Let's recap my weaving journey...
2008
It was my second trip to the Philippines, but the first
journey to the Mabilong community of Lubuagan in the Kalinga Province. I
received a Teacher Fellowship to study the relationship between contemporary
urban artists and traditional artists and in my travels to Mindanao, Panay and
Luzon I met so many different artists that were to become my friends. I hadn’t
know at the time that I was to learn to weave many years later. In 2006 I visited the T’boli
weavers of Lake Sebu and revisited them in 2008. My next weaving stop was to
see the weavers of Sagada and Ifuagao. I was accompanied by Ruel Bimugag
(Ifugao Photographer) and his wife, Irene, who brought me to stay with her
Kalinga family in Mabilong, Lubuagan. This first visit to Lubuagan gave me the
opportunity to spend time with esteemed Kalinga Culture Bearers, Manong “Sapi” Bawer and his wife, Manang Maria, who
would sit with me while winding her pitipit in preparation for one of the
weavers of their family.
I spent several weeks observing the entire Mabilong community under Manong "Sapi's" direction
preparing for the 100th year anniversary of Provincial Government with their
traditional skills of weaving. I visited several weavers. Some were
learning to preserve a pattern that had not been woven for a long time. The
elders wanted to preserve this pattern and I was gifted a “kain” (tapis/skirt),
which I wore during the celebration and later even danced with the community.
It was my second trip to the Philippines, but the first
journey to the Mabilong community of Lubuagan in the Kalinga Province. I
received a Teacher Fellowship to study the relationship between contemporary
urban artists and traditional artists and in my travels to Mindanao, Panay and
Luzon I met so many different artists that were to become my friends. I hadn’t
know at the time that I was to learn to weave many years later. In 2006 I visited the T’boli
weavers of Lake Sebu and revisited them in 2008. My next weaving stop was to
see the weavers of Sagada and Ifuagao. I was accompanied by Ruel Bimugag
(Ifugao Photographer) and his wife, Irene, who brought me to stay with her
Kalinga family in Mabilong, Lubuagan. This first visit to Lubuagan gave me the
opportunity to spend time with esteemed Kalinga Culture Bearers, Manong “Sapi” Bawer and his wife, Manang Maria, who
would sit with me while winding her pitipit in preparation for one of the
weavers of their family. 
2012
When Jenny Bawer Young was awarded her first “Master/Apprentice” grant I spent the year learning how to laga (Kalinga backstrap weaving).
When Jenny Bawer Young was awarded her first “Master/Apprentice” grant I spent the year learning how to laga (Kalinga backstrap weaving).
2015-2017
Jenny Bawer Young and Kalingafornia Laga was awarded a grant to complete the first of its kind ~ a tapestry! Our group collaborated with the Mabilong weavers to complete,
“Chewang chi Biyeg.” The tapestry (shown below along with Kalinga regalia and jewelry) enabled us to connect the dots between the U.S. and the Philippines. When residents and community members in San Francisco’s fight against the eviction of residents and Manongs of
the I-Hotel it demonstrated how people came together to resist big money's attempt to take over a community for profit. We saw the success of the Kalinga people who stopped the building of the Chico River Dam as an inspiration. They kept their homes safe and their rice fields from being flooded. In today's world the fight for affordable housing in urban settings and Indigenous Peoples caring for the land is a growing concern for all worldwide. 
2019
Fast forward to 2019! Jenny Bawer Young and I cofounded
first “Laga Circle, CA” then renamed it “Kalingfornia Laga” to establish our
profound relationship with the Kalinga people, but to keep rooted both in
Kalinga and in California, where our growing number of weavers and interested
community are exposed to this beautiful weaving tradition. I am happy to report that several of
the weavers have surpassed my 
own skills, a growing number of them are also
making presentations and conducting demonstrations, Jenny Bawer Young is being
recognized as one of our premier Culture Bearers of the San Francisco Bay Area
and the larger community is recognizing the importance of maintaining cultural
traditions not only from the Philippines, but from many other countries as
well. 
Big gratitude to Jenny Bawer Young, who taught me how to weave Silambituwon this year!!!
