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October 25, 2012
GOING OUT
Exhibit
Manila FAME opens HIBLA, the Pavilion of Textiles and Weaves of the Philippines
Text by Susan Claire Agbayani
The opening day of Manila FAME last October 17, 2012. |
Senator Loren Legarda last week cut the ceremonial ribbon of HIBLA, the Pavilion of Textiles and Weaves on the opening day of Manila FAME Design and Lifestyle Event in a bid to help solve "one of the greatest threats to Filipino indigenous artistry: extinction brought about by apathy."
With her during the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the 2nd floor of the SMX Convention Center were Doña Bea Zobel de Ayala and Congressman Teddy Casiño. The Hibla web site was also launched during the occasion.
Designer Dita Sandico Ong whose design stamp is "indigenous fabric employed with global appeal," during the Fashion Walk: Mangyan Renaissance showcased fabrics she had been developing through the years, including abel-iloco dresses and wraps made of banana fibers.
Through the years, designer Dita Sandico-Ong has been developing fabrics that are identifiably Filipino: pina-lino, banana-linen, abel-iloco, and banana-rayon. A model is clad in abel-iloco dress and a coat wrap made of banana fibers. |
Legarda noted that there are 110 ethno-linguistic groups in the Philippines.
The HIBLA Pavilion showcased the best textiles of the B'laan of Saranggani, T'Boli of South Cotabato, Ata Talaingod of Davao del Norte, Subanen of Zamboanga del Sur, Panay Bukidnon of Iloilo, Mangyan of Oriental Mindoro, Gaddang of Mountain Province, and Ivatan of Batanes, among other cultural communities.
It highlighted different weaving traditions like "the B'laan tradition of mother-of-pearl beaded tribal wear and the T'boli tradition of producing beaded belts where sequin, brass bells and beadwork are applied."
It also featuree the "intricate embroidery traditions of IP communities such as the T'Boli traditional cross-stitching in Mindanao and the panubok embroidery tradition of the Panay Bukidnon in the Visayas."
The opening was graced by the presence of Philippine-born, US-based and internationally-renowned lingerie designer Josie Natori, former Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani, Presidential sister Pinky Aquino-Abellada, Margarita Delgado, Ateneo Anthropology professor Ana Labrador, among others.
"Weaving is not merely a pastime or a livelihood activity because each thread signifies the values of diligence, patience, hard work, and love for culture that these indigenous communities continue to embrace and live by," she said.
Tribeswomen from Mindanao doing finishing touches on their indigenous garb. |
The opening of the Hibla Pavilion at this edition of Manila FAME coincided with the celebration of the Indigenous Peoples' Month. Senator Legarda chairs the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities.
The exhibition, she added—showcased our rich and colorful heritage through the Schools of Living Tradition (SLT)—a program which she supported "to ensure that indigenous techniques on textile-weaving, basket-making, beadwork and embroidery are passed on the next generation."
Legarda added that she has supported the development of cultural villages of the Ata-Talaingod, Mandaya, B'laan and Bagobo Tagabawa in various activities of their SLTs, which teach the young generation the traditional arts, crafts, music and practices of the village. She concluded that she wishes that there would be more SLTs and more people would realize the need to fund them.
For more on Manila FAME The Design and Lifestyle Event, visit www.manilafame.com.
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