FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Inaul’: Maguindanao’s living weaving tradition

Inaul’: Maguindanao’s living weaving tradition

In the philippines, just one old loom technique still thrives

Unlike other traditional weaves from various ethnic groups in the Philippines – where loom products are rarely seen except on special occasions – the inaul loom remains an everyday sight in southern Maguindanao province.
 Inaul is a technique for making malong – the wraparound skirts commonly worn by both genders. The Maranaos in the city of Marawi share the same weaving tradition.
Maguindanao weaver Sittie Dumacil of Cotabato says there are more than 20inaul designs, with riyal considered the “heirloom piece”, since it’s the rarest – no longer produced and hard to find.
Other notable designs include the difficult, embroidery-laden umpak, binaludto (rainbow), panigabi (taro) and the similarly rare tie-dyed binaludan, which is known as ikat among the T’boli and the people of Cordillera.
The three types of threads used in inaul weaving are tanor, which is cottony, silky rayon, and shiny katiyado. Rayon and tanor are often combined in malong called mestiza.
The colours and tones used are just as reflective of Maguindanao culture. Red signifies bravery, green peace, black dignity, and white sadness.
These days inaul is no longer confined to malong. It shows up in modern-style gowns, polo shirts and trousers.
Dumacil says it can take anywhere from a day and a half to three days to finish a malong, depending on the difficulty of the design.
The locals find it easier to learn the techniques because the talent is “innate” in them, she says. They learn by observing. Outsiders might take three months to master the trade.
But Dumacil says the Maguindanaos make it a point the pass on the tradition from generation to generation. It’s important that inaul be preserved, she says, since, “through this tradition, we show that the people of Mindanao are rich in culture”.
 

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