This month, the National Museum of the Philippines is accepting fully vaccinated adults and visitors ages 18 and below, provided they are accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult. All visitors are also required to reserve online and book slots at least a day before their visit. Walk-in visitors without prior…
Vibrant Lami-Lamihan Festival of Basilan wows the world
SAY FIESTA The finale episode of Fiesta Filipinas featured the Lami-Lamihan Festival of Lamitan City, Basilan in the Mindanao islands of the Philippines. Hosts Paolo Abrera and Chal Lontoc-Del Rosario welcomed about 300 live participants to the event
About 300 live participants and thousands of viewers from all over the globe marveled at the vibrant Lami-Lamihan Festival of Basilan at the recently concluded season finale of the online event, “Fiesta Filipinas: An Online Celebration of Philippine Festivals.”
The finale to the six-part online event, which coincided with the actual celebration in Lamitan City in late June, mesmerized participants with the rich cultural heritage of the Yakan people of Mindanao. From Yakan weaving to sumptuous food and delicacies to show-stopping street dances and performances of indigenous music, the Lami-Lamihan Festival featured the harmony among the indigenous peoples of Basilan.
Beyond Lake Sebu: Blaans’ rich indigenous dreamwoven tabih and its master weaver, rituals, dances, homestays, at Blaan Wellness and Tribal Village National Living Treasure Fu Yabing Masalon-Dulo at work on a tabih design in her home.
INDIGENOUS CULTURE/NARRATIVE
Narrative by Claire Madarang
I have always associated South Cotabato, a province in the Philippines with the serene Lake Sebu and the dreamweaving T’boli indigenous people and their masterpiece, the t’nalak. South Cotabato is in fact known as the “Land of the Dreamweavers.”
However, there are other dreamweavers in South Cotabato and other parts of Mindanao, the Blaan indigenous people. I was able to meet Blaans for the first time in Sarangani, and I was happy to find out there was also a community in South Cotabato. The Blaans’ indigenous cloth woven from dreams is the tabih, also made from abaca fibers like the t’nalak.
Press Release
Senate Pays Tribute to B laan master weaver Yabing Masalon Dulo
The Senate on Tuesday adopted a resolution expressing its profound sympathy and sincere condolences on the death of master weaver and Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) awardee Yabing Masalon Dulo who passed away last January 26, 2021 at the age of 106.
Sen. Nancy Binay, who introduced Senate Resolution No. (SRN) 626, said Dulo, a master weaver of the traditional Mabal Tabih art, learned the craft of Ikat weaving at the age of 14 and became a teacher and cultural elder among her friends and relatives.
Born in B laan village in Landan, Polomolok, South Cotabato, Binay said Dulo s artistry in Ikat weaving was recognized by the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) and named her as a recipient of the GAMABA or the National Living Treasure Award in 2016 and was formally awarded in October 2018.