When you think of timeless traditions, imagine a cloth that tells a story–woven not just with threads but with the soul of a community. The ‘patadyong’ is a vibrant handwoven textile from the Philippines that embodies a symbol of culture, resilience, and artistry as it remains a staple in Filipino lives for centuries.
The patadyong is not just a piece of fabric, it is what ties generations together, which are passed down from grandmothers to mothers and daughters as it carries memories of everyday life. It is a reminder of how traditions keep communities and families connected to their roots and practices.
Woven Identities
Traditionally, patadyong was used in various ways, making it an essential part of everyday activities. It can be used as a skirt or wrap-around, towel, apron, or even as a bathing suit partnered with kimona for women working in rivers or bathing outdoors. It can also serve as a baby sling, a makeshift curtain, and even as a bundle for carrying goods such as harvested rice or fresh produce by knotting it at one’s shoulder.
However, its significance extends beyond practicality, as each patadyong holds colors that often represent natural landscapes or cultural traditions of specific groups. The fabric consists of colors with intricate patterns that are typically weaved in colors of reds, blues, greens, and yellows. The craft of weaving was used as a medium for storytelling and preserving heritage.
According to the Philippine Costume and Dress, the history of the patadyong is deeply intertwined with the history of Iloilo and the Visayas, as it reflects a vibrant tradition that has weathered both prosperity and adversity.
Tracing Patadyong’s history
Back in the1500s, when the Visayan women and men wore patadyong as a tampi or a wrap around the waist, it was not just a practical garment but an undeniable symbol of their cultural heritage.
By the 1700s, weaving had become a vital livelihood in Visayas, particularly in Iloilo. The patadyong and other textiles were widely traded and exported across the Philippines, a practice that only intensified with the arrival of colonizers who saw its value.
In the 1800s, foreign visitors Jean Mallat, John Bowring, and Nicholas Loney attested that the extensiveness of Patadyong production, resulted in a great impact on the economy of the province, earning Iloilo the title of the “Textile Capital of the Philippines.”
This boom in sales and increase in the region’s economy resulted in the opening of the Port of Iloilo. However, it also brought about the importation of machine-made clothing materials from Great Britain, bringing downfall on the weaving industry in the Philippines.
Moreover, the open trade across the world during World War II gave way for relief clothing goods from the United States (US), carving the Western style into Iloilo’s weaving industry and marking a turning point in its traditional weaving practices.
While its prominence in daily life has waned due to modernization, its role in cultural preservation and unique practicality have allowed it to maintain a golden practice, bridging the gap between the past and the present.
Fibers of Legacy
During the Fiesta Haraya: Patadyong Trends Conference, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) consultant and resource person PJ Arañador, the Antique handwoven fabric is distinct from those of other places.
“The artisans (loom weavers) should also be able to translate their effort to earn a living and to make their lives better,” Arañador stated, to which he added that the fabric should be sustained through the locals’ support.
Arañador also said that patadyong used to have a subdued color that has evolved into having a tropical festive color worn during special occasions.
The patadyong holds more than a thread that weaves fabric but rather binds together the vibrant stories of Visayas’ past and its people’s ingenuity. It is both a witness and a survivor of time, adapting to modernization brought by machines, yet never forgetting its roots of tradition.
In a world that is constant and aligned with what is new, the patadyong reminds us that cultural preservation and heritage are not just something we wear, but something we carry forward along with the threats Filipinos choose to hold on to.
