Saruk Hat from Cebu (PRE-ORDER)

These traditional saruk hats are handwoven by weavers in Cebu. The saruk is a reminder of our pre-colonial past that has continued to survive past colonization.

One of the earliest mentions of the saruk is from Antonio Pigafetta during the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in Cebu. In Pigafetta's written accounts he writes of the wife of Rajah Humabon, the ruler of Cebu. This woman is known as Hara Humamay through oral accounts.

According to Pigafetta, Hara Humamay was a young, beautiful, and regal woman. She painted her lips and nails very red, and constantly wore a large saruk hat, made out of palm leaves that acted like a parasol. She also wore a crown around it made of the same leaves, that in Pigafetta’s words were like the “tiara of the pope”.

According to him, Hara Humamay always wore her saruk and never left without. She even had several pairs of hats that were carried around by her female slaves and attendants wherever she went. In both passages of her, she wore white and black clothing. She also had a large silk scarf adorned with gold stripes that went over her head and laid on her shoulders.

The saruk comes in 3 different sizes:

Small: 33.5 cm (approx 13 inches)
Medium: 46 cm (approx 18 inches)
Large: 63cm (approx 25 inches)

❗️NOTE❗️:

THIS IS A ❗️PRE-ORDER ITEM❗️PRODUCT WILL BE SHIPPED IN THE END OF AUGUST-SEPTEMBER.

 If you are ordering an item that is currently in stock in the same order, the order will be held until the pre-ordered book or item arrives from the Philippines. Shipping of pre-ordered items from our partners in the Philippines to New York are scheduled to take place in May, August and November 2026 ONLY.

Once pre-ordered items ship and arrive from the Philippines to New York, items will be dispatched from New York to their final destination.

Due to the gas situation worldwide and especially in the Philippines, shipping of pre-ordered items are delayed and shipping from the Philippines has been set to ease our partner's in the Philippines.

Shipping during these 3 months for 2026 also allow our partnered local artisans from the Philippines such as our weavers, anitu sculptors, and brass pre-colonial gold replica jewelry pieces, the time needed they need to work on your one of a kind, handmade pieces. 

These pieces are all handmade by our local partners and traditional artisans, not mass produced. If you want a ready made and in stock clothing piece, figure, ceramic, or jewelry piece, if we have any available in stock and on hand, you purchase those. Every shipment from the Philippines we do order extra's to put up on the shop for those who want to keep an eye out for in stock items. 

❗️CURRENT SHIPPING❗️

If you are going to be pre-ordering an item and ordering an in stock item, two separate orders must be placed to guarantee arrival of in stock products within 2-3 weeks.

Our shipping days for in-stock items from New York are currently only being shipped at the beginning and end of each month. This allows time for packing and shipping items. Also due to the rising gas prices, we have decided to cut back on shipping days to make it easier on ourselves (two person team) to pack and deliver items to the Post Office 2x a month.