T’nalak Festival 2023
The T’nalak festival 2023 celebrates the rich culture of South Cotabato province. The festival gets its name from t’nalak, a traditional woven fabric by the T’boli tribe. It also commemorates the work of Lang Dulay, a T’boli weaver from Lake Sebu awarded as a National Living Treasure in 1998.
The festival offers a unique cultural espionage of Mindanao’s diverse traditions. It includes colorful parades, street dancing competition, and a number of other events and activities.
Street Dancing Competition
The most popular event at t’nalak is the street dancing competition, which showcases dancers in elaborate costumes depicting the rich culture of South Cotabato. The choreography is synchronized with the rhythm of traditional music. Each presentation tells a story about the province’s history and traditions. In addition to the street dance competition, t’nalak also hosts other events like the Agten Tufi Weaving Competition and the Mutya ng South Cotabato beauty pageant.
The festival is named after t’nalak, an intricately woven fabric made by the T’boli tribes of the region. It celebrates the rich cultural heritage of the province and honors the late Lang Dulay, a T’boli weaver from Lake Sebu who was awarded the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or National Living Treasure award.
The festival is a weeklong showcasing of the people’s diverse culture and traditions, culminating in a grand parade. It is held every year in July in Koronadal City, the capital of South Cotabato.
Agten Tufi Weaving Competition
The T’nalak festival is a vibrant celebration of the rich cultural heritage of South Cotabato. It is named after the intricately woven T’nalak cloth, a traditional textile made by the indigenous Tboli women. The festival showcases traditional dances and costumes, as well as T’boli arts and crafts. It is an excellent opportunity for tourists to immerse themselves in local culture.
The festival highlights the craftsmanship of T’boli artisans through the “Agten Tufi” weaving competition. This competition presents skilled weavers, usually T’boli women, demonstrating their skills and creativity in designing their T’nalak masterpieces. It also fosters a sense of camaraderie among weavers and encourages younger generations to learn the craft.
Aside from the weaving competition, the festival also showcases reconstructed “bahay kubo” of the 10 municipalities and the city of Koronadal. These bahay kubo display the varied agricultural products of the province, as well as handicrafts and traditional T’boli tools. The festival runs from July 13 to 18 in Koronadal City.
Agri and Plant Fair Booth
Throughout the weeklong celebration, visitors and locals alike experience the true meaning of #TakeMeToTnalak. They immerse themselves in the people’s diverse culture and traditions, witness a reconstructed bahay kubo (house) competition that showcases the distinct architecture of each municipality, and a street dancing showdown that blends traditional Tboli dance with modern choreography.
The festival gets its name from t’nalak, the colorful abaca cloth that Tboli women weave, with designs that are based on their dreams. It is an iconic symbol that represents the province’s vibrant cultural heritage, as well as its enduring strength and resilience.
Among the booths at the fair are those offering various types of plants, vegetables and fruits. One is Grow Director Ltd., a six-year-old agri-tech company that offers climate control and automation systems for vertical farms and greenhouses. Its system features intelligent sensors and AI-driven software. It also has a cloud-based platform for remote monitoring and data analytics. Its booth is located at the agri-fair’s main hall.
Regional Trade Expo
The t’nalak festival is an annual celebration of the culture and traditions of the T’boli tribe in South Cotabato. It gets its name from t’nalak, a traditional abaca cloth with intricate designs that hold great spiritual significance to the T’boli. The festival was founded in honor of Lang Dulay, a T’boli weaver from Lake Sebu who was awarded the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (National Living Treasure Award) in 1998.
The festival is a vibrant celebration of T’boli’s cultural heritage and artistic craftsmanship. It also aims to preserve T’boli’s enduring spirit through the arts, music, and dance. The festival features various events and workshops that showcase the rich culture of South Cotabato, such as street dancing competitions and cultural performances. During the festival, the Alunan Avenue in the city of Koronadal transforms into an agri-trade fair and food festival featuring local foods, fruits, and handicrafts. The t’nalak festival also includes fun activities and games for the whole family.