ETHNIC DANCES IN MOUNTAIN MOUNTAIN PROVINCE WRITTEN BY DR. CARIDAD B. FIAR-OD.
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Ethnic dances in the diferent municipalities o Mountain Province have diferences and commonalities in terms o steps attire or costumes purposes! "hese dances are part o the people#s customs and traditions that have $ecome part o the %gorots#s identit&! %n an& estive gathering among %gorots $e it a ritual $arrio or to'n (esta 'edding cele$rations people#s assem$l& the gongs are pla&ed according to its rh&thm appropriate to the speci(c purpose o the occasion! Such purpose could $e or entertainment sociali)ation or in more serious cases as part o an %gorot ritual! Ethnic dances as part o most %gorot rituals or ceremonies include begnasmanerwap chono tebyag! *or one dances are done as supplication to +a$un&an to divert e,isting environmental phenomenon such as control o plant pests (elds/arms not to $e eroded increased increased ood production control o diseases during epidemics! Ethnic dances are also done in than-sgiving ater rice planting ater harvest or or spiritual healing! Speci(call& in Sagada and Besao the pla&ing o gongs in 'edding cele$rations commence 'ith the tebyag, a speci(c $eating o gongs 'ith the 'oman dancer sprin-ling little rice grains at a time in all directions 'ith the strong $elie that +a$un&an 'ould grant prosperit& and a$undance! .s to the appropriateness o each dance the original purpose o the speci(c dance is traced! "he hand-erchie or courtship dance pinanyowan or one depicts the und&ing love o a man to a 'oman so it is appropriate during 'edding cele$rations! "he gentle clic-ing clic-ing o $am$oos to produce produce music in the pakawkaw dance or thetebyag is appropriate in times o opening a ritual $ecause o its solemnit&! Pattong is done to drive evil spirits so it could $e pla&ed during 'a-es as practiced in some tri$es in the eastern municipalities! "he pattong or tallibeng could also $e pla&ed during a ritual
called sagawsaw or it has ps&chological healing efects to someone 'ho is mentall& distur$ed! %gorot ethnic dances are perormed 'ith either gongs $am$oo musical instruments or 'ithout an& instrument! Similar to an& other musical arrangement the $ass sound tenor and soprano also is noted in the pla&ing o gongs! Most dances or entertainment is done in semi1circle 'here dancers move in a circular direction ollo'ing the concept o ollo' the leader3 'hile s&nchroni)ing 'ith the steps o the lead pla&er or dancer! "he lead musical pla&er is then crucial to lead in the rh&thm and tempo o the gongs and the dance! %n the diferent ethnic dances the steps $od& movements hand or arm position are done in accordance 'ith the rh&thm o the music and in coordination 'ith the other pla&ers or dancers! "here are no de(nite num$er o steps or de(nite prescri$ed movement $ut are perormed to the tune o the $eating o the gongs 'ith individual st&les to accommodate one#s grace! "he steps var& rom the com$inations o an& o the ollo'ing steps: 'al-ing step slide step slight 4umping step hop step creeping toe step $all $ouncing step 4umping step ast1'al-ing step and running step! "hese steps go 'ith $od& movements such as a com$ination o the $ending o -nees $od& $ending or'ard and $ac-'ard $od& $ending side'ard let and right and $od& tilting! "he arms and hand movements are done 'ith arms stretched side'ard closed (st and thum$s up arms stretched side'ard on shoulder level palms acing do'n 5ipping rom 'rist $oth arms o$li6uel& up'ard or arms do'n'ard $ehind $uttoc-s arms in ront o the chest thum$s pointing to'ards sel hands on 'aist and arms in reverse "1position! Ballangbang or Tallibeng
"he most common o all the dances ballangbang re6uires the participation o man& to $eat the gongs and man& 'omen dancers! "his originated rom the 'estern municipalities o Mountain Province Besao Sagada "adian Bau-o Sa$angan $ut perormed an&'here! %ts version in eastern Mountain Province is the pattong. "he male gong pla&ers could $e (ve or more and the emale dancers could range rom a single dancer to more than 70! %t is a dance appropriate or mass participation! "he male gong pla&ers move in a circular direction as the& s&nchroni)e their artistic graceul steps and $od& s'a&ing! "he 'omen
dancers ollo' as the& dance 'ith the appropriate step $od& s'a&ing and arm position depending on the art and st&le o the music pla&ers! Bontoc War Dance or Pattong
.mong the Bontocs pla&ing the gongs is termed pattong! Steps in the Bontoc 'ar dance is similar to the tallibeng $ut a little aster! 8hat ma-es the 'ar dance peculiar is the presence o t'o 'arrior dancers depicting a headhunter (ghting his enem&! "he intended 'inner 'arrior dancer is armed 'ith a spear and shield and the intended loser 'arrior dancer is armed 'ith a head a,e and shield too! 8ithout the 'arrior dancers it is called pattong! 9ther variations o the pattong are the tachek,mamakar or parpag! Takik Takik is a 'edding dance identi(ed 'ith the .plais o 'estern Mountain Province! "here are si, pla&ers to complete the set each producing a certain $eating to produce harmon&! "he stri-ing o the solibao ethnic drum is the guide o the pla&ers! "he drummer s6uats and stri-es the solibao alternatel& 'ith his let and right hand!
