Background
Before Magellan fucked around and found out, the group of islands I call the pre-Philippines, was already a cultural orgy for thousands of years where traders, explorers, and vagabonds all over Asia were creating their own Halo-Halo. They weren’t just exchanging goods; they were swapping stories, rituals, spiritual beliefs, and Gods. Ingredients of this rich Halo-Halo were traditions overlapping and creating new ones. Overtime, these new ideas birthed practices that eventually became a tradition, a cultural practice. Some of these practices included body modifications in the form of tattoos, teeth adornment, and genital piercing.
Gold was and still is a symbol of status, power, and spiritual connection that ran deep through the veins of pre-Philippine society. The islands were rich in gold, and the people knew how to create elaborate jewelry from ear plugs, wolven body accessories, and teeth adornments. Gold was more than just wealth; it was a divine element believed to have protective qualities, a material that could connect the wearer to the Gods, the ancestors, and the spiritual realm. Gold functioned as protection for the living and the dead. One example of this is the Oton Death Mask where thin pieces of gold with designs cover the eyes, nose, and mouth. The Bisayans believed that covering these facial openings with gold would prevent malevolent spirits from occupying the dead body. The dead were shrouded in gold to ensure welcoming reception in the afterlife. Great care was taken to bury the dead which points to an elaborate grieving process. Whether it was mummification, worldly possessions, food, weapons, ornamentation or even washing the bones after a certain time has passed. Weapons, and food, are buried at the foot or in the hallowed trunk of a tree. |
One of the famous examples of gold teeth is the Bolinao Skull. This skull, unearthed from a grave site in Bolinao, Pangasinan, in the 1960s, is a rare preserved example of how gold ornamentation was practiced. The Bolinao Skull was discovered during an archaeological excavation led by the National Museum of the Philippines, where its currently is on display. Discovered at the Balingasay site near Bolinao, a small coastal town in the province of Pangasinan, in the northwestern part of Luzon. The skull was one of the 68 other skulls unearthed with a collection of ceramics from China's Early Ming Dynasty. The skull itself is believed to be from the 14th or 15th century, but it could be even older. According to the Bolinao site excavation documentation published in 1977 by the Philippine National Museum, out of the 52 graves exposed, 7 had gold objects. One object had 358 solid gold beads from likely a necklace was excavated directly above and below the skeletal remains. Various iron spears, daggers, and knives were also found. This points to the widespread of general metalsmithing.
Looking at how the gold is placed on the teeth, the common comment is that they’re fish scales. I believe that this person was so rich that they decided to put as much gold on each front tooth as much as possible regardless of the pain or practicality. Sort of like the tita wearing head-to-toe LV at church for everyone to see. You got it, flash it. |
Ancestral Legacy x New Traditions
In 2018, I met Myra who runs Love Crystals Namaste at the Undiscovered Filipino Festival in San Francico’s Philippine Cultural District known as SOMA Pilipinas. She was adorning people with Swarovski Crystals and various gold pieces like dollar signs. That’s when the ‘Ah hah” moment hit me. We could revive this practice without drilling holes in the teeth as our ancestors did. I showed her a photo of the Bolinao skull to get her feedback and to see what the possibilities are.
2019 took part of a Day of the Dead artshow at SOMArts in San Francsico where I showcased an installation where I projection mapped parts of my work-in-progress film, Sulat ng Malangsang Isda, Writing of the Stinky Fish, on a Barong. One of the images was the Oton Death Mask. At the show opening, I wore some fake gold grills to extend the theme of my installation piece. Then the pandemic hit so I had to pause this exploration. In 2021 as the pandemic subsided, I finally got my bottom six teeth and then eventually the two front 18K gold. I chose geometric shapes that I found in documentation and mirrored tattoo and textile patterns. Myra thoughtfully explained that these were pretty big gold pieces and didn’t know how they would hold up. In the spirit of my Pangasinan ancestors, I said, “Fuck it” let’s do it! The feeling of the chunky gold pieces in my mouth reminded me of when I had braces except you wouldn’t find what I had in any Revenge of the Nerds movies. Over the next couple of years, I started to experiment making my own pieces by testing cutting and shaping brass that I also used to inlay in my Batok tattoo tools. In September, 2024, I completed my training on applying ornaments to teeth from Myra. |
Approach
My approach to this modern practice is to threefold:
⚡️Create handmade gold pieces based on documentation found in different regions and patterns found in our material culture such as textiles, jewelry, and tattoos.
