T’nalak Weaving

What is T’nalak

T’nalak (some spells it as Tinalak) is a term that refers to the traditional weaving practices by T’boli (also Tiboli) people of South Cotabato, Philippines. The place is full of surprises for local and foreign tourists, thus also included in every person’s bucket list for Philippines vacation places. This weaving tradition has been embraced by the T’bolis as part of their lives. They are considered a precious fabric and they play an important role in giving the direction for the kind of fate that every newly born T’boli would have. It is believed that for every newly born baby, they should be wrapped with a woven T’nalak fabric to dispel bad omen and to protect the baby until fully grown up.

Lake Sebu is the place where this T’boli tribe keeps their abode. A tribe that has a very rich culture from among other tribes in southern Philippines. They have inspired everyone in the world with their one of a kind weaving skills and tradition. Traditionally, T’nalak weaving is not just an ordinary thing that anyone can do. It is believed that one must have first experienced a dream because it is out of that dream a T’boli would know what pattern he should weave. This is the reason why they are called dream weavers.

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Dream Weavers

The dream weavers earn and develop their status and skills as time goes by. The very famous dream weaver was Lang Dulay. She was highly respected by the tribe members for she spent almost all of her lifetime doing T’nalak weaving. During her years, she usually develops unique and amazing patterns despite that she uses only 3 colors – black, white, and red. We visited the place called Lang Dulay Weaving Center where she stayed and does her weaving. You should not miss this place when going to South Cotabato as it will complete your checklist for Philippines vacation places.

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We learned from her son and grandchildren that while she weaves, she would allow her family to witness how to do it until they were able to learn the skills too. When those persons she taught have already learned the skill on how to do it, she passes to them the patterns that she would want them to do and those patterns were believed to come from nights of her dreams. That extraordinary skills and colorful but unique patterns employed and produced by Lang Dulay have gained recognition by both local and foreign tourists. Because of that, the government of the Philippines have recognized her artworks and proclaimed her as one of the national artists. Sadly, she already died at the age of 95 years old in April 2015.

Natural Dye

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The tradition left by Lang Dulay was passed on to his son, Florencio Dulay who is now 73 years old. His son and daughter in law helps him in the collection of materials for the preparation of dye. To produce a color red, they use the leaves of the local plant which they call as “loko”. On the other hand, if they want to have a color black, they use the leaves of “kanalom” These two plants are abundant in the area and the Dulays have planted them too in their yard so that they can harvest it anytime and make those dye colors by boiling each of them.

I invite everyone to visit and see how the T’bolis do that one of a kind weaving and observe the amazing patterns that they produce despite that this indigenous tribe are totally detached from the digital world. That was a wonderful experience for me and a very big check to be included for my Philippines vacation places.