Bontoc

Origin: Mountain Province

Seen below are the basic common designs of the Bontoc Weaves.

As there are basic common designs, there are also Major common designs which incorporates the basic common designs.

1. Pinagpakhan incorporates matmata, tiktiko, tagtakho, and u-uweg.

2. Kinaut incorporates matmata. Sometimes, the shape of Kalasag is formed when colors are included.

3. Kinulibangbang incorporates tagtakho, kalasag, faniyas, and sabsabong.
   

Weaves

Sinnawed, a local name for backstrap weaving, is the common weaving technique used in Bontoc. (Napanoy, 2019). Such weaves include Lufid (Tapis), Wakhes, and Wanes.

1. Lufid (Tapis) or Pitay

Lufid is used as a wrap-around skirt of the Bontoc people. The design of the Lufid is divided into three (as seen in the image below): a) Paikhid, b) Pakhawa, and c) Langkhit. Paikhid has two panels- one on the left, and the other on the right. These panels symbolizes the rivers Kidlaa and Churya-a facing each other. On the other hand, Pakhawa only has one panel which represents the Chico river in between Kidlaa and Churya-a rivers. Lastly, Langkhit has two panels at both ends of the cloth which represents the boundaries of Bontoc.

The major designs of Lufid are Pinagpakhan, Kinaut and Kinulibangbang. Below, the designs of Lufid with the mathematical concepts present are shown.

(Gayagay, 2021; Napanoy, 2019)

2. Wakhes

Wakhes is used as a belt for Bontoc women's waist. It is also used as support for the stomach of women who just gave birth. (Gayagay, 2021).

The common designs present in Wakhes are sabosafong, tiktiko, or sokyong (tiningkar).

(Gayagay, 2021)

3. Wanes

Wanes is used as a g-string for Bontoc men to cover private areas. (Gayagay, 2021). Wanes also represents the long Chico river of Bontoc.

The common design present in Wanes is tiktiko or pagpag which represents the mountanious place used as rice fields by Bontoc elders that are, today, still very rich in natural resources. A major design also is common in Wanes is Kinaut.

(Gayagay, 2021)

Each design evidently works on geometrical patterns and angles. Mathematical ideas such as parallelism and symmetries are also present.

Most designs of the Bontoc works on stripes which reflect parallelism. The common designs present in the weaves particularly presents symmetries such as translations, reflections, rotations, and glide reflections. Definitely, frieze patterns are also present.

References:

1. Napanoy, J. B. (2019). Geometric Patterns in the Backstrap Weaving of Bontoc, Mountain Province. International Journal of Advanced Research in IT and Engineering, 8(6), 13–20. https://garph.co.uk/IJARIE/June2019/G-2579.pdf

2. Gayagay, G. (2021). GEOMETRIC DESIGNS IN THE INDIGENOUS ATTIRES OF THE BONTOC TRIBE: AN EVIDENCE OF “ETHNOMATHEMATICS”. IJRDO - Journal of Mathematics (ISSN: 2455-9210), 7(3), 01-15. Retrieved from http://www.ijrdo.org/index.php/m/article/view/4114

3. Sorilla, F., IV. (2021, August 16). Weaving the Threads of Filipino Heritage. Tatler Asia. https://www.tatlerasia.com/culture/arts/weaving-the-threads-of-filipino-heritage