To champion the preservation and promotion of Philippine textiles, HABI: The Philippine Textile Council is holding its prestigious weaving competitions: the 7th Lourdes Montinola Piña Weaving Competition and the 3rd Eloisa Hizon-Gomez Abaca Weaving Competition.
The competitions, which are part of HABI’s mission to preserve, promote, celebrate, and develop Philippine textiles and the country’s weaving culture, are among the highlights of the council’s annual Likhang Habi Fair which will be held from October 18 to 20, 2024 at the Glorietta Activity Center, Makati City.
Last year, Marilyn Almero of La Herminia Piña Weaving won two prizes at the 6th Lourdes Montinola Piña Competition for the excellence and innovation of her piece called “Peacock.” Aklan weavers Raquel Eliserio and Anna India Legazpi were first and second runner-up, respectively. Winners of last year’s Eloisa Hizon-Gomez Abaca Weaving Competition were Anna India Legazpi, Agustin Tawi Sudaw of Bulacan, and Edgar Cornito, a T’Boli from Lake Sebu, South Cotabato.
Lourdes Montinola Piña Weaving Competition
Honoring textile advocate Lourdes Montinola, HABI is holding the 7th edition of the Philippines’ most prestigious piña weaving competition named after her. Montinola, a Far Eastern University leader and author, has championed indigenous textiles through her writing, including her groundbreaking book “Piña” which explores the history, origins, and artistry of this unique fabric.
The competition welcomes both solo and collaborative entries, encouraging artisans to showcase their exceptional piña creations.
Entries will be evaluated based on the quality of making—the excellence of the range of processes used including the knotting of the fiber, control over weaving tension, the balance between the tensile strengths of piña and other fibers woven with the pineapple fiber, dyeing or other forms of coloring, the physical relationship of the embellishments to the woven cloth and more—and quality of innovation and use of imagination.
Weavers should show creativity and skillful handling of piña fiber in their entries. While using other natural fibers alongside piña is permitted, piña must be the main material, making up over half of the woven piece.
Participants are encouraged to explore new possibilities for couture and experiment with new procedures in the making of pineapple fiber cloth.
Submissions need to be at least two meters long. There is no regulation on the width.
Three winners will be chosen and ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd. But that’s not all. “There will be special awards for young weavers under 30 years old and for outstanding innovation,” said Adelaida Lim, President Emeritus of HABI.
A platform for abaca weavers to showcase their talents
Lim shared that the Eloisa Hizon Gomez Abaca Weaving Competition was “initiated by the former fashion designer Gang Gomez, now Don Martin, OSB, and his siblings, to honor the memory of their mother who championed the wearing of native attires and use of local textiles.”
This year’s iteration welcomes both individual and collaborative entries, encouraging creativity in abaca weaving. Entrants must use pure abaca fiber and create pieces at least three meters long, with the width unrestricted.
Entries will be judged based on excellence in execution, skill and technique, including knotting and control of weaving tension, design and weaving qualities specific to the culture of the weaving community, aesthetics, dyeing or other forms of coloring, and quality of innovation, if any.
Three exceptional pieces will be chosen and awarded equal prizes.
How To Join
Entries must be packed with care and submitted to HABI: The Philippine Textile Council, Inc. Office at No. 962 May Street, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, Philippines. Include a signed application form with the following details: title of work, name of weaver, age of weaver, Indigenous group, mentor, address, weaving experience, how long it took to make the piece, description of the process, and date. The deadline for submissions is on September 16, 2024.
Interested parties may find out more about the competition mechanics by checking the council’s website habiphilippinetextilecouncil.com, and its social media pages on Facebook and Instagram (@HABIcouncil).
The winners of both competitions will get to exhibit and sell their work at the forthcoming Likhang Habi Market Fair slated for October 18-20, 2024 at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City.
The winning works will remain the property of their makers after HABI: The Philippine Textile Council, Inc. fully documents them. HABI will also assist them in selling their creations.
For more information, call HABI: The Philippine Textile Council at +63921849-6974 or e-mail support@habiphilippinetextilecouncil.com.
