RESEARCH DATA:

The piningitan is a wrap-around skirt worn by Tinguian or Itneg women—typically from adolescence to adulthood—in Abra. Its name is derived from the root word pingit, meaning “on the edge,” referring to the decorative trims that line the skirt’s edges (Respicio, 2000). It is commonly made of plain white woven panels bordered with red-dyed threads. While the longer sides (weft edges) follow the same plain weave as the body of the textile, the shorter sides (warp edges) often feature intricate brocade-woven patterns.

Unlike everyday skirts, the piningitan is worn during significant communal events, such as the bedeng (peace settlement between villages), pakalon or boda (wedding celebrations), lay-og (feasts for the dead), and other traditional ceremonies honoring ancestors. During these occasions, women perform the tadek, a ceremonial dance, while dressed in piningitan skirts (Respicio, 2000).

Key design features of the piningitan reflect both the weavers’ technical skill and the Tinguian people’s cultural symbolism. A notable motif is the binek-beklat, a python-like pattern woven in black/indigo, red, and yellow threads using the pinilian technique. Also called tinultulbek or “key,” this motif traditionally marks the beginning and end of the weaving process (Respicio, 2000). Another recurring motif is the inar-arabas, a caterpillar-like design created with indigo and red yarns arranged in a staccato fashion between the white panels. The weft edges, referred to as inurlma, are dyed using natural pigments such as sapang (for red), tayum (for indigo), and wild ginger (for yellow) (Respicio, 2000).

This particular piningitan in the collection stands out for its indigo base color and the presence of three white stripes—one on each panel—deviating from the more typical all-white variety. Nonetheless, it retains the defining features of the textile: plain-woven weft ends, brocade-woven warp edges, and embroidered staccato joinery.