The Wedding Dance

Amador T. Daguio
SUMMARY

Awiyao and Lumnay is a long married couple from the Mountain

tribes. Awiyao is going to marry another woman, Madulimay, because
Lumnay was not able to give him a child.
Awiyao went back home to see Lumnay because he didn't find her
among the dancers at his wedding. He wanted Lumnay to dance at his
wedding for the last time but she cannot. On their moment, there are
many flashbacks about how Lumnay did her best to have a child,
through offering to the god, Kabunyan; and how Awiyao and Lumnay's
love was as strong as the river; but "it is just that a man must have a
child", and he had to leave her. He promised her that if he fails to have
a child, he will come back to her.
She wanted to protest against the written rule that a man can marry
another woman, so Lumnay went to the wedding dance. But while
seeing her husband married to another woman, she could not take it
anymore and just went to the mountain to clear away the beans she
had thought about.
And so Lumnay, waiting for Awiyao a long time, thought of Awiyao's
promise as she cleared away the growing bean plants.

ISSUES IN THE STORY:

Tribal Law/Cultural norms
Cultural norms have always been used as an excuse to control
the behavior of people. They can be constricting and oppressive
though it was probably not initially the intention of the practices.

Tribal Marriage
is a civil contract of undefined duration among
ifugaos. It may last a month, a year, a decade, or until the
death of one of the parties to it. It has no essential
connection to tribal religion.

No promises are made by the contracting parties to each

other or to anybody else. Nor do the contracting parties
take any part in any religious ceremonials or in any
marriage ceremonials of any kind. Marriage may be
terminated at any time by mutual agreement. However,
since it is considered as a contract, if either party
terminates the marriage against the will of the other, the
injured party has the right to assess and collect damages.
In the Story
Lumnay did not attend the festivities of Awiyao's
wedding. This is a way of defying a custom.
Weddings are joyous occasions that all people
should celebrate, and Lumnay's non-attendance is
an act that clearly states her disagreement with
tradition.

Trial Marriage
The trial marriage is merely a primitive sexual mating in
the dormitories of the unmarried. Generally, it requires
two or more trial marriages to select a person for his more
permanent mate.
In the story
To have a child is a necessity in Lumnay and
Awiyaos tribe, because the children are the heirs to
everything the parents have, from the name to the
worldly possessions to the skills of the parents. But
Lumnay cant give Awiyao a child , so Awiyao
decided to remarry another woman named
Madulimay. Awiyao promised Lumnay that if his
decision to remarry would fail, he will come back to
Lumnay and they will die together.

Divorce
It is due to childlessness for a period of two or three years
after marriage. A couple who wish to divorce due to

infertility of either one of the partners is allowed by

the law

A husband who divorces a wife without any valid

reason will have to leave all properties to the children
and the wife.
In the story
Lumnay was asked by her husband Awiyao for them
to have a divorce due to the incapability of Lumnay to
give Awiyao a child to inherit her name and possessions.
Discrimination
An act of considering others inferior to you.
In the story
The womens role in the society is only for child-bearing.
And since Lumnay was not able to fulfill her role, Awiyao chose
to marry another woman who might be able to give him a
successor.

APPROACHES:
Historical/ Biological Approach
The author , Amador Daguio, was born in Ilocos Norte but he
grew up in Lubuagan, a place in Mountain Province. This could be the
main reason why he wrote the story, The Wedding Dance. He could
be exposed to the tribal tradition of the native people in Mountain
Province.
Jungian Approach (Individualization)
Awiyaos decision to have a divorce with Lumnay and marry
Madulimay is due to his insecurity and unlikeness to other men in their
tribe. He has no child that will inherit his possessions unlike the other
man.
Feminist Approach
In the story, we can see the inequality of a man and a woman in
the tribe. Only the necessity of Awiyao is the primary reason why he
and Lumnay can be separated and that Awiyao can remarry another
woman. The attempt of Lumnay to stop the wedding dance of the
future couple means that she already attained the feminist stage but it
only reflects the weaknesses and the less significance of a woman.

Archetypal Approach

The use of symbolism is very visible in the story. The Beads

for example
could be a sign of selfless, unending and
everlasting love of Awiyao to Lumnay. The fire in the wedding
enlightened Lumnay to accept the decision of Awiyao to marry
another woman.

CHARACTERS
Awiyao- the ex-husband of Lumnay who will marry another woman
Lumnay- the woman who suffered from the cultural norms of their
tribe

PLOT
Conflict
Awiyao and Lumnay cannot have a child
Complication
Madulimay claimed that she could give a child to Awiyao,
forcing Awiyao to marry her and leave Lumnay.
Rising Action
After a lengthy conversation between Awiyao and Lumnay,
Awiyao gave the beads to Lumnay and then left their
house.
Climax
Lumnay found her courage and decided to go to the
wedding dance and take back Awiyao. There, she found
herself standing near the village where the wedding was
held and could see clearly the wedding ceremonies.
Falling action

Lumnay decided not to break into the dancing ground and

walked away towards the mountain where the bean plants
are.
Setting
The setting is in the northern parts of the Philippines, in
the mountainous regions, within one of the mountain
tribes.
Point of view
Limited/ Sympathetic (third person)

Style
Richly detailed
Tone
Sincere and longing
Storys voice
Serious and dramatically tense
Theme
"love about to be lost", "letting go", and "love does not conquer
all"

Reflection
The story was written as it was by the author, this could be the
way of an author to represent or to show to the readers, who are from
another tribe or religion, the differences of cultures of every tribe. In
the story, it is the Ifugao tribes norms that is represented. Although we
are all Filipinos, we all know that our country is composed of 7,107
islands that is divided by a body of water. This is the reason why we
still do not have or share the same culture and norms. The culture and
norms that are still followed by our native folks should be respected

and should not be criticized based on our own culture or the moral that
we believed in.