Piña

Piña ( ) is a traditional Philippine fiber made from the leaves of the pineapple plant. Pineapples are indigenous to South America but have been widely cultivated in the Philippines since the 17th century, and used for weaving lustrous lace-like luxury textiles known as '' nipis'' fabric. The name is derived from Spanish ''piña'', meaning "pineapple".

In February 2018, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, along with the government of Aklan, began the process of nominating Kalibo piña weaving in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.

History

Pineapples were introduced by the Spanish to the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. The cultivar now known as began to be cultivated for the textile industry as early as the 17th century. The extraction and weaving techniques were direct adaptations of the native weaving traditions using abacá fiber, which has a similar texture. Piña were woven into lustrous lace-like '' nipis'' fabrics usually decorated with intricate floral embroidery known as ''calado'' and ''sombrado''.

Piña fabric was a luxury export from the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period and gained favor among European aristocracy in the 18th and 19th centuries. ''Nipis'' fabrics were esteemed as exotic and sumptuous. Notable uses by royalty include the baptismal gown of King Alfonso XIII presented as a gift by Pope Pius X (now in the Museo del Traje); a piña handkerchief given as a wedding gift to Princess Alexandra of Denmark on her marriage to King Edward VII; as well as a petticoat and undergarment for Queen Victoria. An unfinished Maria Clara gown was also commissioned by the Marquis of Yriarte (then Governor of Laguna) intended for Queen Isabella II, who abdicated in 1870. Numerous examples of 19th century embroidered piña textiles are in the collections of various museums around the world, although their history remains understudied in academic literature.

Domestically, they were used to make the traditional '' barong tagalog'', '' baro't saya'', and '' traje de mestiza'' clothing of the Filipino upper class, as well as women's kerchiefs (''pañuelo''). They were favored for their light and breezy quality, which was ideal in the hot tropical climate of the islands. The industry was destroyed in the Second World War and is only starting to be revived.

Numerous pineapple-based dishes were also developed in the Philippines as a result of the pineapple textile industry. These include traditional ingredients and dishes like pineapple vinegar, ''hamonado'', '' afritada'', and '' pininyahang manok''. Another notable by-product is a traditional jelly-like dessert called ''nata de piña'', which has been produced in the Philippines since the 18th century.

Production methods

Since piña is from a leaf, the leaf has to be cut first from the plant. Then the fiber is pulled or split away from the leaf. Most leaf fibers are long and somewhat stiff. Each strand of the piña fiber is hand scraped and is knotted one by one to form a continuous filament to be handwoven and then made into a piña cloth.

File:Pineapple-fiber-extraction.jpg, Scraping a pineapple leaf to reveal the fibers.
File:Piña-Seda- Pineapple and Silk Cloths from the Philippines 10.jpg, Preparing fibres for weaving
File:Piña-Seda- Pineapple and Silk Cloths from the Philippines 13.jpg, Traditional pina weaving
File:Piña-Seda- Pineapple and Silk Cloths from the Philippines 12.jpg, Traditional pina weaving

Producers

Kalibo, Aklan, is the main and the oldest manufacturer/weaver of piña cloth in the Philippines which are being exported to various parts of the world most particularly North America and Europe. Piña weaving is an age-old tradition which was recently revived in the past 20 years.

Pineapple silk was considered the queen of Philippine fabrics and is considered the fabric of choice of the Philippine elite. During the 1996 APEC summit held in the Philippines, world leaders donned '' barong tagalog'' made of piña sourced from Kalibo during the group photo.

Producers include La Herminia Piña Weaving Industry, Malabon Pina Producers and Weavers Association, Reycon's Piña Cloth and Industry, and Rurungan sa Tubod Foundation.

Uses

Piña fabric is characterized by being lightweight but stiff, with a sheer appearance and a smooth silk-like texture. In modern times, it is predominantly used in the making of '' barong tagalog'', '' baro't saya'', and other traditional formal wear in the Philippines. It is also used for table linens, bags, mats and other clothing items.

Gallery

File:Kerchief (Pañuelo) MET 115249a.jpg, Early 19th century ''pañuelo'' in the Metropolitan Museum of Art made from piña and linen
File:Textile (Philippines), 19th century (CH 18348723).jpg, 19th century cotton and piña textile in the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
File:Handkerchief (Philippines), 19th century (CH 18386747).jpg, 19th century handkerchief made from piña with cotton embroidery
File:Man's Shirt (Philippines), 1890–1900 (CH 18571417).jpg, 19th century '' barong tagalog'' made from piña and cotton
File:Shirt MET 83.50.1 CP4.jpg, Early 19th century striped '' barong tagalog'' made from piña
File:Blouse MET 37.109.1.jpg, Early 19th century ''camisa'' (women's blouse) made from piña and cotton
File:Panel (Philippines), early 19th century (CH 18386599).jpg, 19th century ''pañuelo'' with silk and silver thread embroidery

See also

*Abacá
*Batik
* Inabel
* Malong
*Nata de piña
* Tapis
* T'nalak

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pina
Woven fabrics
Fiber plants
Tropical agriculture
Pineapples
History of Asian clothing
Philippine handicrafts