Malong (Skirt), 2001-99/16

Malong (Skirt) | 2001-99/16 | Maranao - Mindanao

Delano Cordova

The Malong is a tubular piece of draped clothing from the Philippines similar to the Malay sarong. This piece of clothing originating from the Maranao people holds both societal importance and has everyday use. Ornate malongs woven with nicer materials and more intricate designs are reserved for wearing at special events while ordinary malongs are worn more often and manipulated to become a raincoat, a sling bag, headwear, etc. Traditionally, different colors of Malong would often signify different classes or roles. Yellow was reserved for local royalty, red was for warriors, green was for priests and juries, and magenta (like this one) was for princesses, young women, and queens.

I was about 6 years old when I first handled a malong. My mother was a Filipino folk dance instructor and she was teaching us the dance "Kappa Malong Malong." This was a dance showing off different ways to wear and use this piece of traditional clothing. My father would be playing the dabakan drum accompanying the metal agong that drove our dance forward. My favorite trick was always to make a turban, it was our final trick and it was the most impressive as we turned a 5-foot-long sash into fashionable headwear in seconds.

Courtesy of the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture. To search the Arts & Cultures collections, please visit our online database here.