RESEARCH DATA:

This textile is a lower garment for Bontoc men that is also traditionally shared by other weaving communities in the Mountain Province such as the Kankana-ey (Respicio, 2000). Locally known as the wanes, this garment is used to cover the groin and buttocks by wrapping and tying it around the waist. As with most loincloths, the designs are found on both ends, featuring zigzags and triple-lined half carets or diamond patterns in supplementary weft. According to Araneta and Lim (2014), these interconnected zigzag and diamond patterns represent mountains and rivers, which reflect the natural landscape of the community. Meanwhile, at the bottom ends, lattice-like diamond patterns resembling honeycombs (pukyutan) called the pagpag or sinullaman are found; a pattern that is also widely-used in skirts and blankets in the area. This pattern is interrupted at the center by nucleated double-lined diamonds called matmata (De Las Peñas & Salvador-Amores, 2016). They represent eyes but signify rice grains, as rice is regarded as an omniscient (all-seeing), omnipotent (all-knowing), and omnipresent (everywhere) being or god (Respicio, 2000).

REFERENCES:

Araneta, P. & Lim A. R. (2014). Art and the Order of Nature: The Mercedes Zobel Collection of Indigenous Philippine Textiles. Ayala Foundation, Inc.

Respicio, N. (2000). The Dynamics of Textiles Across Cultures in Northern Luzon, Philippines. Unpublished PhD Dissertation. University of the Philippines Diliman. Salvador-Amores, A. V., & De Las Peñas, M. L. A. N. (2016). Mathematical and Anthropological Analysis of Northern Luzon Funeral Textile. Philippine Journal of Science, 145 (1), 89-103.