WEAVIN

TRADITIONAL ARTS

G
 ORIGINS
W
The weaving culture in the Philippines dates back to the 13th century. The tradition
E makes use of raw materials like local cotton, abaca, fibres, and pineapples. Many
A Filipinos are very spiritual people; in fact, our traditions are rooted in beliefs that
V were passed on by our ancestors. Handloom weaving is no different, it is believed
I that this cultural practice is associated with the indigenous peoples' bridge to spirits
who will help them attract good health and protection in the Earthly realm.
N
G Through the ages, the tribes considered weaving as a recreational activity where
weavers are able to convene and socialise with each other.
SYMBOLS
Weaving in the Philippines is more than just a culture perpetuated out of
function or necessity, the tradition is considered an artistic expression of
beliefs. For instance, textiles and colours are used to represent different
rituals in the country. There are specific patterns used for traditional
dances for courtship, healing, war, harvest, and protection.

Indi geno us tribes also associat e col ou rs with different events.

Brown o r eart hy h ues are usual ly reserved for matters related
to d eath and mou rn in g; mean whi le, red is the colour of power
used b y th e Pin at ub o Negrito fo r th ei r h ealers.
IMPORTANCE OF WEAVING IN
THE PHILIPPINES
Weaving in the Philippines is one of the distinctive ways of expression of arts, culture and tradition of the
indigenous people. Every region of the Philippines has their own handloom tradition that has become their
trademark. Just like the Province of Aklan that is known for the Piña (Pineapple) cloth that is now hailed as
the “Mother of all Philippine Textile” and commonly used in making the Philippine national costumes:
Barong Tagalog and Baro’t Saya.

Over the years, it also became a way for the indigenous people,most especially the women, to earn a living
and help with the livelihoods of their family. The older generation of the indigenous people are the ones
who are holding the fort to sustain the living heritage of weaving.

Due to the modernisation, new technology, and career opportunities in the city and abroad, the younger
generations of the indigenous communities tend to flee to greener pastures.
TYPES OF WEAVING IN THE
PHILIPPINES
Handloom weaving is the traditional
way of creating beautiful and
colourful Philippine textiles. The
traditional weaving loom is made
from bamboo and strings. It is
actually fascinating to see them in
action and make beautiful fabrics out
of it.

Almost every region of the

Philippines is known for a certain
kind of traditional textiles or types
of weaving pattern.
NEXT ARE SOME OF THE
COMMONLY USED
SYMBOLS IN
INDIGENOUS FABRICS:
 BINANNIYA
• The Binanniya is a pattern that resembles a
lizard, an animal that kadangyans (rich or
high-status people of Ifugao) use to
symbolise wealth and nobility.

• It is beli ev ed t hat a me ss e n g e r d e i t y o n ce wen t

do wn to Earth in t he fo rm o f a l i z ard t o sh o w t h e
fi rst t errace bu il ders th e s o u rc e o f wat er fo r t h ei r
crops. Si nce t hen , th e Ifu g ao s ca rv ed l i za rd s i n
t hei r ri ce granari es.
 BINITUWON
PROJECT • For tribes in Ifugao, the Binituwon or stars
represent the children of the sun and moon.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.

TIMELINE
Duis vulputate nulla at Women
condimentum. Proin odio
believe
ante rhoncus,
hard
that they
vel efficitur felis would not have a
odio.time bearing a child when such a
pattern is etched on their belts.
• In some cases, the Binituwon is also a
sign of abundance.
TINIKTIKU
• Ifuga o's Tinikt iku i s a symbol that represents
the Munkont ad or the me ssenger deities of
the t ribe . The sa id messengers include
Ba gill at (l ightni ng), At ibungallon (rainbow),
a nd Buh Wit (c obra ); the y are entities that
the t ribe be lie ves to tra ve l with great speed
in eve ry corner of t he universe.
• The tribe used to put t hese patterns on their
ga mmit ski rt s or inl ah'da ng blankets.
 TINAGGU
PROJECT The Tinaggu is a human-like pattern that
Lorem ipsum dolor symbolises Ifugao
sit amet, consectetur ancestors
adipiscing elit. who have

TIMELINE attained
Duis vulputate nulla the vel
at ante rhoncus,
condimentum. Proin odio odio.
status offelis
efficitur demigods in the
afterlife. The said people are expected to
bring guidance and protection to the
descendants they have left behind.
 LINUHHUNG
PROJECT
The Linuhhung represents the
agricultural gods of Ifugaos. The tribe
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TIMELINE
believes that engraving these symbols
Duis vulputate nulla at ante rhoncus, vel efficitur felis
condimentum. Proin odio odio.
on their clothing would mean that the
deities would bestow them with good
harvests.
EBEN LOBUN
• Many T’nalak weavers use weaving to
express the beautiful sceneries that
surround them. One great example is
their Eben Lobun pattern that pictures
the formation of nimbus clouds that
contain heavy rain.
• "Eben" is also a word that is used to
describe a sling that is carefully tied to
carry a baby.
INDIGENOUS TEXTILES IN THE MODERN
WORLD
Industrialisation, commerce,
and colonialism all
played their respective roles
in transforming the
fundamental context of
weaving in the Philippines. In
the modern age, handloom
weaving in many
communities has become a
primary source of income.
Because of this, textile
patterns and designs have
drastically evolved to cater to
consumer demands.
Textile patterns that originally
belong to specific ethnic
groups are now being used in
neighbouring tribes. Some are
incorporated to pop culture
motifs, using colours, yarns,
and other materials that are
imported from other countries.
Lower quality weaves are also
produced frequently to boost
tourist sales; this is the reason
why some tribes lose tighter,
higher quality weaves.
Despite this dilemma, the
concept of Filipino
indigenous fashion
developed rapidly.
Depending on the intention
of the wearer, handwoven
textiles remain to be
symbols of social and
political expressions of
ethnicity against a
framework of a
broader national identity.
HOW TO WEAR INDIGENOUS TEXTILES
RESPONSIBLY
Organisations like Habi: Textile Council protects
the Philippine weaving industry by making it
their mission to preserve and promote the culture
through education and research. The group
actively echoes the call of Indigenous tribes to
the proper usage of Filipino textiles.
According to Marlon Martin, chief of Save the
Ifugao Terraces Movement and founder of
Ifugao Heritage School, there are three ways that
a person can wear indigenous textiles
irresponsibly:
• When the wearer claims a culture to be his
or hers when it isn’t.
• When the wearer has no knowledge or
context of cultural property.
• When there is an act of disrespect.
 HOW TO PROMOTE WEAVING IN THE
PHILIPPINES
Promoting the weaving tradition and Philippine textile is a joint effort from everyone. The challenge of
sustainability and of the passing on the weaving tradition to the younger generation is what we are facing now. As
the demand for handwoven textile from the indigenous people increase, but the supply chain of making the textile
is also a challenge due to lack of funding and machineries.

Makabayan UK lead by Sam Soto Jennings and Mireille Vizcarra started the advocacy in helping the indigenous
communities in the Philippines to have their products available in the UK. During this pandemic, the indigenous
communities livelihood is greatly affected. As a way of helping, Makabayan UK is using their platform to sell
various handwoven textile items like face masks and scarves.

You can visit the Makabayan UK (@makabayan.uk) shop on Instagram to show your support, raising awareness and
cultural appreciation to the weaving industry of the indigenous people in the Philippines.