MAARAM - “Kalipay Kag Kalisud”
(“Joy and Sorrow”)
The tradition of weaving has been extensively represented in research and scholarship as emblematic of Filipino creativity. However, these narratives have been silent on the economic deprivations that the farmers and the weavers have to contend with every single day of their lives
Our piña and piña seda textiles are globally known for their exquisite quality, and the handicrafts created abaca, bariw, nito, and buri grace the most elegant shops in Europoe and North America. But the farmers of the raw materials and the weavers who sit before the loom contend with meager incomes, Their economic gains depend on the mostly on the yields of the land and volatile market prices, in the case of abaca tillers, and the low market value attached to human labor, in the case of the weavers. True, the community bequeaths to them the honor of being artisans of exquisite fabrics, but we must pay attention to their voices as they speak about their impoverished lives.
Meanwhile, in the last two decades, weavers’ associations and cooperatives have sprung up in many regions of the Panay island. These self-styled organizations provide hope for many weavers and the farmers, as it is able to provide better value to their labor, equip them with financial literacy skills, and provide a safety net when they are most in need, as their experiences during the Covid-19 lockdowns would illustrate.
Direction: Noel Añonuevo
Script: Maria Jovita Zarate
Editing: Sernne John P. Dominia, and Norman Jasm Cuala
Videography: Don Patrick Claudio, Ron Stephen R. Reyes, Louie Miguel de Leon, John Rodriguez, Tonzie Escaño Gay
30 апр 2023
