Chapter 17- Cultural

Performances and
Indigenous Practices
Visual Arts
 Sculpture

Most familiar art forms among

Filipinos
Carving- removing materials
from wood or stone
 Manunggul Jar of Palawan

National Treasure of the

Philippines
Found in Chamber A of Tabon
Cave by Robert Fox and
Miguel Santiago
Leta- leta Cave, Langen
Island, El Nido Palawan-
Important burial site belong to
Late Neolithic Period
Sculptures of Paete, Laguna

Paete- tagalog word paet means

chisel, long reputation of highly
skilled craftsmen skilled in wood
carving
Jose Rizal- describe Paete as town
where carpenter shops were
issuing images even those more
Rudely carved
Mariano Madriñan- official town
hero, a wood carver whose Obra
Maestra, the lifelike Mater
Dolorosa was honored by King of
Spain
Carving Capital of the Philippines

On March 15, 2005

Modern yoyo- believed to be
invented in Paete
 The Taka of Paete, Laguna

Taka- paper mache made using

carved wooden sculpture uses as
mold
Originated in Paete, Laguna
Pioneered by Paete local, Maria
Piday
Piday- devised taka paper as
Alternative to wooden sculpture in
church decorations
Tere Afuang- knowledgeable
practitioner of the craft,
popularized the craft
Takaan- carved wooden
sculpture used as mold in making
taka
Brown craft paper- used as final
layer for taka made for export
 Saniculas Cookie Mold
carvings of Pampanga
Arrowroot cookies that have the
image of St. Nicolas molded on it,
hence the name Saniculas
St. Nicholas- known as the healer
Legend has that if you consume
these cookies when one is ill, you
get healed and recover
Panecillos de San Nicolas- called
Pan San Nicolas; introduced by
Agustinian Friars
Biscuit molded with image of st.
Nicholas de Tolentino, patron
saint of children
Made only on September 10-
feast of the saint
 Singkaban or Bamboo Art of
Bulacan
Singkaban- art of shaving bamboo
into artful creation use as décor
Use as entrance arches during
fiesta
Mostly prevalent in town of
Hagonoy and Malolos
 The Bul-ul of Ifugao

Carved wooden figure use to guard

rice crop by Igorots
Highly stylized representation of
ancestors and thought to have
powers from ancestral spirit
Ifugao- noted for skills in creating
bul-ul
Used in ceremonies with rice
production and healing
Creation involves alwen bul-ul
ritual by a priest to gain power
Treated with care and respect to
avoid sickness, to bring plentiful
harvest when place in rice
granaries
Male and female has sex related
symbols; mortar for female and
Pestle for male
Seated on the ground with arm
crossed over his upraised knees
 Okir Design of Maranao

Okir- term for geometric and

flowing design based on elaborate
leaf and vine pattern found in
Maranao and Muslim-influence
artwork in southern Philippines
Okir a datu- ornamental design
for men, scroll is the dominant
Feature composed of various spiral
forms
Okir a bay- design for women,
zigzag and angular forms are the
dominant motifs
Torogan- ancestral home of
highest titleholer in Maranao
village, symbol of power and
prestige
Panolong- carved beam styled
with okir motiff
First made in Tugaya Lanao del
Sur
Tugaya- industrial capitalof
Lanao del Sur
 Sarimanok of Maranao

Sarimanok- legendary bird of

Maranao people; from word sari and
manok
Sari- means cloth or garment of
assorted colors
Manok- means chicken
Symbol of Maranao art, depicted as a
fowl with colorful wings and
Feathered tail, holding a fish on
its beak, head is decorated with
scroll, leaf, spiral motifs
Symbol of good fortune
Derived from totem bird of
Maranao people called Itotoro
Itotoro- medium to the spirit
world via its unseen twin spirit
bird called Inikadowa
Believed to be originated from
Garuda of Hindu epic Ramayana
adopted into Maharadia Lawana of
Maranao people and later adopted
to Islamic legend after Southern
Philippines is converted to Islam
Islamic legend says that
Muhammad found a rooster in the
first of the seven heavens. The
bird was so large its crest touch
the second heaven. Its crow
Roused every living creature
except man. Judgement day
would come once this celestial
rooster ceased to crow
Another legend is says Sultan’s
daughter being swept by
colorful rooster that become
handsome young men and they
were never seen again. The
Sultan created replicas of the
bird to remember his daughter.
 Torogan of Maranao

