Not Sweating the Small Stuff

Curious How Things Come Your Way - Four Antique Embroidered Muslim Jackets

Antique Mindanao Muslim Jacket

Curious how things come your way - like a set of antique Muslim jackets from Mindanao in the Philippines.

A few years back, we weathered a typhoon in the island of Boracay, the Philippines, in a concrete almost bunker-styled Korean restaurant. And to pass the time we'd fallen into conversation with one of the local traditional landowners who'd developed a museum there devoted to antique Filipino artefacts.



Unfortunately in the course of the malstrom the museum was badly damaged. And so over the next days, we helped our new friend clean up. And were seriously taken aback when she insisted, for our troubles, we take the set of four Muslim jackets and various other antique textiles from Northern Luzon.

Antique Mindanao Muslim Jacket 2 - Front

Antique Mindanao Muslim Jacket 2 - Obverse


Antique Mindanao Muslim Jacket 2 - Detail


Antique Mindanao Muslim Jacket 2 - Detail

Antique Mindanao Muslim Jacket 3 - Front

Antique Mindanao Muslim Jacket 3 - Obverse

Antique Mindanao Muslim Jacket 4 - Front

Antique Mindanao Muslim Jacket 4 - Obverse

The connections with other Muslim cultures in South East Asia is obvious, such as in the following examples from the Hmong Meo hilltribe of Chiang Mai in Thailand ...




Several weeks after returning to Australia, and equally extraordinarily, a book arrived on our doorstep - 'Sinaunang Habi - Philippine Ancestral Weave', sent by our friend to contextualise her amazing gift.

Most interestingly then, the book showed how antique clothing was worn - we could see our jackets modelled for both men and women ...

Lembaning Lake Sebu South Cotabato T'boli

Mandaya Highlands Davao Oriental Mandaya

Savoy Matanao Davao del Sur B'laan

Dungan Pekong Matanao Davao del Sur B'laan

Various Regions

The book was so seductively beautiful I posted on it pretty much immediately - 'Tribal Beauty - Philippine Cultural Identity in Traditional Woven Clothing'.

So guys, what sorts of things have unexpectedly shored up your way?

Obviously, this has potential for a caring and sharing moment/s!