Product Description

Antique Southern Philippines Jacket

Material: Cotton, mother of pearl beads
Style: Southern Philippines
Size: Arms: Height 13 cm, Length 112 cm; Body: Height 39 cm, Width 36 cm
Order Number: MHSASPJ1

The  B`laan are a tribal community of Southern Mindanao. They live around Lake Sebu and other municipalities of South Cotabato and are one of the major non-Islamic tribal groups in the Southern Philippines. They carry out rituals for nearly everything because of their belief on the supremacy of the great Creator named Malu or D’wata. Men and women shave  their eyebrows and blacken their tongues and file their incisors.

The B’laan people share many cultural features with neighbouring groups. The quality and sophistication of their textiles was second to none in the region. Their name may be from derived from ‘bla’ meaning ‘opponent’ and ‘an’ meaning ‘people.’

It is sometimes difficult to tell B’laan and Bagobo textiles apart. The Bagobo people live on the south and east slopes of Mount Apo, the highest peak in the Philippines, down to the shore of the Davao Gulf in Mindanao. They concentrated their artistic creativity on clothes and personal adornment. They wore splendid garments during their ceremonies.

The B’laan were timid and there are very few photographs of them. They are famous for their beadwork and wear colourful costumes with beadwork accessories. 

This woman’s jacket/blouse is an old B’laan piece called an albong takmun, elaborately decorated with mother of pearl shells, which were highly prized. The pronounced pattern is geometrically abstract and the jacket is heavy. It is striking in its simple beauty. Women’s jackets are similar in shape to those of the men, but they are closed in front so that they have to be slipped on over the head. This is a woman’s jacket.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).