MALONG LANDAP / LANGKIT OF MARANAO
This hand woven garment is originally from the Islamic City of Marawi, Lanao del Sur that started in the late 20th century. It can be woven from cotton or silk. Malong landap is considered a distinctive type of malong typically used by Muslim women in ceremonial occasions which only has one to two colors. Colors such as yellow and magenta are considered traditional and most predominantly being worn by women while dark red are used by men. This malong highlights colorful bands called langkit which consist of more than three colors with okir designs such as “scroll, leaf,or vine motifs”. Sarimanok has been a significant element in the Maranao Art. As of today, there is a social enterprise called Maranao Collectibles that aims to help the community to preserve and promote the handicrafts like langkit for the source of livelihood of the people of Maranao tribe.
SEMMEK OF YAKAN
In Yakan weaving, the cultural dress called Semmek is traditionally made from accessory products such as “abaca, pineapple and bamboo fibers” but when they moved out from Basilan to Mindanao, they replaced it with cottons in aesthetically pleasing vivid colors. They use “bright, bold, and contrasting colors in big symmetrical patterns” that are inspired from their surroundings and the sacred geometry of Islam. A full Yakan Semmek clothing include Yakan Sawal - a trouser woven from fibers of bamboo, Badju Yakan – a shirt, Yakan Pis, a geometric garment used for covering the hair, Seputangan Teed – an apron that has many various intricate designs, Sakan Pinalantupan – a sash created from a combination of both bamboo and pineapple fibers, Pagal Bato - considered as a jacket that is made out of satin or cotton cloth and Batawi – worn in the jacket of women. Traditionally, Semmek is being worn by a Muslim bride and groom in tribal wedding ceremonies.
BALUY OF TAUSUG
One of the most well-known forms of embroidery and weaving is the “Baluy”. It is a colorful mat made from pandan leaves. The weaver created them with different geometric patterns but they do not have a specific design to be followed. Okkir is the traditional art used by the people. Geometric and floral patterns can highly be noticed in their handicrafts and there’s no human image and other figures since it’s part of Islamic culture.
PIS SIYABIT OF TAUSUG
Pis Siyabit is a hand woven headpiece cloth of Tausug people of Sulu. It is usually made out of cotton or silk. It is square and has intricate geometric patterns on it. It is being worn during weddings and other Tausug occasions as a symbol of their colorful history. Notre Dame of Jolo College’s Cottage Industry, Inc. is an institution that aims to focus on the livelihood and handicrafts of the indigineous people. They help the natives to sell their products such as baluy and pis siyabit and other materials created by the tribe.
BAGOBO INABAL BY BAGOBO MANOBO
Bagobo is a subgroup of Manobo from Davao del Sur. It is known for weaving inabal which is made out of abaca fibers “with ikat-or tie-dyed resist designs forming mother-and-baby crocodile figures in geometricized abstracted forms”. Sinukla and bandira are native tubular skirts produced using the Bagobo textiles. It is a symbol of wealth and richness. It can be an offering and gift to their Gods/deities. These handicrafts became ikut or considered a sacred/holy object when handed-down as amulets.
MANDAYA
Mandaya people are indigenous people found in Davao oriental. Mandaya comes from their two words “man” and “daya” which means “first” and “upstream” simply the first upstream people. Mandaya people are famous when it comes to their handwoven textile, they called it “dagmay”. According to the story, dagmay is a gift to them of Tagamaling, a spirit linked to life and creation. They believe that Tagamaling taught them about weaving and its techniques to create dagmay. They believed also that weaving is sacred, that’s why weavers pray before starting the weave. Only the female Mandaya conduct weavers. A dagmay is made from abaca, from extracted fiber from the leaves of one of the species of banana. It submerged into the iron-rich mud for several days to become colorized which is the process of mud-dyeing technique. In this process the abaca yarn and bark from the trees are boiled. They will add mud with a bluish color. It boils until the color is desired (“The culture of the Mandaya in the Philippines”, n.d.). Additionally, dagmay designed with patterns of man and crocodile. It contains both geometric and curvilinear forms in yellow, blue, and white yarns, as well as hooks, crosses, and diamond shapes, which are favorite embellishments in Mandaya’s woven fabrics and for which the Mandaya weavers are known. Mandaya people are known also in their master in ikat, a weaving pattern they use in abaca (Bueno, 2017). Ikat means a fabric in which the yarns have been tie-dyed before weaving (Merriam Webster, n.d.).