Zamboanga: Yakan Weavers of Basilan
A Yakan weaver doing her magic
It’s sad what Basilan had come to in recent days. In truth, there is more to the island than its wars. Basilan is home to the Yakan Tribes, also known as one of the finest weavers in our country. They have also become a victim of war, thus many of them have to move to neighboring areas of the Zamboanga Peninsula and abandon their homes in Basilan.
Doing the hand work
The Yakans are a land bound people in contrast to their Badjao counterparts. They live through farming rice, corn and other root crops. Aside from that they are known to weave the most intricate designs in their clothes, purses and other accessories, much like their other Mindano co-tribe the Tboli at Lake Sebu.
Weaving the intricate designs
Both the Tbolis and Yakans takes weeks to finish a meter of weaved cloth and skills and knowledge are passed down from one generation to another. The difference here is that the Yakans, when weaving their clothes also incorporate the design along with it. Using both fine abaca strands and pineapple fibers along with herbal extracts and tree barks for dying numerous colors for their designs.
Another yakan weaver
A Yakan weaver must exercise patience especially when working with intricate patterns. A simple square pattern can take a couple of days or so. That’s why a Yakan Weaved cloth are also sought after around the world is due to its fine and durable craftsmanship. I can attest to this inspecting them myself and bought some items like a bag and a small coin purse and found its make to be really tough.
Various yakan weaved designs
It’s fortunate the Yakans were able to take with them their culture and art outside their homeland of Basilan. Most of them now live in a Yakan Weaving Village in Zamboanga. Honestly it was a bit tricky finding them, even our local jeepney driver guide wasn’t sure where it was. But through persistence and asking around we found the so called weaving village just a few kilometers passing by the Zamboanga Boulevard. I’m not even sure if this is the real village but they are Yakans alright with several houses there and souvenir shops.
Yakan Weaving being sold
At the village you could actually see how the weaving are being done. And of course several authentic Yakan Souvenir items can be bought there, from table cloths, bags, purses, multi-purpose containers. Prices are a bit high like a weaved shoulder bag for women around 300 above. But I think it’s cheaper than buying at stores here. But coin purses goes around 10pesos to 20 pesos. Very reasonably priced.
Tags: People, Weaving, Yakan, Zamboanga City
Posted on
Sunday, October 21st, 2007 at 9:31 pm 
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October 21st, 2007 at 9:50 pm
i am a collector of those clothe. ^_^ minsan di ko alam kung alin ang genuine.. ~_~
kahit ganun.. i still love our indigenous products.
October 21st, 2007 at 11:15 pm
lovely shot on the first picture.
October 22nd, 2007 at 3:47 am
thanks for the education and the lovely photos. they should sell their products online. they are beautiful handcrafted masterpieces.
October 22nd, 2007 at 10:27 am
you are right ferdz, i feel really sorry for what most of us perceived about Basilan. I really wanted to go there myself but my friends discourage me to go there, at least at this time. Anyways, nice post - as always.
October 22nd, 2007 at 11:41 am
lovely patterns! colorful.
October 22nd, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Ang ganda!
Funny how there are similarities between Cambodia and the Philippines… the weavers here are also marvellous. And I think the designs are quite similar.
I hope that this tradition continues.
October 22nd, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Beautiful weaving, seriously. I hope it will be preserved from one generation to another.
October 22nd, 2007 at 3:31 pm
ang lufet nung first shot, Ferdz. astig. Weavers are really amazing. Lahat pinapagana nila, creativity, handwork, concentration, etc. It’s fulfilling enough to watch them, how much more to actually see them finish a whole work of art.
October 22nd, 2007 at 4:39 pm
Wow, galing, Ferdz!
I like most especially the first photo. Napaka-strong ng leading lines… Of course, all photos are good, though…
Sana makapunta din ako sa mga lugar na ito na napuntahan mo na…
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:14 pm
this is another good showcase of Pinoy artistry.
and thanks to your post because i saw a refreshing side to Basilan beyond all the conflict.
i wonder: if people in Basilan were to design a pattern based on its current milieu, would it look dark and divergent or vibrant, multihued, and solid, like their very own spirits that refuse to give up despite all of the struggles?
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:36 pm
those things are just beautiful works of art, man! those must be magic hands that make them! i’d love to own an item/their weaving!
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:37 pm
btw, ferdz, i moved.
hope you’ll still visit.
October 22nd, 2007 at 9:04 pm
Great profile of the Yakan tribes! I have learned something about the Philippines once again by reading your blog.
