Fu Yabing

The Dreamweaver

A grandmother, a national artist, and a master of the Tabih, Fu Yabing showcases a craft born from several generations ago.

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“Isn’t it time we have another National Artist in the

Land of the Dreamweavers?”

Fu Yabing.

Yabing Masalon Dulo, called Fu Yabing, is respected among the Blaans residing on the foothills of Mount Matutum, Polomolok, South Cotabato. Fu Yabing started weaving at the age of 14 and has created two masterpieces of tabih, Blaan term for handwoven dyed abaka (ikat), which are still both in good condition, a family heirloom kept in her possession and one that is on display at the National Museum. Yabing Caturan Masalon Dulo was born in Brgy. Landan Polomolok, South Cotabato, Philippines. Her Father’s name is Kalay Masalon and her Mother’s name is Klenen Caturan Masalon.

A master of the tabih,

Fu Yabing was made to focus on her craft and at a young age and was exempt in participating in community chores and farming. Now aged, Yabing Masalon Dulo has successfully transferred the craft of the tabih to her only daughter, Lamina Dulo Gulili, and a few other women who maintain a weaving center in their community in Amgu-o, Polomolok, South Cotabato.

The Story Behind Her Art and Medium.

Fu Yabing is an “old-school” artist. She does not use a spinning wheel, as Blaans weavers join together strands of abaca fiber by hand. She believes that the tabih weaving process should not be added to the traditional weaving process. She does this patiently and carefully--just as any artist would with a piece of art. As demand for tabih as well as traditional blouses went up, many tribe members have turned to modernization in order to meet this demand. Fu Yabing held her ground, wanting their tradition of weaving to be preserved.

In 2005, Fu Yabing was invited by Governor Miguel Rene Dominguez to teach her knowledge of the traditional craft to other people. She taught for 6 months in the village of Sarangani. It was after this that she then wanted to establish a weaving school near her house, so that she may impart the artistry and tradition of weaving to other people.

She also wanted support for this project as plans to establish a possible tourism attraction with Landan Blaan weavers in Polomolok would bring awareness to their culture, helping to preserve and protect it, while earning from it. It is here where she continues to teach, preserve, and protect the culture of tabih weaving--as well as bringing forth into the present a new generation of artists in the Land of the Dreamweavers.

As Fu Yabing once said: “Isn’t it time we have another National Artist in the Land of the Dreamweavers?”

Examples of her style of work

Fu Yabing is a Blaan master weaver; she is one of the two master designers left of the Blaan mabal tabih, the art of ikat weaving. Using an abaca strand and makes a loop at the end and joins another strip to form a loom. Blaan weavers do not use spinning wheels unlike other traditional weavers. Rather the abaca fibers are joined by hand patiently- as patiently as weaving a Tabih.

Tabih is a Blaan term for the finished hand woven cloth tribe members wear as traditional skirts called tubular and pants for men. Blaan men also use Tabih for vests and coats. These are works of art, a single piece will take months to make. An arduous process of cutting the abaca plant, stripping and drying its fiber, dyeing looming and weaving then pressing and softening said fabric.

A Tabih is not cheap to say the least. These pieces are costly- depending on the intricacy of the design. In the Blaan courtship and marriage traditions a single piece is more than enough as a kafigoh or sunggod, dowry, or a means of payment for a horse or carabao. It can even be used for Blood money.

A Tabih costs around 7,000 pesos or higher depending on the design.

The name Blaan came from the root word ‘Bla’ a suffix which means counterpart or pair, and ‘an’ means possession.

The Blaan’s and Tbolis share the same weaving artistry; their Tabihs and Tinaliks are strikingly similar though Tabihs are most intricately designed and more colorful.