Trousers

These short pants are typical of men’s trousers in the southern Philippines, which were often made of abaca, a fiber from a banana plant. The red and black pinstripe of the fabric is a specialty of the B’laan, who are also known for their fine embroidery. The pants are ornamented with hand-cut shell sequins, evidence of trade with lowland coastal communities.

We can guess the age of this pair of men’s trousers because they were collected by the Reverend Robert F. Black, who moved to Mindanao in the Southern Philippines in 1902 as a missionary.