The Philippines is a fabulous place to visit, particularly if you’re the type of traveler that veers away from big cities and likes to explore. And one destination most tourists to the Philippines often miss is Mindanao, even though it’s the country’s second-biggest island and is even the eighth most densely populated island on the planet. (Take that, Manhattan!)
Mindanao has plenty of history and tradition that’s worth learning more about, including the native Tiboli tribe. While the Tiboli men have traditionally been farmers and hunters, generation after generation of Tiboli women have made Tinalak, a intricately-woven fabric that was originally used for ceremonial garb. And these days, thousands of miles away, you can buy purses made from Tinalak in, um, exotic stores … like Neiman Marcus and Fred Segal.
The Tinalak you’ll find in those chic shops comes courtesy of Kotur, a luxurious line of handbags that includes these Tinalak clutches. The company’s founder, Fiona Kotur, worked closely with Mindanao villagers to create these purses’ pattern and its brightly dyed colors. Each clutch takes a member of the Tiboli tribe about a week to make — and helps keep the tradition alive and support the community in the process.
Sure, these clutches are pricier than an airport souvenir, but they’re also way more stylish than a T-shirt or snow globe. And if the airfare to the Philippines is beyond your budget, they’re an easy (and more affordable!) way to have a bona fide piece of traditional culture in the palm of your hand.