Ms. Universe bets-popularized inaul take center stage again in Maguindanao

COTABATO CITY –
The now famous, elegant and stunning inaul gown candidates for this year’s Miss
Universe candidates’ fashion show in Davao City will, once again, take center
stage at the first ever Inaul Festival in Buluan, Maguindanao simultaneous with
the Sagayan Festival this week.

Inaul is a hand-woven
fabric/textile that is traded and is worn by modern women, and men, in Maguindanao,
was worn and elegantly displayed by Philippines’ Miss Universe Maxine Medina
and other candidates, to include Ms. International 2016 Kylie Mendoza. It will
be in the spotlight anew during the Sagayan Festival. No automatic alt text available sand//scontent.fmnl4-6.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16508977_10155730462874838_2213126172730839372_n.jpg?oh=d30dd71da034da2ce33f46d77fcfb4d3andampoe=5901D818 Bai Ayesha
Mangudadatu-Dilangalen, tourism secretary in the Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao, said the Inaul exhibit would give deeper understanding and educate
the people on its historical relevance. It is deeply connected to Moro
residents of Mindanao, she said.

sand//scontent.fmnl4-6.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t34.0-12/16651992_1200708816645652_243607802_n.jpg?oh=f22a702294324ad5f99827b640e1992dandampoe=589C03F9 (Image by Tourism 12 regional director Nelly Dillera) Aside from
the beautiful gowns, the public will also witness the decades-old ‘inauls’ and
by-products of the woven fabrics’ accessories and furniture, Dilangalen said.

In a press
briefing today, the ARMM tourism secretary said what they can easily push for
tourism in the region is the rich culture and history of the region, like inaul
while tourism infrastructure, peace and security are still improving.

Unahin muna
natin yung accessible this time, we need to improve roads to tourism, we have endorsed
to the regional government the list of tourism assets for program development,
Dilangalen added.

The ARMM is
eyeing an increased tourist visits in Tawi-Tawi’s white sand beach resources
while working towards safe stay of visitors with local officials.

This year’s
Inaul Festival is a rebranding effort from Maguindanao’s Sagayan Festival (Moro
warrior dance) after the province realized this was a festival first registered
in Lanao del Norte province at the tourism department.

To avoid
conflict and duplication, we need to innovate, said Maguindanao provincial
administrator Abdulwahab Tunga.

Given the
international recognition of Inaul which is also set to be exhibited next month
in Berlin, Germany, Dilangalen admitted the demand for the fabric is
overflowing. However, she fears the
local manufacturers of inaul could meet the rising demands.

Our way to
help cope up the demand is to train more women weavers through livelihood, she
said.

She said the
idea is to conduct summer weave camp in Buluan Maguindanao’s Women Training
Center together with Technical Skills Development Administration (TESDA) to
train 15 women inaul weavers from each town of the province.

Inaul is commonly
used in Maguinanao as amlong (tube-type cloth) most Moro men and women wear.

Dilangalen
said the long practice of weaving is considered a highest form of artistic
expressions in Maguindanao.

This unique
art is passed on down one generation to another, from grandmother to
granddaughter but still managed to retain its original form, she added.

Every color
and designs has different identities, inspiration and meaning.

Inaul
weaving was inspired from Malay traditional apparels called Sarong, usually
weaved four to five yards in width and length, using cotton or silk-rayon
fabrics.

Today, the
original inaul’s price ranges from P1,500 to P4,000 each and displayed in Cotabato
City’s barter trade market. (Ferdinandh Cabrera)