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Garments, 1920 - 1970

 Series

Scope and Contents

Clothes originally worn by Lily Angeles Aradanas and Pedro Aradanas, preserved and donated by their son, Clarito "Bing" Aradanas. Pedro's belongings include three barong tagalogs, two pairs of shoes, and one suit jacket. Lily's belongings include two terno dresses.

Dates

  • 1920 - 1970

Biographical / Historical

The barong tagalog and terno are traditional forms of dress in the Philippines. These clothing items are most commonly made from pineapple fiber, called piña, a weaving form(style?material?) unique to the Philippines. (Barongs made of piña were popularized because the thin material allowed wearers to keep from overheating, and the transluscence of piña helped Spanish officials monitor Filipino bodies from holding weapons.) Over time, the barong changed from a symbol of colonialism and occupation to a proud item to express a Filipino national identity.

Most of the items in this collection were made in the 1930s-40s and were worn throughout the lives of the owners.

Extent

8 boxes

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Repository Details

Part of the Presidio Research Center Repository

Contact:
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