. male dancer starts and one or more ladies dance to pair the male dancer moving in a circular motion! e,t to the dancer is the sunub! "he sound o the sunub is so distinct that it responds to the solibao the (rst gong pingsan then the iron clasping to produce the harmoni)ed music! "he complete set or a good takik music is composed o at least (ve or seven instruments: solibao, sunub, pingsan, pindua and the takik. Palakis Palakis is a variation o the takik ! ;o'ever the $eating o the gongs in palakis is aster and louder so the dancers dance 'ith aster steps and $od& movements!
Eagle Dance
Most common and popular dance among the Balangaos and Bali'ons o Barlig atonin and Paracelis is the eagle dance! "hree gong pla&ers can complete the set in an eagle dance! "he male and emale dancers dance eagle1li-e 'ith their arms s'a&ing in a circular direction! Peculiar in this dance is ast entr& o the dancer the $ending o the $od& and -nees and movements o $uttoc-s as 'ell! Bontoc Boogie
. variation o the 'estern $oogie dance the Bontoc $oogie dance is perormed 'ith the ast $eating o the gongs! . pair o male and emale dancers moves 'ith the ast pacing and raising o eet in opposite directions! .t some time the dancing pair meets 'ith hands holding each other and perorm other steps either going or'ard or side'ard! "he music pla&ers are in -neeling positions! Tupayya
"his dance is similar to the $oogie dance among the Bontocs! %ts movement is aster than the pinanyowan. "he male dancer stands and perorms 'ith at least three steps $eore the emale dancer goes to pair him! %t can $e 'ith a rolled scar held $& t'o hands or 'ithout scar! "he male and emale dancers meet each other then separate 'ith ast steps! "his dance is another courtship dance common among the +inali people in 'estern Besao near .ngga-i %locos Sur! Pinanyowan
. courtship dance 'ith the use o a hand-erchie or scar $oth male and emale dancers do ast mincing steps as the men $eat the gongs in stationar& -neeling positions! Inan-aninnit
"his is a dance that re5ects the search o a lost soul! Perormed during rituals it is done 'ith slo' and 4er-ing $od& movement along 'ith the slo' peculiar stri-ing o the gongs! ;o'ever toda& it is perormed $& &oung men also or entertainment 'ithout the preliminar& pra&ers or the speci(c ritual! Tebyag Tebyag is s&m$olicall& done once onl& during the start o the pla&ing o gongs in a 'edding ceremon&! "his dance is part o a ritual 'here gongs are slo'l& struc- interspersed $& pra&ers!
