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THE BANIG OF BASEY
Basey is a municipality in Samar, Philippines. It is known for its woven products such as mats, wall decorations, placemats and the famous — sleeping mat known as “banig”.
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Banig weaving is the common source of income of people in almost any part of Samar, most especially by the housewives. The traditional art of mat weaving continues to flourish in the old town of Basey. The practice of this ancient art has been handed down from one generation to the next. The weavers are locally known as “paraglara” (usually women weavers). The paraglaras is said to practice and were taught the traditional mat weaving at an early age. It is believed that the people in Basey had been weaving mats long before the Spaniards came in the Philippines.
Who we are
Basey is a municipality in Samar, Philippines. It is known for its woven products such as mats, wall decorations, placemats and the famous — sleeping mat known as “banig”.
Our Products
The banig or mats measure around 2×3 meters and as thin as a chipboard. A banig is usually made from “tikog”, a special reed grass which grows in swampy areas along rice fields and has solid, jointless and usually triangular stems.Technically, it is not a textile. Depending on the region of the Philippines, the mat is made of buri (palm), pandan or sea grass leaves. The leaves are dried, usually dyed, then cut into strips and woven into mats, which may be plain or intricate.
