Tnalak Briefer

8/3/2019 Tnalak Briefer

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Thank you for buying tnalak from us. You not only help address hunger and poverty. You also help save our rich, ancient cultural

heritage. Postal Address: Block 5 Lot 1 Exodus Subdivision, Apopong, General Santos City, 9500 Mindanao, Philippines

W e a v i n g A d d r e s s : L a k e S e b u , S o u t h C o t a b a t o , M i n d a n a o , 9 5 0 0 P h i l i p p i n e s

Tel: +63.83.554.9828 | Mobile: +63.917.539.1428 | Email: g [email protected] |www.gidastnalak.com

Tnalak

All-natural hand woven fabric

WeavingDreams


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Company profile:

Established in 1999, the gida tnalak international is the marketing arm of

the Tboli Cultural Heritage Foundation, which was itself established for

the preservation, protection and continuation of Tboli culture and its

artifacts. It is the thrust of the company, along with the foundation to

improve the social and economic situation of the Tbolis since the

acculturation of the tribe to mainstream culture is a recent event, and far

from complete. Appalling poverty and illiteracy are still very much

prevalent. It is our hope that by taking up weaving again, the women will

have a means of livelihood, and therefore will be able to sustain their

families, at the same time of course, continue the tradition of weaving.

The Gida Tnalak International focuses on the Tnalak fabric because it is

arguably the most distinctive representation of the Tboli people.

Ultimately, the aim is to strike a delicate balance between upholding the

dignity of the Tnalak as a cultural marker and as a work of art, and

creating new Tnalak designs that will make it more accessible to

contemporary times. Thus, there is what we call the Traditional Designs

which strictly use the three traditional colors red, black and white, and

there are also the Modern and Contemporary Designs which are of varied

inspiration and may be customized.

The Tnalak fabric holds a special and prominent place in Tboli culture. It

is ever present in significant turning points in a Tboli life, such as birth,

marriage, and death. It is the medium which sanctifies these rites,

enveloping them in the length of its fabric like a benediction. It has also

often been referred to as woven dreams. It is exactly that, and more. In

a culture which didnt have a form of writing, the Tnalak served as both

Literature and Art. The Tbolis expressed everything they are in the

Tnalak: their dreams, beliefs, myths and even their religion. Making use

of the various geometrical patterns and the trademark red, black and white colors, the Tbolis weave the natural

and the supernatural in the abaca strands of the Tnalak.

Furthermore, the weaving process integrates the personal, the social and the cultural. After a weaver reaches a

certain degree of expertise, she becomes a master weaver someone who can interpret and take inspiration

from dreams, hence the term dreamweavers. By all accounts, this seems to be an intense personal experience

for the weaver, and the moment she succeeds in doing this is the moment she becomes an artist. And then it isalso social because the Tnalak binds together all that the Tboli people believe in. The skill of the weaver gathers in

the Tnalak all the elements that make the Tboli social life. Finally, it is cultural in that it is the means through

which other tribes identify the Tbolis since the Tnalak is uniquely and distinctly Tboli.

It is our advocacy to improve the awareness and appreciation of the Tnalak, and consequently of the Tboli culture

among the Filipino people, and hopefully, the rest of the world as well.


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We welcome any inquiries regarding the Tnalak fabrics, may it be the traditional designs which are m ost often

collectors item, or the modern and contemporary designs which can be turned into other value -added products.

Incidentally, this is the new direction our company has recently taken to broaden the industrial and commercial

applicability of the Tnalak weave.

THE TBOLI TRIBE:HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:

The Tboli mountain tribe is one of the oldest, culturally dynamic and colorful

tribal Filipinos living today. Tucked away in the mountain ranges of Lake

Sebu, South Cotabato, Mindanao, Philippines, their existence predates

Christianity.

Enthralled by the Tbolis interesting, primitive culture, many world

renowned anthropologists and researchers worldwide speculate that they

could be remnants of the stone age. Indeed there may be truth to this theoryin that some of their tools and utensilsor the lack of itare indicative of an

ancient race. But the truth remains that no one, not even the Tbolis

themselves, can tell where they originate, although their oral language has

traces of Malay.

