The making of a “dream weaver”

• Source:http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1361458620409/the-making-of-a-dream-weaver-
• Monday, March 28, 2016

By Alma L. Tingcang

A family of weavers

“I grew up watching my “ina,” my aunts and siblings weave mats. As kids, we played with the left-over materials that they discarded and made it into rings and bangles,” says Shariffa Dakula, one of the cultural masters that Zamboanga del Sur is proud of.

“I was not taught how to weave, I just became so interested in what they were doing, fascinated by the colors and the intricate designs they have made to create a masterpiece,” she related.

For Shariffa, weaving was a way of life that she shared with her siblings; one brother and 7 sisters. “When I was in Grade 4, I started weaving mats, simple designs that I could sell to earn money. At that time, the price of a 54 x 75 mat was pegged at P12-15,” she fondly recalled.

One day while watching her mother, Hadji Sitti Mariam Dakula at work, she said in awe, “My mother's own made mat! I'm beyond blessed to grow up seeing her weave really exquisite mats, so I made an oath to myself that someday I will weave mats just as beautiful and creative she can.”

In high school, she already learned different designs and even through college, she was weaving mats because she got orders from her landlady and other boarders.

One fateful night in 2007, Gauden Sireg, a family friend and now chairperson of Dumendingan Arts Guild slept over at their house. He saw the mats they made and suggested that they submit a project proposal to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). And they got a positive feedback.

Teaching the young

“I am grateful to NCCA because they discovered my talent and our craft,” Shariffa recounted.

With funding support from NCCA, the School of Living Tradition (SLT) was then established in Kumalarang with 30 children who were trained into the intricacies of weaving. After school, they went to the SLT to have their lessons and spent their free time learning everything that the cultural masters taught them.

“We encourage the children to finish school, although they earn enough for their needs, we still urge them to finish schooling,” Shariffa said.

“Even in the family, we also inspire the younger generation like our nieces, nephews and cousins to weave. Not just copy the designs but they should create their own design. They should learn to be ‘dream weavers.’”

This according to Shariffa, is the greatest legacy they would leave behind to the younger generation.

Local and foreign exhibits

As a cultural master/weaver, Shariffa never imagined that she would go to places like Zamboanga, Manila and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Shariffa participated in several exhibits at UP Diliman, La Salle and UST, demonstrating her craft and sharing her passion in weaving. They showcased their cultural masterpieces in trade fairs such as Manila FAME.

More than just a trade fair, it is the undisputed design and lifestyle event of Asia held on March 2012, where Senator Loren Legarda saw her works. In October of the same year, she was again invited by the senator to attend the Manila FAME.

Shariffa was sent to Kuala Lumpur for the International Craft Festival exhibit sponsored by NCCA. She was the only representative from the Philippines and it was such a great opportunity for the cultural master. “I was so excited because even if I’m not popular in my place, I have gained a name for myself in Manila and abroad.”

She also participated during the Habi Fair in Glorietta, Makati on October 2015, where she shared her expertise with other weavers from all over the country. It was actually a cultural exchange wherein they find their artwork intertwined.

Teaching or weaving

Shariffa, now 38, is a graduate of Bachelor in Elementary Education (BEED) and taught for one year in a far-flung barangay. However, she quit teaching when her mother got sick and needed special care and attention.

Asked if she has regrets of not being able to teach, she replied “I don’t have any regrets. Because if I was into teaching, I would be bound to my classroom from 7 am to 5 pm, and I would be making lesson plan at night. So I would never have the chance to go abroad. If I pursued teaching, I would still be stuck in the barrio, in the mountains of Kumalarang. This is my fate, and this gave me the opportunity to show my talent to the world. I get the chance to travel abroad without spending anything because it is the NCCA who sponsors all my foreign travels.”

She best expresses her work of art and masterpieces in the complexity and beauty of her creation which has reaped for herself and for the country, such honor and fame.

NCCA support

“We are focused on the promotion and preservation of indigenous arts and craft,” said Ms. Renefe M. Tremedal, NCCA coordinator, adding that Zamboanga del Sur has 9 SLT centers located in Bayog, Lakewood, Kumalarang, Dinas, Lapuyan, Labangan, Josefina, Tabina, and Pagadian City.

Asked why the SLT was sustained since 2005, she said, “It’s because of workers factor, we really go to the ground to closely monitor and evaluate the progress of the SLTs. The cultural master is also being paid to teach.”

“We have the Likha Raya, the master’s creation or the work of a cultural bearer. They make projects unique from other tribes and it has greatly helped in providing a modest income for them,” said Tremedal. Products made by the cultural masters are now being marketed by Lazada.

She said one thing noticeable when you go to the SLT centers is that they have improved quality of life. Because they are being paid, they are able to buy parcels of land. Aside from that, NCCA also extends support through product development to improve their craft.

To the dream weavers, dream on, pursue the idea of the mind weaving dreams, dreams of a brighter future, a better life. (ALT-PIA9/Zamboanga Sibugay)