Hablon's New Age

8/09/2015 Randomly Candid 0 Comments

A young hablon weaver patiently puts every thread together to form an intricate design.

MORE than its world-renowned church, undying pottery industry and beautiful natural sceneries, the town of Miag-ao in the Southern part of Iloilo province also boasts its hand loom weaving tradition of hablon fabric.

The people of Miag-ao were able to preserve the traditional way of weaving hablon

Coined from the word "habol" which means "to weave", the tradition of hablon weaving has come to its new age as it still lives among the people of Miag-ao even at present, surviving the challenges of time as it is passed from generation to generation.

I also tried weaving hablon and I can attest that it is indeed one very intricate art/

In order to boost its hablon industry, Miag-ao will be holding the "2nd Hablon Festival" which will showcase the modernity of the traditional cloth. It will also mark as the rebirth of the town's unforgotten industry as it is seen to put the name of Miag-ao as the home of hablon where it started in the late 18th century.

Hablon fabric

Coin purses made of hablon

The "2nd Hablon Festival" which is slated on September 3-6, is Miag-ao's way of honoring grandeur and fame of the classic fabric. The said festival will feature various activities such as exhibits, fashion shows, trade fairs, and parade, among others.

The candidates of Little Miss Hablon with the local officials of Miag-ao led by Mayor Macario Napulan (denter)

It will be also highlighted by Little Miss Hablon wherein 16 charming little ladies representing their respective LGUs compete in a beauty pageant that will put hablon on the centerstage.

As hablon's revival also signals its renaissance. Little by little, the heritage of this traditional fabric comes back to life as local designers like Miag-ao native, Nono Palmos who continuously promote the fabric in his creations, making it known to the whole country and even abroad as Iloilo's heritage fabric.

Classy filipiniana gown made of hablon

A modern barong made of hablon