Abel Iloco

History records that cotton-loom woven textiles called Inabel were rooted traditions at the time the Spanish colonized Ilocos Norte in 1572. China, Japan and Southeast Asia were already trading their gold, ceramics, jars, iron and beads with inabel in the natural harbors along the coasts. The Spaniards began to take interest in the inabel known for its strength and durability and endorsed it as excellent sails for galleons in the same way it was utilized locally in boats, barangays and other sea-going vessels. For centuries inabel has also been used to make blankets.

The quality pure cotton fabrics of Ilocos Norte became known far and wide and the demand for the raw and spun cotton as well as textile products of Ilocos by European, Chinese, Japanese and Indian traders, intensified. Because of its astonishing beauty the inabel has caught the attention of international couturiers who started working with Ilocano weavers in developing new designs. Its versatility is limited only to the imagination as local weavers continue developing new designs and techniques.

The abel is the traditional woven product of Vigan and the Ilocos region. The abel cloth is known for being a strong, colorful material. The fabric is so strong and beautiful that some families have them as heirlooms that last as long as their antique furnishings. The abel is made from yarns of cotton or sagut that are sourced from the many lands in northern Luzon that are dedicated to the growing of this plant. After the cotton is harvested, it is prepared into yarns and dyed. The different colored yarns are then arranged in a wooden handloom to create varied and unique designs. The process is intricate and labor-intensive. Weavers must master synchronizing the movements of their hands and feet to properly use the wooden handloom.

The use of the handlooms and other weaving accessories can be traced from early Spanish occupation. This equipment was used in homes to weave abel cloth for blankets, pillow cases and clothes. These crafts were said to be a major export during the period of the Spanish galleon trade. It is said that the abel was so popular a product that it proved to be a big competition to the Spanish weaving industry, threatening its very existence. At present, only a few of the barangays in Vigan have maintained this age-old weaving industry.

Handed down from generation to generation, the art of inabel weaving is a golden thread entwined in the Ilocano culture. Manually woven through a wooden loom, an abel fabric is made up of pure creativity, imagination, positivity, respect, discipline and keenness.

The Ilocanas of the olden times were taught this textile craft which once bolstered the economy of the Ilocos region during the colonial times, when abel products were largely exported to foreign lands. Spanish galleons sailed the seas with pieces of inabel sailcloth. The abel is certainly a representation of the elegant past of Ilocos.

The various abel weave designs are inspired by natural elements. It maybe land formation patterns, the colors of flowers and vegetation, the ripples of a calm blue ocean, or the sky on a bright night.

What makes woven fabric special is the time and effort put into it. The process is intricate and labor-intensive. Weavers often learn from their ancestors, and they have to master synchronizing their hands and feet to properly use the wooden handloom-Abel fabric is a case in point.
There is always an untold story behind each and every piece of inabel, but clearly, the very essence of inabel is the beautiful qualities of an Ilocana.

Sources:

https://blauearth.com/2010/08/01/inabel-heart-and-soul-of-an-ilocana-weaver/amp/

https://www.realliving.com.ph/lifestyle/travel/in-search-of-abel-ilokano-traditional-weaving-a1532-20170127

https://www.vigan.ph/arts-and-crafts/abel-weaving-vigan-traditional-crafts.html

http://museoilocosnorte.com/the-museum/featured-exhibits/abel-iloco-2/

Photo credits:

https://blauearth.com/2010/08/01/inabel-heart-and-soul-of-an-ilocana-weaver/amp/