At the heart of Tibolo Cultural Village, 69-year-old Divina Antes of the Bagobo-Tagabawa tribe sat by the window, guiding fabric beneath the steady hum of a Singer sewing machine. Behind her glasses, her eyes followed each stitch with care, her hands moving with the patience of someone who had learned not just a craft, but a calling.
Divina is one of the few in her community who continue to sew traditional clothing. What makes her story extraordinary is that she embraced this role later in life.
“Bisag edaran na, nakakat-on ra (Even at an old age, I was still able to learn),” she said with quiet pride, proof that learning knows no age when the heart is determined.
Her journey began in 2021. She had no background in sewing, only the resolve to try. The first pieces were not easy, but her determination outweighed every challenge. Over time, and with countless hours of practice, she transformed into one of the cultural village’s most trusted seamstresses. She visits the village three to four times a week, and with her pacing, she can finish at least one garment each day she works.
When asked how important her role is, Divina answered, “Importante gyud para sa among tribu, para sa mga bata… sa katigulangan namo naa poy makasunod, unya pananglitan ako tiguwang nako naay makasunod sa akoa (It is very important for our tribe, especially for the children… so that from our elders, there will be someone to follow, and if I grow old, someone will take my place).”
Her words carry the weight of generations. To her, each garment is a legacy, a way to ensure that children and youth will carry forward the traditions of their elders.
She explained further, “Kung mosunod lang sila, garbo man gud ni nila gud aron naa silay makat-onan gikan sa amoa (If they follow, it will be their pride, so they can also learn from us).” For Divina, identity is not only to be preserved but also shared.
Wearing their tribe’s clothing, for her, is more than custom. “Aron makasunod sila dili pud sila maulaw no, kay mao na among tribu kinahanglang unsay among suot, suoton pud nila sa tribu (So they will follow and not feel ashamed, because in our tribe, what we wear must also be worn by the rest of the tribe).”
The Tibolo Cultural Village, nestled in Sitio Kidaran, Barangay Tibolo, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, is where this survival thrives. It is more than a showcase for visitors. It is a School of Living Traditions where the Bagobo-Tagabawa people breathe life into their heritage through dance, weaving, beadwork, music, and food.
In this place, culture is not displayed as relics but lived as daily practice. And within its rhythm, Divina’s quiet dedication takes root.
Her sewing, steady and deliberate, becomes a living thread that ties past and future together. Each stitch is more than fabric joined, it is resilience and hope woven into form. Each garment she completes ensures that her people’s story will continue to be worn proudly, not just remembered. KBP