Weaving a Future

MANILA, Philippines — Vivencia Mamites is a craftswoman and an esteemed weaver of Inabal, the traditional fabric of the Bagobo-Tagabawa tribe in the Philippines. She has faced many challenges in her life. She is the eldest of five siblings and grew up in the province of Davao del Sur during difficult economic times. One can only imagine the trials she had to go through to survive. As she continued to face life’s setbacks and problems, she also became a mother of three children.

However, as a young woman, Vivencia was auspiciously chosen by her grandmother, a master weaver of the Bagobo tribe, to be one of only five women who was to be taught the age-old technique and knowledge of making Inabal because she was a promising weaver at such an early age.

Inabal is a traditional textile made from abaca with a special weave, either in patterns of kinatkat or ine, the cloth with a central panel, worn only by women. These textiles woven in the ikat-style and colored by vegetable and natural dyes were customarily used as the garment for ancestral royalty.  

Vivencia Mamites (right) with a Bagobo weaver

Vivencia learned Inabal weaving from a national master craftswoman named Salinta Monon, who was identified and awarded for her legendary weaves as a Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or National Living Treasure by the National Commission on Culture and Arts. What is beautiful and intangible is usually handed down from one generation to the next. Likewise, it was Vivencia’s grandmother who taught Vivencia the special weave, the designs of which were usually the grandmother’s interpretations of the heavenly skies.

Carefully and industriously, Vivencia recreated a total of eleven Inabal handwoven designs. Unfortunately, one can only sell so much when confined to the same locale. No new buyers and markets saw her beautiful textiles. She hoped her goods would be discovered by new buyers in trade shows which were, unfortunately, scheduled sporadically and too few and far between. However, Vivencia’s gentle, almost shy demeanor, soft dark eyes and hesitant smile disguise an attitude of patience and perseverance.

Vivencia’s life changed when she was taken under the wing of the GREAT Women Project in its first phase, and now ongoing in Phase 2 (until 2020). GREAT Women is a development and enterprise platform in partnership with the governments of the Philippines and Canada with private sector support. From a shy quiet weaver, Vivencia has become a woman leader, overseeing the organization, production and marketing of the other Bagobo weavers.

Through the combined efforts of the development program, and supplying her textiles to the GREAT Women Brand which transforms them into travel, home and fashion items as well as participating in the GREAT Women Trade Showcase led by the private sector partner for market access, ECHOsi Foundation, Vivencia – along with other tribal weavers – was transformed into a real micro-entrepreneur, a role which she gladly embraced.

Women enhance their skills with a beading workshop in Bansalan, Davao del Sur

As a micro-entrepreneur, Vivencia learned how to organize her production group, promote, sell and increase the value of her products. Today, Vivencia’s textiles are seen by exporters and buyers in trade shows abroad as well as local buyers who purchase her textiles knowing that as a micro-entrepreneur, Vivencia does not yet have a permanent retail shop to showcase her products.

Vivencia also welcomed her role as an empowered woman leader. She gathered together, organized and managed the other Bagobo weavers who lived scattered around the foothills of the mountains in Davao del Sur.

Together, they obtain and fulfill orders given to them, not only by the GREAT Women Brand but also other women manufacturers, with tireless passion and creativity. Vivencia and the Bagobo weavers have released a line of home and corporate gift items with The Leather Collection, producers of executive and office accessories made of handcrafted natural leather and earth-friendly materials. GREAT Women and ECHOsi Foundation even set up beading workshops that added value and variation to Vivencia’s creations as well as clinics that provided training. Designs, pricing, market direction and quality control were some of the topics taught in the clinics. Vivencia’s group was also further guided into becoming a cooperative with legal papers and receipts.

At present, Vivencia receives orders from buyers, takes charge of the finances of her group and promotes their products on social media. Through her initiative and management, her group has become organized and expanded. The GREAT Women Project’s continued capacity building workshops have benefitted their group. They have increased their production output, managing orders of 20 rolls (from a previous five rolls) every two months, and an average monthly income of at least P18,000. They were so proud that in 2014, their textiles debuted in an international trade fair called the New York Artisan Resource when the ECHOstore group showcased them there.

The Inabal textile is given a fresh look with modern colors, mixed with leather to make stylish bags, clutches and pouches.

Today, the Tribal Women’s Weaving Association of Davao del Sur has 25 weavers. Like the mother who seeks only the best for her family, these tribeswomen aspire for a centralized weaving center where they could all work together to maintain the quality and standards to produce the best fabric they can. With the ecosystem support given by the GREAT Women Project 2 and the private sector partners, it may not be long that the Bagobo weavers may get their weaving center. For that’s what the GREAT Women Project does – it helps micro-entrepreneurs women step up their business game.