Patadyong

Alitaptap and Florry wrote in my “Vacation” entry about the “patadyong”.

Alitaptap said: “The last woman I saw wearing a patadyong was my mother-in-law. (Yes.. past tense) She was Ilongga of course. I have this strange feeling that such topic belong to ancients, history and writer, both.”

Florry said: “Before we used to wear the patadyong; me and my former students esp. during our school foundation.Ang saya-saya namin noon.”

Patadyong is being threatened with extinction. Whereas before, patadyong was a province-wide industry, there’s only one barrio in Antique where the patadyong is still being produced. It’s in Bugtason in the town of Bugasong.

Florentina Acupan, 80, wearing her patadyong.

Patadyong is like a malong but in checkered design. It has a variety of uses. Primarily, women used it as a tucked-in skirt topped by a kimona. It was used as a mobile, personalized bathroom because in the olden days, women take a bath and wash their clothes in the river. With either one hand or their teeth holding a piece of the patadyong, they soap and clean their body with another hand, assured of “protection” from malicious eyes.

The patadyong was also used as a hammock for babies and for transporting the sick across hills, valleys, and rivers.

With the change in lifestyle, demand for the patadyong is only for special occasions. Many of the children of weavers would rather work as factory workers or domestic helpers rather than spend time in front of the old spinning wheel.

The women of Bugtason who valiantly keep alive the art of making patadyong. For a thread of five to six colors worth P2,000,a weaver can make 8 patadyongs with simple design which she can finish in two weeks time. An ordinary patadyong sell for P600 each. A patadyong with intricate design could cost more than P1,000.

Evangeline Casi, 40, learned weaving patadyong from her mother, Florentina Acupan. Here, she teaches 12-year old Rosemary Siladan, one of the very few young people interested in carrying on the tradition.