Woven in three panels sewn together, this cloth is made from the leaf fiber of the Musa textilis, or abaca plant, a species of banana that is native to the Philippines. The intricate designs are created by using a warp-resist dyeing technique—ikat, a process in which, prior to weaving, the warp yarns are bound and dyed to create a pattern. Ikat is a Malay-Indonesian term and the technique is also found throughout the neighboring Indonesia archipelago. Additional tying and partial removal of the bindings create more elaborate patterns. Characteristic of T’boli ikat-dyed abaca cloths (t’nalak), this piece displays a sophisticated color scheme of black, red, and natural abaca. The kumo is traditionally commissioned for a mo’ninu, or wedding festival, to be used as part of a gift exchange. During the final feast of the engagement ceremony, the groom’s family builds an umbrella-like structure referred to as a tabule and decorates it with valuable heirlooms such as mats, bridles, and ancient Chinese plates, which become the “bride-price,” or marriage payment. The bride’s family hangs a kumo magal consisting of masses of kumo cloth. At the culmination of the ceremony, the gifts are taken to the bride’s home as part of
the marriage custom. jkd