Tboli

The T'boli people inhabit the highlands around Lake Sebu in southern Mindanao. Among their distinctive crafts is #italic t'nalak#!, a cloth woven from abaca fibers whose threads are tied and dyed before weaving to produce intricate patterns. T'boli tradition holds that the designs come to weavers in dreams from Fu Dalu, the spirit of the abaca. Mountains, streams, flowers and animals appear among the images preserved in their weaving.