lang dulay
1928 - 2015
lang dulay
Lang Dulay was a T'boli princess from the Lake Sebu region in South Cotabato. She was born on August 3, 1928. She has conferred the National Living Treasures Award in 1998. That same year, her works were featured in an exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. in the United States as part of the Philippine Independence Centennial celebrations. She first learned weaving at the age of 12 from her mother, Luan Senig. She is known for maintaining the use of traditional motifs in T'nalak weaving amidst the commercialization of the craft which saw the introduction of more modern designs by non-T'bolis.
She notably had a mental repertoire of around 100 patterns and designs, some of these were based on her dreams, hence her description as a "Dreamweaver". She set up the Manlilikha ng Bayan Center workshop in her hometown to promote the traditional art of T'nalak weaving and by 2014, five of her grandchildren had become weavers. She fell into a coma in early 2015 and died on April 30 of the same year.
Lang Dulay's Works:
Lang Dulay is familiar with a hundred designs, including the bulinglangit (clouds), bankiring (hair bangs), and kabingi (butterfly), each one particular for the story it conveys. She spins her tales with ease, using red and black dyes. Her textiles express the wisdom and visions of her people.
Why Lang Dulay's textiles are excellent compared to other textiles?
Despite the fact that modern designs are quicker to weave, Lang Dulay insists on doing things the old and difficult way, in order to give voice to the songs that her forefathers sang before her. Her textiles are praised for their "fine even quality of the yarn, the close interweaving of the warp and weft, precision in the forms and patterns, chromatic integrity of the dye, and consistency of finish".
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. Through her weaving, she does what she can to keep her people’s traditions alive. The world continues to spin further as digital technology advances where tribespeople has been continually lured to modern ways of living. Some of them have remained steadfast in preserving their culture like Lang Dulay.
Why is Lang Dulay called a national living treasure?
As the world continues to rapidly change as digital technology advances, tribespeople has been continually drawn to modern ways of life. While some, like Lang Dulay, have remained steadfast in conserving their traditions. Her art recounts the story of the T'boli people of South Cotabato, who live near Lake Sebu. Her textiles are made of excellent Abaca fibers weaved into T'nalak cloth, and her designs, which are linked with her people's heritage, have earned her a national living treasure of this country. Hence, during President Fidel Ramos's administration in 1998, she was recognized as a national living treasure.
Team members
Nashville Gale Evangelista - Researcher
Denver Kent Adesas - Editor
Stephen Eivan Leanillo - Researcher
Archelaus Emanuel Santos - Social Media Sharer
Nathan Paul Tadalan - Designer