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Ules (Mata-mata)

LOCAL NAME:

Ules (Mata-mata)

ENGLISH NAME:

Blanket with plaid and diamond eye-like design

DESCRIPTION:

Ilocos & Ilocano: Ules (mata-mata)
A two-paneled blanket with a black, dark green, green, red, and white plaid design. It is a multi-heddle woven blanket with small diamond eye-like patterns.

COMMONLY USED BY/IN:

Ilocos, Ilocano

MATERIAL COMPOSITION:

Thread, Dye

ITEM CONSTRUCTION:

Multi-heddle weave, Stitching

DIMENSIONS:

Length
189 cm

Width
122.5 cm

Fringes
6.5 cm

ACQUISITION YEAR:

2021

DISPLAY STATUS:

BURC

RESEARCH DATA:

The blanket is a plaid inabel, or woven textiles of llocos. This plain weave or liniston textile (Respicio, 2015) are common in Ilocano weaving communities. This textile from the collection, however, is an example of many “hybrid” textiles with a contemporary take on traditional designs. The entire textile was woven with the traditional mata-mata or diamond eye-like patterns. Usually, diamond eye-like designs are woven using the multi-heddle weaving technique that allows the creation of the more complex diamond patterns (Pastor-Roces, 1991). Furthermore, decorative knotted tassels called singlut (Cunanan, 2015) are also used to secure the warp ends of the textile.

REFERENCES:

Cunanan, H. P. (2015). Ules in the life cycle of an Ilocano. In Inabel: Philippine textile from the Ilocos Region. Artpostasia, pp. 144-153.

Pastor-Roces, M. (1991). Sinaunang Habi: Philippine Ancestral Weave. Nikki Books.

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

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