Weaving Dreams, Preseserving Heritage

The Art of Lang Dulay

Lang Dulay

Born: 1928 in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, Philippines
Ethnicity: T’boli, an indigenous group in Mindanao
Renowned for: Master weaver of T’nalak, a traditional cloth made from abaca fibers •
GAMABA Awardee: Named a National Living Treasure (Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan) in 1998 for her contribution to preserving T’nalak weaving
Mastery of Designs: Could recall and weave over 100 traditional T’nalak patterns, including “bankiring” (hair bangs), “bulinglangit” (clouds), and “kabangi” (butterfly)
Dream Weaving: T’nalak designs are believed to come from dreams, and Lang Dulay was revered for transforming these dreams into intricate weavings.
Mentor: Established a weaving school to train young T’boli women, ensuring the continuation of the T’nalak weaving tradition
Traditional Methods: Followed the traditional process of hand-harvesting abaca, manually dyeing fibers, and weaving using a backstrap loom, a process that can take months.
Cultural Ambassador: Helped promote T’boli culture through her art, both in the Philippines and internationally.
Passed Away: In 2015, at the age of 87, but left a lasting legacy through her students and works.
Symbol of Heritage: Represented the strength and resilience of T’boli culture, preserving and promoting the traditions of her people.

MORE INFO

GAMABA AWARDEE

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CONTRIBUTION OF LANG DULAY

The contribution of Lang Dulay is the preservation of her people’s identity and history weaved into each of her Tnalak cloth is her contribution to Philippine culture and art. She was named a national living treasure in 1998 during the administration of President Fidel Ramos. Using abaca fibers as fine as hair, she speaks more eloquently than words can. Images from the distant past of her people, the Tbolis, are recreated by her nimble hands – the crocodiles, butterflies, and flowers, along with mountains and streams, of Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, where she and her ancestors were born – fill the fabric with their longing to be remembered.