Kandama Weaves Showcased at Expo 2025 Osaka: A Global Stage for Indigenous Power
At Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, the world bears witness not just the beauty of Filipino culture—but power woven into every thread by indigenous women from Julongan, Kiangan, Ifugao. At the heart of the Philippine Pavilion titled “Woven” is a story of tradition, transformation, and empowerment, which includes the story of Kandama.
Founded by Victor Baguilat Jr., Kandama is a social enterprise that champions the art of handloom weaving while uplifting indigenous women through dignified livelihood. Rooted in the ancestral village of Julongan, where the rice terraces meet the sky, Kandama’s weaves embody a heritage that is as enduring as it is exquisite.
A Weave from the Highlands to the World
The Philippine Pavilion’s facade, curated with over 200 handwoven panels from across the archipelago, proudly includes Kandama’s signature Julongan textiles—each one handwoven by empowered women weavers using traditional techniques passed down through generations. These textiles represent not just craftsmanship but resistance—against cultural erasure, economic inequality, and displacement.
At Osaka, Kandama’s work is not just being displayed—it’s being honored.
Empowerment Through Weaving
Kandama isn’t just preserving Ifugao weaving—it is building a future around it. By providing training, fair wages, and global exposure, the weavers of Julongan have become cultural ambassadors. Their work has graced the runways of Paris and New York, but at Expo 2025, their artistry returns to the global spotlight with deeper meaning: weaving as advocacy, weaving as power.
A Vision for the Future
Kandama’s inclusion in the Expo also strengthens its mission to establish a permanent weaving center in Julongan, a space where tradition can thrive, where stories can be preserved, and where the next generation of Ifugao weavers can rise.
As the world gathers in Osaka to imagine the future, Kandama shows that innovation begins at the roots—and that the wisdom of our ancestors can lead us forward.
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Visit the Philippine Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka from April 13 to October 13, 2025, and witness how Kandama is weaving the future with heritage, heart, and hope.
