WASP Celebrates Living Heritage at the Marawi Langkit Exhibit 2026
- WASP Asia
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Marawi City, Philippines | August 21–23, 2026
Photo Courtesy: Marawi City Tourism Facebook Page
The Women’s Alliance for Security and Peace (WASP) joined the people of Marawi City in celebrating the 3rd Marawi Langkit Exhibit 2026, a meaningful gathering that honored Meranaw weaving, creativity, and cultural identity.
Held from August 21 to 23, 2026 at the School of Living Traditions Building in Rizal Park, Marawi City, the exhibit was one of the flagship highlights of the Langkit Festival and the 86th Araw ng Marawi celebration. Guided by the theme “Heritage. Design. Identity.”, it brought together local weavers, designers, cultural advocates, government leaders, students, educators, buyers, media, partners, and guests. More than a display of beautiful textiles, the event placed the local weavers of Marawi at the center of the celebration. Their knowledge, patience, and skill continue to keep this important heritage alive.
Langkit as a Living Meranaw Heritage
Langkit is a narrow band of intricately woven fabric associated with Meranaw traditional clothing and design. Every woven piece reflects generations of knowledge and creative expression. The exhibit showed that Langkit is not simply a cultural object from the past. It remains a living tradition that can inspire new designs, support livelihoods, and strengthen community pride.
Guests witnessed live demonstrations of Langkit, Sukip, and Balud weaving. These demonstrations allowed visitors to appreciate the discipline and craftsmanship required to produce each piece by hand. The exhibit also featured curated collections of authentic Langkit and other Meranaw woven products, opportunities to meet the weavers, educational tours, and a marketplace that connected visitors with local artisans.
Each day served a distinct purpose. Opening and Industry Day on August 21 connected weavers with designers, buyers, media, content creators, cultural institutions, government partners, and guests. Education Day on August 22 welcomed schools, universities, and educational institutions for guided tours, live demonstrations, and learning activities on the history and cultural significance of Meranaw weaving. Community Day on August 23 opened the celebration more widely to schools, government offices, organizations, families, visitors, and the general public.
The presence of students was especially important because cultural traditions endure when young people can see them, understand their value, and learn directly from the people who continue to practice them.
Recognizing the Marawi City Tourism Office
WASP commends the Marawi City Tourism Office for leading an initiative that connects heritage preservation with tourism, livelihood, education, and community development.
The Langkit Festival grew from the success of the Langkit weaving contest held during Marawi City’s 83rd Charter Day in 2023. According to City Tourism Officer Princess Tarhata Pacasum-Mangotara, participating weavers shared that it was the first time in their decades of weaving that a local government unit had organized an activity of this kind for them. This response helped inspire a more sustainable program that would recognize local artisans, promote their work, and create greater economic opportunities.
The city later institutionalized its support for Langkit through annual celebrations and activities encouraging residents to wear traditional clothing or items with Langkit accents. In 2026, the exhibit was presented by the Marawi City Tourism Office and the City Government of Marawi, under the leadership of Mayor Shariff Zain Lanto Gandamra and Vice Mayor Atty. Majul Usman Gandamra. Their support reflects a shared commitment to preserving, celebrating, and advancing Meranaw cultural heritage.
These efforts show how a tourism office can go beyond destination promotion. It can help protect cultural memory, create platforms for artisans, and ensure that the people who carry a tradition are recognized and supported.
By bringing weavers into direct contact with designers, students, educators, buyers, public officials, cultural institutions, and visitors, the Marawi City Tourism Office has created space for cultural exchange and possible collaboration. It also presents Marawi through the creativity, dignity, and resilience of its people.
At the center of the initiative is an ambitious vision: to establish Marawi City as the annual home and destination of Meranaw weaving. Every August, visitors would be invited to discover authentic Langkit and other woven products, meet the artisans, and understand the stories behind every weave. In the longer term, the city hopes the Marawi Langkit Exhibit will become the Philippines’ premier annual exhibition dedicated to Meranaw weaving and a symbol of Marawi’s creativity, identity, and cultural pride.
Connecting Marawi’s Weavers with a Wider Creative Community
The 2026 exhibit welcomed guest designers Martha Rodriguez of Vesti, Carmaela Alcantara of Crystal Seas, Pamela Nicole Mejia of PAMME, Nor Gutoc of ZIYA, and Marielle De Leon of TALI Handmade PH, together with exhibitors such as Princess Jehanne Mangondato.
Their participation affirmed that Meranaw craftsmanship has an important place in the wider Philippine creative community. The designers’ messages recognized the beauty and value of Langkit while opening possibilities for responsible collaboration, contemporary applications, and access to broader audiences.
The opening was also attended by local government officials, cultural leaders, partners, and advocates. Their presence reflected the shared responsibility of preserving cultural heritage and supporting the communities that sustain it.
WASP’s Commitment to Women, Culture, and Peace
For WASP, visiting the Marawi Langkit Exhibit was an opportunity to stand with the women and communities who preserve culture through their work.
Women weavers are not only artisans. They are educators, cultural bearers, entrepreneurs, and community builders. Their work helps transfer knowledge between generations, strengthens local identity, and contributes to household and community livelihoods. Supporting them is closely connected to WASP’s mission of advancing women’s leadership, inclusive development, peace, and community resilience.
WASP was proud to witness the artistry of Marawi’s weavers and to learn more about the stories carried by their work. Initiatives such as the Marawi Langkit Exhibit remind us that peacebuilding also takes place through culture. It grows when communities are given opportunities to preserve their identity, share their stories, and shape their own future.
A Heritage That Continues to Live
The Marawi Langkit Exhibit 2026 celebrated more than woven fabric. It celebrated the skilled hands behind every pattern, the stories passed from one generation to another, and a city that continues to create with pride. Through its curated collections, live demonstrations, educational experiences, industry connections, and community marketplace, the exhibit showed how heritage can inspire learning, collaboration, and economic empowerment.
WASP extends its appreciation to the Marawi City Government, the Marawi City Tourism Office, the local weavers, organizers, designers, exhibitors, partners, and supporters who made the celebration possible.
Most importantly, we honor the weavers of Marawi. Through their dedication, Langkit remains visible, meaningful, and alive. Our weavers continue to weave. Our heritage continues to live. Marawi continues to create.
