LESSON 4:

INDIGENOUS
TEXTILES
GEC-ICC: Indigenous Creative Crafts

LOUISE DOROTHY C. PARAISO, LPT

INSTRUCTOR
Philippine Indigenous Textile Heritage

◦ Culture, language, and tradition come together as distinct representations of a

people’s community and heritage. In the Philippines, various ethnic groups
have continued to pass on their ancestors’ beliefs and practices to their people.
Each community keeps its indigenous culture alive through different
means.
Philippine Indigenous Textile Heritage

◦ However, many cultural practices need attention for proper preservation, and
there have been several efforts made in this direction. One good result of this
continuous effort is that one of the many ethnic practices is coming back
into the present-day consciousness. For instance, many younger Filipinos all
over the country are now taking a step back to see and experience the beauty of
the Philippine indigenous weaving tradition.
Philippine Indigenous Textile Heritage

◦ The vibrant patterns and the intricate labor in creating ethnic textiles date back
to almost a thousand years ago. Across the Philippine archipelago,
numerous indigenous communities have their own distinct weaving
traditions. Let us take a look at some of these textile-making practices and
further understand their connection to the people.
Tribes and Patterns

◦ Yakan tribe’s designs are inspired by the natural landscape surrounding

Lamitan, Basilan. Their fabrics are characterized by geometric patterns and
vivid hues, and are made from “pineapple and abaca fibers dyed with herbal
extracts.” The entire process is so labor-intensive that it can take a week to
weave just one meter of fabric.
Tribes and Patterns

◦ T’boli of Lake Sebu, South Cotabato make their fabrics from abaca as well.
They believe that their designs and patterns have been passed down to
them by their ancestors through dreams. They’re well known for their
t’nalak cloth, which, according to Senator Loren Legarda, is “used during
significant occasions like birth, marriage, and death; the hilets, or belts with
brass small bells, are believed to drive away bad spirits; while the embroidery
they use to accentuate their traditional blouses narrate the story of their
relationship with nature and the spirits.”
Tribes and Patterns

◦ For the Maranao, yellow is associated with royalty and high status. As
Abdullah T. Madale writes in Textiles in the Maranao Torogan, “A man who
wears a yellow shirt and cap is called bananing i ulo ("yellow headed"). In the
past, a commoner who wore yellow could be ostracized or even beheaded.”
Madale goes on to explain that Maranaos who want to “appear at once humble
and accomplished” would wear green, which stands for “peace, tranquility and
stability.” Red stands for “bravery and violence,” white for mourning, and
black for “quiet dignity and purity.”
Cultural Appropriation

◦ With all the hidden meaning that a woven piece of cloth could hold, cultural
appropriation has become something of a concern. The last thing you want is
to find out that the bolt of fabric you’ve been using as a cool bed cover is
actually an Ifugao death blanket. Not only is it creepy, it’s disrespectful to the
Ifugao, who consider them sacred but may have to sell whatever they can to
make a living. Apart from doing your own research, another way to avoid this
kind of mishap is to patronize brands who understand which patterns are
and aren’t sacred and who buy textiles from indigenous groups at fair
prices.
References
◦ https://www.jmepaints.com/pananamit
◦ http://www.ethnicgroupsphilippines.com/philippine
-indigenous-textile-heritage/

◦ https://www.esquiremag.ph/culture/design/philippi
ne-indigenous-fabrics-are-making-a-comeback-a00
225-20171017-lfrm