The Tbolis are animist and environmentalist by nature. Up until the mid 20th

century, they have no established religion although they are deeply spiritual

and passionately believe in the presence of a Supreme Being called Dwata.

It is their firm belief that all things are guided and guarded by spirits. The

plants and the trees, bodies of waterstreams, lakes, rivers, the mountains

and the hills, the ocean and the skieswhich fascinates them endlesslyare

living entities honored timelessly in songs and dances that tells a tale of

complete commune with nature. Even amidst this highly technological age, their

remaining cultural practices are a sight to behold. Prior to civilization that

became more pronounced after the Second World War, they peacefully

exist independent of the outside world. They were self-contained and

self-governed, guided by an ancient, unwritten law and language, within a

thriving political, social, cultural and economic system.

Over the years, however, the influx of settlers, among them loggers,

destroyed their natural habitat, deprived them of their ancestral lands and

resources, pushing them deeper and still deeper into the mountains.Today, their existence is gravely threatened not only with rising and

appalling poverty but also an impending cultural demise. With lack of gainful employment in their natural

environment, it is a sad fact that young Tbolis venture into the cities seeking jobs in factoriesa few of whom

turned prostitutesan abominable work to the this noble tribewhile the old people are forced to sell and

even exchange for foodstuffs centuries-old heirlooms in order to survive hunger.

A typical Tboli house


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THE ANCIENT ART OF TNALAK WEAVING:

THE PROCESS:

Tnalak is a delicate, time-consuming and extremely intricate age-old process. To complete a 10-meter-roll tnalak

takes between 60 days to 120 days depending on the intricacies of the pattern.

It goes through the following major stages:

1) KEDUNGON/THE ABACAHarvesting the abaca and stripping of the fibers

The tnalak begins by stripping the stems of the abaca plant* or the kedungon

(also called Manila hemp), an inedible, non-fruit bearing banana tree. Before

the harvesting begins, the harvester offers a prayer to the abaca and guiding

spirit to generate and extract the finest, whitest two-inched sizes fibers out of the

tree. The tree is cut diagonally(as opposed to horizontally) a few inches from the

ground to prevent water from collecting in the stump which invariably cause the

roots and shoots to decay.

*The abaca is best known for its durability and strength which made it popular in the 19th

century as naval cordage, better known as Manila rope. It is also referred to as Musa Textiles L muse of primitive looms by

1937 botanist Manuel Blanco, because of its early use in indigenous weaving.

According to Harry T. Edwards, a fiber expert of the Amer ican period, while abaca plant quite closely resembles the banana,

the two maybe easily distinguished. The abaca is ordinarily smaller than the banana, its stem more slender, and of a darker

color. The abaca leaf is a darker green, narrower, more tapering, and of a firmer texture than that of the banana. A peculiarity

of the abaca is a dark, thread-like line running lengthwise on the right hand side of the undersurface of the leaf. It grows well

under other forest trees that protect it from too much sunlight and strong winds. It is only harvested for tnalak weaving after its

large purple flowers fall to the ground. The humidity within Lake Sebu allows the abaca to

be harvested all year round as long as its three years old.

2) TEMBONG (CONNECTING)Segregating the fibers and connecting individual fibers end to end

After air-drying the newly harvested fibers for at least 24 hours or until

adequately supple, the fibers are grouped into wrist-size bundles, squeezed

intermittently using a motion much like washing cloth, at approximately an inch

apart to make it more pliant and to form a zigzag pattern in order to easily

identify, segregate and extract the finer fibers for the main loom and the slightly

thicker fibers for the weft.

Once dried, the squeezed fibers are then connected individually end to end. A

10-meter roll tnalak consumes approximately 40 wrist-size bundlesa bundle is

about 300 pieces of fibersroughly 2-meter long fibers. There is no way of


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knowing the exact number of meters of the loom until after weaving. The standard, average length is 10 meters

and 63 centimeter wide. The width cannot be expanded mainly because Tboli women are comparatively smaller,

their arms not as long as the mainstream Filipino woman. This process takes about 14-18 days working days to

complete.

