ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Evelinda Otong

At the age of seven Evelinda Otong was already weaving brightly colored coasters and runners with her mother/grandmother in Basilan while her father earned a living as a farmer. A fourth generation Yakan weaver, Evelinda spent her childhood working the loom in which she created textiles with intricate geometric patterns in vivid shades of red, blue, and green.

“I grew-up in a household where the women were weaving all day. I recall my mother learned the craft from Ambalang Ausalin, better known as Babu Ambalang, who was named a National Living Treasure in 2016 by the National Commision on Culture and the Arts.”

Well-versed in the complicated patterns and cultural significance of the Yakan indigenous costumes, Babu Ambalang taught Evelinda how to make the “pagal batu”, the traditional Yakan jacket. Pagal batu is complicated because it is a wide textile that takes a week to produce only one meter. For Evelinda, switching to table runners relaxes her arms and hands from the intense work that is required for the pagal batu. 

Her mother and grandmother weaved on basic backstrap looms. One end of the apparatus is secured to a belt or strap that is fastened around the weaver’s waist, while the other end is attached to a bar suspended from the ceiling, while sitting on the floor to maintain tension in the yarns by propping one’s feet against a wooden pedal, then leaning back.

While weavers from the other provinces struggle to preserve their craft, the Yakan in Southern Mindanao continue to flourish, spurred on by a deep sense of pride in their indigenous identity and the income generated from their handicrafts.

Predominantly from Basilan, the Yakan fled the island province during political conflict in the 1970s. Most ended-up in Zamboanga City where many of them still reside today. Now in her fifties, Evelinda runs her eponymous retail outlet “Tindahan ni Evelynda” in Zamboanga City, a short hop from the Yakan Village Weaving Center along the National Road. In addition to traditional Yakan garments, modern fashion and homewares such as table runners are also sold in the store.

“To preserve the craft, I formed Tuwas Yakan Weavers, a society whose aim is to promote the artisans from Basilan including seventh generation weavers.” Evelinda is training her daughter and nieces in weaving. The women in her own family may prove to be the greatest champions of this ancient art form. - Philippine Airlines Mabuhay Magazine, December 2018

Myrna Pula

Boi Myrna Bebing Pula, a full-blooded T’boli who is commonly known in her community by her T’boli name “Aning Bebing” or “Nanay Myrna” in the diaspora. She was born in a small village called Sitio Lembisol, Poblacion, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. Her mother was a T’nalak weaver and food producer, while her father was a village chieftain and legal advisor. Unfortunately, Boi Myrna was not able to complete her college education because her father arranged her marriage according to ancient T’boli custom, which is now fading. She is currently a widowed mother of three married children and a grandmother of seven, who all still live in the same village.

Boi Myrna attended Santa Cruz Mission Elementary School and later, Notre Dame High School in Surallah and New Iloilo, which was the nearest town to her mountain home at that time. She also studied at Notre Dame Marbel College in Koronadal City for a year. She was assigned to translate T’boli language in the Catholic sacraments and rituals under the direction of the Passionist missionary priest, Father Rex Mansmann. She also selected and adapted traditional melodies for the singing part of the mass as it was gradually adapted in the mass and rituals of the T’boli culture. This experience gave her a deeper understanding of their culture and language, which has become her life-long passion.

After her children were born and ready for school, Boi Myrna worked at Santa Cruz Mission School Inc. for 30 years under Father Rex Mansmann as a researcher of T’boli culture. She spent most of her time self-studying during those years, as she was not able to finish her degree course. As she became known among the local people for her research and competence in explaining the T’boli culture, language, and costume to non-T’bolis, she was enlisted to help and assist various Filipino or foreign scholars who came to study the T’boli culture, often as a translator of T’boli language.

Boi Myrna made many good and faithful friends, which paid-off when she was able to go outside the Philippines. She has been to Belgium, England, Australia, Taipei, the USA, and Hong Kong University. Recently, she was chosen by Boris LeLong to bring Lemhadung, her music and dance troupe, to France in Partnership with the NCCA.

Boi Myrna retired in 2008 and managed her souvenir shop at Crocodile Park, Davao City until 2015. She devoted her life as a cultural worker besides being a mother. With her overflowing love for her ancestors and their culture, she was responsible for the exposure of T’boli to the world.

Boi Myrna is also a traditional storyteller, gifted with a good memory. She tells the different epic stories and folk tales of the T’boli tribe and has traveled all over the world to advocate for the T'boli tribe.

She is the Founder of “Lemhadong Performance Group”and a T’boli Consultant and Cultural Master. She is a recipient of Tubas Talimbong Award of Excellence in Culture and the Arts in 2011. She was also the composer of  beloved T'boli songs “Lemlunay” and “O D’wata Holi Kemudung”.

Virgie Nicodemus

Virgie, currently works as a Project Development Officer for one of the Government agencies in the Philippines, the National Book Development Board, wherein she is involved primarily in handling Book Fairs, locally and Internationally. Since 2013 and up to present, she is a founding member of The Manila Collectible Co. a museum, gift shop and heritage tour/workshop provider that focuses on Philippine prehistory and indigenous culture together with our non-profit organization Culturaid. It focuses on that documenting, safeguarding, revitalizing and promoting the practice and relevance of Philippine Cultural heritage.