A more prominent variation is the sarimanok, a chickenlike figure that carries a fish in its beak.

External Resources

• Mainstream Muslim Traditions in Land of the Morning: Western Mindanao