It is difficult to imagine a more peaceful and picturesque town in Mindanao than that of Lake Sebu in Southern Cotabato. Lake Sebu is a 45-minute drive from the capital Koronadal over well asphalted roads. Located 3,000 feet above sea level, with a cool climate and fresh air, this town of barely 65,000 inhabitants is easily accessible to tourists, scholars, researchers, and just curious travelers.

Amazingly, the T’bolis still live along the placid banks of Lake Sebu in complete peace and harmony with nature. We will never forget our first visit to Lake Sebu decades ago. We went by helicopter with then Secretary of Education, now National Artist for Literature, Anding Roces. It seemed that going by chopper was the only way to reach Lake Sebu and the indigenous residents who were then called Tagabilis. We don’t know when they became T’bolis, but their traditional wear has remained the same.

Today, there seems to be less rolling hills than before, but that apparently is the price one pays for progress. Nevertheless, the panorama before our eyes was still more than we expected as we headed for the local tourism office and our appointment with guide Myrna Pula who took us to meet a 90 year-old national living treasure, Lang Dulay.

In 1998, as a result of persistent spade work of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Lang Dulay was discovered living in Lake Sebu where she was born, still continuing the tradition of weaving T’nalak in the manner her ancestors had done it. Because of this, she was awarded the Gawad ng Manlilikha ng Bayan award, for which she was given a medal, P100, 000 cash, and a lifetime living allowance of P10, 000 a month.

At her home, we found members of her extended family at work with the looms. Lang Dulay (as translated by Myrna) related how she learned weaving at age 12 from her mother who likewise learned it from her mother. There are barely 300 traditional weavers left in Lake Sebu which is why Lang Dulay was happy to have been granted the award for her to continue teaching the art to a new generation of weavers.

Images of birds, butterflies, crocodiles, mountains, streams, and flowers adorn the T’nalak Lang Dulay has woven. The NCCA, she says, asked her to produce 100 different designs which took her 10 years to finish. Her products are sent to NCCA’s Manila headquarters where they are sold to tourists and find their way to other countries. Lang Dulay observes the traditions of her ancestors in using only the colors of red (for blood or bravery), black (for death or life after death), and white (for the realm of the spirits). It is not allowed for the T’nalak cloth (which measures from five to 12 meter rolls) to be cut. Should this be done, it will displease the spirits and the culprit will be taken ill. The weaver should also make sure to pass a single abaca thread all over her body prior to weaving to guard against sickness.

The home of Lang Dulay as well as the T’boli Trade & Crafts Cooperative are built in exactly the same style of all T’boli houses although that of Lang is of royal size. As explained by Myrna, the house is raised six feet above the ground, with posts of bamboo, roof of cogon changed every five years or so, the rectangular shape perfect as sacred weaving area. At night, the lower central space is for the first wife; the raised area around are for the other wives and children. Everyone sleeps with mosquito nets. Various types of bamboo are used all over the house from floor, walls, windows and ladders.

There are very few traditional weavers of the T’nalak left. At the moment Lang Dulay is training 25 of them. It is understandable why few are interested in propagating the old art. The process is backbreaking and involves stripping the stem of the abaca to get fine fibers, dying and drying the threads, tying each strand, setting them on a back-stray loom at the back of the weaver. But Lang Dulay is hopeful. At her age, she remains an inspiration to the few who want to continue the dying tradition.

Myrna took us around the town where there are new inns catering to tourists. The tourism office itself offers lodgings at a budget rate of P60/day. Its guests are usually composed of researchers studying the music and the indigenous dances of the tribe. We visited the cooperative where many products of the local craftsmen were on sale. The cooperative’s acting manager, Gemma Galor, showed us some ornaments made of multi-colored beads, embroidered blouses and hats, brass figurines, bells, and containers. There were also fabrics, baskets, lamp covers, and of course the T’nalak.

We drove around the three lakes of Sebu, Siloton and Lahit. We planned to visit at least two of the seven falls of Lake Sebu but the rain was starting to pour and so decided against it. We took lunch of delicious tilapia at one of the lakeside restaurants, and completely invigorated both physically and spiritually, made the way back home.