In a dynamic showcase of artistry and cultural heritage, second-year Interior Design students from the College of Fine Arts and Design opened “HABI,” an art exhibition celebrating the 2025 Philippine Indigenous Month. The exhibit, which runs from October 29 to November 10, 2025, highlights the students’ creative interpretations of indigenous craftsmanship and identity.
The exhibit features finely detailed renderings of woven textile designs inspired by the artistry of diverse Filipino tribes. Each piece vividly captures the essence of Indigenous weaving traditions, weaving together intricate patterns, symbolic motifs, and deeply rooted cultural narratives. More than a tribute to ancestral craftsmanship, the students’ works serve as personal expressions of identity and creative vision, bridging tradition and contemporary design.
This year’s national celebration is anchored on the theme “Weaving Culture, Enriching Future: Empowering Indigenous Communities, Bedrock of Sustainable Development.” The theme encapsulates the spirit of the observance by recognizing the indispensable contributions of Indigenous Peoples to the nation’s cultural and ecological wealth. It calls attention to how their traditional wisdom, craftsmanship, and values—shaped by generations of harmonious living with nature—continue to offer enduring lessons on sustainability and resilience.
Beyond cultural preservation, the theme also serves as a call to action: to empower Indigenous communities as active partners in nation-building, ensuring that their voices, artistry, and ancestral knowledge remain central to shaping a more inclusive and sustainable Philippine future.
Mounted along the second-floor corridor of the CFAD Building, the exhibition by second-year Interior Design students offer more than a display of artistic skill—it is an expression of cultural pride and creative consciousness. Through their interpretations of Indigenous weaving traditions, the students not only honor Filipino craftsmanship but also highlight how art and sustainability are seamlessly woven together in design and identity.
The Philippine Indigenous Month, observed every October under Presidential Proclamation No. 1906, series of 2009, serves as a national tribute to the enduring heritage, contributions, and rights of the country’s Indigenous Cultural Communities. The month-long celebration highlights the invaluable role of Indigenous peoples in shaping the nation’s identity and preserving its rich cultural legacy.
Article by Ar Frederick Hernandez
