Burdang Taal
Burdang Taal, is the old native hand embroidery tradition of the town of
Taal,Batangas. It involves a long painstaking process from the initial gathering and drying of
raw materials like pineapple and abaca fibers, to weaving these fibers using a loom. The
delicate fabrics created are stretched on a bastidor (canvass stretcher or embroidery hoop)
before embroidering flowery or geometric designs. Most experts do not even use a didal
(thimble) while working dexterously with amazing speed on a project. Through the centuries,
the women of Taal have made Burdang Taal a viable cottage industry.
Although colonizers claim that the Filipino natives did not have any knowledge of
textile weaving, stone-bark artifacts and some clay spindle whorls were found in many
archaeological sites in the country. During the olden times, in the highlands of Mindanao and
Luzon and the Christian lowlands, there was a variety of weaving traditions. Clothing was used
to identify men and the village of his origin. It could also denote wealth, power, status and
the rites of passage. Some materials that Philippine fabrics were made of were bark, cotton,
abaca, coconut fibers, silk, jusi and piña. This showed how ancient Filipinos made use of the
resources in their environment.
It is believed that the Pineapple plant was brought by the Spanish colonizers, although
the Portuguese also introduced the plant to other tropical countries, sourced from South
America. Piña was one of the more elegant fabrics derived from the pineapple plant, even
exported to Europe and the United States. It signified class, rarity and great beauty. It was
perfect to wear in humid weather conditions. It also looked refined, especially with
embroidery work.
Chinese settlers in the Philippines also influenced the development of the textile
industry bringing their skills in weaving and embroidery. Balayan Bay, adjacent to the Taal
town, was once a main trading port. Many goods like fabrics have passed this trading post,
greatly influencing designs in apparel.
Although the designs were Hispanic, local indigenous materials were used. Altar
cloths, chalice covers and priestly garments, were done in palm fibers, locally hand woven
cotton, and piña. The secular embroidered piña pieces that survived the golden age of the
industry (late 18th century and the first half of the 19th century) demonstrate a whole range
of workmanship that would nowadays be impossible to execute.
To date, the Barong Tagalog, the formal Filipino gentlemen’s shirt, has become the
signature attire which best showcases Philippine embroidery. Other popular creations using
embroidery are dresses and ternos, a long formal gown with pronounced butterfly sleeves
worn by women. Among the styles of Filipino attire that has found a place in international
markets are: Macapagal, Marcos, Amang, Pitchera, Sabong, Stripes, and Pierre Cardin. Most
of these cuts utilize piña or jusi.
Taal is most known for the piña fabric, which is especially difficult to embroider on. The
more popular designs are the callado and sinuksok. Callado is a kind of filigree work wherein
the cloth thread is pulled from the cloth in an intricate pattern that goes with simple or ornate
hand embroidery designs. The finished product has a design akin to latticework. Piña suksok,
or “sinuksok” meaning “to insert,” describes the technique of inserting colored thread by
hand and needle to create flower and leaf designs. Also available is the todo design wherein
the whole fabric is covered with embroidery, leaving almost no fabric surface. This almost
looks like lacework. The most informal Burdang Taal are those with geometric designs, using
straight lines mixed with geometric shapes. Burdang Taal also applies to a wide range of
clothing lines for males, females and children, as well as fashion accessories and home decor.
Today, piña embroidery is dwindling, making it more of a rarity. Polyester and synthetic
fabrics are now also used as a base because they are much easier to embroider on and are
the least expensive. It is also now common to mix different fabrics together for personal
preference and to conserve costs and minimize labor. The different types of piña used today
are:
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Pure Piña – These are woven of piña fibers. The warp (the lengthwise fibers that start
the actual process) and weft (the fibers that interlace the warp) are both made of
piña fibers.
Piña Silk – a combination weave of piña and silk yarn
Piña Jusi – The original jusi fabric was made of banana leaf fibers, but the mechanically
woven silks from China became the fabrics of choice in 1960. Piña jusi is a blend of
pineapple and raw silk fibers. Dyed jusi thread are sometimes present in the fabric.
Unfortunately, piña weaving and Burdang Taal is becoming a “dying” industry because
acquiring the thread is not easy, synthetic fibers are cheaper and machine-produced fabric
with modern styles have dominated the market. Also, the younger generation is not interested
in learning weaving and embroidery, when there are more exciting economic opportunities
in the big cities or abroad to secure their futures. However, efforts such as private workshops
and business ventures are being established in Taal and other provinces to sustain the industry
and help it flourish.
When in Taal, we encourage people to buy the beautiful embroidered pieces to help
keep the industry alive and healthy. The annual El Pasubat Festival in April is a great way to
learn more about this beloved native tradition.
(References: Piña by Lourdes Montinola; Batangas Forged in Fire by Ayala Foundation Inc.; TAAL by Paulina Gahol Orlina;
Kwentong Bayan-A Story of a Town and its People by Ria Benedicto Villavicencio) - https://www.taal.ph/places-ofinterest/local-products/burdang-taal/