Who Are the T'boli?
The T'boli are an indigenous people of South Cotabato province in Mindanao, Philippines, numbering approximately 150,000. They inhabit the highlands around Lake Sebu and the Allah Valley. They speak T'boli (Tiboli), an Austronesian language. The T'boli are renowned for their rich artistic traditions—particularly the t'nalak, a sacred woven textile whose patterns come to weavers in dreams. Their elaborate beadwork, brass casting, and music distinguish them among Philippine indigenous peoples. The T'boli maintained relative isolation until the 20th century.
T'nalak Dream Weaving
T'nalak is a sacred handwoven fabric made from abaca fibers, dyed using traditional techniques and woven on backstrap looms. The distinctive patterns are said to come to weavers (always women) in dreams sent by Fu Dalu, the spirit of abaca. A weaver cannot create a pattern she has not dreamed. The fabric takes weeks to produce; master weavers like the late Lang Dulay (a National Living Treasure) spent lifetimes perfecting the art. T'nalak is used in ceremonies, given as gifts, and now sold to collectors. The spiritual dimension distinguishes t'nalak from mere craft—it connects human creativity to the spirit world.
Musical Traditions
T'boli musical traditions include distinctive instruments and vocal styles. The hegelung is a two-stringed lute used to accompany songs and stories. The kumbing (jaw harp) creates melodic sounds from a simple bamboo instrument. The sluday is a bamboo zither. T'boli music accompanies rituals, courtship, storytelling, and daily life. Like t'nalak weaving, musical knowledge passes through families and is connected to spiritual practice. Contemporary T'boli musicians have gained recognition performing traditional music, sometimes fused with modern elements. This musical heritage represents intangible cultural wealth now threatened by changing lifestyles.
Contemporary T'boli
Modern T'boli face pressure from lowland Filipino settlement, mining, and plantation agriculture in their traditional territories. Lake Sebu has become a tourist destination, bringing income but also cultural commodification concerns. Some T'boli have converted to Christianity; others maintain traditional beliefs. Agricultural livelihoods include rice, corn, and abaca cultivation. The School of Living Traditions in Lake Sebu trains young T'boli in weaving and music. Ancestral domain claims remain contested. How the T'boli preserve dream weaving, music, and cultural identity while navigating development in Mindanao shapes this artistic people's future.
References
- Casino, E. S. (1976). The Jama Mapun: A Changing Samal Society in the Southern Philippines
- Peralta, J. T. (2000). "Glimpses: Peoples of the Philippines"
- Lang Dulay & National Commission for Culture and Arts. (T'nalak Documentation)