At 93, Magdalena Gamayo, the country’s master weaver of inabel clothing, got a rare opportunity to prepare a special death shroud for the burial of the remains of the late President Ferdinand Marcos.
Inabel is a handwoven textile clothing done on traditional wooden looms by Ilocano artisans using weaving techniques. Representing the textile heritage of Ilocos Norte, the inabel plays an enormous part in the lifestyle and tradition of Ilocanos.
Despite her physical frailty and limitations, Gamayo, a native of Pinili town, along with other weavers in their locality, gave her all in making the inabel death shroud for the late President.
“My heart is filled with happiness for being chosen to create the keepsake but at the same time I feel mournful as if I am making again a shroud for the people I valued,” Gamayo said in Ilocano recounting how she had created shrouds for her loved ones including her deceased daughter and husband.
Gamayo explained that the Ilocano tradition of pabaon is the way of the bereaved family giving their departed loved ones what they need after life on earth such as important personal belongings or those that represent their occupation.
“Pabaon is also a way of honoring the deceased,” she said. Gamayo revealed that the pabaon, which is seven and a half yards of inabel, is pure white with ruffles on its sides and will be used for Marcos’ blanket and pillowcase. The color of the inabel follows the traditional Ilocano death and burial practices which only allows black or white.
However, she noted that what makes the inabel created for President Marcos more special is its design brimming with flowers.
“When you truly value someone, you give the person flowers as a special gift and that is why I have chosen the floral design which I actually dreamt for the President’s burial blanket. This is the first time that we have woven an inabel blanket with floral designs as pabaon as the previous ones I have crafted for my departed loved ones were only pure white without any design,” said Gamayo.
Asked about the planned burial of the president to the Libingan ng mga Bayani earlier set on September 18, Gamayo said, “mostly, we are in despair when someone passes away and when the time comes that we bury the person at his or her final resting place. But this time, I have mixed emotions but I am elated that in my lifetime I will finally see President Marcos buried in a fitting place.”
Gamayo, who was conferred the Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan (National Living Treasure Award) in 2012, looks forward to passing her valued skill of panag-abel to the younger generation amidst the rise of technology and modernization.