Anlangan 17 years old boy accidentally invented the first "Fire Piston" locally named “Luthang Gapuyan” over 1500 years ago
Over 1,500 years ago, a 17-year-old Subanen boy named Anlangan accidentally invented the first fire piston, locally known as “Luthang Gapuyan.” Although little is known about its origins, the device was widely used by thousands.
The discovery of the fire piston was purely accidental, yet it became a significant invention in world history. According to a tale passed down through generations, Anlangan created the fire piston while crafting a wooden toy magazine, replacing bamboo materials with hardwood to improve durability.
One afternoon, Anlangan’s parents tasked him with preparing a portion of the mountain for kaingin (slash-and-burn farming) in anticipation of the upcoming Panuig (planting season). As he made his way to the site, rain suddenly fell, forcing him to return home. While waiting for the rain to stop, he played with his “luthang” (bamboo magazine) alongside his younger brother. When the barrel of his bamboo toy broke from repeated use, he decided to craft a sturdier version from hardwood.
While boring a hole into the hardwood to form the barrel, he polished its inner surface using another piece of hardwood. As he pushed and pulled the wooden stick inside the hole, he was startled to see smoke and, eventually, fire emerging from the barrel.
Realizing the potential of his discovery, he abandoned his wooden toy idea and carved the device into a more functional shape, tying it with an abaca rope and wearing it proudly. He informed his father about his invention, and his family became the first to use the fire piston for their kaingin farming.
Over time, the “Luthang Gapuyan” became a common tool among the Subanen people and was traded with visiting merchants from Cebu and Sulu. The invention eventually spread throughout the Mindanao Island and the Malayan Pacific Islands now called the Philippines and beyond—to neighboring islands now called Malaysia, Indonesia, and Europe—marking its place in history as an important technological innovation.
This image is for demonstration purposes only and does not depict the actual Luthang Gapuyan from Mindanao.
A southeast Asian native old woman is using Luthang Gapuyan (Fire piston)
