Fiber Ikat Panel

This ikat panel was made in the first half of the 20th century in Mindanao, Philippines. It is a ceremonial cloth hanging made of abaca fiber.

Traditionally made by the Tboli people of the island of Mindanao, these cloths were especially prominent at betrothal and marriage ceremonies. They are called tnalaks and within the narrow range of material, color and design they exhibit an amazing variety. The colors were derived from elements in nature and the material used was fiber from abaca bark. The designs supposedly came to the weavers in their dreams and that was why they were called dream weavers. The ikat technique used is a method of tie-dyeing threads before they get woven, resulting in easily identifiable, fuzzy borders between colors.