RESEARCH DATA:

The ginamat or gilamat is a wrap-around skirt known for its continuous thick diamond-shaped embroidery at the joinery. These diamonds symbolize the ili, or homeland, while the yellow zigzag outlines surrounding them represent the mountains (Ngao-i, 2022). The motifs are set against a striped background of orange and indigo, with smaller asterisk and triangle-like embroideries scattered within the indigo stripes. The orange color symbolizes the soil or land, while the indigo represents the sky (Anderson et al., 2010). The double process of weaving and embroidering the cloth is called dinoble, meaning “doubled” (San Agustin, 2007). In essence, the ginamat reflects the deep connection between the people of Kalinga and their environment.

At the warp edges, brocade checkered patterns in yellow and orange are woven perpendicular to the striped design. These checkered patterns, which vary in thickness, shape, and color, are distinctive to Kalinga textiles and typically appear only in their woven garments and select blankets. Additionally, mother-of-pearl platelets called witawitan, described as having trapezoidal or rhombohedral shapes, hang from the lower sections of the skirt. When worn, they sway with the movement of the wearer, producing a soft clicking sound. The Kalinga people, often referred to as the “Peacocks of the North” (San Agustin, 2007), are known for their vibrant color palettes, as well as the intricate patterns and embroideries in their textiles.