The malong and other fragments of Philippine culture
One of the good things about Canada is that I can wear funky ethnic outfits. I invariably get complimented whether I'm at a geek get-together or a fashion boutique. I stand out in a crowd. It gives people something to talk to me about, which has led to quite a few interesting conversations. This is great when I'm among strangers, as I don't have to chat people up - people come to me!
My favorite ethnic outfit is the malong, a tubular piece of cloth frequently embellished with batik designs or embroidery. I love it for its versatility. Not only can it go from casual to formal and back again, but I can also make it a skirt or a dress or a bag with just the strategic repositioning of safety pins.
This malong:
- Slip into the malong's tube and hold it so that the extra part is to your right.
- Loop the extra part behind and over your right arm.
- Fasten the part to both sides of the tube using a safety pin.
- Pin the fold to the opposite side.
Granted, I'm making things up as I go along. I don't even have the vocabulary to describe what I'm doing. <laugh> I'll just have to record a video sometime.
I've seen only one other person wear a malong regularly, and she was one of the hippest dressers in Ateneo de Manila University. I have three full malongs and two skirt-type malongs, which could probably double as short dresses in a pinch. I want more!
Promoting traditional Filipino costumes is one of my little crusades. I think we don't give our culture enough credit, and we don't have nearly as much fun wearing traditional outfits as we could. I love wearing my terno, and wish I had a more casual version that I could wear during summer. I'd wear a Maria Clara if I had one, full skirt and all. I would love to wear the Ifugao belt with the cute pompoms and the tapis with intricate weaving. And I want to discover all the other costumes that have sprung out of the multifaceted culture of an archipelago.
I'd also love to have suits with ethnic accents, whether it's in terms of materials (I miss my barong dress!) or embellishments such as weaving or embroidery. Does anyone know a fashion designer in touch with the Filipina soul? I can't afford an entire wardrobe of custom-made suits, but I don't mind slowly accumulating pieces of quality. (Very slowly, given my graduate student budget!) I want to promote Philippine culture, and this will be a lifelong endeavor.
I'm Filipina, and I want people to know it. I want people to think of Filipinas as not just domestic helpers or nurses or potential wives. I want them to think of Philippine culture as not just Western-aping blandness but rather something richly textured. My body is my billboard, and I want to be a walking advertisement for what is beautiful about my home.
- Previous malong entry
- Wikipedia: Malong
- People who linked here: Filipino Librarian
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