"he pra&er is or +a$un&an to grant peace during the cele$ration or the ne' couple to have man& children and or the couple to prosper! Peculiar to this dance is the sprin-ling o grains o rice $& a 'oman dancer in all direction as a s&m$ol o sho'ers o $lessings rom
. dance 'ith music produced $& the rh&thmic lic-ing o the stic-s sakuting is similar to calisthenics! =ancers have to $e in pairs and
participate in clic-ing the stic-s! %t needs practice and master& to avoid an& mis1coordination that light result in in4ur&! Pakawkaw
"he pakawkaw dance ma-es use o $am$oo tu$es and $am$oo 5ips to produce music! %t 'as (rst danced in the olden da&s 'hen people 4ourne&ed in search or 'ild animals in the 'oods! "he dancers ollo' one another to orm a single line! >ater the pakawkaw is perormed to start a ritual to call or good spirits and then perormed ater a ritual to rive $ad spirits! %t is pla&ed $& stri-ing the pakawkaw in one#s hand to produce music! %n some municipalities li-e Paracelis the pakawkaw is no' made $& sets to complete tenor $ass and soprano! %n Paracelis it is reerred as papiw, abiw or balimbing! %n other places is termed liplipak ! Sadngi Kawayan
"his could $e a dance 'ith an& com$ination o varied ethnic steps 'ith $am$oo musical instruments such as gabil labil, labin abistong aberraw), paiw, kolisteng, tabbatab, dongadong, diw-as, ilaleng or tongali. Da-ing
Men and 'omen de$ate on an issue 'hile doing grapevine steps and chanting! %t could also $e an alternate e,pression o their eelings o love to entertain others and at the same time en4o& dancing! ;ere males -nit their hands together on their shoulders to orm a semi1circle! .nother semi1circle $ehind the males is ormed $& the emale dancers $ut their hands -nit together at their $ac-s! . lead man starts the chant then chorused $& the rest as the& move in grapevine steps and $odies $ending in a circular direction! "he lead 'oman responds through a chant and chorused $& the others as the& also do the grapevine steps moving in a circular direction! Dallok is also another 'a& o de$ating 'hile dancing! "he emale dancers hold hands to orm a line acing the male dancers! Males chant together led $& one! 8hile chanting the& all meet at the middle e,ecuting the hop1$end1 raise steps! ?hanting all together the& 'al- $ac-'ard uniorml& to their ormer positions! Master& o the chanting is important to have uniormit& in e,ecuting the steps! Digdigwi
"his is similar to the dallok as to position and purpose! %t onl& varies a little in the steps as it all depends upon the chanted phrases! "he chanting al'a&s start 'ith the 'ords Digdigwi, digdigwi !!!3 Donglalaan
"his is a dance common among the tri$es in the 'estern parts o Besao +inali 'ho claim the dance originated rom the ethnic tri$es o .$ra! "he male dancers 'ith their hands -nit together at their $ac-s ace the 'omen dancers 'ith their hands -nit together at their $ac-s too! .s the& all chant the& grapevine to the right then to the let to their original position! .s the chorus is chanted the t'o groups meet or'ard to meet at center then $ac'ith the chorus! Hey, donglas di donglalaan dayta, ehem.” Balassibasem
"he dancers ollo' the same position 'ith that o the digdigwi 'ith similar steps! %n this dance the uniormit& o the steps is dependent on the master& and orce in chanting the lines or the de$ate and the chorus 'hich goes! Innas balalaginnas, o innas, o innas @ alasibasem, o innas, o innas 3! 9riginall& this dance puts ladies and gentlemen together to ma-e 'ise pairing among them 'hile chanting! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Author is the College Vice President of the MPSPC and chair of the Igorot Global Organization-Philippines Education Committee !he article abo"e #as presented during the $th IGO consultation at St %ouis& Missouri& 'SA& (ul) *-+& ,+
!B! "he a$ove article appeared in the =ecem$er 200 issue o >ang1a& Maga)ine pu$lished $& the provincial government o Mountain Province in cooperation 'ith the association o Provincial E,ecutives .PEC! 9n 7D ovem$er 207 =r! ?aridad Bomas1ang *iar1od passed a'a& due to a lingering illness! %gorot ?ordillera B%M..+ Europe %?BE 'ould li-e to than=r! Fo& *iar1od =icdican Caverine *iar1od and their other si$lings or granting permission to post their mother#s article in the %?BE 'e$site! 2 Fune 207G H! Belen RE*ERE?E: http://'''!ic$e!eu/accordion1$/level12/IDD1ethnic1dances1in1mountain1province
