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.