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The art and beauty of banig weaving lie in the intricacy of folding over the strips of the material that will yield a
wonderful design of interlace folds and entails a sequential order of steps to create geometric patterns and rhythm.
In weaving, the warp is the set of lengthwise strips that are held in tension on a frame.The strip that
is inserted over-and-under the warp strips is called the weft, or filler. Warp is the lengthwise or
longitudinal strips, while weft is the crosswise strip.
Technically, it is not a textile. Depending on the region of the Philippines, the mat is made of buri,
(palm), pandanus or sea grass leaves. The leaves are dried, usually dyed, and then cut into strips
and woven into mats, which may be plain or intricate. The designs and motifs of banig, as well as
the raw materials used in weaving, differ from one ethnolinguistic group to another.
Tikog Palnt
Pandan Mats
Badjao and Samals Mats
The Badjao and Samal mat, design-wise, is undisputedly the most interesting tradition in the whole
country. They are the most concentrated in the Tawi-Tawi province in the Sulu archipelago. Among
the boat-dwelling Badjao of Sulu and the agricultural Samal of Tawi-Tawi,
The most commonly used material is the pandanus plant which grows abundantly in the limestone-
based island of Tawi-Tawi. The pandanus grows wild and untended in the shores and sandy
beaches. The techniques for preparing the pandan and weaving the mats are generally similar
throughout Sulu.
While the mats of these two groups feature practically the same color (green, orange, red, violet blue
and yellow), they differ in design and motif.
The Badjao mat is characterized by vibrant colors and spontaneous geometric patterns and
symbols reflecting the group's way of life such as those of crabs, wave, boats and marine life forms.
On the other hand, the Samal mat's prominent patterns are stripes, multi-colored squares, zigzags
and checkered patterns of white and other colors. It also sports muted colors and is comparatively
soft in texture. The mat of the Tausug, also of Sulu, is similar in design to that of the Samals.
Buri Mats
Romblon Mat
The island of Romblon has a unique tradition of mat making notable for its highly delicate lace-like
edges. These mats from the buri palm are used traditionally as the liner for the wedding dance
performed by the newly married couple. During the dance, the couple’s respective relatives vie with
each other on who can throw more coins to the couple or pin paper money on their clothes. The
dance stops as soon as the money throwing is finished.
The doily-like mats are not ordinarily used. Aside from the wedding dance it is only used when
The only other notable tradition in the Visayan area is the bamban mat of Iloilo. Made from
the bamban reed, this otherwise less pliable mat compensates by having a natural slightly glossy
finish. Always done in its natural color, the bamban mat is still extensively used throughout rural Iloilo.
Principles of Art/Design - the means by which the artist organize and integrate the visual elements
into unified arrangements. The rules by which an artist organizes the Elements of Art to create a
work of art.
Design – any arrangement of lines, forms, textures, and colors. It involves the problem of choosing
these forms and colors and then arranging them. A good design shows an orderly arrangement of the
materials and, in addition, creates beauty in the finished product
Selecting and arranging have two aims – order and beauty.
Rhythm – is the principle of art concerned with the repeating element to make a work seem
active or to suggest vibration. To create rhythm, an artist will repeat not just elements but also
the same exact objects over and over. When this is done, a pattern is formed.
Rhythm created in works of art with the Repetition of similar elements of art.
Types of Rhythm
1. Regular Rhythm – the usual repetition of elements.
Ex. AB-AB-AB-AB
2. Alternating Rhythm - involves repetition of two or more motifs which alternate with one
another to produce a regular sequence in the work of art.
Ex. ABA-CDC-ABA-EFE-ABA-CDC-ABA-EFE
3. Progressive Rhythm – progression occurs when there is gradual increase or decrease in the
size, number, color, or some other quality of the elements repeated.
Ex. AB-AABB-AAABBB-AAAABBBB