Sinamay House

16 Osmena Street | Arevalo, Iloilo City, Iloilo Province 5000, Philippines

History weaving

This I s the place where the past is always present. Talking to the weavers here will give you a glimpse of
the golden years of Iloilo City.

The Arevalo Sinamay House is owned by Mrs. Cecilia Gison Villanueva. It was established in
the late nineteenth century by her great grandfather, Captain Victorino Chavez, this “home
industry” still operates today. The business and building were handed down by Captain
Victorino to his son, Cornelio, and in turn was taken over by Cornelio’s daughter, Mrs.
Rosario Chavez Gison. And in 1958, Cecilia Villanueva, the second child of Rosario, inherited
the business and the house. During its early years, the weaving activity were done in the
family’s house in Arevalo, Iloilo City. Now, known as the Sinamay House. However, in the
1990’s Cecilia decided that the weavers work in their respective houses. This too was an
advantage for the workers because they could both tend their household as well as earn for
a living. With the arrangement, Cecilia provides the fibers/thread and decides what items to
weave. After which, the finished products will be sold back to her. Now, Mrs. Villanueva
maintains ten weavers, some of them are the grandd\aughters of her mothers’ weavers.

After which Villanueva buys these finished products

from her contracted weavers that she sells to her
outlets in Iloilo and Manila. These finished products include: all clothing materials for special
occasions. Be it wedding, barong, gowns, semi-formal dresses, dining accessories and a lot
more that are made of sinamay. The woven textile were beautifully done that it has catch
attention of foreigners like Forbes Lindsay, an American visitor in the 1990’s. Another was
the late Princess Diana of Wales who sent the household a ‘thank you’ for the shawl brought
to her as a gift by a British woman.
Other than the age old legacy of the “home industry” is the two-storey century old house.
In a floor area of 1,000 square meters, the old house still stands firm. Though some of its
parts have been renovated, most of its wooden parts are still the original.

The wooden furniture of tables, chairs, rocking chair,

post and beams are made of hardwood and has
survived a century. It also has a life size ‘Jesus Christ in his Passion’ on its altar as old as
the house. Aside from sheltering the sinamay business, the house was occupied by the
Americans during the Filipino-American war. In the 1950s, the house was visited by Luz
Banzon Magsaysay, wife of the President Ramon Magsaysay who bought woven materials
and President Cory Aquino in the 90’s. A year ago, the internationally acclaimed singing
group ‘Bukas Palad’ visited the old house and sang for the family. ‘Bukas Palad’s’ also came
with the Christian group, Ang Lingkod Ng Panginoon.

The house also has the old weaving machine which until this day functions. It is located on
the ground floor of the house together with the vintage car that was used by the family until
the early of 1990’s. The oldest between the house and the business is difficult to ascertain
but both are living legacies not only of the Villanueva family but also of us Ilonggos. It’s also
where you can find Mama’s Kitchen cookies which are made on a typically Ilonggo grown
products. Visit the house at 16 Osmeña Street Arevalo, Iloilo City. Feel and see the old time
architecture and Iloilo’s textile industry.

http://www.thenewstoday.info/2005/10/07/arevalo.sinamay.house.html

made of pina and hand weaving

price:3000 and depends of design

JOSEPH ANTHONY DURAN BSCS-2A