BASKETRY and WEAVING

BASKETRY

After the Spanish-American War in 1898, the United States took control of the
Philippines, which likewise had a significant basket-making heritage. Rural residents
grew their own basket-making materials and made baskets to sell in towns. Because of
the reciprocal need for baskets in the United States and the expansion of the Philippine
economy, schools with basket weaving classes were formed. Because the only
publications on the subject were about Native American baskets, schools taught
Filipinos authentic Indian basketry. Native Filipino weavers eventually became teachers
as well, and both broad ranges of designs found a new home for production and a ready
market in the United States.

Today, the Philippine Islands are a major basket-making center. Basket weaving has
never been proven to be amenable to mechanization, yet standardization of manual
processes, combined with concentrated production centers and resources, results in
homogeneous, high-quality goods.

Basket crafting was common in the Philippines before with the arrival of the Americans,
with the Cordillera region being the most renowned for having the oldest baskets
manufactured by indigenous groups found in the cordillera, such as the bamboo
baskets made by the Igorot people of the cordillera. The mountainous northern part of
the Philippine island of Luzon is referred to as the Cordillera Central. For centuries,
basketry formed an essential part of all aspects of daily life in this area.

Basketry Capital of the Philippines

*Antequera, Bohol

- Most of the residents of Antequera depend upon the basket weaving industry. It is their
main source of income. For years, this has been the town's main industry and with its
growth through the years, has earned them the title of being the “Basket Capital of
Bohol”. Basket weaving skills are acquired and have been handed down from
generation to generation in Antequera, even way back to the early 1900s.

Famous in Basketry Industry

*José Formoso Reyes

- An immigrant from the Philippines, helped revive Nantucket's basket-weaving industry

in the late 1940s. He redesigned the folk baskets to become fashionable handbags, a
trend that remains popular to this day.
Tools

Most indigenous people and those who produce native baskets make them with bare
hands and only use sharp tools to shave the materials for the basket. Indigenous people
in Palawan, for example, use peis knives to make tingkep woven baskets.

Materials

The common raw materials used in making baskets are rattan, abaca, nito, tikog, buri,
bamboo, pandan, coconut leaves and sticks, palm leaves, and beeswax. There are
several baskets that use combined raw materials. The usage and function of the
baskets depends on the form, style and the raw materials used as well as the
indigenous group on which it originates.

Types of Basketry Methods

There are four different types of basketry methods: coiling, plaiting, twining, and wicker.
Some of the terms that are specific to basket weaving include loops, twining, ribs, and
spokes. It is common practice to lash the rim and wrap the handle of the basket to give
the finished product a more polished look, and to protect the owner's hands from sharp
protrusions. To start the upward weaving process in wicker basketry, many basket
makers will "upset" the spokes, which involves carefully bending them upwards from
where they meet in the center.

*Coiling
- A coiling stitch begins from a central point and spirals, outward and upward to form the
shape of a basket. To create the coil, flexible sticks, such as grasses, are bundled
together and then wrapped with stitching.

*Plaiting
- The plaiting technique involves crossing strips of material over and under each other,
creating what resembles a “checkerboard” pattern. The plaiting technique is utilized in
order to make flat wefts, which can then be used to create the bottom, sides, or cover of
a basket.

*Twinning
- A basketry technique in which two horizontal strands (wefts) cross over each other
between vertical strands (warps). There are a number of twining techniques, including
three-strand, twilled and wrapped twining. utilitarian: Made for a specific use, rather than
made solely for aesthetic reasons.

*Wicker
- the process of making baskets by taking pliable weft material and lacing it over and
under rigid warp material, one piece at a time. Wicker often uses cane or woods like
willow or ash. You might have heard of wicker furniture, which gets its name from this
process.
Uses of Basket

*Storage
Household items are secured in baskets. Clothing and blankets are kept fresh and dry
in lidded containers. A tampipi is a common basket type for storing clothing and
blankets.

*Food Gathering & Preparation

Winnowing trays are used to separate rice from its hull. Serving trays present rice and
other foods for consumption. The baskets shown here are from the Bontoc Igorot
people of the mountain area of Luzon Island.

Fish traps are placed in swift flowing streams and simpler baskets are used to carry
crops from the field to home or market.

*Personal Baskets
Bontoc men carry tobacco and other personal belongings in small bags shaped to fit
beneath the arm (upper). Often compartmentalized, these bags include a "secret"
compartment where valuables can be stored. Meals are transported in tightly-woven
lunchboxes called topil. Jewelry and other personal items are stored in small, covered
baskets of subtle design.

*Transportation
Unique to northern Luzon Island is the inabuntan or hunter's pack. It is constructed to be
rain-resistant, providing a dry storage space for hunting gear and game.

*Hats
Bamboo and rattan hats vary in shape, size, and design, but all function to protect the
wearer from sun and rain.

