RESEARCH DATA:

This female upper garment from the collection is a kegal nisif/nesif or embroidered blouse. Kegal is the generic term for blouse, while nisif or nesif is the local term for embroidery (Pastor-Roces, 1991). Traditionally, this type of blouse was commonly worn by middle-aged and younger women and was paired with a red or black skirt purchased from “lowlanders’ stores” in the region (Casal, 1978, p. 40). In terms of design, no two blouses of the same type are said to have identical patterns, although they adhere to a recognizable “Tboli style” (Casal, 1978, p. 38). This includes embroidered stylized animals (bakong) and human figures (hakang), interspersed with rows or bands of zigzag motifs (Casal, 1978). Red cloth appliqués outlining the bodice and sections of the sleeves provide a striking contrast to the otherwise prominent black or blue background of the blouse.


A notable detail, however, is the way the embroidered motifs are traced with shell sequins (bensewit), a feature that is atypical of the kegal nesif. According to cultural worker Leonardo Cariño, this suggests that the blouse was originally intended to be an embroidered garment, with the shell disks added at a later time.