In Sitio Falel, Kiamba, Sarangani, T’boli heritage thrives in the more practical skills, removed from the usual tourist presentations of dance, weaving, and music. Ronald Tamfalan, my T’boli painter friend and interpreter, introduces me to his elder brother, Conseto, a hunter who relies on old skills passed down to him to survive long forays in the rainforest. The most intriguing to have survived was firestarting, a skill practically erased by matches and disposable lighters. He shows me his prized possession, a botu titik, a reddish flint-like rock to produce sparks that ignite tinder. The firestone trumps matches and lighters in being able to start a fire even when wet, making it ideal for use in the rainforest. Botu titik are not commonly found and often treasured and bequeathed as heirloom. The more common option is kisong, a combination of friction, bamboo and elbow grease. The bamboo-friction method is also practiced by different indigenous groups with variations in technique. Conseto proudly claims that he is an expert at both methods, winning the bamboo firestarting race in a recent indigenous skills competition.
Conseto demonstrates firestarting with the botu titik
and the kisong method
