SPAFA's objectives : • Promote awareness and appreciation of the cultural heritage of Southeast Asian countries through preservation of archaeological and historical artifacts, and traditional arts; • Help enrich cultural activities in the region; •Strengthen professional competence in the fields of archaeology and fine arts through sharing of resources and experiences on a regional basis; • Increase understanding among the countries of Southeast Asia through collaboration in archaeological and fine arts programmes. The SEAMEO Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SPAFA) promotes professional Editorial Board competence, awareness and preservation of Pisit Charoenwongsa cultural heritage in the fields of archaeology and Professor Khunying Maenmas Chavalit fine arts in Southeast Asia. It is a regional centre Manote Kongdananda constituted in1985from the SEAMEO Project in Archaeology and Fine Arts, which provided the Production Services acronym SPAFA. The Centre is under the aegis of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Vassana Taburi Organization (SEAMEO). Wanpen Kongpoon Wilasinee Thabuengkarn SEAMEO-SPAFA member-countries: Katell Guizion •Brunei •Cambodia Andria Hickey •Indonesia •Laos Publication Co-ordinator •Malaysia • Myanmar Ean Lee •Philippines •Singapore Photographic Services •Thailand Nipon Sud-Ngam •Vietnam Associate member-countries: Cover •Australia main photograph by Nipon Sud-Ngam •Canada •Germany •France Printers • New Zealand •Netherlands SEAMEO-SPAFA collaborates with governmental agencies, Amarin Printing and Publishing international organisations and academic institutions to achieve Public Company Limited common goals and objectives. 65/16 Chaiyaphruk Road, Taling Chan, Bangkok 10170, Thailand Tel. 882-1010 (30Lines) Fax. 433-2742, 434-1385 E-Mail : [email protected] Homepage : http://www.amarin.co.th SEAMEO-SPAFA Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts Annual Subscription Rates: US $27 (Air Mail) SERVICES AND FACILITIES US $24 (Surface Mail) • Full-facility conference and lecture rooms US $19/Baht 465 (Within Thailand) • Accomodation/guestrooms for rental • Exhibition/display hall Cost Per Issue: US $6/Baht 150 • Applied Science Laboratory Send comments, articles and information (on •Library and documentation centre • Publication and audio-visual production services workshops, seminars, conferences, training, etc..) • Training/Seminars/ Workshops / Research to : SPAFA Journal ACADEMIC CONSULTANCY SERVICES SPAFA Regional Centre • Impact Assessment on Cultural Resources •Rescue Archaeology/History SPAFA Building • Museum Exhibit, Design and Curatorship 81/1 Sri Ayutthaya Road, Samsen, Theves • Arts and Culture Management Bangkok 10300, Thailand • Performing Arts Management Tel. (662) 2804022-29 Fax. (662) 280-4030 • Cultural Tours E-mail : [email protected] • Consultancy Services on Teachers Training for Art Website : www.seameo.org/spafa Curriculum Development SPAFA Journal Volume 11 Number 2 (May - August 2001) CONTENTS Evelyn Elvena Filipino Textiles: Conservation and Preservation Case Study: Conservation/ Restoration of the Isinai Blanket Bantong bin Antaran 11 Costumes and Textiles of Brunei History and Evolution 2 1 Conferences 2 5 Art Galleries/Museums Ean Lee 5 1 World Wide Web Sites Khunying Maenmas Chavalit 56 Bookmark Filipino Textiles: Conservation and Preservation Evelyn Elvena. Textile Conservator of the National Museum of the Philippines, reports on the characteristics of Filipino textiles, weaving patterns, conservation and preservation techniques, status of ethno-archaeology and future plans of the museum for collections (including a section on actual conservation treatment carried out in the museum) he National and decoration Museum of are varied, de- T the Philippines pending on the has been docu- regions where menting, collect- they were made; ing, preserving, and the technol- exhibiting and fos- Fig. 1 &2 Handweaving Technique ogy used varies tering scholarly from back-strap study and the appreciation of art specimens loom to handloom. (Fig. 1 & 2) with cultural and historical values. Recently, the museum was re-organised with expanded func- The motifs, designs and symbols reflect tions. One of the tasks is to preserve all museum the social level or status, culture and character of collections, including textiles. The Ethnology the diverse ethnic groups, as well as the visions Section of the Anthropology Division is respon- and wisdom of the weaver. The fibres commonly sible for the storage and exhibition of textiles used are cotton, abaca and pi>a , all indigenous while the Chemistry and Conservation Labora- in the Philippines. The colours most used are tory, under the same division, is concerned indigo, violet, yellow, light green, black, brown, with