The kumu is a traditional Tboli woven abaca blanket made by stitching together three panels of tnalak textiles. In Tboli culture, tnalak refers to the traditional weaving of abaca (Musa textilis) threads using a backstrap loom. The Kumu, which is described as one of the rarest and highly valued forms of tnalak (Casal, 1978), is an example of ceremonial tnalak used in traditional Tboli weddings.
The Kumu is considered to be the largest kind of Mindanao cloth made using the ikat technique (Hamilton, 1998), usually measuring about six meters in length, the Tboli kumu consists of three panels, wherein the side panels are identical and the center panel depicts a different design. Like all tnalak textiles, the kumu is characterized by the three traditional Tboli colors used in ikat designs: black, hulo (red), and bukay (white) (National Museum of the Philippines, 2020). Mora (2012, as cited in Araneta & Lim, 2014) stated that the natural undyed white portions of tnalak textiles are retained through the ikat technique, or resist dyeing. The white portions of the tnalak are considered the most meaningful areas of the textile, as they commonly depict the main motifs, which usually represent animals, humans, and other natural forms (Mora, 2012, as cited in Araneta & Lim, 2014). The red portions, on the other hand, are dyed areas whose color results from dyeing the threads using the bark shavings of the loko (Morinda citrifolia) root (Mora, 2012, as cited in Araneta & Lim, 2014). Unlike the white portions, the red areas on the tnalak do not depict the main motifs; instead, they serve as elements that highlight and accentuate them (Mora, 2012, as cited in Araneta & Lim, 2014). Furthermore, the black dye used to color the abaca threads is derived from dyeing the threads with knalum (Diospyros sp.) leaves and fruits. The black portions serve as the general background for the white and red patterns on tnalak textiles (Mora, 2012, as cited in Araneta and Lim, 2014).
As a ceremonial tnalak, kumu textiles are used in traditional Tboli wedding ceremonies. According to the National Museum of the Philippines, the kumu covers the couple during an important part of the wedding ritual (Hamilton, 1998). Casal (1978) elaborated on the use of the blanket in the traditional Tboli wedding process, noting that the kumu is used to cover the bride just before the groom enters the house where the ceremony is taking place. The groom enters the house accompanied by his sister or any female relative (Casal, 1978). The female relative then goes directly to the bride, removes the kumu that covers her, and kisses the bride (Casal, 1978). The kumu is thereafter obtained and owned by that female relative (Casal, 1978). Furthermore, multiple kumu are also draped to serve as a barrier structure between the bride’s and groom’s families, other relatives, and guests during the ceremony called moninum (National Museum of the Philippines, 2020). Araneta and Lim (2014) referred to the same ritual as mo’ginnum. They stated that the draping of the kumu takes place in front of the house where the wedding ceremony is being performed. Male members of both the bride’s and groom’s families perform a ceremonial wedding dance, with the draped kumu serving as the backdrop. Aside from wedding ceremonies, the kumu is also used today in celebrations such as festivals and other special occasions and events outside the community.