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Traditional Vigan Industries
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Just like Vigan's ancestral homes and churches, these industries have been well-preserved by various families and communities in Vigan Philippines. These are among the top Vigan tourist attractions and exports.
Pagburnayan
Vigan is well known for its dark brown or gray burnay (unglazed earthen jars). A visit to Vigan is not complete without a trip to Barangay Pagburnayan (which means "place where burnay is made").The traditional way of making burnay, existed way before the coming of the Spaniards in 1572. It was introduced by the Chinese artisans who came to Vigan from Kwi-Sao, Chun-chiu province in Mainland China.
Burnay is crafted by a potter's hands with the aid of a potter's wheel. It uses fine sand (anay) as a tempering material and fired at a high temperature in a huge brick-and-clay ground kiln making it harder and more durable than other terra cotta. It is said that the local bagoong (fish sauce), sugar cane vinegar and basi wine would not taste as good if they were not fermented in burnay jars.
This ancient burnay-making process is just one of the rare Vigan industries that are still very much in place today, and is a source of export revenues for Ilocos Sur.
Abel-weaving
Another surviving traditional craft in Vigan is abel-weaving. Abel is a famous handwoven Ilocano fabric.Abel-weaving involves the use of a wooden handloom and cotton yarn (sagut) made from local cotton plants. It follows a very intricate process - from preparing and dyeing the yarn, to arranging different colors of yarn to produce the desired pattern, and operating the wooden handloom with synchronized movement of hands and feet.
Abel-Iloko products include blankets, bed linens, bath towels and robes, hand towels, place mats, table apkins, runners and fabric for clothing material. You can find Abel-weavers in Barangays Mindoro and San Pedro. Abel-Iloko products are also available in souvenir shops along Crisologo street.
Terracotta Red Clay Industries
Damili, the traditional craft of creating terracotta, one of the indigenous Vigan industries and is still being practiced in a number of communities in Vigan (Bulala, Paratong, Pong-ol, Barraca, Salindeg, Paoa, and Ayusan Sur).The industry is predominantly a backyard operation that involves all the members of the family. Damili craftsmen produce cooking pots (banga), water vessels (karamba), plant pots (masetera), and the famous Vigan Tiles.
Vigan tiles became in demand in the late 70s and early 80s, when the Marcos family used them in the restoration of Sarrat Church and in building Fort Ilocandia.
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