GAMABA ARTIST LANG DULAY

Lang dulay is an accomplished weaver specializing in traditional T'boli, Ikat cloth called  T'nalak. Creating this type of cloth is an elaborate process in which the weaver has to complete about 20 steps finer varieties of abaca plants are selected and the fiber is stripped from them by hand and then dried on frames the thread is formed by finally knotting individual fibers end to end to form balls of

continuous yarn the patterning of the cloth is done with the Ikat method using a tying frame after multiple dye baths the yarn is transferred to a loom for weaving finally the finished cloth has to be softened and polished it is done with a shell using pressure tension from a root feed it takes an experienced weaver about 4 to 6 months to finish one. Ironically modern designs get a better price than the traditional ones.  Despite this, and the fact that those modern designs are easier to weave, Lang persists in doing things the old, if harder, way, to give voice, in effect, to the songs that were her elders’ before her.