TRADITIONAL ILOCANO

HANDICRAFTS,WAVING
AND POTTERY
Traditional Ilocano handicrafts, like the “inabel” fabrics & “burnay”
jars are folk arts that continue to tell its tales for many hundred
years now. They are not only relevant to the northern region but
also to the development of art & culture in the Philippines. But the
truth is, these age-old crafts are losing its popularity to modern
technology, replacing the beautiful rawness of art with machine-
precise pieces. And sadly, its delicate fate lies in the hands of its
tradition bearers, patrons & cultural vanguards.
Keeping Traditional Ilocano Handicrafts
Alive
 Keeping Traditional Ilocano
Handicrafts Alive
• We are all part of continuing a tradition like that strand in a
loom or that earth on the wheel. We cannot be that thread that
tangles in the spindle or we end the weaving. We cannot be
that wildfire in the kiln or we shatter the pots into dust. We
must move with the rhythm of the loom & the spinning of the
wheel to carry on its story, customs & art.
• I had a rare chance to meet some of the treasures of
Ilocandia—Lola Milagros Panela, a centennial “inabel” weaver
at Rowilda’s & Fidel Go, a National Living Treasure awardee
for “burnay” pottery. This opportunity opened my eyes into the
realities of a precious tradition struggling to survive.
INABEL WEAVING
• “Abel” or “inabel” is a fabric
customarily made of cotton
fiber turned into spools of
beeswax-brushed yarn &
woven in a handloom. From
it comes out beautiful
blankets, pillowcases,
tablemats, sweaters &
shawls. Traditional designs
include the geometric
“binakol” or “inuritan”, the
spiral “kusikos” & the flower
called “sinan-sabong”.
INABEL WEAVING
• Weaving the inabel requires
mathematical precision. Each
strand of thread is meticulously
counted & arranged according
to color before it is tensioned
into the loom. And in a rhythmic
pattern, the steps of the wooden
pedals & the knots of each
crisscrossing weft have to move
seamlessly or everything goes in
a messy tangle.
• All these spectacles of skill can
only be achieved by master
“agab abel” or abel weavers
through long years of training &
passion.
INABEL WEAVING
• The women of Ilocos, particularly in
the towns of Paoay, Vigan & Pinili
have been weaving since pre-
Hispanic time. And as early as 17th
century, inabel & some other
traditional Ilocano handicrafts
already made its way to the West
through the Galleon Trade.
• But sadly today, the weavers of
Ilocos like Lola Milagros &
Magdalena Gamayo, a National
Living Treasure, cry on their
handiworks that are losing to
machine-made inabel, inferior thread
quality & the younger generation
unwilling to learn.
BURNAY POTTERY
• “I will tell you a story. But when you
leave, you have to buy at least a
piece.” Breaks Fidel Go, one of the
most celebrated potters in my latest
visit in his workshop in Vigan.
• To many, it may sound as aggressive
selling but he has told his story many
times over—to media interviews, to
tourists, to anyone after his craft. But
most of them do not really buy. While
artists would love to elope from the
loutish orb of everyday commerce into
their ideal world of solitude, the
realities of getting through day-by-day
force them to sit & talk to potential
buying guests.
• But it was a joke—a joke at least half-
meant.
 Pottery is an ancient art form & in Ilocos this tradition of molding
unglazed earthen jars is called “burnay”. It was originally used to age vinegar,
wine & “bagoong” or fish paste.
In Vigan, the clay is kneaded by a carabao before it goes to the potter’s wheel
that is today still spun by foot. It is then shaped into jars, dried & fired in a kiln.
These fragile pieces of art combine the elements of earth, water, wind & fire
that only expert “agdamdamili” or potter can only achieve.
 Pottery had existed long before Spain came to Ilocos. But it was
only in the late 1920s when Chinese migrants like the forefathers of
Fidel Go commercially produced it. Today, there are only a few
“pagburnayan” or pottery barns left because there’s lesser demand for
traditionally made jars.
Despite his accolades being a National Living Treasure, Fidel Go thrives
meagerly on selling souvenir pieces to tourists, supplying salt beds &
ornamental jars to landscapers. Although he keeps potter apprentices in
his wings, still, many do not want to get their hands dirty.
 Our agab abel & agdamdamili are not just artisans—they are bearers of the
living traditional Ilocano handicrafts. They are the keepers of a culture that is constantly
threatened by the loss of interest among the youth & the lesser need for folk but
excellent quality pieces.
By patronizing their art & making it popular again, we can help even as tourists
in continuing the stories of these time-honored handiworks. The support that we give to
them will go a long way in bringing a new breed of weavers & potters. Because it is in