Torogan- or Bahay Lakan is a

house indigenious to Maranao
communities which is a symbol of
high social status, once a home of
a Datu or Sultan
Elevated above the ground by
column cut from trees, walls are
Covered with plywood sticks, roofs
thatched with dried coconut
leaves, floor beams is beyond the
walls, ends or panolong are carved
and multicolored, huge hall, has
okir, never complete without
Sarimanok
Panolong- end beam of Torogan
Kawayan Torogan- built by Sultan
sa Kawayan Makaantal in Bubung
Malanding, Marantao, Lanao del
Sur; last remaining Torogan
declared as National Cultural
Treasure by National Museum of
the Philippines in 2008
 Hagabi of Ifugao

Long wooden bench placed under

the eaves in the stone-paved yard
that surrounds the house
Signifies individual or family’s
wealth and prestige belonging to
the rank of Cadangyan (wealthy)
who can perform Hagabi Feast
At Camandag in Barrio Antipolo,
Kiangan, Ifugao there lived two
brothers, Anniyan and Boyagon.
These boys pet fishes which they
caught in Camandag River. When
their parents bought number of
ricefields, they threw feast
called ibbuy. Despite the boys
protest their parents serve the
fish as food for guest. They left
their house and went to a place
Called Tulung. They refuse their
parents plea to go home. As
substitute for lost pets, parents
order a wooden couch called
guinulgulding (means goat like) and
invited the boys for a feast but still
the boys refuse. The parents in
despair throw the guinulgulding in
Camandag River. It was carried far
down to Naliwan, now the province
of Nueva Vizcaya. A man named
Cabbigat
Found the guinulgulding stacked in
the mud of the river bank. He
carried it to his house. Several
replicas were made for great
feasts until the custom spread.
Conducted by Ifugaos for purpose
of building modern house instead
of making wooden couch
Pabalat or Borlas de Pastillas
of Bulacan
Pastillas- wrapped in decorative
wrappers known as pabalat or
borlas de pastillas
Pabalat or borlas- colorful
Japanese papers cut with
intricate design range from bahay
kubo, rice fields, farmers, flowers
Puni or Palm Leaf folding of
Bulacan
Puni- art of coconut leaf weaving;
tagalog word from Bulacan which
means to beatify or decorate with
use of coconut leaf
Palaspas- most common
permutation of Puni art
 Architecture

Buildings as shelter- basic form of

architecture before the Spaniards
came
 Pottery

Pottery- use to hold the deceased

Clay found near Sibalon River- use
in traditional pot making
Ceramic vessels of Kalinga-
divided into 3 types: rice cooking
(ittoyom), vegetable/meat
cooking (oppaya), water storage
(immosso)
Rice cooking pots- larger,
thinner, small opening than
vegetable/meat pots
Water storage pots- average and
uniform size, smaller neck size
Acquisition of starting materials,
clay- first step in manufacturing
of pots
 ARCHEOLOGY

Lipoon Point Caves- known as

Albion head in Quezon, Palawan
Dr. Robert Fox- senior
archeologist of National Museum,
discovered fossilized skull cap at
Tabon Cave estimated between
15,000 to 25,000years old
 Painting and Sculpture

Paintings- used during Spanish

times as religious propaganda to
spread Catholicism
Damian Domingo- establish the
first school art in 1820
Mariano Madrinan- won King
Alfonso XII’s gold medal and
Diploma of honor in the
Amsterdam International
Exposition of 1884
Juan Luna’s Spolarium- awarded
first prize at an art competition
in Madrid
Fernando Zobel- come out with a
book on religious sculpture in the
Philippines
Galo Ocampo- edited a book
about religious sculpture
Art Association of the
Philippines- active organization
and holds annual exhibits
 Weaving

In the forms of hats, mats, bags,

baskets and textiles
Basket- used as vessels for
transport, storage, hunting
Nipis- fabric used to weave white
clothing
 Malong of Maranao

Malong- traditional tube skirt

made of handwoven or machine-
made multi-colored cotton cloth
bearing okir design; similar to
salong wear by people in Malaysia,
Brunei, Indonesia, use as garments
by numerous tribes in Southern
Philippines
Handwoven malong- made by
Marano, Maguindanao and T’boli
Maranao malong landap- indicate
weaver’s tribal origin
Malong rawatan- made only by
Maranao weavers in Lanao del Sur
Machine-made printed cotton
malongs- made in Indonesia for
export to the Philippines,
referred as batik
Malong-function as skirt for men
and women, dress, blanket,
bedsheet, dressing room, prayer
mat
Tribal Costumes
of B’laan,
Kalinga, T’boli,
Bagobo
 B’laan

