LAOAG CITY – The Ilocos Norte government is giving P1 million to Magdalena Galinato Gamayo, a national living treasure and master Inabel weaver who turned 100 in August.
“This is to recognize and honor her contributions as a national living treasure,”Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc said in a press conference on Friday, adding that the provincial government was not able to give her any gift during her birthday.
Sourced under the general fund of the provincial government, the amount is meant to support her personal well-being, including her medical needs and daily living expenses, Manotoc said.
He will visit Gamayo and award the check at her residence in Barangay Lumbaan-Bicbica, Pinili.
Gamayo, known among locals as Lola Dalen, continues to train new breed of weavers at the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) Cultural Center located near her residence.
In partnership with the Department of Education, the center offers free “inabel” weaving training program to interested individuals under the watch of Lola Dalen.
Inabel, also referred to as Abel Iloco or Abel, is the weaving tradition of the Ilocano people of Northern Luzon
For someone who dedicated her whole life to making inabel textiles and keeping the craft alive up to this time, Gamayo said in an earlier interview that it would be an honor for her to watch the youth mastering the art.
The making of inabel fabric is a tedious process. It involves preparing the cotton threads, warping and braiding them, and feeding into the loom before the actual weaving begins.
At the end of the day, a weaver finds fulfillment in the output, knowing the finished product is not just a piece of cloth but a priceless possession made by the hands while keeping a legacy inherited from generation to generation. (PNA)