Panay-Bukidnon embroidery enters fashion scene
“Panubok” the traditional embroidery of the ethnic tribe Panay-Bukidnon of Central Panay will be making its way to the fashion scene in Iloilo City this coming May 26, 5 p.m. at SM City Activity Center as Kultura Kusog Ko Inc. as part of the National Heritage Month Celebration stage a fashion show featuring the clothes designed by JyhMng and embroidered by the Masters of Panubok from Calinog, Iloilo and Tapaz, Capiz.
The fashion show is entitled “Tinibkan” which means “embroidered”, it has two parts, the first part shows how plain clothes turn special when accentuated by traditional patterns of Panubok as well as other accessories like wrist and headbands, belts and ties. The second part is the original collection by JyhMng also the founder and chairperson of the Kukuko Inc. She used the five elements of nature in each piece which are also the basic elements evident to the patterns of Panubok, like sikag-sikag (fishbones), matam-punay (bird’s eye) and sodle-kama (snake’s skin).
“In order not to totally deviate from the traditional cuts like bell sleeves and empire cut, my designs are inspired by that, but in the future, my designs will evolve in time, it is always safe to start from the basic, since it’s my first try in designing clothes, but I can say it has been a passion since childhood,” JyhMng said.
The clothes were embroidered by recognized masters of the craft from the mountainous communities of Tapaz, Capiz and Calinog, Iloilo. One of them is 87 year old Conchita Gilbaliga, one of the few Binukot who is alive today and her 13-year old grand daughter, Angelie Gilbaliga, who started learning embroidery when she was 7 years old and now her work are more intricate than an embroidery machine, same as her older sister Rolinda, their mother Gleceria was indeed successful in passing the craft to her children and to other women in the community, they reside in Brgy, Garangan, Calinog. Other masters are, Zaida Gilbaliga, Lagrimas, Castor, Rocel Caballero from Brgy. Masaroy, Calinog and Menchie Caspillo from Brgy. Tacayan, Tapaz.
Kukuko Inc. established a satellite of Panubok centers in these three barangays, Garangan, Masaroy in Calinog and Tacayan in Tapaz, encouraging the community to build a cottage for women to learn the craft. The fashion show aims to gain support from the four provinces of Central Panay, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan and Antique as well as its composing municipalities “All we are asking for is one set of uniform to be embroidered by Panay-Bukidnon women to sustain this livelihood program to help them ‘sa tiempo sang tagkiriwi’ (time of lean seasons)”, JyhMng emphasized. “We are also asking for pledges or donations like sewing machines, textiles, and threads.”
The newly organized NGO also helps Indigenous People in organizing their own People’s Organization and assisting them in making project proposals for livelihood programs and cultural preservation projects to various government and non-government agencies such as the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and Department of Tourism (DOT) who also sponsored this event together with the Filipino Heritage and Festival Institute (FHFI), Iloilo Cultural Heritage Conservation Council (ICCHCC) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).