⚡️ Utilize premade gold shapes that are similar to documented pieces.
⚡️ Alternatively use Swarovski crystals to mimic traditional arrangements.
⚡️Create handmade gold pieces based on documentation found in different regions and patterns found in our material culture such as textiles, jewelry, and tattoos.
⚡️ Utilize premade gold shapes that are similar to documented pieces.
⚡️ Alternatively use Swarovski crystals to mimic traditional arrangements.
FAQ
Where are you based?
San Francisco Bay Area (Alameda x SF) and travel to visit communities around the globe.
Is it painful to get adorned?
No! If done properly, It Is A quick & painless Procedure. No drilling involved.
How are the gold and crystals placed on the teeth?
I utilize the same method orthodontists use to adhere dental brackets to teeth.
How long do they last?
They can stay on your teeth for a couple of months to years. I've had mine on my upper teeth for about 4 years.
How long does it take?
Depending on what is being done, it can take anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes.
What if my tooth isn't flat?
The piece will only adhere to a flat and smooth surface. If your tooth is damaged or has groves, the jewel will not adhere properly.
Can I remove the jewelry myself?
It's advised to go to a dental professional to have them removed. They can remove and polish any remaining composite.
Can a jewel be placed on a fake, capped, or bridged tooth?
No, they have to be placed on a REAL tooth. The composite will not adhere to a fake tooth.
Can I still whiten my teeth with the jewelry on?
Yes, they will not damage or discolor the jewelry. However, the area under the jewelry will not be whitened.
Can I get something if I wear retainers?
It depends, please contact me first before getting on the list.
What if I wear braces?
Wait until your braces are removed.
What kind of gold do you use?
18K
Do you do anything besides gold?
At this time, no since my priority is to explore pre-Philippine gold teeth adornment in a modern and safe way. If you have a specific request, contact me and I can refer you to someone else.
San Francisco Bay Area (Alameda x SF) and travel to visit communities around the globe.
Is it painful to get adorned?
No! If done properly, It Is A quick & painless Procedure. No drilling involved.
How are the gold and crystals placed on the teeth?
I utilize the same method orthodontists use to adhere dental brackets to teeth.
How long do they last?
They can stay on your teeth for a couple of months to years. I've had mine on my upper teeth for about 4 years.
How long does it take?
Depending on what is being done, it can take anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes.
What if my tooth isn't flat?
The piece will only adhere to a flat and smooth surface. If your tooth is damaged or has groves, the jewel will not adhere properly.
Can I remove the jewelry myself?
It's advised to go to a dental professional to have them removed. They can remove and polish any remaining composite.
Can a jewel be placed on a fake, capped, or bridged tooth?
No, they have to be placed on a REAL tooth. The composite will not adhere to a fake tooth.
Can I still whiten my teeth with the jewelry on?
Yes, they will not damage or discolor the jewelry. However, the area under the jewelry will not be whitened.
Can I get something if I wear retainers?
It depends, please contact me first before getting on the list.
What if I wear braces?
Wait until your braces are removed.
What kind of gold do you use?
18K
Do you do anything besides gold?
At this time, no since my priority is to explore pre-Philippine gold teeth adornment in a modern and safe way. If you have a specific request, contact me and I can refer you to someone else.
Questions? Email [email protected] or text 415-237-1569