Southeast Asian Bead Circle Newsletter Vol. 1, No.2

by Bucklee Bell

I am especially pleased to present this e-version of the second Southeast Asia Bead Circle Newsletter. Bucklee Bell has visited a place I have longed to go and has done an excellent job of reporting on the outstanding ornaments and costumes of these little-known people.

The T'boli live in the Cotabato Cordillara (mountain range) in South Catabato Province on the large southern island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Lake Sebu (Sebo) is at the center of the approximately 2000 square kilometers of their region. As with some, though not all, of their neighbors, they resisted the influx of Islam beginning in the 14^th century. They are subsistence agriculturists, also raising ducks at the edge of the lake.

Their personal ornamentation is outstanding. They weave much of their own cloth. They produce many ornaments in brass by the lost-wax technique, introduced in the early to mid 19^th century (Casino 1981: 146) and use imported glass beads. The wearing of beads, spectacular as it is, may date only from the 1940s (Artimeo Barbosa 1991, personal communication).

Bucklee's contribution here is important for several reasons, aside from the glorious photographs (all his). They include:

1. He gives us an up-to-date description of the costume of the T'boli women. Apparently, it is being worn less commonly than two decades ago, as Casal reported.

2. He clarifies the beads that make up the important lieg, the heirloom necklace of the T'boli. I had guessed that the beads were 19^th or early 20^th century European, and Bucklee's observations and pictures shows that to be the case.

Bucklee adds: For those wishing to see the T'boli people in all their finery a visit to the Lem Lunay T'boli Festival is your best opportunity. This festival is held every year on the second Friday in November at Sebu and lasts a few days.