Young Abrenians into loom weaving to keep culture alive

INDIGENOUS ART

LA PAZ, Abra -- Still hands, focused mindset, hard work and patience. These are needed to achieve a pure art to a loom weaving technique that many do not have. It is a laborious process that takes weeks to complete a finished product called “Abel”, a hand-woven traditional clothe from various fabric, yarns and threads crafted for durability.

The colors, the embroidery, the designs and materials of the cloth are symbolic among the indigenous communities because they manifest culture, traditions and beliefs that they practice.

Barangay Bulbulala in the municipality of La Paz, is one of the many loom weaving villages of the province. And while weaving usually involves women mostly in their middle or old age, not in this place.

The weaving culture is kept alive by the Bulbulala Farmers’ Association and Leila’s Loom weaving facility through Service Shared Facility of the Department of Trade Industry (DTI) and the sustainable livelihood program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Seventeen year old Leomar Domondon explains how long it takes  him to complete a required length of Abel.

“It will take around a week for me to weave more than 80 yards of Abel clothe,” he said.

Leomar is a senior high school student at the Queen Peace High School  in Canan, La Paz. He who is committed in helping  the elderlies of the loom weaving industry in training and persuading more youth to practice the culture.

“During the school semestral break, loom weaving is what I usually do to earn some extra allowance for my studies,” he added.

Rosena Jean Cordero, 26, explained that their abel comes with various traditional designs.

“Our designs are ‘Piningitan’, white cloth with designs in the edges traditionally symbolizing life;  the ‘Binakol’ woven with patterns; the ‘Kantarines’  woven in stripes, and the ‘Metallic’ design which is a combination of thread and a metal-coated fibers”, she elaborated as she shared  she  learned these from her grandparents. 

Only 26 years old, the elderlies said she is too young to master some of the designs the Abel. But Cordero is persistent in mastering the craft  which is a keepsake from their ancestors.

“The Abel loom weaving is a very valuable thing that we can pass down to our children and their children as well,” she said.  

The locally produced indigenous textiles are sold through DTI’s trade fairs as far as the National Capital Region and Visayas. They are also sold through online and social media marketing. (JDP/CAGT- PIA CAR, Abra)