by Rose Cruz Churma
A poster created by artist/illustrator Jme Foronda in 2015 depicting the attires of indigenous groups of the Philippines went viral on social media in 2020.
Inappropriate words and cultural inaccuracies depicted in that poster caused criticism online. Instead of being disheartened by the negative reaction to her work, she vowed to do more research to ensure the authenticity of her creations.
The results of this year-long research of reading books, countless hours spent online viewing visuals, and watching interviews of members of the indigenous communities she wanted to depict, is this reference tool titled PANANAMIT for those committed to preserving Filipino culture.
The illustrations in this book were all done in digital form. As noted in the foreword:
“It was conceptualized and worked on through the eyes of and artistic style of a millennial who is not only a researcher, illustrator, and documenter but more importantly, a preserver of the very culture of the Philippines’ indigenous people as mirrored in her art.”
The tribal attires depicted in this book were selected based on the availability of information and the accessibility of the culture-bearers via online messaging platforms.
In fact, she added a note in her preface urging other tribal communities to contact her via her website. As a young mother of two boys and residing somewhere in the Pacific Northwest, Jme Foronda was able to create this visual smorgasbord by maximizing the use of technology.
She goes a step further by including a chapter—a tutorial creating lineless illustrations using the following tools—an iPad Pro 12.9”, Apple pencil, the app ProCreat,e and ProCreate Gouache brush set.
Also included are illustrations on how to wear a barangal (a cloth headpiece of the Northern Philippines’ Ga’dang tribe) or the bakwat (a women’s belt) from the same tribe.
Based on the loin cloth used in the Cordillera region is a step-by-step guide on how to wear this men’s attire (called ba-ag in Kalinga).
Some years back, a loin-wearing contest was held on a US college campus—a relay contest of sorts where male participants are required to tie the loin cloth —and the group who can accomplish this the fastest wins. Was this really appropriate, some asked.
Cultural appreciation versus cultural appropriation always comes into play when indigenous attires are discussed. A page was devoted to this, with consultants specializing in this field quoted on their take on this issue.
The five ways of ensuring that one is appreciating culture rather than appropriating should include the following, according to the consultants.
First and foremost is using the correct term when referring to the indigenous clothing. This book is an ideal acquisition to implement this advice since each piece of Indigenous attire and its accessories are described and illustrated in detail with its correct terms.
Another is that proper contextual usage should be considered. For example, the Kalinga community is against using their ba-ag (loincloth) as table runners or as shawls. The T’boli weavers are offended when their tinalak textile is used in footwear since they consider the tinalak sacred.
It is also important that the indigenous weavers and artists are given fair compensation for their craftsmanship. After all, weaving is their livelihood. It is also strongly advised that if one is dealing directly with the weaver, refrain from haggling to get a lower price.
Another piece of advice worth considering is to practice ethical and mindful consumerism by asking about the origins of the textile or item one is buying.
The final advice is to secure the consent of the indigenous people before using their textiles in everyday fashion, or when converting these into another use different from what was originally intended.
Although the rationale behind these recommendations is sound, its implementation will be difficult if there are middlemen involved, or if one buys these from mass consumer outlets where sales clerks are aggressively determined to sell.
Bottom line: patronize designers and retailers that care about ethically sourced materials, sustainability, fair compensation, and proper recognition for the artists.
The Indigenous communities covered are grouped according to geographical location. Northern Philippines is represented by the Ibaloi, Ifugao, Isnag, Kalinga and Ga’dang tribes.
Central Philippines or the Visayas are represented by five ethnolinguistic groups—Batak, Alangan, Hanunuo, Panay-Bukidnon, and Ati.
The Bagobo-Tagabawa, Mandaya, T’boli, Taosu,g and Yakan comprise the Southern Philippines group.
The final product is a book that celebrates the diversity and artistry of the clothing of indigenous communities of the Philippines as represented by the 15 groups chosen for this publication.
This is a wonderful learning material for educators, parents, and culture bearers in the Filipino Diaspora to use in encouraging young people to rediscover their heritage.
In utilizing artwork that was created using digital tools of the 21st century, young learners may have a better affinity and connection to it.
The book is better appreciated if one can view the illustrations that were meticulously created at the artist’s website at www.jmepaints.com/post/project-pananamit.
Jme Foronda was born and raised in Manila but now lives with her husband and two kids in the Pacific Northwest–but sometimes visits relatives in Waipahu, Hawai’i.
She credits her mother, a lawyer whose hobby was in fashion, for inspiring her initial interest in design, art, and attire. She also draws inspiration from her collection of children’s literature, art books, graphic novels, and assorted Filipiniana.
ROSE CRUZ CHURMA established Kalamansi Books & Things three decades ago. It has evolved from a mail-order bookstore into an online advocacy with the intent of helping global Pinoys discover their heritage by promoting books of value from the Philippines and those written by Filipinos in the Diaspora. We can be reached at kalamansibooks@gmail.com.
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