Lake Sebu and the T’boli Dream Weavers

Lake Sebu was the last stop of our visit to South Cotabato for the Sustainable Community-Based Tourism Recognition (SCBTR). It is a tourism initiative by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DoT). Together with TPB and sustainable tourism assessors, we set out to Lake Sebu to get to know the T’boli People.

Lake Sebu and T’boli People

The T’boli are an Indigenous People (IP) native to South Cotabato. Majority of them reside around the mystical Lake Sebu in Southern Mindanao, Philippines. They are known for their exquisite T’nalak weaves, which are distinguished by intricate tribal designs and patterns that are believed to be inspired by their dreams, earning them the title of “Dream Weavers.” This sacred weaving tradition embodies not only the rich cultural heritage of Mindanao but also the diverse artistic legacy of the Philippines as a whole.

Fun fact: Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray wore various T’nalak outfits during the competition.

See photos here: PH culture, textiles take spotlight in Catriona Gray’s Miss Universe outfits

Lake Sebu School of Living Traditions (SLT)

The Lake Sebu School of Living Traditions (SLT) is a humble cultural center that promotes eco-tourism and T’boli traditions. Established by Maria “Oyog” Todi, the informal learning center, which is also a humble homestay, helps to preserve the T’boli culture and tradition. Here guests get to immerse and learn about T’boli’s rich cultural heritage. Guests can learn to play various T’boli musical instruments. Also, they can learn more about T’nalak, the T’boli sacred cloth. As a first time visitor in Lake Sebu, going to SLT is the very first thing any tourist should do. It’s a great introduction to Lake Sebu and of course, the T’boli.

If you ever find yourself in Lake Sebu, find Maria “Oyog” Todi. I did not expect that I would meet such an empowering and inspirational woman in a tribe where there is a strong male dominance. Besides being a mother of four, she devoted her life to preserving T’boli culture and making sure it will be carried on by the next generation. She is an advocate of T’boli women and children’s rights, and at a time where speaking out as a feminist in a public position could be dangerous, she she stood up and became an inspiration to her fellow T’boli. Maria “Oyog” Todi truly embodies what it means to be a strong and empowered woman. 

Lang Dulay Weaving Center

The second stop of our visit to Lake Sebu was the Lang Dulay Weaving Center, a weaving center established by Lang Dulay, a recipient of National Living Treasures Award, alternatively known as the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan, given by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). Known as “The Dream Weaver,” Lang Dulay showed outstanding craftsmanship and excellence that are unparalleled even after her death in 2015. Through her passion and dedication in passing down this rich cultural heritage to the youth, hundreds of her T’nalak designs were preserved and intellectual-property patented. 

Charlie Dulay, the grandson of Lang Dulat, told us that T’nalk weaving is a very tedious process. It requires much dedication, patience, creativity and a good memory. Their designs and patterns are inspired by their dreams, which is said to be passed on by their ancestors, and are transferred onto abaca fabric using the Ikat weaving method; which refers to the dyeing technique used before weaving takes place on the fabric. According to him, it takes approximately three to six months to finish a roll of T’nalak, depending on the complexity of the design.

Punta Isla Lake Resort

The last stop of our Lake Sebu tour was Punta Isla Lake Resort. This is where we had an awesome view of the lake and a sumptuous lunch aboard a floating restaurant. Here, we got to try out unique Tilapia dishes like Chicharon Tilapia, Sinanglay na Tilapia and Sisig na Tilapia. I enjoyed the 45-minute cruise especially because the T’boli host gave us interesting facts about the lake and different perspective since we are right in the middle of it. 

How about you? Have you met the T’boli People or want to see them? If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please leave a comment in the comments section below.