Barong Tagalog: Did the Shirt Spark a Revolution?

        

(A cartoon from El Debate, a Spanish newspaper. Here we see the difference between the barong and the western suit)

         When does a simple tee shirt become a formal attire? When you throw a barong over it, of course! A staple at formal Filipino gatherings, the barong Tagalog has been around for ages, withstanding waves of cultural,social, and yes, fashion changes across the centuries. But how did the iconic top become so iconic in the first place?

Everybody knows that the barong has been around since the earliest recorded history of the Philippine society but it had always been a common man's formalwear, never associated with the ruling class or the elite. It was not until former president Ramon Magsaysay began to show off his many barongs in gatherings (and even in his Inauguration) in the early fifties did its social standing as  formalwear was cemented. Before that, the citizens who were better off in life preferred a western mode of clothing when attending formal events.

(Magsaysay and Garcia sporting barong tagalogs)

Common legend from Manila says that the barong begun in the Spanish era where natives were forced to design their shirts to be transparent, without pockets, and to be worn untucked to prevent them from concealing firearms and prevent thieving. Now this is just the prominent theory that is very disputed among scholars and had found its way to common knowledge; that the Spaniards forced the barong on the Filipinos as a sign of lower social status.

Following this idea, some sources refer to a rise of passive-aggressive resistance to the Spanish in the later part of their rule by making the simple shirt into an ornate garb. Introduction of exquisite embroidery and delicate dyes on the translucent pineapple textile around the time between 1600-1800 made the barongs stand out against the drab wear of the Spanish. The proponents of the theory delighted at the thought of our Filipino ancestors strutting their beautiful barongs about in silent protest.

(early illustration of the barong tagalog)

This quiet resistance built up over time and the barong became a sort of uniform to the flames of revolution already welling up within every Filipino. But just how much of this urban legend is true?

This theory is often challenged due to the lack of evidence. No one has ever found a written decree on regulation of the natives' clothing. Historians against the 'revolutionary barong' legend proposes that the barong was just an alteration to their already existing attire called the baro, which has credible historical account in the form of written accounts (and illustrations) by foreigners who got in contact with native Filipinos before the Spanish colonization. Apparently, thin fabrics would have been used way before the Spanish ruled the land in order to cope with climate. This is supported by the pre-colonial Visayans' wear of ankle-length robes (marlota) and jackets (baquero) that reached the ankles. This supposedly explains the untucked nature of the dress shirts, themselves. Meanwhile, the ornate patterns of embroiders and careful dye-work is just a mere byproduct of Filipino aesthetics.

The word 'barong' in itself means 'dress'; the phrase barong Tagalog literally translates it to Tagalog dress. Originally, it was meant to describe the outfits of men and women who lived in the Tagalog regions, but in time the term stuck to the shirt alone while the other styles gained their own names (e.g. Maria clara, kamisa de chino, baro't saya, etc.).

(unknown lady in a baro't saya)

So, according to new evidence, there never was an idea of uprising behind the pineapple weaves. The Spanish never 'forced' the barong on us, it was already there and just took the form of a western dress shirt using local techniques and textile.

Despite new evidence disproving the 'silent protest' roots of the beautiful dress shirt we have today, the common idea of revolution woven into the textile prevails. But perhaps that is just the inability of an audience to accept an anticlimactic reveal. But there you go, the true story of the barong Tagalog. No passive resistance, no conspiracy behind the fashion choices that led to its birth, just mere coincidence of tropical weather and the abundance of expert craftsmen.

Apparently the only uprising the barong Tagalog has ever sparked is a mere fashion revolution.

References

-The Utrecht Faculty of Education,. Roots of the Barong Tagalog.

-A Handbook of Philippine Folklore by Mellie Leandicho Lopez

-The Star-entangled Banner: One Hundred Years of America in the Philippines

-http://www.filipiknow.net/barong-Tagalog-history/