Closeup of a deep red garment with cascading sequins along the neckline and dense white stitching where the back shows through. Geometric embroidery adorn the shoulder and bottom.
Torso of a deep red garment on a white background. The top is filled by reflective sequins while the bottom features geometric diamond and triangle motifs in orange and gray.
Dark red garment on a white background with intricate sequin embroidery around the neckline. Along the bottom and shoulders are dense stripes of geometric patterning in waves and triangle motifs.
Closeup of a deep red woven fabric with geometric embroidery depicting a triangle border and a humanoid figure in red. Along the bottom are cascading reflective sequins.
Detail view of a black sleeve on a light background adorned with embroidered orange and black geometric patterns across the top. Along the cuff and shoulder are dense sequin detailing.
Handcrafted garment in tones of black, brown and deep red on a white background. Geometric designs cover the shoulders and lower chest, while a large light V-shape borders the neckline.
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Unknown Maker, Mandaya

Woman’s Blouse (Bado)

Maker

Unknown Maker, Mandaya

Culture

Mandaya, Philippine

Title

Woman’s Blouse (Bado)

Year

ca. 1800-1900

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

abaca fiber, mother of pearl, sequin, metal

Geography

Place Made: Mindanao

Dimensions

Length: 33 cm (13 inches)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Gift of Mrs. Jesse H. Metcalf

Object Number

15.235

Type

Publications

Exhibition History

From Pineapple to Pañuelo
Philippine Textiles
Dec 07, 2024 – Aug 24, 2025

Label copy

Many garments indigenous to the southern Philippines feature mother-of-pearl embellishments, like the small disks on this blouse. These adornments are made from mollusk shells by men in the community, who work together with the female weavers to produce the finished garments. Embroidered on the back is a human figure similar to the one in the ikat pattern on the skirt below. This blouse was purchased from the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, held in San Francisco in 1915. Many examples of craft and material culture from the Philippines were displayed there, then distributed to American collections.

Being and Believing in the Natural World
Perspectives from the Ancient Mediterranean, Asia, and Indigenous North America
Oct 22, 2022 – Jun 04, 2023

Label copy

In the Philippines, mother-of-pearl is used widely to decorate textiles. Indigenous Mandaya makers, known for weaving abaca-fiber textiles, added mother-of-pearl discs to the neckline and hem of this jacket, which glitters in the light. Made from pearl-oyster shells, mother-of-pearl is known for its strength, making it well-suited for ornamentation.

—WC

Razzle-Dazzle
The Language of Ornament in Asian Costume and Textiles
Jun 16, 2006 – Oct 15, 2006

Label copy

Symbolic of the power of lightning (kilat), the mother-of-pearl disks (kalati) prominent on this jacket form a defensive shield of sparkling light. The strength of this shell, which can endure grinding, polishing, and drilling, raises it to a level of honor in a region that has used shells as items of decoration and monetary value since Neolithic times.

The abaca-fiber textile studded with shells, disks, and metal sequins also pays tribute to community balance. Women weave the soft material, while men forge the disks. These jackets thus represent the integration of male and female roles and harmony in the world.

A World of Costume and Textiles
"Tapestries through the Ages"
Sep 22, 1989 – Nov 12, 1989

Image use

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Public Domain This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Unknown Maker, Mandaya
Woman’s Blouse (Bado), ca. 1800-1900
Abacá (banana-plant fiber), bast fiber, mother-of-pearl disks, metal sequins; plain weave with embroidery and appliqué
Length: 33 cm (13 inches)
Gift of Mrs. Jesse H. Metcalf 15.235

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