Weaving in Luzon
Abra Weaving
Abra is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its
capital is Bangued, and it borders Ilocos Norte and Apayao on the north, Ilocos Sur and Mountain Province on the south, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur on the west, and Kalinga, and Apayao on the east.
The first inhabitants of
Abra were the ancestors of the Bontocs and the Ifugaos. These inhabitants
eventually left to settle in the old Mountain Province. Other early inhabitants
were the Tingguians, or Itnegs, as they are also known. In 1598, a Spanish
garrison was established in Bangued to protect Christian Ilocanos from Tingguian
raids. Originally the area was called El Abra de Vigan ("The Opening of
Vigan"). During the British Occupation of the Philippines, Gabriela Silang and her army fled to Abra from Ilocos and
continued the revolt begun by her slain husband, Diego Silang. She was captured and hanged by the Spanish in 1763.
The original settlers of Abra are the ancestors of Bontocs and Ifugaos. Whaen they left Abra and settled in the Ifugao and Mountain Province, the Tingguians and Imegs dominated the province until the coming of the Ilocanos for trade but later they were driven up the mountains.
The people of Abra use natural dye and still practicing loom weaving and they emblemish the woven fabric cloth of embroideries in their fabrics.
The Kalinga, with their 31 sub-groups, have practiced the art ofbatok or tattoo design for the last thousand years. Saved for the fiercest men and women warriors, tattoos are honed with a siit
(an orange thorn) and a bamboo stick. Today you will see elderly women and men with these ferocious tattoos on their chests and arms. Many of their tattoo artists have passed away. The last woman mambabatok (tattoo artist), Whang Od, lives in Buscalan.
Artistry is in the Kalingas’ blood. Visit their weaving villages, likeMabilong Weavers Village. You’ll also find pottery in the town of Pasil.
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