︎
UAL9.531203°N, 118.346544°E

Karubwaten It Tina:
‘Re-story-ation’
Weaving Creators, Communities and Connections



CONTENTS

· Karubwaten It Tina
· Karubwaten Craft
· Regeneration & Ecology
· Tagbanua & MARD community



The conversation begins with a cosmovision of the Tagbanua, the Tina weaving community: How is their concept of ecology woven into their community? What ecological and community principles and values are central to their future? What stories inform their making? What stories can be carried on in the future through their craft?

The answers to these questions inform the craft innovation and ecological land management we aimed to achieve in the project. First, it is embedded in understanding how cultural and ecological value is vital for developing new form, methods and applications. For example, how can the cosmo vision of the weavers be told and carried through the crafts and co-creation? Second, for ecological land management the aspiration for shared prosperity are tied into ecological care; and regenerative processes and ethics are central to supporting the community development of products and maintaining healthy ecological relations.

To achieve these, the Tina weaving community engaged with MARD collaborators* in a series of co-creating sessions: building a collective exchange, connecting as makers and communities whilst investigating ecosystems, material, meaning, language, collective weaving techniques and skills samples.

The community conversation and co-creation approaches underlined working in an ethical, respectful way where all are equal, all students and all teachers. As makers, as humans, as communities. This connection allowed everyone to learn from each other and co-create and crosspolinate. As life experiences are shared from both sides informing new ideas for designing and for the future, we hope that ‘Re-story-ation’ as a process of connecting the stories of the land and the people contributes to be carried on, developing practices as makers and communities that are more regenerative, sensitive and ethical - weaving restoration, weaving resilience, weaving new stories.


︎

‘We can not meaningfully proceed with restoration and connection, without ‘re-story-ation’. In other words, until we hear stories being told again, our relationship with the land cannot evolve and grow. Who will tell these stories, and how are they passed on?’ (Gary Nabhan, in Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer, 2013.)

︎
Karubwaten It Tina seeks to establish the Tina Weaving Community into a Sustainable Indigenous Livelihood Enterprise using a CBE business model with a 3-point focus: Skills, Soil, and Society in collaboration with:

PHILIPPINES COLLABORATORS
Life College,  Puerto Princesa, Philippines: Atty. Rea Alcantara, Angela Laconse, Jomer Panoncio, Leopoldo Alarcon, Jr., Daniel Rey Lastrella, Ana Monical Jaranilla, El Cid Bocacao, Dr Madilyn Daco, and Jan Michael Vincent Abril

Karubwaten It Tina officers and members: Jolino Pugad, Solita Ongot, Jeffrol Kimil, Gemmalyn Lagon, Evelyn Lecian, Gina Lecian, Benda Talbo, Ebrina L. Pugad, Ebrita Pegas, Emelyn L. Ongot, Jelly Gamayon, Jenalyn Lecian, Jezemiel Ongot, Jovelyn Lecian, Lilita Ongot, Migno Lecian, Rejanin Ongot, Anniong Pardas; Bagerar (elder): Satya Cenon Ongot, chief claimant of NATRITI CADT

Nagkakaisang Tribu ng Tina + Samahang Nagkakaisang Kabuhayan sa Tina Association, Barangay Culandanum, Aborlan, Palawan

BUHAY Cooperative and LifeChurch West Coast: Eric Blanco, Julie Blanco, Raymond Jay Antipuesto, Mondaryl Villa, Ritchel Villa, Joseph Cardinez, Flor Cardinez, John Gary Roxas, Jashil Antipuesto, Joseph Artienda II, Esnima Balo, John Torrefranca.

Special thanks: Wendy Maryglance Tarnong, Eduoard Antoni Foronda, Raymond Vilches, Glenmar Montaño, Engr. Bernie Balo, Jesabel Balo, Abraham Maata.

︎

MARD COLLABORATORS
Central Saint Martins, University of Arts London: Judith van den Boom + MA Regenerative Design (MARD) cohort: Stanley McNulthy, Cumbria, UK; Miao Li, Arnhem, the Netherlands; Maki Obara, New York, USA; Bruna Cerasi, Sao Paolo, Brazil; Olga Glagolya, Moscow, Russia; and Dr Britta Boyer, Loughborough University

︎

FUTURE COLLABORATORS
Do you want to connect for research, collaboration, purchase or any other reasons, please contact;
 
