The Loom of Life and the Tapestry of Dreams

Revival of Habing Ibaan

The weaving culture is not new to Ibaan, as it was known as the home of "kulambo," or mosquito net, throughout the years. The kulambo has been losing its luster, but the locals' ardent devotion to weaving—the kababaihan of Ibaan—has ensured that it would thrive and gradually revive the traditional weaving and craft.

A glimmer of hope for the Habing Ibaan emerged with the establishment of the association; yet, if you think it was easy, it never was. There were a lot of challenges in the process of establishing the association, but the most crucial was having knowledge and experience in weaving.

"Actually, ang iba ay mga dayo, na dito lang talaga natuto sa amin. Kami pa ang nagturo sa iba”, says Remidios Valencia, the President of the SM Sunrise Weaving Association.

Kababaihan strives for more

But one may ask, how hard is it to learn and master the process of doing the habing ibaan?

A single thread undergoes a great deal of processing before it reaches the weaving itself.

Making lovely traditional fabrics goods could seem like a piece of cake, but behind the alluring colors and patterns is the long process of a single thread, endless moving of feet to pedal, and nonstop working of hands to move the shuttle from left to right.

Five years from now, these women aim to retain the quality of handmade products through Habing Ibaan. Their initiative still has a long way to go and many aspirations to pursue; hence, the kababaihans are eager to carry on the tradition of habing ibaan to future generations.

The Kababaihans, though, hold out hope and will do everything in their power to ensure that the weaving culture continues to strive for more.

“Ang masasabi ko lang, sa pagdaraan siguro ng panahon, kaya rin namin makisabay. Hindi pa siguro oras namin, pero darating siguro. Napaka-importante kasi nito. Dahil dito nga, nasasalamin ang kultura ng habing Pilipino. Kaya hindi dapat natin baliwalain ang paghabi ng kamay,” Remidios emotionally stated.

For most, maybe they see weaving as the only source of livelihood, but for them, they consider it an integral aspect of our cultural heritage. It brings people together in communities where their inventiveness and enduring traditions bind them together.

Each fabric and garment is made up of woven single strings that form a beautiful art that signifies the beauty of Philippine culture.