Though gold has been associated with delicate craftsmanship the old Surigao kingdoms were known for as evidenced by the intricate trinkets and jewelry unearthed in that region, to precolonial Filipinos this precious mineral was, until the 1960s, associated with necklaces and teeth.
It was not unusual then to see gold-encased teeth displayed by their owners whenever a smile was flashed. At times, an individual would have two to three gold incisors pegged, probably a reason why decades ago tomb robbers, next to removing the kneecaps of the dead for use as talisman, frequently raided the graveyards.
Use of gold in decorative dentistry dates back to our obscure past. An online article published in queencitycebu.com, explains the process of how this indigenous art was applied:
“The Visayans called tooth filing sangka, leveling, and it was done by an expert with a slender stone file, who sometimes removed half the tooth in the process. Variations included opening the space between teeth, or grinding them to saw-toothed points, but the desired effect was always to render them even and symmetrical. This involved correcting or obviating natural misalignment, and the reduction of those eye teeth so suggestive of fangs or tusks.
“Once filed, the teeth were colored in different ways. Regular chewing of anipay root made them black, or the application of a tar-based coating called tapul gave them the appearance of polished ebony, and probably had a preservative effect. Red lakha ant eggs were used to color teeth–and kaso flowers, both teeth and fingernails–a deep red, an effect heightened and preserved by habitual betel nut chewing.”
Terms associated with the craft are pusad, the teeth goldwork; mananusad, the dental worker; halop, the plating or covering; and bansil, the gold pegs inserted in drilled holes drilled. In general, the common word used for a gold tooth is bansil. The use of bulawan or gold for tooth filling is due in part to the abundance of the precious mineral in many areas of the archipelago, although only a few regions can qualify to be called as having an abundant supply of this valuable metal.
Etymologically, bulawan is a derivative of bulaw, meaning golden or blonde. But the archaic term sinubong (which happens to be the name of a place in Zamboanga City) refers to rose gold, a reddish-toned gold popular among precolonial Visayas. Sinubong, moreover, comes from subbing, which is strictly an alloy of copper or tumbaga (bronze). The intermediate metal between gold and bronze is called pilak or silver.
The major archaeological find that dates the industry to precolonial times is the Bolinao skull discovered in Pangasinan. This has complete ‘intricate gold dental ornamentation and has ‘flecks of gold [that] adorn the skull’s teeth, creating a stunning pattern that resembles fish scales.’ The tooth designs are about 10 millimeters wide by 11.5 millimeters in height. Found alongside the cranium were ceramics from the Early Ming Dynasty in China, which is around 15th century AD, and the skull itself was dated to between 14th and 15th centuries AD.
When the Americans arrived, gold was again associated with the names of some towns. For instance, in Masbate and Surigao del Norte, there are towns named Placer, which comes from ‘a deposit of sand or gravel in the bed of a river or lake, containing particles of valuable minerals.’ The name resounds in another place with the same appellation in California, a former gold rush.
Though gold-filling has given way to cosmetic dentistry and other modern dental innovations, what has largely kept people from embracing the precolonial practice is the prohibitive cost of the precious metal and the expensive cost entailed in dental work. Even with the discovery of anesthesia in 1846, flashing a set of golden teeth does not elicit praise any more than it is viewed as weird. However, the practice survives in other parts of the world among indigenous tribes.
