Ifugao expert clarifies on rumors about Leni Robredo wearing a death blanket

• Vice President Leni Robredo got accused of wearing a death blanket on a Rizal Day ceremony.
• An Ifugao expert clarified that it was not a death blanket but an Ifugao ikat as Robredo is an active promoter of the Ifugao products.

Vice President Leni Robredo was in the middle of a controversy regarding the skirt she wore while leading the Rizal Day rites in Luneta Park on December 30.

Facebook page Luminous by Trixie Cruz-Angeles & Ahmed Paglinawan first posted the photos, accusing Robredo of wearing an Ifugao death blanket and suggesting that she should read about cultural appropriation.

https://www.facebook.com/luciferouslogophile/posts/807556926251424

Ifugao expert and University of Hawaii graduate Stephen Acabado clarified that the Vice President is not wearing a mistaken-to-be a death blanket, but an Ifugao ikat.

Ikat is a dyeing technique used to pattern textiles prior to weaving the fabric.

He added that this just shows how many Filipinos are ignorant about the Philippines’ history.

https://www.facebook.com/stephen.acabado.1/posts/10156821631942980?__tn__=-R

Page Ifugao Nation also clarified that the fabric is not funerary and that many Ifugao weavers are actually recipients of Robredo’s Angat-Buhay programs and she also helps in the promotion of their products.

https://www.facebook.com/ifugaoartsandcrafts/posts/2250145398363452?__xts__[0]=68.ARD61XNp64rOG7GzPH29oPpuE_vto4fUFSpmqaq5r8-DAap1MT3izPauffgq2AF7XcCYbUZIC9rOGkNE0cb7waSWEwKXPttNc13TTBJ4LhkX2slr8oi8tmS77yPpIaVogJ9Wpu2hXRK-2k1qfTJ-_uW990aY3fpcSzTZcYH4VVZ0zuU_IeBHT1Lf9h9Mk0LfCTgwmXx0DPNVseVRVvtB9zR25E-1aoFaFFoKNNPamu16OoULsm2CXAE0wfALDkvAiIKvTHsT5H-qJNdqEkvBgboui2sVDv2Z5Wlo-XHPuEZqK1UwBun3yQylOl-mq-sOZ1gJ6acRPpUtkztPMGU&__tn__=H-R