Special Feature
L ake Sebu ( Philippines ) - Subi Nalon weaves thousands of strands of the abaca plant into unique patterns to make t ’ nalak , a rough fabric that is the traditional textile of the ethnic Tboli tribe in South Cotabato , southern Mindanao . The seventy-five-year-old inherited the skill from her mother and has been weaving t ’ nalak since she was 15 .
The t ’ nalak ’ s red , black and white fabric has become synonymous with the Tboli and is regarded as a symbol of their cultural heritage . But t ’ nalak is more than a pattern , it is
was a first-class weaver , so why wasn ’ t she living a first-class lifestyle ”.
“ They tended to price their items very low because they would only compute their expenses and put a small mark-up , without really factoring the hard work that goes into production ,” added Ms Galor . “ We trained them on entrepreneurship and to put value on their labour and skills .”
Lake Sebu , with its cool climate and scenic freshwater lake , is known as the summer capital of South Cotabato although it is one of the poorest regions in the province . Members of the T ’ boli and Ubo tribes make up 55 percent of Lake Sebu ’ s population .
Like many others from her tribe , Subi used to belong to a well-off family that owned land . But slowly the land was sold to meet debts and pay for basic needs .
Dream weaving in Klubi , near Lake Sebu , Philippines Lungan Tilan makes tembong while her granddaughter keeps her company . © ILO / Allan Barredo
a manifestation of the tribe ’ s collective subconscious , because the designs come to the weavers in their dreams .
Legend has it that a goddess named Fu Dalu taught the Tboli to weave t ' nalak through dreams . Generations of Tboli women learned the skill , basing tribal designs and cloth patterns on what they dreamt . Though traditionally used for weddings and births , many women like Subi now rely on weaving t ’ nalak items such as bags , hats , vests and wallets to sell as souvenirs .
“ It ’ s the most magnificent thing I ’ ve seen . The patterns are really unique ,” said an American tourist who was visiting the
local souvenir shop . “ I haven ’ t come across anything like it in my travels ”.
But for decades , no goddess , or anyone else , taught the Tboli what their skills and products were worth . Traditionally Tbolis used the barter system and would trade their t ’ nalak for farm animals and food , so they were unaware of the monetary value of their products .
But Subi , a widowed grandmother who lives alone , learned how to cost her work from a business training course on sustainable livelihoods and entrepreneurship she successfully completed a year ago , despite not being able to read or write .
“ Subi cried when she found out how much she should be selling her products for ,” recalls Gemma Galor , the microfinance manager of the Cooperative of Women in Health and Development ( COWHED ), which provided the entrepreneurship training , organized loans and now helps to sell the T ’ boli handicrafts . “ She said she
T ’ nalak weaving near Lake Seto , Philippines Hilda Ugay assists Barbara Ofong during weaving . It ’ s common to rub nuts ( byo-u ) on the wood ( called blilu ) they used for compressing the threads for a smooth and shining t ’ nalak . © ILO / Allan Barredo
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