Dreams are defined by images, thoughts, and emotions that typically occur during sleep. When someone dreams, they usually end it with a simple interpretation and then forget it later. So basically, dreams don’t have any significant bearing for most individuals. But for the T’boli people, dreaming leads to dream weaving.
T’boli artists are known for their intricate t’nalak, or dream weavings, which are said to be imbued with the spirits of the dead. In particular, T’boli women have spent generations perfecting the technique of dream weaving. Yet, today, only a small group of these weavers are recognized as authentic “dream weavers” and their creations fetch huge amounts.
Read on to learn more about the traditional dream weaving in the Philippines.
What is dream weaving?
T’nalak is a dream weaving tradition originated by the T’boli tribe, a group of indigenous people living in South Cotabato, Philippines. Since the dreams of female weavers inspire the pattern of the t’nalak, they are considered the “dream weavers.”
The cloth used in these woven dreams was all made from natural and original abaca fibers. Every traditional color of the t’nalak holds a symbolic meaning for the tribe. For its natural or white color, it represents purity. The red shade stands for the blood of their ancestors. While the black color displays the soil from which they came.
The origins of dream weaving
The tradition of dream weaving starts when the indigenous people, T’boli, specifically women, of the vast Lake Sebu in South Cotabato, Mindanao, dream of various patterns. They use these patterns as the main design and then transform them into the textile known as t’nalak.
While being led by ancestors, the tribe believed that the patterns used in crafting t’nalak have been bestowed to those chosen women by the goddess of abaca named Fu Dalu. Although this tradition begins with the dreams of a single woman, for it to produce a final product takes a whole community of their tribe’s artisans.
Who are the dream weavers?
Although the men of the tribe have parts in the production, the ones who do the most crucial part of the process are the women of the T’boli tribe. The art of weaving is more than a honed skill for the T’boli tribe; it also serves as a spiritual undertaking.
Every part is handled with care and utmost divinity. That starts from conceptualizing the design that will be woven into the process of weaving the fabric and how the actual product is being treated. In short, weaving t’nalak is a meticulous process requiring patience, time, and craftsmanship. That is more why it was entrusted to the women of the T’boli tribe, the “dream weavers.”
The process of dream weaving
This tradition’s development method tends to be challenging, just like how its name sounds. Dream weaving’s production process generally requires thorough labor with a mastery of specific skills. And that is a must to be learned by the T’boli women from a very young age.
The crafting process typically starts with the abaca fire being stripped from the tree. After that, the fiber will be cleaned, dried, and separated into numerous strands. The next step will be the part where the separated strands are to be carefully selected, hand-tied, and then rolled into a circular form, like a ball.
The hand-spun abaca fibers will now have their colors thanks to the natural vegetable dyes manufactured by the T’boli weavers. For the last step, the t’nalak will be woven. Its colors may vary in brown, red, and even black sets.
The significance of this tradition
Dream weaving is something valuable to the culture of the T’boli people. That is because the t’nalak represents significant turning points in a T’boli life. Some examples of these are birth, marriage, and even death. This tradition serves as the medium that sanctifies these ceremonies, enveloping them with blessings by the length of its fabric.
Aside from that, this tradition is also their form of showing their tribe’s literature and art. Since their culture did not consist of any form of writing, the T’boli people showed everything they needed and wanted to express through the t’nalak. That usually includes their beliefs, myths, religion, and of course, their dreams.
Dream weaving: The art of the T’boli people
In conclusion, the tradition of dream weaving is a big part of the culture of the T’bolis. Today, their art has been transformed into modernistic designs. But their tribe doesn’t stop creating authentic woven dreams.
Although some individuals want to mass produce this material, you must know its cultural significance to the T’boli — particularly the dream weavers working to preserve this spiritual heritage’s integrity.
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