3) SEMDANG (SETTING)Setting the loom for knotting

The connected fibers are then set into the loom or gono smoia comb like

wooden frame with teeth pointing up, to preserve the fibers length and

silkiness. After the fibers have been smoothened out, they are evenly and

closely spread, one just next to the other, then held evenly in place by a

wooden bar (teladay) laid across and directly over the fiber. To keep the fibers

in place in preparation for tying and dyeing, a small portion at one end of the

set fibers is woven, called ewelbut or starting weave.

4) MEBED (DESIGNING)Knotting the patterns into place prior to resist dyeing

The set fibers are then grouped together by fours or fives, knotted together

according to the desired pattern* or design, using the ancient tie-dye

method. The areas of the fibers (warp) that must remain free from dye are

covered with little half inch knots, tied with separate pieces treated with

wax so that only the exposed parts are dyed. This lasts for weeks as small

knots are tied into place. Tboli weavers do not sketch or draw the designs on

the warp before them. They follow a mental pattern or picture of a

particular tnalak design. Symmetry and distance are checked out in the

process using the following approximate measurements.

o Dangaw: a hand span from tip of thumb to tip of middlefinger when extended;

Gu lem sigu (from the elbow): from middle finger to elbow; Gu lem imak (from the armpit): the distance between the armpit and the tip of the middle finger;and

Difu: the span between the tip of the middle fingers of both extended arms*The Tboli weavers are called Dreamweavers because they believe that the patterns are bestowed upon them through

dreams and visitations, either on their own, from their ancestors, or through Fu Dalu, the guiding spirit and protector of the

tnalak. The motifs are symbols that impact their lives and natural environment such as the bulinglongit (tapestry of heaven) or

the gono wong (spiderweb). Both sides of the tnalak can serve as the front with the design exactly the same, stitch on stitch on

either side.

5. TEMOGO (DYEING/COOKING) andHEMTO (UNTYING THE KNOTS)

After the design is completed, the warp is cook under

very low fire; alternately simmering for prolonged


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periods of time until desired color tone is achieved. The designs are painstakingly dyed to ensure and preserve the

color. Traditional designs have only three basic colors: black, deep-brownish red and milky white, using the

kenalum and loko trees.

The individual knots are untied to highlight and bring forth the pattern and final design.

6. MEWEL (WEAVING)The untied fibers are then re-set

into the loom, individual fibers

combed into place to bring forth

and generate the final pattern,

then woven painstakingly, taking

approximately 14 days to 30 days

depending on the character of

the fiber. The woven fabric is

thoroughly washed, preferably in

a river so that the entire fabriccan be stretched following the

river flow, then pounded with a

hard, round wood.

7. Semaki (IRONING)The final phase of the tnalak involves furnishing the surface a sakior cowrie shell while the fabric is still

moist from washing. The shell is attached to a bamboo stick

of roughly 50cm thick by 1 inch wide, which in turn is

attached to a hole in the bamboo beam of a Tboli house. The

cowrie shell is repeatedly rubbed over the tnalak that is

flattened on a flat, thick wood to provide pressure and

achieve an evenly corrugating gloss.

When the entire fabric has been burnished, it is rolled and

wrapped with a separate cloth to protect it from dust and

damage.

Tnalak is fire retardant and very durable. It is important to note that

since it is a natural fiber, harsh chemical cleansers or ingredients must

not be used when cleaning as this may stain and cause discoloration.

It is therefore strongly recommended to spot clean tnalak with water

only as needed. Dirt and dust may be vacuumed off or the fabric maybe

soaked briefly (15 minutes max) in tap, un-chlorinated water to preserve

the fabric which can last a decade or so.


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gida ofong (standing) talking to some

weavers during one of the thanksgiving

lunch she gave five times a year for herpeople

A young couple with their childrenenjoying their lunch

This man, Ma Nita, hanging on to his

decent meal in years

Profiles ofgidas beneficiaries

A typical dwelling of a Tboli couple. Bare

necessities, rains pelting them unmercifully.

Though the Tboli women are inherently and

essentially very talented, the scourge of

poverty is nearly a constant

This boy, hungry for days without

proper meal, savors his food. His

friend just finished eating

Some beneficiaries with their

children. Below, children too poor

to attend school


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Documents

Tnalak Briefer