Tolgè (part2: Ińgalgaletget, Pfinuttaw, & Binayyàung)
The tolge’ is the traditional wrap-around skirt of Ifugao women.
There are as many variations of the tolgè as there are major Ifugao groups --- but all of them follow a basic pattern of colors and stripes. Each design speaks of identity and place of origin.
Some of the women-members of the Ifugao Intangible Heritage and Performing Arts Society (IIHPAS) in their intinlu --- one of many variations of the tolgè
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The Ińggalgaletget and the Pinuttu
The ińggalgaletget (or ginalletget in some areas) and the pinuttu (or pfinuttaw in some areas) are still considered as variations of the ginallit, as they both are striped skirts (see first post on Tolgè).
The ińggalgaletget or ginalletget is a two-paneled wraparound skirt in wide use among the population in earlier times. It is now out of fashion but it used to be the working woman's skirt.
Its stripes are made of alternating undyed white cotton threads and black threads dyed from natural sources.
Over time, the striped skirt has evolved from its original black and white variant due mainly to the accessibility of ready-colored threads from the lowlands.
The pinuttu or pfinuttaw skirts of the Ayangan Ifugaos
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Binayyàung, the wraparound skirt of the kadangyan
The binayyáung is but two pieces of the bayyáung blanket made into a skirt (read our post on Uloh: Traditional Ifugao blanket). Like its blanket counterpart, the skirt is worn by the upper class.
After weaving, the two panels of the binayyáung are joined by stitching and an edging of woven strip called hangbo is added at both ends.
An elderly weaver working on the binayyáung skirt panels. (SITMO)
Patterns are usually woven in the black strip of the binayyáung’s panels. These include the hinulgi (complex diamond) and the hinolgat (spear head). The linuhhung (double mortar design) is also used in the Kiyyangan culture area.
A variant of the binayyáung, the pinagawaan (“with a middle”) is traditionally worn in Banaue and Hapao in Hungduan, Ifugao. This variation in design is probably influenced by the Bontoc.
To this day, the binayyáung is worn by Ifugao women.
Hapao women in Hungduan wearing the two kinds of binayyáung skirts while watching activities during a community festival. (SITMO)