by Lia Cheung
Last October 18-20, HABI: The Philippine Textile Council held its 14th annual Likhang HABI Market Fair at the Glorietta in Makati City, hosting 100 artisans from all over the Philippines.
This year’s theme was “Earth to Loom”, giving focus on the use of natural dyes in Philippine textiles. At the main entrance of the fair was an arch where all the artisan vendors had each hung their chosen textile, product or wares to represent their respective booths. Traditionally made of bamboo, this modern version of a singkaban at the HABI fair was a padded version to enable the various fabrics to be pinned securely.
After the formal opening ceremony, the vendors were all invited to come up and pin their fabrics or products. In no time, the singkaban was filled with all sorts of textile - from inabel from Ilocos, pina from Aklan, abaca from Mindanao, banig mats from Bulacan, yakan scarves from Basilan - to placemats, jewelry, and even a capiz chandelier. The entrance was transformed into a mini showcase of what shoppers can expect to find at the fair.
Curious to find out why these particular fabrics and products were chosen, I decided to go around and interview the vendors.
Some told me that they had chosen the fabric or product that was the most popular or considered their best seller, while others had simply picked their personal favorites. However, what was particularly heartwarming was that many of them had also mentioned that they hoped what they had chosen to hang on the entrance arch would bring them luck for the duration of the fair. It struck me that the vendors were not just hanging their textiles or products on the arch, but also their hopes for a successful turnout.
As I left to go home that very first day of the fair, I couldn’t help but look back over my shoulder as I walked past the HABI entrance arch. To an ordinary shopper, it is simply a decorative arch. To me, however, it was now much more. It represented an interconnected community of weavers and artisans, all placing their hopes that the Filipino public will recognize the expertise and skill that have gone to make each fabric or product. It is a singkaban of hope and dreams.
