Blaan – T’boli “T'nalak Dream Weaving” Culture: Ideology, Social mapping and Collective Conscience (Geertz) vs Native American Dream Interpretation and J Reyes on Filipino relational ethics
International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research July 6, 2026 Charles E Peck
Dream weaving among the Blaan and T'boli peoples of Mindanao, Philippines, is a tradition in which t'nalak textile designs are believed to be bestowed by divine spirits in dreams, forming a social-moral and spiritual consciousness that provides identity and social cohesion. This cultural analysis compares Filipino concepts such as Kapwa (shared identity) and Loob (relational will) to Western sociological theories including Geertz's ideology as a cultural system, Durkheim's collective consciousness, and the sociology of knowledge and power. The paper also draws parallels with Native American dream frameworks, where dreams are a source of divine inspiration, and advocates for social consciousness as an approach to religion, contrasting "way of life" with the "supernatural."