October 22nd, 2007 at 10:07 pm
Fantastic, Ferdz! we have many Yakan weaves at home that we have collected through the years of living in Mindanaw. So nice to finally see how these beauties came to life.
October 22nd, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Yakan tribes are so cool, what a talent they have… Galing galing! How I wish I can visit them too, para makakuha ng souvenir maski coin purse lang
October 23rd, 2007 at 1:25 am
It’s impressive…these weavings. I went to one when I was in Cagayan de Oro. But it was different. They were weaving banig.
October 23rd, 2007 at 10:59 am
bro, nakapaguwi ka ba ng yakan cloth? these cloths can fetch a hefty price anywhere.
October 23rd, 2007 at 4:42 pm
those are beautiful and intricate patterns ferdz… must be very hard to weave… nice.
October 23rd, 2007 at 6:59 pm
makulay ang buhay dun na di ko na yata mararating
October 23rd, 2007 at 11:35 pm
gustong gusto ko yung unag pic, patok na patok ang perspective
October 24th, 2007 at 2:36 am
I’m into plain boring colors like white,beige,black & earth but those are really pretty! magandang pang regalo:)
October 26th, 2007 at 11:29 am
kaya nga sana ipagyaman natin lalo ang mga iba’t ibang kultura ng pilipinas. ^^
October 26th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Hi Ferdz..newbie here.
Anyway those are really beautiful. I own coin purses similar to that…just don’t know if it’s from there.
Export is a growing industry. The government should give support to these people.
October 26th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
I love the first picture too. You captured it beautifully!
October 27th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
very very nice and colorful!
October 27th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
very colorful carpets
I always thought that the smaller fingers one has, the faster the carpet is woven, hence the accusation of child labor re the carpet weavers in the Middle East. Man, the hard manual way of doing it still yields incredible results 
October 28th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
honestly, dhel sa blog mo gusto kong makarating na sa basilan. as in! kelan kaya ako mabibigyan ng pagkakataon? at papayagan kaya ako ng nanay ko?
October 29th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
love those intricate designs. one of the ‘only in the Philippines’ mastery.
October 30th, 2007 at 6:29 am
Ferdz, Congrats! your blog is a finalist for the 10th PWA.
November 1st, 2007 at 7:24 pm
Nice photos! Loving them! =)
November 6th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
you have a way of bringing still photos to life it’s like as if i’m actually there watching this woman weave.
November 6th, 2007 at 11:59 pm
seeing those weavers i feel so inspired to do more cross stitches…
thanks for sharing ferdz
November 11th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
Wat a nice pictures
hahahahahaha!!
THX!
July 14th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
iyakan be iyan..bag mag hinang-hinang asal pina hap iyan..gey siye iyan meghinang bang cincai..maka aseh hadja siye manjari Victim politik duk bonoh..kami kaum iyakan tattap esseb kami bangsa kamihin bisan kami si intag..long life Iyakan!!
September 22nd, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Hi to ALL! Thanks Ferdz for taking the lead to SHOW the magnificent HAND WEAVING craftmanship of OUR TRIBE YAKAN. As i am reading the captions of your pics and passing thru the comments of our fellow filipinos, I am surprise about their impressions on our hand weaving products. Hand weaving is a heirloom passed on from one generetion to another. Honestly speaking, only few of our young generation today knew how to weave. Our Yakan Village in Zamboanga is our only visible hope on the faith of this craftmanship. Same with our hope to those tourists who are supposed to visit our village and buy our handmade products but threatened by their INSURANCE company and Embassy NOT TO GO because of the peace and order situations of the city…. Tourist is our inspiration, we weave finest, intricate, colorful, unpatterned cloth in the hope of bringing our unique ALLAH’s (GOD) given talent to the world, without them, im afraid, that maybe someday the anxiousness of keeping this craftmanship will unnoticely die. I AM A YAKAN, my husband and my family. We know what is this to us. In times of adversity, I know one must stand and take the lead to expand and bring this out of our old context as our local government right now is taking the lead on sending us to participate on trade fairs and expo to bring our local products across the region while I am taking the lead to bring this around the world. To fellow filipinos, you can find these products available at ebay.ph with our store name bidnbuyalot. Or simply visit our site http://www.zambobartergoods.multiply.com…Thanks….LONG LIFE IYAKAN!
October 29th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
if you want to buy those things online, pls visit bartilyo.com
October 29th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
i mean baratilyo.com