Not only a place where you could see a historic town, but also a place where cultural products, which somehow become a way of living, is also best observed and which Ilocanos are proud of.
A pleasant day to all. This is "inabel," otherwise known as Abel Iloco. It is a kind of woven fabric.
The word "abel" is an Ilocano that means to weave. The device used to weave the yarn is called a loom. But before it, the following are the steps being done before interlacing the threads together.
In picking cotton balls, the seeds were traditionally gotten rid of by using a device called a cotton seeder. The following photo is a model of a classic cotton seeder.
The fibers are straightened and skeined. After which, The yarn are bleached to remove the color. By using commercial dyes, the yarns are then colored.
The next process is starching or agalmidor in the local term. After stiffening the fibers, they are then combed. A wax may be applied to make it shiny and smooth. In the Ilocano term, it is called "agtagod."
This is called Patarek. It is a thread spooler.
Next is winding the threads (ipolipol) into a thing called a bamboo spool. After which, it is ready to be rolled into the bobbin. The yarn is then heddled or threaded. The warp yarn is threaded through the reed openings, and the loom is "dressed" by joining the heddles behind the beater. After it is done, weavers may start the weaving process.
The abel fabric is used in various things, and if you walk in Calle Crisologo, you will see a lot of stalls selling various products that have abel in them. An example is shown below.
It is also being showcased more during festivals such as Binatbatan Festival. If you have noticed, the costumes of the streetdancers are partly made up of abel fabric. It's fascinating to see it while they are lively dancing.
It was a screenshot from an old video I took before.
It may look tedious, but it is more than just an enjoyable thing to do. Each intertwined thread comes with hardwork and creativity that mirrors how Ilocanos are frugal and distinctively innovative. Abel remains up until the present despite being challenged by time. Indeed, it exemplifies the region's rich culture - something to be really proud of.
The images were taken by me inside Padre Burgos House-National Museum.