Saturday is market day for the T’bolis and a smattering of them still turn up in a semblance of a traditional ensemble. Take out these lingering few; market day in Lake Sebu was quite a let down. Without them, the market looked like an ordinary tiangge (bazaar) with merchandise perhaps coming from Manila or even China. Despite this however, it was still an enjoyable endeavor, especially for me.
How likely is it that among the population of more than 95,000 Tbolis, I find (and more amazingly – I remembered) the same one a decade later?
Perhaps it was her earrings or a combination of the earrings and her striking beauty that rendered a high recall.
One of the indigenous peoples of Southern Mindanao, the T’bolis primarily live in the South Cotobato province of Mindanao (the southernmost part of the Philippines).
As with many indigenous groups, many have adapted the migrant’s way of life owing to the many settlers hailing mostly from Iloilo (a province in the Western Visayas region, still south of the Philippines).
The colorful traditional outfits (I think) are mostly worn these days on special occasions and on market day.
Some snaps taken that morning.
Dried baby shrimps or what we call hebi (great for flavoring)
The T’bolis are famous for their intricate beadworks and brass ornaments
Negotiating for a picture with her
I just totally adore her!
T’bolis today — with an umbrella, a plastic bag of goodies and the red handbag! 😀
my adventure odyssey 
What a wonderful, beautiful and interesting post for the day, Jenn! Love your photos! Such a lovely look at your world! Thank you for sharing!
Sylvia
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You are a very well traveled lady! I have never been to that part of the Islands, and it is very interesting to see them through your photos.
Beautiful batik and beads!
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Great shots.
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These photos are amazing – really wonderful. You have captured the beauty of these women!
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wow! same lady after a decade?what are the odds? But after all those years,she never change much,she’s still beautiful. Did you pay her for her pose? 🙂
My World Tuesday
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I loved this sequence of shots. You did such a great job capturing the character and charm of the people you photographed. Interesting post and excellent portraits.
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Great series of photos! Very impressive portrait shots too!
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Willa, no she was so kind enough to pose for the photos.
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these are delightful photos! i’ve never been to that part of Mindanao and I’d love to go one day. The T’bolis are colorful–those earrings are funky! i hope their culture would be preserved.
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oh yes, Gota and a few more islands in the Caramoan Peninsula are closed to the public because of Survivor France. the locals are complaining about it.:p
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fabulous post. i truly enjoyed it. did the lady remembered you or you remembered her? who found who?
great job on this post.
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Hi ewok,
I remembered her because I was so fascinated with her earrings. 🙂
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love these shots, they really tell a story. thanks for sharing!
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Beautiful photos. Thank you for sharing your world. I didn’t manage a MWT post this month but visit me here !
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I like the place due to its natural beauty.
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