MANLILIKHA Artisans’ Support Network steadily but surely keeps the cause of preserving the country’s heritage of traditional crafts-making in its endeavors throughout the years. It continuously seeks ways and means to promote traditional crafts and its makers by mounting cultural exhibitions around crafts collections and by engaging the participation of contemporary artists. It explores avenues to market crafts and thus aid the artisans in distributing their products. MANLILIKHA carries out its objectives with only a handful of dedicated individuals.
Manlilikha in 2011
June 4, 2011 saw the first medical mission MASN organized at the Banaue View Inn in Banaue, Ifugao. Families and members of LAB Weavers' Association were the primary beneficiaries, which totalled 77 patients that day. MASN thanks volunteer-doctors Raquel Cainap, Aeris Nacion, and Nelia Adoremos, and team members Danielle Leonardo, Nathalie Wong and Paula Tanada. Drug donors were Pfizer Philippines, Phil-Chinese Charitable Association, Karen del Castillo-Tumbaga, Maria Virginia Pabustan, Mary Kaye Alquiza and Dr. Renato Peralta . The mission was spiced up by a visit to the Banaue Rice Terraces and Batad Rice Terraces.
Manlilikha in 2010
MASN holds research session with Ifugao weavers
MASN President Mitzie Icasiano conducted the second phase of her Ifugao textile motifs research last Dec 28, 2010--the first phase of which was carried out in US museums through a grant from the Asian Cultural Council last year. Held at the Banaue View Inn, the day-long activity was attended by two generations of Ifugao ikat weavers. The session aimed to communicate to the weavers the research findings of Icasiano from the collections of museums in the US, with a view to restoring the forgotten motifs into the weavers' new textile creations.
MASN President Carmita Eliza J. Icasiano successfully completed her 2 month-research on Ifugao textile motifs in various museums in the US which was made possible through a grant from the Asian Cultural Council.
Textile specimens included those from the Fowler Museum (Los Angeles, CA), Smithsonian Museum (Washington, DC), American Museum of Natural History (NY), and the Peabody Museums of Harvard University (Cambridge, MA) and Yale University (New Haven, CT). The fabrics were acquired from the early 1900s to 1970s by prominent anthropologists, among them Morris K. Jesup, H. O. Beyer, and Harold Conklin, whom Ms. Icasiano was fortunate enough to have met.
photos by Mitzie Icasiano, Jennifer Quiambao
Manlilikha in 2009
UGNAYAN
An exhibition, mounted by MASN in 2009, featuring the Ifugao binudbudan or traditional tie-dyeing weaving technique and the textile collection of the Asian Center of the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. The Ifugao binudbudan exhibition highlights Project Kinuttiyan, the weaving of a ceremonial death blanket by members of LAB Weavers’ Association based in Ifugao. UGNAYAN stresses the criss-crossing currents in Asian crafts-making, reflective of cultural exchanges and influence in the region. UGNAYAN is at the GT-Hall of Wisdom, Asian Center, Guerrero corner Magsaysay Streets, UP Diliman, QC.
LAB (Lugo, Amganad, Banaue) WEAVERS’ ASSOCIATON
A newly-organized association of weavers in the towns of Lugo, Amganad, and Banaue in Ifugao undertakes the weaving of a death blanket, called kinuttiyan, as an initial project. Project Kinuttiyan highlights the value of keeping the binudbudan (tie-dyeing) weaving heritage and the skill of traditional Ifugao weavers. LAB Weavers’ Associaton was formed to consolidate weavers’ efforts and create a venue to find gainful endeavors and seek markets for their textiles to support themselves and their families. LAB is headed by Benita Balangtu and Lily Beyer Luglug. To contact LAB, email info@manlilikha.org.
photos by Mitzie Icasiano, Michael Muñoz and So Yun
MASN commissions the fabrication of 5 traditional dalagang bukid takaan.
Following through with the post-exhibition objectives of the 100 KATAO, 100 TAKA, Manlilikha commissions the fabrication of the takaan to be used by Nora Cadawas and artisans under her supervision.
These batch of takaan are now in use and the moulded taka-pieces are now sold in Paete and neighboring towns.
Read more about the project 100 Katao 100 Taka, and check out our photos!
Behind the Scenes Press Articles 1, 2
Participate in our POST-AUCTION FUNDRAISER. You can still purchase any of the taka pieces in stock. Click on the link below.
* Taka Price List *
The exhibition book documents the 100 Taka pieces of the 100 participants. Shown on the open copy is the work of National Artist for Visual Arts, Abdulmari Asia Imao.