MANILA-Hoping that issues concerning culture and indigenous Filipinos will be included in the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), Senator Loren Legarda made a statement on preserving and promoting the Filipino heritage and literally walked her talk.
The Senator, who has been passionately advocating for a more active promotion of the traditions and cultural practices of the country’s 110 ethno-linguistic groups, wore indigenous garments at the opening of the 16th Congress and during the President’s SONA.
“My outfit represents ‘fashionalism’—fashion and nationalism. I wanted to wear something relevant and meaningful,” said Legarda.
During the opening of the Senate’s session for the 16th Congress, Legarda wore a red, beaded Gaddang outfit composed of an aken (skirt), a barawasi (blouse), and a bakwat (belt), which are all woven out of cotton “kapat” thread and accessorized with the traditional Gaddang intricate beadwork. A Bontoc necklace completed the outfit.
The Gaddangs are from the Mountain Province and other parts of the Cordillera and Nueva Vizcaya.
They are known for their unique traditional costumes accentuated with beads and precious stones. The Gaddang women weave these garments and apply the intricate beadwork to every piece of clothing. A belt alone is made in more than a week’s time.
For the President’s SONA at the Batasan Pambansa, Legarda wore a Nabal abaca cloth turned into a skirt. This was presented to her during the third lecture of the Senator Loren Legarda Lecture Series on Philippine Traditional Textiles and Indigenous Knowledge at the National Museum by Master Weaver Tia Ines Pandian of the Bagobo Tagabawa community in Tudaya, Sta. Cruz located at the foothills of Mt. Apo. The cloth was woven by Tia Ines’ mother who passed on the Bagobo weaving tradition to her.
“My SONA outfit represents the artistry of our Mindanao indigenous peoples. I am wearing a skirt calledginayan that was woven using the Bagobo abaca ikat weaving technique,” said Legarda.
The skirt was formed using dyed abaca fibers—red dye is from the bark of apatot tree, black dye is from the leaves of mabolo, and turmeric for the yellow color.
The Bagobo skirt was accentuated by a TBoli brass belt casted by Sbanay Lugan of the TBoli community of Lamlahat, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. The double row of brass bells is intended to attract more spirits to guide the wearer.
“In wearing these garments, I wish to recognize and honor our indigenous peoples for their great contribution to our rich heritage and unique culture. Many of their concerns have yet to be addressed but they remain faithful to the traditions passed on to them by their ancestors,” said Legarda.
“This is a statement of support to all efforts in preserving our culture and protecting the rights of IPs. This is a statement that we will continue to initiate programs that will promote our heritage. Through this, I also wish to invite everyone to visit the National Museum, especially the country's first permanent textile galleries known as the Hibla ng Lahing Filipino: The Artistry of Philippine Textiles, to be reunited with our past and discover how blessed and rich we are as a people,” she stressed.
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