How to make a Basket

1. Make the Base of the Basket.

You'll need to lay out 5 reeds parallel to one another, with about 3/8ths of a
space between them. Weave a sixth reed perpendicularly through the other 5.
Bring the sixth reed over the first reed, under the second, over the third, under
the fourth and over the fifth reed. Weave 4 more reeds in this manner, making
sure that they are parallel to the sixth reed. [1]
Ensure that the squares formed by the base weaving are no bigger than 3/8 inch
(.9 cm).
2. Bend the reeds.
Bend the reeds that stick out from the square base into an upwards position.
These bent reeds are called spokes. Bending them will make it easier to weave
and these spokes will act as the supports for the basket.
3. Split a center spoke.
 Split one end of either the third or eighth spoke, starting where it comes out from
under the last spoke to cross it. You will now have eleven spokes. You'll be
putting the weaver into the split.
4. Weave the basket.
Put the tapered end (the smaller end) of a weaver reed into the split spoke and
hold it in place with a clothespin. Keep the weaver reed near the base of the
basket and weave, by going over one spoke and under the next.
If you're going for a square shape, hold the base corners together with
clothespins. This will help maintain the shape of the base.
Continue to attach and weave new reeds through the spokes for 3 or 4 rows,
depending on the desired height of the basket. Each new reed should be stacked
above the reed woven before it.
Do your best to make the weave snug and tight, but not too tight or you can
screw up the base of the basket. You, also, want to make sure that the weave
isn't too loose.
5. Foot the base.
This means closing up those square holes that are still in the base. Starting in the
left corner of your basket, take the corner spoke and tug it gently. Tug more
firmly on the second spoke. You want to tug quite firmly on the middle spoke
because this will create an arch in the bottom of the basket. Move to the 4th
spoke and tug gently again.
Straighten your spokes and repeat on all 4 sides of the basket, until the holes in
the base are closed.
6. Continue weaving.
Keep attaching and weaving new reeds through the spokes. Make sure that you
don't pull too hard on the corners, because that will make your spokes bend
inward and you'll lose your basket's shape.
You also don't want your corners to be too loose, which can happen if you aren't
keeping your spokes upright and parallel while you weave.
Stop weaving once you've reached your desired height.
7. Pack the base.
Push or pull the woven rows down towards the base as you weave. Ensure that
there is no space between the base and the rows. Start pressing or pulling from
the base and move up to the newer reeds as you go.
A properly packed basket should have a nicely arched base, straight, parallel
spokes, properly spaced corners, and tight weaver rows.
8. Finish the top of the basket.
Stop weaving your last reed after you have woven 4 spokes past the split spoke.
Taper the reed with scissors, moving from the fourth spoke to the end of the
reed. Weave until all of the final reed has been woven into the spokes.
9. Trim the basket.
Cut the spokes with scissors. The spokes should be 1/2 to 2 inches (1.3 to 5 cm)
higher than the last woven reed. Fold the spokes towards the inside of the basket
over the top row of reeds. Insert the end of each spoke into the third row from the
top. Ensure that each spoke lies flat against the inside of the basket.
10. Make the rim.
You'll wrap a reed around the top row of the basket and pin it to the basket with a
clothespin. Now, anchor the new reed by weaving its bottom end into the top few
rows inside the basket. This reed is called the lacer.
Bring the lacer up and over the reed pinned to the basket and insert it through
the front of the basket into the woven rows. Now pull the lacer inside the basket.
Continue wrapping the lacer around the pinned reed, circling the circumference
of the basket.
Glue the end of the lacer inside the basket.

WEAVING

The first historical weaving traces in the Philippines were discovered in a cave in
Cagayan Province and Palawan Island between 1255 and 605 BCE.
Archaeologists discovered a stone tool (Bark- Cloth Beater) used to prepare bark
cloth by pounding the bark to loosen the pulp from the fiber for weaving textiles.
Panay Island in the Philippines is known as the textile capital of the country.
According to traditions passed down through the years, a few Datus (chiefs) from
Borneo, including Datu Lubay, came to the island and introduced the skill of
weaving. Weaving in the Philippines is more than just a culture perpetuated out
of function or necessity, the tradition is considered an artistic expression of
beliefs. For instance, textiles and colours are used to represent different rituals in
the country. There are specific patterns used for traditional dances for courtship,
healing, war, harvest, and protection.

Weaving Capital of the Philippines

*Iloilo, Philippines

- Iloilo was the textile capital of the Philippines in the mid-1800s employing

thousands and exporting highly prized handwoven textiles to Europe and
neighboring provinces.

Famous Weaver in the Philppines

*Lang Dulay

- She was a traditional weaver from the Philippines who received the National
Living Treasures Award. She is credited with carrying on her people's weaving
legacy of T'nalak, a coloured fabric created from refined abaca fiber.

Tools

*Handloom Weaving Machine

- A handloom is a loom that is used to weave fabrics by hand, rather than with
electricity. The foot pedals are pressed to raise the corresponding heddles in
accordance with the weave plan, which must coincide with the tossing of the weft
or horizontal yarns over the two sections of warp yarns.

