The tapis

CEBU, Philippines - It's a very familiar piece among Filipinos that no one would think it's anything special. It's a single rectangular piece of cloth to wrap around oneself as clothing. It's mostly used by women, but - on second thought - the men have been using it, too.

The tapís has been around in the country even before the arrival of the Western colonizers. The original Filipino tapís is the kind that is still found today among the women of Northern Luzon's Cordillera region.  It's known locally as the "alampay," a colorful hand-woven wraparound skirt.

Similar versions of the Cordillera tapís can also be found among the native tribes of Mindanao. Interestingly, tapís is a term that also refers to a traditional weaving style from Lampung, Indonesia; the word is the name of the resulting cloth, as well. The Indonesian tapís consists of a striped, naturally-colored cloth embroidered with warped and couched gold thread, much like its Filipino counterpart.

The real origin of the tapís is not clear, except that it is distinctly Southeast Asian. One thing is likely, though; its prevalence in the region must have been brought about by much earlier trade and commerce activities. Some anthropologists, however, theorize that it could have also been invented by the different communities independently of each other, driven only by the common  availability of materials.

In the indigenous communities throughout the Philippines, the ornate tapís is now mostly worn in ceremonies only, although a much toned down version of the piece remains to be everyday apparel elsewhere. 

In a recent international fashion event in Malaysia, the tapís was the highlight. Many were titillated at the hint that the piece maybe worn by men, too. But this was not anything new at all, since the aboriginal men had always used the tapís. The Ifugaos of Luzon, for instance, used it - and still do - as "bahag." Another way of wearing tapís among men is to make it form a cylinder around the wearer's legs.

A native chieftain of Mindanao would wrap the cloth around his waist and hold the ends together with the use of a tightly tied sash. The tapís generally reaches down to knee length, and the weaving pattern describes the culture and temperament of the wearer's tribe. Among the Muslim communities, the malong, a tubular piece of cloth of a size enough to cover the body, is used as tapís.

Everywhere in the Philippines, the tapís is a familiar garb. The fabric used for the piece varies according to location. Among upland peoples, whose environments are colder, the tapís tends to be thicker. Particularly in the southern parts of the country, it is also used as wall decoration, often with a symmetrical design.

It's amazing that something so simple like the tapís has survived the test of time. But its simplicity might be the very secret of its long-running popularity.  The tapís is very handy, very comfortable to wear and quite versatile. (FREEMAN)