Woven Heritage | Tempered Identity at first glance is an introduction to indigenous textiles and traditional bladed weaponry found in the Bangsamoro region.

The exhibit was able to assemble pieces that highlights the connection between two seemingly disparate objects, textiles and blades, which are not only products of a shared heritage among our Southeast Asian neighbors, but have also became important symbols of the Bangsamoro cultural heritage and identity.

The exhibit aims to present them not merely as utilitarian items, but also as objects that speak of the diversity and complexity of the Bangsamoro. How these two social markers are combined in conflict and harmony (like the iconic kris and kampilan, with textiles tied to their hilts and sheaths covered in it) weaves together metaphorically in weapon/cloth, creating hybrid forms that transcend gender boundaries.

Woven Heritage | Tempered Identity hopes to re-introduce museum goers to the beauty and intricacy of the Bangsamoro indigenous textiles and traditional blades, their scientific, sociological and symbolic dimensions, and see each item on display in a different light, as representations of a rich and diverse cultural heritage woven and tempered by history, identity and faith.