RESEARCH DATA:

This wrap-around skirt from Kalinga is handwoven with inata-ata or diamond-eye-like motifs and zigzag patterns spread across the surface of the cloth. It has a red background—a hue characteristically associated with Kalinga woven textiles. The diamond-eye motif is part of the shared textile traditions of Abra, Kalinga, and communities in the Mountain Province (Pastor-Roces, 1991). Although its meaning can vary from one community to another, it signifies their reverence and belief in a protective eye of the spirits of their ancestors or a deity that oversees all. The skirt is woven from cotton, with the diamond-eye motifs created through twill weaving using red, black, and white threads. The design is complemented by gold metallic thread embroidery forming diamond-like shapes, reminiscent of the motifs found in ginamat or gilamat wrap-around skirts from Kalinga.