Bagobo Weaving

The Bagobo peoples of the Davao region - Tagabawa, Klata and Ovu Manuvo among them - weave inabal, a cloth made from abaca fibre stripped from the stalk, dried and knotted into thread, then tie-dyed before weaving by binding sections of the warp so they resist the dye, in the technique called ikat. The result is a patterned cloth in dark reds, browns and black used for the tubular skirts and jackets of ceremonial dress, often finished with beadwork, embroidery and small brass bells. Weaving is done on a backstrap loom, with the tension held by the weaver's own body, and a single garment represents weeks of work. The tradition has thinned as fewer young people take it up, and cooperatives and cultural offices around Davao support the remaining weavers. The Kadayawan festival in August brings weavers into the city, which is the easiest time to see the work.

What you actually see

• The abaca thread - fibre stripped, dried and knotted by hand.
• The ikat binding - warp tied off before dyeing.
• The backstrap loom - tension held by the weaver's body.
• The finished inabal - ceremonial cloth with beadwork and bells.

When to go

Year-round, but August during Kadayawan is the easiest time to find weavers demonstrating in Davao City. Community visits need arrangement through cultural offices.

Honest expectations

These are Indigenous communities, not attractions - visits require arrangement and consent, and turning up unannounced is not appropriate. Genuine inabal is expensive because of the labour involved.

Nearby

Davao City is the base; Mount Apo and the communities around it are inland.