My Lake Sebu

It is said that weaving t’nalak requires a clear vision of the design, patience, and purity of the weaver, as she puts her feelings and emotions into creating the cloth. But did you know that aside from the 2-3 months it takes to finish a t’nalak, weavers are required to practice sexual abstinence in order to keep the purity of the cloth. This helps ensure that the cloth is free from impure or negative thoughts, which could affect the output and appear in the t’nalak.

Weaving is only one part of creating and completing a t’nalak cloth. Temugo, or dyeing, is what the T’boli call the process of submerging the abaca fibers into natural dyes that are taken from trees and plants. It is a tedious process that requires the threads to be boiled for up to 5 days, with fresh grated roots or leaves added to the mixture each day, to help saturate the color.

No wonder it takes up to 3-4 months to completely finish one beautiful roll of t’nalak cloth.