Curious How Things Come Your Way - Four Antique Embroidered Muslim Jackets
Antique Mindanao Muslim JacketCurious how things come your way - like a set of antique Muslim jackets from Mindanao in the Philippines.
A few years back, we weathered a typhoon in the island of Boracay, the Philippines, in a concrete almost bunker-styled Korean restaurant. And to pass the time we'd fallen into conversation with one of the local traditional landowners who'd developed a museum there devoted to antique Filipino artefacts.
Unfortunately in the course of the malstrom the museum was badly damaged. And so over the next days, we helped our new friend clean up. And were seriously taken aback when she insisted, for our troubles, we take the set of four Muslim jackets and various other antique textiles from Northern Luzon.
Antique Mindanao Muslim Jacket 2 - Front 
Antique Mindanao Muslim Jacket 2 - Obverse
Antique Mindanao Muslim Jacket 2 - Detail
Antique Mindanao Muslim Jacket 2 - Detail
Antique Mindanao Muslim Jacket 3 - Front 
Antique Mindanao Muslim Jacket 3 - Obverse
Antique Mindanao Muslim Jacket 4 - Front
Antique Mindanao Muslim Jacket 4 - ObverseThe connections with other Muslim cultures in South East Asia is obvious, such as in the following examples from the Hmong Meo hilltribe of Chiang Mai in Thailand ...
Several weeks after returning to Australia, and equally extraordinarily, a book arrived on our doorstep - 'Sinaunang Habi - Philippine Ancestral Weave', sent by our friend to contextualise her amazing gift.
Most interestingly then, the book showed how antique clothing was worn - we could see our jackets modelled for both men and women ...
Lembaning Lake Sebu South Cotabato T'boli
Mandaya Highlands Davao Oriental Mandaya
Savoy Matanao Davao del Sur B'laan
Dungan Pekong Matanao Davao del Sur B'laan 
Various RegionsThe book was so seductively beautiful I posted on it pretty much immediately - 'Tribal Beauty - Philippine Cultural Identity in Traditional Woven Clothing'.
So guys, what sorts of things have unexpectedly shored up your way?
Obviously, this has potential for a caring and sharing moment/s!
Not sure about the fashion statement (lol) but gotta love that those clothes are not dull and boring like so many of today's stuff.
ReplyDeletehey greg
ReplyDeletei can't quite see myself squeezing into on of those jackets either ... tho with the gay and lesbian mardi gras cmoing up in february ... who would know.
and the peacock in all guys makes me reconsider a bit.
happy new year, nick
Actually, these costumes should not be associated with Muslims as Muslims are people who believe in the religion of Islam while these costumes are belonged to a tribe called Mindanao.
ReplyDeletehi edmondie
ReplyDeletegood to hear from you
mindanao is one of the major islands of the philippines, as you probably know, and rather than the inhabitants seeing themselves as a single 'mindinao tribe' as you suggest they view themselves as belonging to different regional groups - with the sometimes only slight differences in patterning in weave in clothing signalling these regional differences.
this is the premise of the standard philippine government sponsored work ('sinaunang habi - philippine ancestral weave') by marian pastor-roces, director of the museo ng kalinangang at the cultural centre of the philippines
she makes comparison with examples in muslim indonesian and malay ethnographic collections, particularly with those of the british museum, chicago's field museum of natural history and the various indonesian collections of the nusa tenggara timur and sumaterautara areas. the ethnic groupings she explores is not bound by national borders but has as one of its definig characteristics the muslim religion
hope to hear from you again
best, nick
Hi Nick
ReplyDeleteWell I am learning how to use blogger, but for now, what has come MY way is this incredibly interesting blog, which helps me pass hours away here in the Loire Valley of France. I list is under "Balls AND brains"....thank, and happy new year to you and yours!
Not that it's an area of any expertise, but my immediate reaction was Mongolian.
ReplyDeletehey loire valley dweller!
ReplyDeletewelcome to blogger - it's a very satisfying way to spend any unwanted hours - either posting or browsing
and 'balls and brains' would be a great name for a blog - if browsing turns to posting ... ?
hope you have a FAB new year too and it'd be good to hear from you again
take care till then, nick
Wow, they're no too different compared to where I come from ... on the Borneo side of Malaysia.
ReplyDeletehey alex
ReplyDeleteyeah, as i understand it, the style and weave and designs are alike through malaysia and indonesia - but i didn't know also in borneo side - thanks for the update - hope to hear again, nick
Hey Nick!
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you feature our country's culture here in your blog.
The antique jackets must have cost a fortune and your lucky to have been given those as gifts.
hey jake
ReplyDeletei was incredibly lucky and very touched to have biven given the jackets and then sent to book on philippino weaving - i sent a book back on modern aboriginal painting - a small thanks
i've been to the philippines 7 or 8 times - and love it so much - been lucky to travel round the country - to samar, mindoro, palawan, cebu, borocay, panay ... and managed to buy some great things - including one of my favorite objects - a bulao
take care, hope to hear again
nick