1700 marked the official foundation of Bangar but during this century, Bangar was still a visita (chapelry) of Tagudin, Ilocos Sur. Through the Superior Decreto (Executive Decree) signed by Governor-General Antonio Maria Blanco on March 2, 1850, the town of Bangar was made part of the newly created province of La Union.
When Bangar was still a visita to Tagudin, Ilocos Sur, a community of 2,800 inhabitants was already in existence. The highly skilled, industrious, and peace-loving people of Bangar were primarily engaged in rice and cotton planting. Bangar has been known for its handlooms from the historic ages. The beautiful and sturdy handwoven products made by the Bangareños were used as boat sails by European seamen in the 1800s. Among the more famous handwoven products made by them were blankets bearing with different designs, clothing materials, and mosquito nets. Further, it has been noted that the military uniforms of the colonial government from 1826 to 1827 came from the looms of Ilocos wherein Bangar was still part of Ilocos Sur. Inabel production was so robust that in 1847, the number of looms in the Ilocos roughly totaled to 20,000. Since chemicals for coloring very scarce those days, bark trees, atsuete, fruits and native indigo plants were used to dye all woven products of Bangar.
Abel is the Ilocano generic term for a handloom-woven cloth. It can also refer to a set-up of yarns being worked on a handloom. Inabel is the precise term for woven cloth produced on the Ilocano loom, and embodies the characteristics attributes of an Ilocano Abel, which is made of cotton, well woven and straight-neat edges. The Inabel is distinguished from all other Philippine and even Asian textiles for its sturdiness in construction, stark simplicity of design, and practicality in function.
Bangar, La Union is known for its handwoven cloth called “Inabel” and dubbed as the “Home of the World Famous Inabel Blanket”. Inabel of Bangar has started from the early decades of 1800s, from the time of Spanish colonization to the early 20th century. The town’s Inabel products are being produced using centuries-old abel weaving techniques passed down through the generations on traditional wooden looms called “Tillar”. Each piece tells a story of skill and tradition and the love of our artisans to continue and preserve the craft despite the laborious process involved. Abel-weaving follows a very intricate process from preparing and dyeing the yarn to produce desired design, and operating the wooden handloom with synchronized movement of the both hands and feet. Handed down from the generation to generation, the art of inabel weaving is a golden thread entwined in the Ilocano culture. Manually woven through a wooden loom, an inabel fabric is made up of pure creativity, imagination, positivity, respect, discipline and keenness. The role of Abel in Ilocano’s life transcends from a sign of resiliency to a mirror of the rich heritage and culture of whole Ilocandia. One of the few surviving involves the use of a woven handloom and other accessories. The wooden handloom is the equivalent of sewing machine in the past, and it produced most of the fabrics used in the homes, including clothes, blankets and pillowcases.
Incidentally, Bangar loom weaving was entered in the livelihood Project Contest which was sponsored by the KKK. After winning the Provincial and Regional First Prizes, it went on to win first prize in the National Contest on November 8, 1986 held at the University of Life.
Benita De Castro, weaver and proprietor of De Castro’s Loom Weaving is one of the original and old weavers in the Municipality of Bangar. Their loom weaving is known for its multi-heddle weaves and tandem looms. The multi-heddle weave is the mastery of Paoay and Pinili in Ilocos Norte, Santa, Santa Maria and Tagudin in Ilocos Sur, and Bangar in La Union. The multi-heddle design technique is traditionally applied in blanket weaves. She also stated our different geometric locally owned designs which include but not limited to “Diamond”, “Sampaguita”, “Zigzag” and “Hula-hoops”. To date, De Castro’s Loom Weaving is still one of the largest producers of high quality and beautiful loom woven products in the north.
Further, the President of the Bangar Loom Weavers Association named Remedios P. Lucina is also owned a weaving site. Lola Remedios Lucina, the owner of RP Lucina’s Loom-weaving has started in 1974. Per her, she inherited the Inabel craft from her mother-in-law as a means to sustain the family’s daily expenses. She also shared that originally, they were using cotton balls, they are manually making and dyeing the threads at Timbugan Ruins situated at Barangay Consuegra in Bangar, La Union but they now make use of commercial fabric dyes available in the market and cotton/polyester thread that are sourced from Abra and Manila.
Moreover, former Sangguniang Bayan Member and Committee Chairman on Tourism Hon. Irene J. Taguiam of Bangar, La Union shared her memoirs when she was still in her elementary days. Per her, almost every household has its own “Tilar” and multiple numbers of Timbugan can be found across the municipality which is an essential tool in dyeing cotton threads. She further elaborated how rich our culture when it comes to this industry wherein almost all Bangareña knows how to weave.
Loom weaving is the prime home industry of Bangar. The weaving sector plays an important role in the economic development of Bangar for its known as the home of the famous “Abel”. It contributes specifically by generating more employment opportunities. The big orders for placemats, towels, draperies, curtains and blankets from all over the Philippines and even abroad speaks well of the quality of the Bangar woven products.
In the last decades, the loom weavers have started innovating their woven products from the usual and ordinary concept of making blankets, mats and shawls. These days, the woven products they produce are now sold in various forms – bags, gowns, wallets and facemasks to name a few. In addition, customers can also request customized and personalized items from our local loom weavers.
The town of Bangar, La Union is indeed known for its local weaving industry, producing the now famous “Abel Iloko” cloth, a traditional fabric declared as the Municipality’s One Town, One Product. Moreover, other provinces like Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte are still purchasing our woven products to be sold in their respective area of jurisdiction. Weavers put time and effort together to produce high quality, long lasting and beautiful woven products.
In today’s generation, loom weaving is our cultural heritage and remains as a lucrative source of livelihood for Bangareños.
References:
Primitivo Acosta (N.D) History of BANGAR. Retrieved on March 15, 2021
Al M. Valenciano, et al. (N.D) INABEL Philippine Textile from the Ilocos Region. Retrieved on March 16, 2021. p.40, p.114
_________ (N.D) Bangar – La Union Tayo! Retrieved on March 16, 2021 at http://www.launiontayo.com.ph/municipality/bangar/.
Ma. Erika Louise Q. Cañas, et al. (N.D) “Preserving Abel Designs: Saving Ilocandia’s Treasure”. Retrieved on March 27, 2021
Benita De Castro, Weaver and Proprietor of De Castro’s Loom Weaving
Remedios P. Lucina, Weaver and Proprietor of RP Lucina Loom-weaving, President of Bangar Loom Weaver’s Association
Hon. Irene J. Taguiam, Former Sangguniang Bayan Member and Committee Chairman on Tourism