Legarda: Mandaya Weavers to Showcase their Craft at National Museum

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda invites citizens to a weaving demonstration by Mandayas from Davao Oriental at the National Museum on November 15-16, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Legarda, patron of the country’s first permanent textile gallery, Hibla ng Lahing Filipino, said that Mandayas from Barangay Sangab in the Municipality of Caraga, Davao Oriental will demonstrate the dagmay weaving.

The Mandaya is one of the indigenous communities inhabiting areas of the Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, recently inscribed by the UNESCO as World Heritage Site.

“I am proud to have the Mandayas demonstrate their weaving tradition at the Hibla gallery. Visitors will be able to see how the Mandaya garments I wore during the President’s State of the Nation Address were made,” said Legarda.

At the President’s SONA last July, Legarda wore traditional Mandaya attire that was handcrafted by Mandayas from Caraga. It consisted of a badô (blouse) with embroidered geometric designs of colorful threads and beads, and a dagmay(handwoven skirt) made of abaca strips dyed using organic colorants from plants and herbs.

 “I hope our citizens can view the demonstration by the Mandayas and witness how they express their love for their heritage through skillful and passionate weaving and embroidery,” said Legarda.

The weekly weaving demonstrations at the Hibla gallery are part of the Lecture Series on Philippine Traditional Textiles and Indigenous Knowledge, which Legarda, in partnership with the National Museum, initiated since 2012 to perpetuate weaving and indigenous knowledge.

Previous demonstrators include the Ifugao weavers from Kiangan; the Kalinga weavers from Mabilong Weaving Center of Buscalan; weavers from Samoki, Mountain Province;sinamay weavers from Arevalo, Iloilo; the Panay Bukidnons who showed their panubokembroidery; patadyong weavers from the Bagtason Loom Weavers Association in Bugasong, Antique; and weavers from the Yakan Village in Zamboanga City.

The weaving demonstrations can be viewed on Saturdays and Sundays, at the Hibla gallery, located at the 4th Floor of the Museum of the Filipino People, Finance Road, Manila.