Tapis
Encyclopedia
Among cultures in the Philippines
, Tapis may generally refer to a single rectangular piece of cloth one wraps around oneself as clothing, but usually specifically applies to a colorful hand-woven wraparound skirt
which was commonly used by women throughout the Philippines before the arrival of European colonizers, and which is used by some indigenous tribes today.
The tapis worn by the Cordilleran
women of Northern Luzon
, known locally as the alampay, are the most prominent example.
It is worn by wrapping the cloth around one's waist and holding the ends together with the use of a tightly tied sash. It generally reaches down to knee length, and the weaving pattern of describes the culture and temperament of the wearer's tribe.
that came before the arrival of European colonists. Those colonists would take note of this particular mode of dress, considering it immodest. Spanish chroniclers from the early period noted that this mode of dress remained common on many islands despite Spanish efforts to introduce what they considered more suitable clothing. The felt that the tight profile of the tapis on a female wearer was revealing, and made even worse by the often sheer fabric of the cloth. One noted that the tapis became even more revealing whenever the wearer was caught in the rain, or had just taken a bath. The locals, however, did not consider the revealing properties of the tapis to be immodest. Among the lowland peoples who came under the full influence of the Spanish, this would soon change as Christianization and Hispanization brought along a much more conservative culture, and along with it, a mode of dress that emphasized modesty. The tapis would continue to be worn, but not in public venues, and usually only in more intimate locales such as ones own home. The tapis saw continued use among upland peoples, but as their upland environments were colder, their variation of the tapis tended to be thicker and thus less revealing.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Tapis may generally refer to a single rectangular piece of cloth one wraps around oneself as clothing, but usually specifically applies to a colorful hand-woven wraparound skirt
Skirt
A skirt is a tube- or cone-shaped garment that hangs from the waist and covers all or part of the legs.In the western world, skirts are usually considered women's clothing. However, there are exceptions...
which was commonly used by women throughout the Philippines before the arrival of European colonizers, and which is used by some indigenous tribes today.
The tapis worn by the Cordilleran
Igorot
Cordillerans are the people of the Cordillera region, in the Philippines island of Luzon. The word, Igorot is a misnomer term invented by the Spaniards in mockery against the Nortnern Luzon tribes. The word ‘Igorot’ also as coined and applied by the Spaniards means a savage, head-hunting and...
women of Northern Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, known locally as the alampay, are the most prominent example.
It is worn by wrapping the cloth around one's waist and holding the ends together with the use of a tightly tied sash. It generally reaches down to knee length, and the weaving pattern of describes the culture and temperament of the wearer's tribe.
Broader usage (verb)
Another use of the term, as a verb, simply means to wrap a piece of cloth around one's body to cover it up. A person who does so is said to be nagtatapis (putting on a tapis). This usage of the term does not require that the piece of cloth be of any traditional kind, and in fact the most common instance of it is when one wraps a bath towel around oneself before or after bathing.In historical record
The Tapis has been in use in the Philippine archipelago since at least the indigenous periodHistory of the Philippines (900-1521)
The known history of the Philippines is marked by the creation of the Laguna Copperplate Inscription , the first written document found in a Philippine language. The inscription itself identifies the date of its creation as the year 900...
that came before the arrival of European colonists. Those colonists would take note of this particular mode of dress, considering it immodest. Spanish chroniclers from the early period noted that this mode of dress remained common on many islands despite Spanish efforts to introduce what they considered more suitable clothing. The felt that the tight profile of the tapis on a female wearer was revealing, and made even worse by the often sheer fabric of the cloth. One noted that the tapis became even more revealing whenever the wearer was caught in the rain, or had just taken a bath. The locals, however, did not consider the revealing properties of the tapis to be immodest. Among the lowland peoples who came under the full influence of the Spanish, this would soon change as Christianization and Hispanization brought along a much more conservative culture, and along with it, a mode of dress that emphasized modesty. The tapis would continue to be worn, but not in public venues, and usually only in more intimate locales such as ones own home. The tapis saw continued use among upland peoples, but as their upland environments were colder, their variation of the tapis tended to be thicker and thus less revealing.