Our Features

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The epitome of the Yakan's giftedness in weaving is their pride, the late Ambalang Ausalin, a virtuoso whose skill in the craft is held in the highest esteem even beyond Basilan. Apuh Ambalang, as she is called in her community, was recognized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCAA) as a National Living Treasure in 2016, an honor in the same league as the National Artist Award.

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Also called the Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan, the award is bestowed on the finest traditional artists whose distinctive skills have reached a high level of technical and artistic excellence.

More than their accomplishments in their craft, these artists must also have passed on their skills to the present generation of their community with the same degree of technical and artistic competence.

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Apuh Ambalang was born to a family of weavers in the quiet town of Parangbasak, Lamitan. Their clan is known throughout the province for their skill and artistry.  As a novice, Apuh Ambalang practiced using banana and coconut leaves as she could not afford to waste precious raw materials while still learning. Quality cotton has always been in short supply in the area.

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It was two years into her mother's instruction when she finally had more confidence weaving at the loom. At 12, she was already able to weave textile using the difficult bunga sama technique wherein a single design element requires thread to be passed seventy times through the loom. Over the years, her weaves have evolved to become the visually arresting and highly textured works of art for which she has been renowned. 

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Her specialty includes two hallmarks of the Yakan weaving tradition, the suwah bekkat or cross-stitched embellishment and suwah pendan or embroidered embellishment, both staples in their traditional trousers and overskirts.

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Their colorful and ornate weaves are mostly inspired by nature, from snakes to butterfly wings. For example, diamonds called mata-mata or dinglu-dinglu represent rice grains while X patterns illustrate rice mortars. The interplay of these two elements symbolizes an abundant harvest. Their colorful and ornate weaves are mostly inspired by nature, from snakes to butterfly wings. For example, diamonds called mata-mata or dinglu-dinglu represent rice grains while X patterns illustrate rice mortars. The interplay of these two elements symbolizes an abundant harvest.