Foundin Southern Mindanao

Famous for brasswork, beadwork,
 Kalinga

Called peacocks of the north

because of appearance and
dressings
Landlocked province of northern
Cordillera
Kalinga-means enemy because of
their headhunting attacks
 T’boli

Distinguish from other tribal

groups by their colorful clothes,
bracelets, earrings
Famous for complicated
beadwork, wonderful woven
fabrics, beautiful brass ornaments
 Bagobo

Proud people with proto-Malayan

features
Skills in producing brass articles by
loss-wax process
 Pagbuburda of Laguna and
Batangas
Pagbuburda- Philippine
Embroidery; art used in decorating
textile
Needlework- important
accomplishment for women and
part of curriculum in girl’s high
school during Spanish times
Practice in Lumban, Laguna and
Taal, Batangas
Calado (piercing)- decorating
textile by pulling out threads
from certain areas, reinforcing
other areas and sewing them
together to make design
Sombrado- curvilinear patterns
are applied to thin cloth to make
design
 Dance

Cordillera, Muslim, tribal, rural,

Spanish style- types of Filipino
dance
Cordillera dances- Banga,
Bendayan, Lumagen/ Tachok,
Manmanok, Ragragsakan, Salisid,
Talip, Tarektek, Uyaoy/ Uyauy
Banga Dance- illustrate grace and
strength of women in Kalinga
tribe, balance heavy pots on
heads while dancing to the beat
of wind chimes
Lumagen or Tachok- perform to
celebrate happy occasion,
symbolize flying birds and
musically paired to the beat of
gongs
Salisid- dance to show courtship,
Male and female performer
represent a rooster attempting to
attract a hen
Malakas at Maganda- national
folklore dance; tells the story of
the origin of Filipino people on
the island
Binaylan dance- tells the story of
a hen, hen’s baby and a hawk,
the hawk is said to control a
tribe’s well-being and is killed
By hunters after attempting to
harm the hen’s baby
Tinikling- assistants take two
long bamboo sticks rapidly and in
rhythm, clap sticks for dancers
to artistically and daringly try to
avoid getting their feet caught
between them
Singkil- use long bamboo poles
found in tinikling, show lavish
muslim royalty. There are four
Bamboo sticks arranged in a tic-
tac-toe pattern which dancers
exploit every position of these
clashing sticks. Dancers try to
avoid all 4 bamboo sticks all
together in the middle. They try to
dance an entire rotation around
the middle avoiding all sticks.
Identifiable with the use of
umbrellas and silk clothing
Traditional Folk
Dances of the
Philippines
 Itik- Itik from Surigao

From Tagaog word duck

Imitate the movements of duck
among rice paddies and
swamplands as well as the way it
splashes water on its back to
attract a mate
Dance was created by a lady name
Kanang who choreographed the
steps while dancing at a baptismal
party
Originated in towns of Carrascal,
Cantilan, Lanuza and Carmen,
Surigao del Sur
 Tinikling from Leyte and
Visayas Region
Originated from Leyte during
Spanish era
Imitate the movement of tikling
bird as it walks around tall grass
and between tree branches
It use bamboo poles
Composed of three basic steps
Singles, doubles and hops
Involves two people hitting
bamboo poles on the ground and
against each other in coordination
with one or more dancers who
step over in and between the
poles
Similar to playing jump rope
except dancers perform around
and between bamboo poles,
dance becomes faster until
Until someone makes a mistake
and the next set of dancers takes
a turn
Danced to rondalla music
 Sayaw sa Bangko from
Pangasinan
Sayaw sa Bangko or Sayaw ed
Tapew na bangko (dance on top of
a beach)
Originates from Pangasinan
Dance on top of narrow bench 6
inches wide, inching and hopping
from one end to another
Dancers need good balance as
they go series of movements,
skills in staying up the bench as
they exchange places
They do not compete but
complement each other so that
no one falls
 Binasuan from Pangasinan

