Mangyan by design

It’s a place where childhood memories are made. Named after a shell, Suguicay Island at the southeastern part of Mindoro was witness to the budding of a future wrap artiste whose passion for using local fibers for her creations has earned her numerous accolades here and abroad.

Dita Sandico Ong has Mindoro as her whole playground while growing up. She rode horses through hills and valleys and was mesmerized by gurgling waterfalls, swirling vines and lush vegetation. Dita’s adventurous dad, Fernando Sandico, brought her out of her shell and opened her eyes to appreciate and experience nature at its best.

It was also in Mindoro that Dita understood the richness of the Mangyan people’s culture vis-a-vis the clothes they wear. As a girl, Dita would see Mangyan women looking serene and dignified in their indigo blue and white woven skirts called ampis or tapis, and carrying their trademark woven baskets called buli, and at times saplongs on their heads. The males, on the other hand, showed their boldness with pride and masculinity in their bahag, as they carried bundles of cogon or huge handwoven pandan baskets.

Suguicay, home to Mangyan tribes, is a fishing village where intricate beadworks and nito basket weaving are made. Their handmade necklaces and bracelets are stunning, brilliant and radiant.

Mangyan weavers’ high level of mastery awakened the creative spirit in Dita Sandico Ong. Their weaving tradition, which was handed down for hundreds of years, has fascinated the young Dita who later went into advertising in UP and fashion schools in New York. She developed an intimacy with natural fibers and tribal weaves that she made full use of in her casual wear and long gowns. The most explorative and colorful of her designs resulted in 12 evolutions of all-season wraps made of banana fibers.

This year, Dita Sandico Ong launches "Mangyan on My Mind", a collection inspired by the traditional weavers of Mindoro. Her creations as a fashion designer have blended metro flamboyance with tribal ingenuity. This is Dita’s tribute to the timeless weavers of Mindoro who she hopes would continue the noble tradition of traditional and sacred weaving. Last month, Dita’s creations accentuated by Mangyan weaves and hand-embroidered appliques were previewed at Puerto Galera in Mindoro. Danish, German, Japanese and Singaporean guests "oohd" and "ahhd" especially towards the finale when a French couple in wedding regalia paraded down the catwalk. Creative direction was by Mack de Leon and Ross Zerrudo. Enrico Harasser and Connie Garcia Pausanos of Coco Beach Resort were sponsors.

"Mangyan on My Mind" is currently on display at Dita Sandico Ong’s boutique at 35 Wilson St., San Juan, Metro Manila, with telephones 726-5102 and 726-7260; e-mail ditasandico_ong@yahoo. com, or visit www.ditasandicoong.com.