Get to Know Fu Yabing and Lang Dulay: South Cotabato’s GAMABA Awardees
Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) or National Living Treasure Award is a prestigious award for traditional and folk artists with a rank and title proclaimed by the President of the Philippines in accordance with Executive Order No. 236 of Honors Code of the Philippines. To be a GAMABA awardee, the artist must be endowed with mastery of his or her arts, crafts, and music producing the excellent quality of work over a significant period.
As part of the Community-Based Tourism Marketing Enhancement by the Tourism Promotions Board of the Philippines, we were fortunate to get to know two of the country’s GAMABA awardees at their respective hometowns in South Cotabato, the Land of Dreamweavers – Fu Yabing and Lang Dulay.
Fu Yabing, B’laan Master Weaver
Born on August 8, 1914, Fu Yabing Masalon Dulo is more prominently known as Fu Yabing, who started weaving “tabih” or hand-woven dyed abaca at the age of 14. She is one of the two master designers of the B’laan tribe and the second awardee of GAMABA in South Cotabato.
We made our way to the south in Polomolok which is where Mount Matutum’s base is also nestled. As we reached a quaint, native house in Sitio Amgu-o in Barangay Landan, Fu Yabing’s home, we were welcomed by a smiling face. He introduced himself as Arthur Dulo Gulili or more fondly known as Jao, one of Fu Yabing’s grandchildren.
As the late GAMABA awardee’s grandson, Jao took the responsibility of safeguarding and continuing the practices of the weaving community and their ongoing projects since Fu Yabing’s passing in January 2021 at the age of 106.
At present, a center is being built where the woven and beaded products are displayed, which ensures the exquisite craftsmanship is appreciated by the generations to come. Not to miss when visiting this place is seeing how they preserve the traditional mabal tabih art of ikat weaving and dyeing and the life story of Fu Yabing herself.
What interested me the most was the intricate designs they created inspired by their dreams, especially the images of a crocodile. The woven outputs were revered and should never be made into bags or products where you must cut through the designs as they must stay whole.
Lang Dulay, A Master Dreamweaver of T’boli
Another GAMABA awardee’s home we visited was of Lang Dulay in Lake Sebu. Lang Dulay also used abaca fibers for Tnalak of T’boli cloth and designed her masterpieces with her dreams and inspiration from nature, such as crocodiles, butterflies, flowers, streams, and mountains. She was born on August 3, 1927, started weaving at the age of 12, and knew a hundred designs. She passed away in April 2015.
There is also an ongoing construction of a center where Lang Dulay, her works, and many Tnalak products will be showcased. Here, we learned how delicate each strand and dyed thread of the Tnalak is, how tedious the process can be, and how straining it is for the weavers who will sit down the whole day to weave. We also met their current master dreamweaver, Sibulan, the daughter-in-law of the late Lang Dulay, who demonstrated the art of weaving the Tnalak.
As a National Living Treasure Awardee, Lang Dulay is also known for passing down the tradition to the next generation of weavers in Tboli, especially because her art tells the story of the Tboli people.
Preserving The Tradition With TBP’s Help
Thanks to the campaigns and programs of the Tourism Promotions Board, the weavers have the opportunity not only to pass on the traditions and practices of their culture but also to enrich and market them properly.
Community-Based Tourism Marketing Enhancement provides training in marketing and business skills to support the development and production of woven products while ensuring the cultural value of weaving as an art is well-promoted and never exploited.
Fu Yabing and Lang Dulay are a testament to the enduring legacy of tradition and art. They inspire every indigenous community to safeguard their craft, which is not just mere products to sell but has stories, resilience, and love for the tapestry of the Philippine culture embedded in each.
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