Balance three half-filled glasses

of rice wine on their heads and
hands as they gracefully spin and
roll on the ground
Arms are rotated over and under
the shoulder to keep palms facing
up not to spill the liquid while
Allowing radius to cross
Inverts arm through rotation,
given as macroscopic, physical
demonstration of rotation
properties of spin
Originated in Bayambang,
Pangasinan
 Pandanggo sa Ilaw from
Mindoro
Similar to Spanish Fandango
Sa ilaw- Tagalog for in light, refers
to 3 oil lamps that dancer need to
balance-one on the head and one on
the back of each hand
Oil lamp- called tinghoy
Originated in Lubang Island, Mindoro
¾ music accompanied with
castanet
Pandanggo- any jovial and lively
dance in 18th century
Antonio R. Buenaventura-
composed the music which
pandanggo sa ilaw is now
commonly danced, National
Artist for Music
Pandanggo Oasiwas- similar to
Pandanggo sa Ilaw, performed by
fishermen to celebrate good catch
 Maglalatik from Biñan,
Laguna
Known as Magbabao
Mock-war dance depicts fight over
coconut meat
Coconut shell halves are secured
on dancers hand and on vest
which hung 4 or 6 more coconut
shell halves
Dancers hit one coconut shell
with the other
Dance come from Filipino word
latik means fried coconut milk
curd
Kuratsa from Visayas Region

Kuratse or Curacha
Dance of courtship
First couple perform a waltz
Music set faster pace as man
pursues the woman in a chase
To finish, music becomes more
Faster as man wins over the
woman
Done in amenudo-way=only one
couple dances it at a time
A Mexican import (from La
Cucaracha in Monterrey Mexico)
 La Jota Moncadeña from
Ilocos
Combination of Spanish and
Ilocano dance steps set to Spanish
music and castanets
One of the most famous
interpretation and adaptation of
Aragonese Jota Florana as people
of Moncada, Tarlac called
Jota Florana- danced to
Ilocano/Yogad bamboo musical
instrument called tallelet
Ramon Obusan- dance
anthropologist said the Jota
Florana was dance to accompany
the bereaved family to the burial
of a love ones
 Kappa Malong-Malong from
Mindanao
Kappa Malong-Malong or sambi sa
Malong is a Muslim-influence
dance
Malong- tabular garment and
dance shows many ways it can be
worn
Women’s version- use as skirt,
Shawl, mantle, head-piece
Men’s version- sash or waist-
band, shorts or nahag, head gear
Pantomina from Bicol Region

Love dance with movements

patronizing mating or love
making of doves or salampati
(Bicol term for dove)
Courtship and wedding dance as
couple dances to express love for
each other
Pantomina- Spanish for
pantomime; originally a wedding
dance from Bicol and Sorsogon
Important part of Sorsogon
Kasanggayahan Festival every
October performed by
community elders
 Habanera Botolena from
Zambales
Originatedfrom Cuba
Known as Danza or Danza
Habanera
Perform in ballroom or on stage
Comes from Botolan, Zambales
Combines Filipino and Spanish
steps
Popular dance at weddings
Includes procession of bride and
groom’s parents, bridesmaid,
groomsmen
Surtido from Cebu and Samar

Means assortment
Combine influences of French,
Spanish and Mexican dance
Perform by head couple who lead
all dancers through various
formation
Surtido Cebuano- square dance
Originated in Bantayan, Cebu
Perform by several pairs of
dancers with head pair called
cabeceras and side pairs
costados guiding other dancers
 Surtido Boronganon

From town of Borongan, Eastern

Samar
It itself is a dance
5 favorite dances stung together
Music is exciting
2/4 music to lovely Waray
melodies in ¾ time
 Singkil from Maranao

Perform by single women to

attract attention of potential
suitors
Dancers perform movements as
they step in and out between
bamboo poles clapped together
Fans and scarves are used
Originated from Maranao people
from Lake Lanao
Derived from story of Darangen,
Maranao interpretation of Indian
epic, Ramayana
Singkil- means to entangle the
feet with disturbing objects like
vines
Only women particularly royalty
danced the Singkil
Lead dancer- Putri Gandingan
(Darangen name for Sita) step in
and out in bamboo poles rranged
in parallel, rectangular, criss-
cross while manipulating apir
(fans), mosala (scarves) or even
bare hands
Kulintang and agung-
accompanies the dance
 Polkabal

9 different steps with various

movements
From polka and balse (waltz)
Steps of this dance are luksong
uwak, wagayway, hardin, punta y
tacon, corrida, paseo, ensayo,
contragansa, contragansa doble
 La Estudiantina from Samar
and Quezon
Estudiantina- young women
studying during Spanish time
Perform by women carrying book
or fan and wear Maria Clara-style
dresses
Classified as Sayawing Maria Clara
(Maria Clara Dances)
 Pasiguin from Capiz

