Be-e

This be-e is from the Lubo region of Kalinga, and is dyed with a deep indigo. The diamond twill is in three layers, and extremely tight, verifying that Kalinga textiles rank with Itneg and Gaddang textiles to have the finest weave in the Philippines. The fiber is thought to be Cagayan Valley cotton. Based upon interviews with informants from the region, and comparison with other similar textiles, it is estimated that the textile is at least 100 years old. Although the indigo dye is remarkably dark, this can be explained by the fact that the textile has not been worn often, and probably not washed many times.

It is said that the textile was worn during ritual sacrefices of pigs by an upper class Tinglayan tribe man. A matching ka-in (see item above) was owned by the wife. Similar textiles in cotton and bark fiber are well known, and also exist in white. These have been used for daily wear as well as funerary burrial cloths. The width of the textile is 19cm.

SOURCE: http://home.online.no/~molt-and/Museum/kaltex/kaltex.html