Gillian Faye L.

Lechoco

9-11-15

FD 214- Textile, Fiber, and Fabric Production

Philippine textile: Ikat cloth (Bagobo)

As far as we are concerned, Philippines houses different ethnic groups--- most having
exquisite traditions, including the tradition of textile manufacturing. Modern processes of making
textile evolved over time, but only a few groups of people in our country still practice the
primitive and complex, yet beautiful way of fabric preparation. The Bagobo tribe of the Southern
Philippines is just one of the groups that still use techniques that were passed down from their
ancestors. Before tackling everything else, history should be well-recognized.
In the earlier times, according to the oral tradition of the Bagobos, their mythical ancestors
called mona (very aged people) were extremely poor because they lived earlier than the days of
advancement. They still dont know the art of weaving, so they were accustomed to wear bunut
(soft, dry sheath that envelops the coconut trunks), until such time when the ecological
conditions improved. By then, the tuglibung (old woman) learned to weave textiles, lace the
warp into patterns, and color them with dyes obtained from plants. They also learned to dye the
threads in many colors and stitch rich embroidery, piercing holes in the fabric with a point of
brass wire.
From then on, it is implied that they use clothing made out of hemp or abaca. Discovered by
William Dampier, the Maguindanao people wear abaca as early as 1686, and Coles discovery
in 1910 revealed the widespread usage of hemp in the Bagobo textile.
Roy W. Hamilton expounded in his book about the fiber preparation and garment
construction with the abaca plant. Being narrowed down, there are 4 main processes:
stripping, dyeing, weaving, and polishing.
The manufacturing of hemp/abaca into textiles used a meticulous process called ikat--exactly why the cloth is named after the process.
To produce the fiber, the plant sheaths were stripped. Stripping involves separating--- in this
case, abaca--- the long abaca fibers from the pulpy matrix of the abaca stems. After that, the
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fiber is dried in the sun and arranged in bundles. Those fibers intended for textile making are
usually pounded in mortar to soften and increase its flexibility. The long, coarse fibers cannot be
spun like cotton but must be individually knotted end-to-end before they can be used in
weaving. Then, the knotted fiber is carefully coiled into baskets to keep the long lines from
tangling.
The wrap threads are measured and then transferred to a rectangular frame. White design
patterns on the textile are made by overlying or wrapping with waxed threads on the desired
portions to remain white. Dyeing then comes in. After that painstaking process, the whole
network of threads are removed from the frame and immersed in the liquid dye. This is where
the interesting part takes place--- the waxed threads resisted the dye; hence, when the threads
were removed and dried, white areas are achieved which created the impression of the desired
design.
Additionally, the color scheme is reliant mostly on the use of two dyes, one for red and one
for black. If red and black both appear in the same ikat cloth, they will be carried in separate
bands of warp yarns. There are narrow accent stripes that likely to appear in the cloth, most
frequently in yellow (from turmeric), green, and/or purple. The most important red dye is actually
from the bark of the genus Morinda.
The abaca fibers are simmered repeatedly in water bath with Morinda shavings over an
extended period--- up to two weeks--- until a deep brick-red color is produced. Cole stated in his
research that a more purple tone of red can be attained by adding slaked lime (calcium
hydroxide) to the dye.
Alternatives for red dye have been reported, including sappan and annatto. On the other
hand, the main black dye is derived from the leaves of a small tree called kinarum.
The process of weaving is done next. The most basic form of body-tension loom or backstrap loom is used in this step. Actually, this loom is mostly found in Southeast Asia. The warp
threads were measured and then transferred to the rectangular frame, and then the threads are
weaved together.
The final stage of the process is polishing. The finished cloth is removed from the loom.
After that, the cloth is dampened with the help of beeswax. This may be applied to the surface
of the cloth during the process to provide a glassy sheen. Because this step is done to give the
finished product a beautiful luster, this feature is accomplished with a piece of seashell,
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cuttlefish bone, or other hard material. Then, either of the materials is held under tension by a
bent rod that presses the shell against the surface of the cloth. After the cloth has finished, it is
then made into garments worn by both Bagobo men and women.
Clothing has become a major thing for the Bagobos for the following logic. One of the
reasons why the Bagobo paid so much attention to clothing was because it was believed to
enhance the wearers character. It has also been a testimony of wealth, and more over on social
rank and power. For example, if a magani or a brave man has taken 2 lives, he is then entitled
to wear a peculiar chocolate-colored kerchief with white patterns in it. When he is able to kill 4,
he may wear blood-red trouser, and when he scores 6, he may don a full blood-red suit and
carry a sack of the same color.
The most significant dominant role of clothing lies on the religious life of the Bagobo. There is
an ancient tradition of theirs wherein the weavers are under the special patronage of the spirt
Baipandi, who taught women the whole process of making the ikat cloth, especially on overtying
the waxed threads, and the designs woven on the fabric. Basically, clothing has been played a
major role on their rituals.
To state again, the ikat cloth is a textile that has a beautiful luster, embellished with rich
embroidery and appliques, with astonishing colors brought out by natural dyes. These features
make the ikat cloth a great textile for modern usages.
Sometimes, the cloth is ornamented with shell disks, tassels, beads, yarns, metal disks,
bells, and/or embroidery, and it would be great to turn the cloth into pillowcases to accentuate
the room with a little of everything. An ikat pillowcase can be used in Moroccan-inspired room
interiors.
Speaking of interiors, ikat cloth can also be used as upholstery for furniture, or even area
rugs. Not only will it look good on Moroccan/French-Moroccan interiors, it will also be great for
Filipino contemporary interiors, as well.
Because Bagobo uses ikat cloth for clothing, it is safe to say that it can also be used for
modern fashion; who says you cant, right? It can be used for outerwear such as collarless
blazers, and for bottoms such as trousers and tube skirts.
In addition to that, Bagobo women use their tube skirt called panapisan because of its multifunctionality. It is considerable because it serves as a blanket, a sleeping bag, or a mosquito
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bar--- how great is that? If thats so, then ikat cloth can also be used also preferably as a blanket
or a sleeping bag, excluding the ornamentations done onto the fabric.
A substitution for the lack of pockets, or simply as an accessory--- bags have always been
our portable storage. An ikat cloth bag completes an entire beach outfit or for any go-to outfits
and it would be nicer if it is beaded or even embroidered.
In conclusion to that, despite of its primitive origin, the ikat cloth of the Bagobo tribe never
fails when it comes to its versatility--- from an aesthetic to a more casual use for the body.

Sources:

The Textiles of Southern Philippines (pp. 18-61) by Angelica N. Reyes

From Rainbows Varied Hues: Textiles of the Southern Philippines (pp. 26-27) by
Roy W. Hamilton

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