ABOUT
MAGDALENA GAMAYO
known as "Lola Magdalena"
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Born: August 13, 1924 (96 years old)
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Hometown: Pinili, Ilocos Norte
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Traditional Patterns:
-'pinilian' a unique pattern that resembles a string of flowers
-Binakol & Inuritan (Geometric Design)
-Kusikos (Spiral Forms)
-Sinan-sabong (Flowers)
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Award: Gawad sa Manlilikhang Bayan 2012
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bio
Magdalena Gamayo became a master in her craft and considered as the most distinguished weaver in today’s time as she was awarded the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or the National Living Treasure in 2012. The unique weave that Magdalena Gamayo produces usually shows a pattern that resembles a string of flowers called inubon a sabong. The National Commission on Culture and the Arts noticed the dedication of Magdalena Gamayo when it comes to craftsmanship and her exemplary performance that inspires a lot of people in our country. In fact, Lola Magdalena trains young weavers and according to her, the younger generation must be involved in this activity since she is getting old and the youth must take over.
In conclusion, all of the characteristics and practices that we have mentioned has become the basis of NCCA in granting the award to Magdalena Gamayo.
There is more to weaving than knowing how to choose a quality thread and how to intuit thread placements on the loom. One must also know the proper tension to the threads so that the warp, or the lengthwise threads that make up the frame of the cloth, can sustain the punishing over-and-under insertion of the crosswise threads, known as the weft. To tie the warp threads too tightly to the anchoring pins would cause them to break easily and result in unsightly bumps in the fabric where the threads were knotted together; to tie the warp threads too loosely would result in the pattern coming apart. There is also a matter of keeping a steady rhythm so that the shuttle bearing the weft threads passes through the warp evenly to ensure a smooth finish. This complicated process is no big deal for computerized machines but imagine recreating the same process every day manually, relying only on instinct, practice, and innate skill.
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Abel is Ilocano for “weave,” and inabel literally means “woven.” You can interpret inabel as pertaining to any kind of woven fabric, but it is mostly used to refer to that distinctly Ilocano textile of plain or patterned woven cotton made in hardwood looms using techniques passed down through generations. It may at first be considered in the same category as other indigenous Filipino cloths, but unlike sinamay, abaca, and piña, abel is unique in the way that it is used liberally in everyday household items, and not merely as special Filipiniana attire for cultural dances or official meetings with the President. It is possible that you may have already encountered and used abel—in the form of a blanket, a placemat, or a tea towel—and hadn’t noticed it at all.
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She was seen in born to be wild in 2018 and was shown there that she continues to weave
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Today, Magdalena has two students: her cousin’s daughter-in-law, who moved to Magdalena’s community after marrying into Magdalena’s family; and her sister-in-law, who learned how to weave relatively late, at the age of 38. She has had other students before. She starts them on the triple-toned warp binakol, and only when she is satisfied with the quality of their work does she teach them other designs