T'nalak weaving is an intangible cultural heritage of the Tboli people from South Cotabato, Philippines. The designs for the woven cloth come to T'boli women in dreams from Fu Dalu, the T'boli Goddess of abacá. The traditional colors of white, red, and black in T'nalak cloth symbolize purity, blood, and soil. Red dye comes from loko tree roots and black from boiling knalum tree leaves. Kulinatang is a form of instrumental music played with gongs and drums. Mud craft arts are practiced by Kalbs Balagon of Sultan Kudarat, who makes figurines and sculptures from clay.

1. SOCCSKSARGEN
REGION X11
2 0
2 5
Indigeneous Arts

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3. T'nalak Weaving
T'nalak weaving is part of the intangible cultural heritage of the
Tboli people, an indigenous people group in the Philippines
whose ancestral domain is in the province of South Cotabato.
The production of the cloth is particularly associated with the
shores of Lake Sebu, which is in the municipality of the same
name as the lake.
The weaving of traditional T'nalak cloth begins when a T'boli
woman has a damgo (dream). in which they encounter Fu Dalu,
the T'boli Goddess of abacá and guardian of the T’nalak. During
these dreams, Fu Dalu shows the woman the designs that would
eventually be woven into the cloth.
Dreamt designs from Fu Dalu

4. T'nalak contains three colours:
white symbolises purity, red represents blood and black
signifies the soil. In addition to white abacá, the red
dye comes from the brownish-red roots of the loko
tree, while the black is obtained by boiling the green
leaves of the knalum tree for seven days, which turn
them dark as inka show of respect to Fu Dalu.

5. K U L I N T A N G
an ancient instrumental form of music
composed on a row of small, horizontally laid
gongs that function melodically, accompanied
by large suspended gongs and drums. It is
played by striking the bosses of the gongs
with two wooden beaters.

6. Mud Craft Arts
Kalbs Balagon from Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat who is known for his
mud crafts. He started making figurines from ordinary clay and other
clay sculptures since 2004. He joined trade fairs and exhibitions
whenever there are big events in and out of the region, and now he
is one of the most requested to do customized souvenir items made
from clay and other related stuff.

7. Thank you!
for participating!