Pre-Colonial Philippine Clothing

Pre-Colonial Philippine Clothing

• No record exists of the first appearance of a distinct native costume of the Philippines.
• Clothing was influenced by the hunting and gathering culture and the warm climate of the islands.
• Pre-colonial Philippines was influenced by foreign trade from neighboring Asian countries.

The Bahag (Loincloth)

• Worn by men throughout pre-colonial Philippines.
• Made from a length of beaten bark or plain woven fabric, measuring 4-5 meters long and less than a meter wide.
• Ends hanging down were called the WAYAWAY-AMPIS (front) and PAKAWAR (back).
• Decorated with fancywork called GOWAT and 3-strand cords called LUBITAN.
• To wear, one end was held against the chest while the other passed between the legs, pulled up between the buttocks, and wrapped around the waist.

Pintados

• Found in the islands of Cebu, Bohol, the eastern parts of Negros, Samar, Leyte, and the Visayas Region.
• Wore the bahag to show off their tattoos, which indicated rank and prestige.
• The bahag was wider and longer compared to those worn in the Northern Region, influenced by the Indian garment DHOTI-SALWAR.

Men's Pre-Colonial Clothing

• Wore a blanket or a length of cloth as a garment, such as the ALAMPAY, TAMPI, or PUDONG.
• ALAMPAY was wrapped around the shoulders or over the head like a cape.
• TAMPI was simply wrapped around the hips and tied with a knot.
• PUDONG was a turban-like headdress, with commoners wearing rough abaca cloth and warriors wearing a red one called MAGALONG.

The Baro

• Shirt worn during pre-colonial times, made of rough cotton cloth called KANGA.
• Collarless, reaching below the waist, with long sleeves, and had an opening in front.
• Color indicated man's social status: red for the chief and the bravest, black and/or white for the commoners.
• Worn with the bahag.

Camisa de Chino

• Made of translucent material such as sinamay, cotton, or pinya cloth.
• Allowed only see-through shirts to make sure the natives were not hiding weapons underneath.
• Shirts were believed to have originated in China ("de Chino").
• Later evolved into the BARONG TAGALOG, with the addition of the collar, cuffs, and elaboration.

More Men's Garments

• SAOB-SAOB: ankle-length garment, with or without sleeves, that opened in the front.
• LAMBONG: cloak-like garment with 2 very wide openings for the arms; usually black, used for mourning.
• SINULOG: short jacket, tailored to the body; could have originated in Indonesia or Malaysia, or from the SININA of China.

Pre-Colonial Women's Clothing

• The Tapis: worn by women across the archipelago, even before the Spaniards arrived.
• A length of cloth wrapped around the woman's body, around the waist, or above or below the bust, and securely tied in place by the knotted ends of the material.
• Similar to the KEMBAN of Malaysia or PHA BIANG of Thailand & Cambodia.

Other Terms for the Tapis

• HABUL: "woven stuff" from the Visayas.
• HALONG: made from abaca.
• HULUN: sash-like wrap-around.
• BALIKUSKUS: from Panay & the Tagalog region, blankets wrapped around like a skirt.

Baro/Bayo/Badu

• A simple, collarless blouse with long sleeves, usually in woven material like cotton.
• Worn on top of the tapis.
• This will evolve into the BARO upon colonization.

Pre-Colonial Jewelry

• Wearing gold jewelry was a mark of distinction.
• Warrior chiefs wore gold leg bands, neck ornaments, and a headdress with intricate designs of birds and human beings.
• The BOLINAO SKULL: a notable archeological discovery found in Pangasinan, showing fish scale-like gold patterns smelted on the teeth of a noble warrior.
• Gold jewelry, such as earrings, headbands, diadems, and belts, made of hammered sheets of gold, rendered with the NAGA, a half-human, half-snake deity of Hindu & Buddhist origins.
• The art of FILIGREE was favored during the pre-Hispanic times, with artisan twists and coils in fine gold wires created intricate lace-like motifs.

Spanish Colonization

• Marked the beginning of the Hispanization of the archipelago.
• Clothing became a projection of rank and privileged lifestyle, and class distinctions were drawn.
• PENINSULARES (Spanish born in the motherland), INSULARES (Spanish born in the Philippines), and INDIOS (Native Filipinos) wore different clothing.

Baro't Saya

• Christianized women wore an ankle-length skirt called the SAYA, and a blouse called the BARO, worn throughout the Spanish colonization period.
• Made of fine fabric like pineapple cloth or cotton, with a waist-length blouse and full bell-shaped sleeves.
• SAYA was made of opaque, plaid, or striped cloth, or sinamay varieties.

Alampay

• A square kerchief, folded triangularly, usually made of the same fabric as the saya, worn to cover the breasts or also double as a veil.

Underwear

• The KORPINYO was worn under the baro, and the ENAGUAS under the saya.
• Both light-colored and finely-detailed, the undergarments allowed another layer of design under the sheer baro't saya.

Balintawak

• A more relaxed variant of the “baro’t saya”, worn during picnics and other jaunts to the countryside.
• Deeply associated with ANTIPOLO, a favorite summer destination for summer dwellers.
• Characterized by a short, plaid skirt, a blouse with puffy lantern sleeves, and a low-cut bodice with ornate embroidery.

Modern Takes

• Modern adaptations of the Bahag, Tapis, Camisa de Chino, Baro't Saya, and Balintawak.

Discover the history of Philippine clothing before the arrival of the Spaniards. Learn how clothing complimented the hunting and gathering culture and the warm climate of the islands.