There are workshops under every house making gongs, drums, chests, and tapestries. Okir inspired jewelry accessories on display at the 3-day “Okir Art Exhibit” in Cagayan de Oro last week.

The 10- to 12-foot-high wooden gadur, which in modern homes is often used as a design element, is prized for intricate okir, sinuous patterns distinctive of Maranao art. The smaller drums are ...