MAKING A HOMEMADE CANNON In The Philippines!

Pea takes viewers to the Philippine countryside to demonstrate how to build and fire traditional bamboo cannons (lantaka), a DIY noisemaker that Filipinos have used for centuries. She builds three cannons and tests them with different fuels in a hands-on comparison, while weaving in the surprisingly violent history of these homemade weapons. The video also marks the second anniversary of her channel.

Why you might hear explosions in the Philippine provinces ​

• If you're visiting the provinces and hear a massive boom from a distance, it's probably not World War III — it's likely someone firing a homemade bamboo cannon for fun
• Filipinos love making noise, and bamboo cannons are a traditional alternative to firecrackers, especially for families who can't afford to buy fireworks

Materials and construction process ​

• The barrel is made from bamboo, which grows wild everywhere in the Philippines alongside coconut trees — clusters grow 30-40 feet high and the supply is essentially unlimited
• Pea selects a large bamboo stalk and cuts it into sections of 5-6 nodes each
• The internal fiber compartments are removed using a smaller piece of bamboo as a spike — you plunge it through and grind out the soft material, but you leave the last compartment intact on one end (this is where the fuel goes)
• A small hole is drilled in the closed end using anything sharp and a hammer — this serves as the ignition point
• The closed end is wrapped with wire to prevent it from shattering on detonation

Historical background of the lantaka ​

• Originally introduced to Filipinos by Chinese traders as weapons — they were loaded with gunpowder or arrows
• Predates Spanish colonization of the Philippines
• Muslim inhabitants of Mindanao reportedly used bamboo cannons to attack indigenous tribes who refused to convert to Islam
• Some Filipinos used them to attack corrupt Spanish government officials during the 19th century
• Similar bamboo cannon traditions exist in Indonesia (bamboo festivals) and Malaysia (Hari Raya festivals)
• In modern times, they're used purely as noisemakers for New Year's celebrations

Pea's childhood connection ​

• As a kid, her family fired bamboo cannons during Christmas and New Year because they couldn't afford firecrackers — the bamboo cannon was the free alternative since you can harvest bamboo anywhere

Three-fuel comparison test ​

• Pea builds three cannons and tests each with a different fuel:
• Cannon 1 — Kerosene: A generous pour of kerosene, then lit; produces a massive explosion that actually cracks and splits the bamboo cannon — Pea reacts with shock ("Holy crap! Crikey! Holy smokes!")
• Cannon 2 — Calcium carbide: A small piece of calcium carbide with water added (which produces acetylene gas), with an orange ball loaded inside; the explosion catches Pea off guard with how loud it is
• Cannon 3 — Denatured alcohol: Pea uses a blue ball as a projectile to test distance; she uses only a tiny amount because she knows denatured alcohol packs the biggest punch; produces the biggest kaboom of all three — Pea declares it "the mother of all Filipino bazookas"

Channel anniversary celebration ​

• The video coincides with the second anniversary of The Filipina Pea channel
• Pea says there's no better way to celebrate than "with a big bang"
• She closes with a deliberately misattributed quote: "To borrow a famous line from Abraham Lincoln: party on, dudes"

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