Materials

The weaving culture in the Philippines dates back to the 13th century. The

tradition makes use of raw materials like local cotton, abaca, fibres, and
pineapples. Many Filipinos are very spiritual people; in fact, our traditions are
rooted in beliefs that were passed on by our ancestors.

Types of Weave in the Philippines

*Abel Weave

- The abel is a woven product indigenous to Vigan and the Ilocos area. The abel
cloth is well-known for being a durable and vivid material. The fabric is so strong
and beautiful that some families keep them as heritage that outlast their antique
furniture. The traditional process of weaving abel cloth begins with preparing the
cotton, which includes picking cotton balls, removing seeds, pounding or beating,
twisting with a spindle, and winding the cotton yarn into the skeiner. Before being
wound onto a bamboo spool, the skeined yarn is brushed to make it shiny and
durable.

*Pinilian

- Pinilian is an Abel Iloko with a beautiful brocade weave. The fabric is created
with a pedal loom or pangablan (as called in Ilocano). Sticks are put on selected
warp (lengthwise) threads to produce motifs or patterns that appear to "float" on
the fabric's surface.

*Bontoc Weave

- Bontoc hand woven fabrics are characterized by motifs that include geometric

shapes of things around them such as man, lizard, mountain, rains and flower.
Siniwsiwan is Bontoc's blanket and clothing. This fabric is used for wanes or
men's G-string (Bahag) and getup or Lufid (Tapis) among women.

*Kalinga Weave

- Kalinga weaves are characterized by the traditional color combinations of red

and black stripes and the use of beads. Many traditional Kalinga weaving
designs and patterns remain unchanged through generations, with weavers
taking care not to make alterations since the colors and details have specific
meanings.
*Piña Weave

- Since piña is from a leaf, the leaf is cut first from the plant. Then the fiber is
pulled or split away from the leaf. Most leaf fibers are long and somewhat
stiff. Each strand of the Piña fiber is hand scraped and is knotted one by one to
form a continuous filament to be hand-woven and then made into a Piña cloth.

*Hablon Weave

- Hablon is typically used to make traditional patadyong skirts, Barong Tagalog,

saya, and bandana. This famous textile is also normally used to make bags,
slippers, table runners, picture frames, and plenty of other household and novelty
items.

*Saputagan Tapestry Weave

- Saputangan is a square cloth best known for its intricate and rich design,
involving optical illusion to create depth in the patterns. The inalaman is made
using an elaborate supplementary-weft technique and is often used for women's
wraparound skirts.

*Mabal Tabih

- Mabal is the Blaan term for the abaca weaving process. Tabih is the term for
the finished hand woven cloth and it also refers to the traditional Blaan tubular
skirt. Natural dyes from endemic plant species in the community are the source
of colors for different designs of this indigenous textile.

*Bagobo Inabal

- Inabal is a traditional textile made from abaca with a special weave, either in
patterns of kinatkat or ine, the cloth with a central panel, worn only by women.
These textiles woven in the ikat-style and colored by vegetable and natural dyes
were customarily used as the garment for ancestral royalty.

*Ramit

- The ramit is a textile made by the Mangyans. The Mangyans refer to the
indigenous groups on the island of Mindoro. The ramit is woven on a backstrap
loom and often features intricate geometric patterns.

*Dagmay

- a handwoven textile made from abaca. Making it involves a mud-dyeing

technique wherein tribe members soak their tannin-dyed yarns into iron-rich mud
 for days. The Mandaya women then weave the fiber into intricate figures and
patterns depicting their folklores and beliefs.

*Maranao Textile

- The Maranaos weave into the malong colorful bands called langkit, consisting
of three to four colors with okir designs: scroll, leaf, or vine motifs woven in
abstract forms. The Maguindanao, for their part, incorporate patterns directly into
the bands.

*T’nalak

- The T'boli indigenous people of the vast Lake Sebu in South Cotabato,
Mindanao, believe that the patterns of the t'nalak are bestowed upon chosen
women by Fu Dalu, the goddess of abaca. These women, often led by their
ancestors, dream of the sacred patterns that they then transform into the textile.

*Pis Syabit Textile

- is a Tausug woven head-cloth made from cotton or silk (or with gold threads)
characterized with intricate geometric patterns of colors segmented into the
smallest squares, triangles and diamonds.

Basic Weaving Operation

When the filling yarns are ready, the warp beam with the sized yarns is
positioned at the back of the loom. The warp yarns are carried to the front by a
cylinder known as the cloth beam.

The loom goes through several motions.

1. Shedding is the lifting and lowering of warp threads via the harness to make a shed,
which is an aperture between warp strands through which weft yarn passes.

2. Picking is the process of introducing weft yarn by shuttle through the shed.

3. Beating up is packing the weft yarn into the fabric to make it more compact.

4. Taking up: winding freshly created cloth onto a cloth beam; letting off:
releasing yarn from a warp beam