Frolicking dance representing

fishes getting out from torn
fishnets called sibot in Capiz
Discover by Petronila Suarez
Pasiguin- literally means ring net
used for catching fish
Dance is about fisherman trying to
Catch bangus, shrimp and sugpu
usinf sabot (fish net) not knowing it
has a big hole. This give him
difficult time because fish keeps
slipping out of the net
Girls movement imitate bangus,
shrimps and sugpu
Girls wear ankle-length skirt and
kimono
Boys wear kamisa de chino
 Carinosa from Panay

Spanish word meaning

affectionate one
Courtship dance that portray acts
of flirtation between man and
woman
Steps resembles to hide-and-seek
movements
Woman- holds handkerchief or
fan
Related to Spanish dance bolero
and Mexican dance Jarabe
Tapatio or Mexican Hat Dance
Originally dance with Maria Clara
dress and Barong Tagalog
Wore patadyong kimono and
camisa de chino to reveal
nationalism
 Mazurka from Bohol

Spanish-inspired ballroom dance

A Polish national dance
Mazurka Boholana- classified as
Sayawing Maria Clara (Maria Clara
Dances)
 Alcamfor from Leyte

Girl hold handkerchief laced with

camphor, substance induce
romance. She flirts with man
waving her scented handkerchief
in front of his face
Alcamfor- Spanish alcanfor
meaning camphor or mothballs in
The Philippines
In old days, clothes were kept in
wooden chest with few
naphthalene balls to keep away
moth.
Also called Pandaggo han Panyo
 Literature and Theater

Philippine Literature- legends of

prehistory and colonial legacy of
the Philippines
Pre-Hispanic Philippine Literature-
epics passed from generation to
generation by oral tradition
Darangen- epic of Maranaos of
Lake Lanao
Doctrina Cristiana- first printed
book
Francisco Balagtas- wrote
Florante at Laura; prince of
Philippine poets
December 1, 1846- first daily
newspaper, La Esperanza was
published
El Eco de Vigan (1884)-first
Provincial newspaper; issued in
Ilocos
Ilustrados- well-informed
El Renacimiento- most influential
Spanish newspaper
Pedro Alejandro Paterno- wrote
the novel Ninay
La Solidaridad- founded on
February 15, 1885
 Poetry and Metrical
Romances
Tanaga- short poem; has 4 lines
with 7 syllables each rhyme at end
of each line
Ladino Poems- highly literate in
both Spanish and vernacular
Corridos- filled the need for
entertainment as well as edifying
Reading matter in their leisure
moments
Awit- entertaining, edifying,
reading manner; fabrication of
writer’s imagination
Modernismo- predominant
literary style, mixture of
elements from French Parnassien
and Symboliste schools
 Dramas

Moriones- helmets of participants

dress as Roman soldiers, identity
is hidden by colorful wooden
mask, Marinduque, done during
Holy Week, scene of St. Longinus
conversion and martyrdom
Panunuluyan- tagalog version of
Mexican Las Posadas; Literally means
seeking passage; Held during
Christmas time; Joseph and Mary’s
search for room at the inn in
Bethlehem
Pangangaluluwa- practice during All
Saint’s Day, literary means for the
souls
Salubong- performed in early
morning of Easter Sunday few hours
after Easter vigil and before Easter
Mass, meeting of
Resurrected Jesus and his mother;
2 separate procession-males
accompany statue of Risen Christ
while women accompany Virgin
Mary veiled in black; meet at
churchyard where a girl dressed as
an angel stands from scaffold on a
rope and sings Regina Caeli; angel
remove black veil to the sound of
bells and firecrackers ending the
penance of Lent
Senakulo- passion and death of
Jesus Christ
Santacruzan- Saint Helena’s
finding of true cross, devotion to
Virgin Mary, Reyna Elena
Comedia- courtly love between
prince and princess of different
religion, colonial attitude to
Christian-Muslim relations
Duplo- forerunner of balagtasan,
Has two teams-one composed of
young women called Dupleras or
Belyakas and the other young men
called Dupleros or Belyakos
Karagatan- practice of testing
the mettle of young men vying
for maiden’s hand. Maiden’s ring
would be dropped into the sea
and whoever retrieve it would
have the girl’s hand on marriage
 Darangen Epic

Encompasses wealth of Maranao

people live in Lake Lanao
Literally means to narrate in song
 Music

Marcelo Adonay- composer of

orchestral accomaniments to
Grand Mass, Te Deum, Benedictus
Jose Estrella- first to complete
symphony
Rondalla- native string band
Great Philippine Classics-
Collection of Philippine classical
music publish by National
Philharmonic Society of the
Philippines through its founder
Redentor Romero