Rachel Lozada: Weaving Together Histories

Rachel Lozada is one of our March artist grantees! Congratulations to Rachel, the owner and dreamweaver of HABIness.

Inabel-nga-Indayon (Inabel Cradle) pays homage to thousands of Manongs/Manangs who persevered and formed the bedrock of the Filipino-American (Fil-Am) community in the US.

The creation of Inabel-nga-Indayon which represents a typical Ilocano handwoven blanket used as a cradle or hammock, provides a metaphorical "coming home" for Manongs/Manangs to find rest and solace on a woven piece of their homeland. This project will offer traditional Ilocano inabel weaving/discussion workshops in SOMA Pilipinas and will be shared with the community in 2021 to mark the 75th year publication of America is in the Heart. Inabel is the term for Ilocano handwoven fabrics.

Statement About the Project -- Kim Arteche, Balay Kreative Program Manger

Weaving is an important tradition that many of us in the diaspora no longer have connection to. Rachel’s work with Inabel-nga-Indayon and her work with HABIness is engaging in indigenous-diasporic connections, that reinforces Balay Kreative’s vision of reimagining our ideas of home. Kablaawan ka, Rachel!