Threads of Identity: An Ethnographic Study on the Costumes and Cultural Signifiers of the Bukidnon and Menuvu Indigenous Communities in Mindanao, Philippines

This ethnographic study explores the authentic traditional attire among the Bukidnon and Menuvu Indigenous Cultural Communities in Mindanao, Philippines, focusing on costume dress cut, designs, colors, shapes and lines, through qualitative methods employing immersive fieldwork, focus group discussions, and validation from tribal elders the research documented the distinctive textile patterns, accessories, and ceremonial garments across the communities. Women typically wore navel-length blouses, with geometrically patterned skirts (“pinaksuy”) either mid cut, ankle level, and/or midnight cut, and accessorized with feathered “pinanggahangan,” that conveyed status and clan affiliation. Men with positions in the community wore “sinug-ong,” which included barong-style tops and long trousers, adorned with elaborately embroidered garments, while warriors and ceremonial dancers wore embroidered chaleku. Color choices reflected cosmological beliefs, with red, black, and white predominating as sacred tones, alongside other symbolic hues. The Menuvu were distinguished by their beaded headdress (“suwat”) and the intricate layering paired with a knee or mid cut wrapped around the skirt, and ankle level (double balloon skirt). The study affirms that indigenous costumes are more than aesthetic artifacts; they are visual repositories of oral traditions, socio-political structure, and ancestral memory. These findings contribute to national efforts on cultural preservation, heritage education, and policy advocacy on the rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines.