Traditional Mindanao weaves on exhibit in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO — The Hinabi Project (THP) from September 18 to November 24 will exhibit a unique collection of textile work from the island of Mindanao, curated in the historic Craftsman The Mills Building & Tower in this city.

This work comes from the Mindanao weaving communities of Bagobo, B’laan, Higaonon, Magindanao, Mandaya, Maranao, T’boli, Tausug, and Yakan.

Traditional weaving was defined by much ritual and ceremony on the life cycle — birth, marriage, death — and the fabrics produced were meant to address these ceremonial needs. Weaving was also a contemplative and peaceful endeavor for the women in these communities.

Contemporary weavers now struggle with traditional needs and the demands of local and tourist markets, marked by social and political conditions less conducive to the peaceful production of these fabrics.

With this challenge to the continuity of indigenous weaving traditions, the legacy of heritable designs and techniques, and the self-pride and worth of work is a cause for concern.

THP hopes to highlight the possibility of evolving newer concepts of design and work through its exhibition, thereby encouraging other designers, weaving artisans with inspired pupils and scholars to talk about their future direction.

The goal is not just the survival of weaving craft, but also the sustainability and continuation of a living tradition by people with rich intellectual and deep artistic knowledge of their craft in this age of commodification, conflict and globalization.

As part of the exhibition launch, the National Commission for Culture & the Arts of the Philippines (NCCA) is sponsoring dancers from these weaving communities to perform at several San Francisco venues.

The Hinabi Project: The Art of Philippine Textiles, a project of PAWA, Inc., seeks to increase awareness of and appreciation for the exquisite and rich traditions of Philippine weavings and textiles through public exhibits and educational workshops and lectures.

THP seeks support as it encourages weavers, embroiderers, and designers of traditional Filipino textiles to continue working on their crafts and thus maintain these traditions. Curators: Anthony Cruz Legarda and Edwin Lozada, with the assistance of Kerri C. Hurtado

For more information, contact: Edwin Lozada, THP Director//Christina Laskowski, THP Program Mgr.

Partners: The Philippine Consulate-General of San Francisco, Department of Tourism – Philippines, National Commission for Culture & the Arts of the Philippines, Non-Forest Timber Products—EP Philippines, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, The Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles in Berkeley, Artsource Consulting of San Francisco.