STARTING EARLY A young boy weaves a “malong” at their community in Sitio Amgu-o, Barangay Landan, Polomolok, South Cotabato. —BONG S. SARMIENTO
GENERAL SANTOS CITY—For the Blaan people, “mabal,” or weaving, is more than a craft or a form of cultural expression. It is a way of life rooted in memory, survival, and the continuity of tradition across generations.
Arthur Dulo Gulili, a Blaan weaver and grandson of the late Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (Gamaba) awardee Yabing Masalon Dulo, describes weaving as “something that has existed since time immemorial.”
“From childhood, that was our first clothing—whether for boys or girls. During our grandmother’s time, commercially made fabrics were not yet available,” he said in Filipino.
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