
120 PEOPLES OF THE PHILIPPINES 
pleasing sombre shades of dye. In the Bontok region, 
old style cloth was woven chiefly of bark fibers. 
The only weaving machinery known to the native 
was the hand loom, one end of which was suspended, 
while the other was frequently attached around the 
weaver’s waist. As might be expected from such a 
habit, the bolt of cloth was often of some length, but 
rather narrow. 
The Bagobo practice tie-dyeing. Bundles of fibers or 
threads are wrapped and then immersed. The wrapped 
portions preserve the natural color, the intervening 
spaces taking the dye. Very effective although rather 
difficult weaves are obtained by this process. The 
Bagobo also tie finished cloth into wrapped knots to 
produce patterns by dipping. Tie-dyeing is believed 
to have originated in India. Its occurrence in the 
Philippines is therefore not so remarkable as the fact 
that a process which is usually reckoned an advanced 
one, should have survived only or chiefly among a 
pagan people. 
The very beautiful and often extremely valuable 
pina cloth of the Christian Filipino has already been 
mentioned. It is woven both with and without silk. 
The latter material is of course imported, or at least the 
art was. Linen, true hemp, and wool were also unknown 
to the Filipino prior to the arrival of Europeans. 
Tapa, or bark cloth, although not a textile, is in its 
use a substitute for woven cloths, and is part of the 
ancient cultural property which the Filipinos share 
with the East Indians and Oceanians in general. It is 
made from the balete and other trees. The inner bark is 
stripped off in layers, soaked, and beaten. Philippine 
bark cloth is rather hastily made and never attains 
either the fineness of texture or degree of ornamentation 
which distinguishes Polynesian tapa. It is rarely 