the loss of demand that weakens the industry, dampens the hearts of our artists &
eventually kills this precious traditional Ilocano handicrafts.
Let us continue to whirl the bales of cotton into spools of thread. Let us carry on to spin
the wheels of earth into fragile art.
 TRADITIONAL
CORDILLERA
HANDICRAFTS,WEAVING
AND POTTERY
Cloth weaving
One of the most precious living traditions that are still kept until today is
weaving. Originating in the precolonial times, the art of weaving of the
Cordillera tribal groups in the North is still existing despite the threat of the more
practical mass production of cloth. The natives use backstrap loom to produce
blankets and articles of clothing.
Cloth weaving
One of the most precious living traditions that are still kept until today is weaving.
Originating in the precolonial times, the art of weaving of the Cordillera tribal groups in
the North is still existing despite the threat of the more practical mass production of
cloth. The natives use backstrap loom to produce blankets and articles of clothing. Piña
cloth is also produced in looms throughout the province of Antique. It is a delicate and
exquisite handwoven cloth that is made from the fibers which you can get in the leaves
of pineapple plants. It is popularly used in Barong Tagalog, our traditional clothes.
Having its organic and airy textile, it is becoming more popular now around the world.
Abaca fiber come from the abaca plant that is endemic and grown in the country. It is
woven chiefly to make sinamay fabric. Abaca is popular in making a rope, specialty
papers like vacuum bags, currency, and tea bags. There are also handcrafts like bags,
furniture, carpets and clothing made of abaca.
Basket weaving
Baskets are mainly used by the Cordilleras for their occupation.
They use them as a storage for their food when they need to go to
mountain terraces to cultivate their lands. A basket is needed for
carrying grains, hunting animals, and fishing in the streams.
Baskets made of bamboo become their fish traps; the shape and
size of baskets are according to the kind of fish they want to catch.
• Jewelry making
• Since the early 16th century, jewelry making in the country has been in
existence. It is believed that the skill of our early Flipino in making jewelry
are adopted from their Asian neighbors like the Chinese.
• Jewelry-making is a source of livelihood for the family and it is
traditionally a home-based industry. The government give their support
and attention in this industry. By this support, the country became the top
producer of gold.
• These are the two major product categories that the fine jewelry industry
in the Philippines are engaged for production:
• The first one is the precious metal jewelry, which are made of gold and
silver. It can be in the form of rings, earrings, bracelets, brooches,
pendants, necklaces, tie pins, and cuff links (with or without gemstones).
Decorative items like spoons and forks, and office items such as pen and
pen holders are also included in this category.
• Another production in the jewelry industry are the pearls, precious
stones, and semi-precious stones. These are unworked or worked pearls.
Colored gemstones like emerald, rubies, and sapphires are also in this
group.
Pottery
Pots in the Philippines have different sizes, shapes, and designs. Their
designs are usually geometric with stylized nature motifs. Pottery became more
functional as the time pass by.
An example of this is palayok, which is used for cooking. Banga and
tapayan are used for storing liquids. There is also the clay-made stove or
"kalan". The making of burnay pottery in Ilocos Sur is still a lively tradition that
continues up to the present.
Woodcarving
Philippine sculpture is the most familiar art form among Filipinos. The
most popular woodcarving in the Philippines are carvings of the anitos (nature
gods), santos (saints), and statues of Christ and the Blessed Mother.

Philippine sculpture have undergone changes in terms of shape, size, and

the medium used.
Tattoos
Filipino tattoos have a rich history, dating back to before the Philippine
Islands were colonized by Spaniards. When Spanish ships first arrived there, they
were greeted by the heavily-tattooed Visayas tribe and they called the islands "La
Isla De Los Pintados" which meant "The Island of the Painted Ones".
In the Philippines, tattoos were seen as a source of accomplishment and
rank. Men bore ink on their chests and heads as signs of their strength as warriors.
Women wore detailed lines on their arms and wrists (Visays and Mindanao tribes)
or full chest and arm tattoos (Luzon mountain tribes) and they were seen as marks
of beauty. Most tattoos were earned through the passage of rites ceremonies, or for
accomplishing tasks. The styles varied depending on the region and tribe that the
people came from.