Harija Alaw
Tausug people
Born 1968, The Philippines
Nadia Allih
Tausug people
Born 1984, The Philippines

Live and work in Guimba Lagasan, Parang, Sulu Province, The Philippines

Pis syabit are the most refined of Tausug textiles and are indicative of the mingling of cultures, religions and trade in the Mindanao region, with elements of Islamic belief combined with Hindu and Buddhist influences. ‘Pis’ refers to the patterns, and ‘syabit’ to the hook or tapestry technique used to create them. They are usually made from cotton, silk or polyester on a backstrap loom. Motifs are passed between mothers and daughters, with designs derived from nature and daily life – including fish, houses, jackfruit and dragonflies – and rendered as intricate geometric patterns that follow principles of symmetry.

Artists Nadia Allih and Harija Alaw are associated with the Guimba Lagasan Handloom Association in Parang, Sulu. Along with fellow weavers Karma Gadjali Amilbangsa and her daughter Ruhina Rajik Muhaimer, they were apprentices of Darhata Sawabi (1943–2005), a nationally recognised Tausug weaver renowned for her skill with pis syabit.

Return to Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago: Roots and Currents