Beyond the Back-Strap Loom: Building a Sustainable Future for Bagobo-Tagabawa Inabal Weavers
by Leila Rispens-Noel While living in the Netherlands, I joined a group of diaspora leaders exploring how we could help alleviate poverty in our homelands. We all agreed that creating local jobs was key, but one question remained: How could we turn that idea into reality? After almost 35 years abroad, I now spend my time in my hometown Bansalan, doing development work through WIMLER Philippines. This is the story of how I got involved with the Bagobo-Tagabawa women weavers . A Chance Encounter In April 2017, I visited a local logistics company to ship a package. In a corner, I noticed rolls of colorful abaca cloth. The manager informed me that they were Bagobo weaves. Although I had heard of traditional Bagobo abaca cloth, I hadn’t realized that indigenous artisans in our hometown were producing such vibrant designs. After a 30-minute wait, the owner, Vivencia Mamites, rushed in. A Bagobo-Tagabawa weaver from Barangay Bitaug, she explained she needed to ship her inabal weave...
