10K visitors eyed to witness Magundanao's Inaul Festival

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1022582
• Wednesday, January 24, 2018 2:22 pm

By Digna D. Banzon (PNA)

DAVAO CITY -- The top tourism official of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is targeting 10,000 tourists and investors to witness the second Inaul Festival in Buluan, Maguindanao next month.

Tourism Secretary Ayesha Dilangalen of the Department of Tourism (DOT) in ARMM is moving around to promote the holding of the festival.

Inaul is a Maguindanaon word that literally means "woven”. It is a unique fabric manually and meticulously woven mostly by Maguindanaoan women weavers.

Dilangalen, who met Davao reporters in a press conference here, said Inaul is more than just a piece of textile used traditionally as a "malong" but it is considered as a "Bara-Bangsa", a term synonymous with royalty, dignity, and nobility.

Inaul in Muslim Mindanao is a status symbol and worn always with pride and respect.

Dilangalen said Inaul Festival is a weeklong celebration from February 5 to 14 with the theme "A Fabric of Peace: Weaving Diversity, Connecting Boundaries".

She said the festival is a celebration of peace and unity among Maguindanaoans featuring the woven fabric, which is intricately designed with different thread colors of the Inaul symbolizing uniqueness and resilience of the Maguindanaoans.

She said weaving signifies unity amidst the diversity of the people.

Among the highlight of the celebration is the Kapag Inaul weaving competition, the Inaul Expo, Palamatu Nu Maguindanao, the Alugan sa Maguindanao or cookfest, Sippa sa Manggis, Sagayan Competition, Cultural, Dance Drama Competition, Socio-Ethnic competition, Kulintang Ensembles Competition, Kagkuya na Kalabaw, Maguindanao Singers Competition, Float Design Competiton, A Night with Moro Idols, the Airsoft Tournament, Kambayuka Exhibition and Governor's Night with Inaul Fashion Show.

Dilangalen said the first Negosyo Center in Maguindanao would also be launched and inaugurated on February 8 in Buluan town.

Meanwhile, Dilangalen bared that women weavers of Maguindanao received an initial 10 looming machines.

Another 70 machines are set for release to other municipalities. The weavers are organized into associations in the municipalities in Buluan, Sultan Kudarat, Kabangkalan, Paglat, Datu Piang.

They are now into entrepreneurial activities since their fabrics have found a market not only in the Philippines but abroad.

Dilangalen said the weavers also tied up with Muslim Chinese nationals in China as their partners to supply silk and cotton threads.

She also bared that a Muslim based in New Jersey is now sourcing malong requirements from the weavers of about 30 to 50 malongs monthly which are made into customized gowns, dresses and other products with condition that the fabric can also be used as an accent in other products except on shoes and slippers.

"It is not allowed in our culture to use the fabric for shoes and other footwear because it is a show of disrespect," she explained.

The Inaul is no longer confined to "amallong" and other traditional garments as it is now made into modern outfits, like gowns, long and short sleeved shirts for men, trousers, accessories, and others, Dilangalen added.

"The modern evolution of the Inaul is the fashionable and glamorous ball gowns worn by the Miss Universe candidates during the Mindanao Tapestry Show in Davao City last year," she said.

Currently, there is only one weaving center in Maguindanao but the number of weaver-organizations is now 15. Each organization has 30 members or a total of 450 women weavers. Some weavers are home-based while others use the facilities at the weaving center.