Abstract
In the Philippines, fabrics serve as an artifact that not only holds the identities of indigenous communities but also the cultural memory passed on across generations. Thus, as bearers of such cultural treasures, children in weaving communities carry the torch to keep traditions alive. One of the ways by which children can be inspired and empowered to become more familiar with woven fabric specific to their community is through the expansions of its representation in books for children. By reimagining the colors and textures of community-produced textile into the language, stories, and illustrations that match the children’s sensemaking, appreciation of such traditions can be amplified.As textiles carry the fabrics of identity, they have been richly represented in Philippine children’s literature: from the different threads that represent various Indigenous groups in the Cordilleras, the weaving common to the Southern Tagalog and the Visayas regions, and the colors and functionalities of the malong [tubeskirt] in Mindanao. In this paper, we explore two cases focused on the intersections of fabrics and children’s literary productions: the illustration for Balitanay’s Laktob: A Kalinga Weaving Story and Pong Pong Ginatbong: An Ilocano Folksong by Danielle Florendo, reflecting the textiles of the Cordillera groups; and writing and editorial work for Woven PH’s Kabataan Krafts Workbook and two picturebooks with Adarna House by Cheeno Marlo Sayuno, promoting weaving and creativity among the children of Basey, Samar, as well as myths from Indigenous communities. The production processes, ethical and Indigenous perspectives and considerations, and the collaborative nature of creation—by the community, the observers and volunteers, the creators, the educators, and the children—are narrated to critique issues such as writing as an insider/outsider, representations and access, cultural mirroring and who benefits from such practice, and the tensions in popularizing and promoting specific Indigenous practices for the people both from within and without. As we position ourselves from a creator’s standpoint and allow our positionalities as creators to reflect the collaborative nature of creation for children, our goal is to establish rigorous procedures in representing textiles, cultures, and narratives. We problematize how the sensibilities of the weaving communities are reflected in contents for children, and in the process, we aim to establish that the fabric of childhood is one that is embedded into the community to which children belong and the relationships that foster core Filipino values and identity.