the conservation and restoration activities. white, red, and magenta. The National Museum holds the first evi- The National Museum Collection dence of weaving technology with the discovery The National Museum textile collection range of the Banton cloth. These earliest known from costumes, blankets, blouses, skirts, textiles associated with a burial coffin found malongs, head-dress, belts, scarfs, handkerchiefs, in Banton Islands, Romblon dated 13th to 14th trousers, and other accessories. The designs century AD. It is a remnant of Ikat- abaca, and SPAFA Journal Vol. 11 No. 2 5 was found in good condition. It measures 81 cm Another textile is the barong tagalog which x 21 cm, and has been restored and framed. is the Filipino national costume, and worn during Other examples of archaeological textiles special occasions. The cloth is made from pine- belonging to the museum are those worn by apple fibres, woven into tapis, handkerchiefs, mummies found in the Kabayan caves in Benguet, camisa de chino, and adorned with embroidery Northern Luzon, which are 700 years old. The and lacework. It takes approximately two to three dimensions of these textiles are 49 cm x 29 cm. weeks to finish a simple barong, which is a very Some of these pieces were analysed and con- transparent and fine piece of work. served at the laboratory for display purposes. The weavers from Mindanao employ a (Fig. 3 & 4) discontinuous supplementary weft, such as the 'tapestry weave' which is adorned with embroi- dery, beads, applique work, shell disks and Fig. 3 Kabayan Mummy Cloth Before Conservation Fig. 4 Kabayan Mummy Cloth After Conservation In Luzon, textiles are wo- ven by a method referred to as the 'supplemen- tary weft', and bear dark- coloured back- grounds, such as blue and black with yellow, white and red designs woven into them. (Fig. Fig. 6 Color Combination of an Ifugao Cloth 5&6) Fig. 5 Northern Luzon Textile Design 6 SPAFA Journal Vol. 11 No. 2 sequences. The base fabric colours are maroon, Status of the Ethno-archaeology of red, yellow, and blue; and the Bagobos make Textiles and their Preservation traditional tinalak with special narrative designs The National Museum have a very small collec- of clouds, hair bangs, butterfly, crocodile, lizard, tion of archaeological textiles, but all the major and frog. The tinalak weaving carries certain weaving techniques (for examples, the supple- taboo rituals, such as passing a single abaca mentary weft, cordage, and handloom) are represented. The present ethnographic textile collections, however, are quite large, and repre- sent all the ethnic groups in the country. One of the means of preserving the technol- ogy of traditional weaving was the establishment in 1992 of the award, 'Gawad ng Manlilikha ng Bayan'. This project, under the auspices of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (of the Office of the President) focuses on the importance of Philippine arts and folk crafts. The finest folk artists in the Philippines are identified and honoured, to promote the unique aspects of Philippine culture and the preservation of tradi- tional knowledge and skills. Awarded are art- ists who still apply skills, native methods and in- Fig. 7 Wall Decor digenous materials in creating exquisite and thread all over the body before weaving, so as to valuable artworks which prevent illness (Fig. 7). reflect the voice and The Manobo, Mandaya, Bilaan, Tboli fabrics vision of the country's are woven using anthropomorphic, zoomorphic weavers excelling in and geometric motifs. While the ikat of the creating fabrics from Maranao and Maguindanao contain an 8-pointed indigenous materials. Fig. 8 close up of Cape Design star, the Muslims apply the images of insects, trees and flowers, and other geometric designs on theirs. Philippine vestments are primarily found in church museums. These include saints' costumes, chasubles, the manipole, dalmatics, the mantle, belts, and capes. They are made of satin cloth, and are heavily decorated with metal, and gold threads in colours of gold, silvhR, violet, pink, black, blue, orange, and green. (Fig. 8 & 9) Fig. 9 Full view of Gold threaded cape SPAFA Journal Vol. 11 No. 2 There is an immense concern in the Philip- examples of the Isinai weaving tradition, the pines today on the preservation of its textiles. blanket was mailed to the Philippines in 1988. Most curators and museum staff are aware of the It was originally owned by Capt. Harry King who importance of collection management. Some served in the Philippines during the Spanish workers are sent abroad to attend training to learn American War. new and improved preservation techniques, and seminars and workshops are conducted under the The conservation process: supervision of the National Museum in collabo- 1.