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T’nalak Festival
T’nalak Festival
T’nalak Festival, also known as Tinalak Festival, is a festival held to celebrate the anniversary of South Cotabato and is observed every July. The festival’s unique name is attributed to a popular piece of colorful cloth woven by the local T’boli women (T’boli is a tribe in the region). The cloth is known as a T’nalak, and is made of abaca clothing. There are a number of reasons why this was the choice of clothing among so many options.
First, T’nalak is woven by the women of the community, symbolizing their diversity and unified resilience. The actual process of weaving the T’nalak is a tedious one, requiring a lot of patience, precision, and effort. Which actually reminds the participants that that is the only way to obtain quality.
The story behind the design of the weave is rather interesting. In fact, the design is supposed to be dreamed by the person creating it, which is why this entire province is commonly known as the Land of Dreamweavers. And that’s why the fabric is the symbol of the festival – it represents the blending and unity of all the different cultures and ethnicities that live on the island.
Tourists attending the T’nalak Festival are welcomed by a rich and vibrant culture. Whether it is through the intricate display of traditional artifacts or the adorning of ethnic regalia, visitors are in for cultural espionage of a lifetime. This also presents a perfect opportunity to get meaningful souvenirs of your trip to the Philippines.
The start of the festival is marked by the Grand Parade. Locals come out onto the streets wearing colorful costumes, which showcase the culture of the indigenous people and tribes from the South Cotabato province.
Other highlights of the festival include the diverse sporting activities as well as the dancing competitions. For the latter, make sure you enjoy the popular float and cheer dance competition at the onset of the festival. Look out for the Trade Fair on location too if you would like an entrepreneurial aspect to your holiday in the Philippines.
Reference
Expert World Travel. (2021, May 30). T'nalak festival. Retrieved June 10, 2022,
from https://expertworldtravel.com/philippines/tnalak-festival/