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Pinilian (Sinan-kabalyo ken sinan-agkibkibin nga tao)

LOCAL NAME:

Pinilian (Sinan-kabalyo ken sinan-agkibkibin nga tao)

ENGLISH NAME:

Blanket with horse and two human figures holding hands design

DESCRIPTION:

Abra, Tinguian, & Itneg: Pinilian (Sinan-kabalyo ken sinan-agkibkibin nga tao)
A three-paneled brocade-woven blanket featuring alternating patterns of horse-like and hand-holding human figure motifs, with traditional embroidery used to join the panels and secure the edges

COMMONLY USED BY/IN:

Abra, Tinguian, Itneg

MATERIAL COMPOSITION:

Cotton threads, Natural dye

ITEM CONSTRUCTION:

Brocade weave, Embroidery, Stitching, Dyeing

DIMENSIONS:

Length
159 cm

Width
136 cm

ACQUISITION YEAR:

2016

RESEARCH DATA:

Among Abra’s most recognizable pinilian textiles are those adorned with horse-like and human-like motifs. This blanket from the collection features two human figures holding hands alongside horse motifs. Horses hold a significant place in Tinguian culture, associated in their belief system with their god of agriculture, Indadaya (Respicio, 2000). Indadaya is said to own a horse that he rides when traveling down from the eastern skies, where he resides, to visit the earth. Moreover, the panels of the blanket are joined by blue embroidery in spider-like patterns called kawa-kawa in Iloko (Respicio, 2015) and sinan-akawa in Tinguian. This same design is also used along the borders of the blanket, surrounding all four sides.

REFERENCES:

Respicio, N. (2000). The Dynamics of Textiles Across Cultures in Northern Luzon, Philippines. Unpublished PhD Dissertation. University of the Philippines Diliman.

Respicio, N. A. (2015). Design techniques and weaving centers. In Inabel: Philippine textile from the Ilocos Region, 48-143. Artpostasia.

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