Project founder Jan Michael Vincent Abril 
j.abril@lifecollege.edu.ph

MARD course leader Judith van den Boom
j.vandenboom@csm.arts.ac.uk


︎

With support from Forest Foundation Philippines + British Council Philippines

This project developed with consent of the weavers and is discussed in Filipino and their language through the tribal leader and in collaboration with the team of Life College in Palawan.
TINA 02

Karubwaten Craft





Weaving a new generation


Text rapport team Life College

The traditional handicraft has been developed out of basic human necessity. However, beyond this definitive philosophy, traditional craftsmanship is more than just a function of need. The fact that such types of end-products represent the unique symbol and expressions of a community or culture. In developing countries like the Philippines, it is manifested through indigenous craftsmanship and materials. Furthermore, traditional handicraft is a form of human creativity combined with the science of art and work of skills out of multiple ideas with the use of available materials. For example, basketry which is one form of traditional handicraft can be traced back to time immemorial. One of the many skills required to produce handicrafts is weaving and this reflects in culture, community, and tradition.

Whilst it is relatively unknown when exactly the practice of weaving within the different tribal communities started in the Philippines, it is believed that it is being practised almost all throughout the archipelago.
However, this industry has been known, passing across many generations and forms as a vital component of the Filipino heritage.






It is also believed that the first archaeological evidence of weaving culture in the country was found between 1255 to 605 BCE in Cagayan and Palawan. Between 1565 and 1850, the weaving culture in the Philippines was brought to many European countries as an integral part of colonial intervention. Indigenous innovative knowledge, products, culture, and services were embedded in many handwoven products which carried, decoded, and transformed the artistic and cultural values of different tribes in the Philippines. 

Because weaving embodies the expression of arts, culture, and tradition of the indigenous people, this dimension must be tapped in the context of long-term preservation of the inherited nature of traditional knowledge. Karubwaten It Tina’s ultimate goal is to ensure the passage of weaving knowledge from one generation to the next so the Tina weaving community thrives in a regenerative way, connecting idigenous knowledge in past, present and future.


Images of collective weaving, workshops and learning sessions


Pandan an Rattan/Yantok product information

In this section, we present the hand-woven products of the Tagbanua weaver of Tina, Aborlan, Palawan and their high quality developments on weaving techniques, developing new design, patterns and applications.  

Pandan woven products. Below is an inventory of Pandan and Yantok woven products. The community developed more sensitive dyeing techniques, tracing back indigenous knowledge and skills, as also implementing these in the form of the products and patterns, resembling ecosystem symbols, colours and shapes such as flora and fauna that is present, or potentially endangered in Palawan. By building in the ecosystem as narrative for color and design development the Tina weaver community is able to preserve and integrate their cultural knowledge and Karubwaten, telling the stories through the weaving hands.

During this project new Pandan products have been developed, exploring new patterns representing local ecosystems, as also weaving kits for students so encourage overlay weaving and teach a younger generation the skills that are inherend to Palawan and the Tina Weaving community, also new Rattan products have been developed such as baskets, small vessels and flora/fauna home accessoires such as fish and flowers have been created to build an archive of cultural and ecological references for the Tina community.

Banig or Mats. This beautiful hand-woven mat craft is usually produced in different sizes. They called this banig and mainly made of pandan leaves from a variety of screwpine, known as bangkuan or abuan. The Banig created by Tagbanua from Tina community are special by its intricate patterns and bright colours

Tingkop. Baskets or tingkop are commonly found in every Tagbanua household. Typically, they are made of woven pandan leaves or yantok, framed as storage of agricultural products and other goods. The sizes of tingkop made by the Tina community vary from small, medium, and large. Usually, a double layer of pandan leaves is used to strengthen and ensure the durability of the product.

Bayong. Colloquially referred to as bayong, these bags that are made of pandan leaves are carefully woven by women weavers in the Tina community. Bayong has been traditionally used as receptacles to carry small market products such as fruits, vegetables, crops, meat, and marine shellfish products.

Pitaka. One of the simplest and easiest products to produce and sell, from the Tina Weaving Community, is the coin purse. This small woven wallet made of pandan leaves, locally known as pitaka, could be finished in less than an hour. Pitaka are handy and formed by creating two pieces of woven pouch put together to enclose the purse

Rattan (yantok) product.
Rarong is a traditional carrier primarily used to carry light to heavy-weight harvested agricultural products. It is carried on the back using straps sourced from a bark of a sayapo tree that is also found abundantly in their area. To complete the product, a sackcloth is placed inside a finished rarong for the safekeeping of goods in the carrier.
Running on Cargo