TRANSFIGURATION OF PINUKPUK FESTIVAL DANCE OF

FLORIDABLANCA, PAMPANGA: A MOVE TOWARDS CULTURAL

IDENTITY

John Carlo B. Bansil

Jasmin S. Datu

Rey-Anna C. Gopez

Chris B. Malit

Christoffer Khern S. Miclat

This paper is submitted in partial fulfillment for the requirements for the degree

Bachelor of Physical Education major in School Physical Education

DON HONORIO VENTURA TECHNOLOGICAL STATE UNIVERSITY

February 2017
 TRANSFIGURATION OF PINUKPUK FESTIVAL DANCE OF FLORIDABLANCA,
PAMPANGA: A MOVE TOWARDS CULTURAL IDENTITY

APPROVAL SHEET

This undergraduate thesis entitled “TRANSFIGURATION OF PINUKPUK

FESTIVAL DANCE OF FLORIDABLANCA, PAMPANGA”, prepared and
submitted by JOHN CARLO B. BANSIL, JASMIN S. DATU, REY-ANNA C.
GOPEZ, CHRIS B. MALIT and CHRISTOFFER KHERN S. MICLAT, in partial
fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Bachelor in Physical Education major in
School Physical Education has been examined and is hereby recommended for Oral
Examination.

JULIUS CEAZAR G. TOLENTINO, MPES

Adviser

THESIS COMMITTEE

DOLORES T. QUIAMBAO, Ed. D.

Chairman

VICKY P. VITAL, Ed. D. WILFREDO Q. CUNANAN, Ed. D.

Member Member

PANEL OF EXAMINERS

Passed by the Committee on Oral examination with a grade of _____ on _____

DOLORES T. QUIAMBAO, Ed. D.

Chairman

VICKY P. VITAL, Ed. D. WILFREDO Q. CUNANAN, Ed. D.

Member Member

Approved and accepted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Bachelor in Physical Education major in School Physical Education.

DOLORES T. QUIAMBAO, Ed.D.

Dean, Graduate School

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 TRANSFIGURATION OF PINUKPUK FESTIVAL DANCE OF FLORIDABLANCA,
PAMPANGA: A MOVE TOWARDS CULTURAL IDENTITY

Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Man by nature need to move in order to satisfy a perceived necessity. It is a need

that ranges from his physiology needs and longing for safety against retaliation, and

among others. It is both an idea and a fact that he has to also satisfy his innate desire to

express his emotions through movement such that of dance, one of the most fundamental

origins of all other arts. His body has always been considered as the immediate organic

channel of this expression. Dance existed as a binding element among the primitive men,

to tribal groups, by pagans, until the contemporary people. The facilitation of movement

was rooted from the basic rhythms, which are then turned into vocal chants to musical

ensemble of instruments. Embellished with masks to costume to other aesthetic

ornaments, the dance has been decorated and thereby made even more appealing. More

than these metamorphoses, dances have rooted to exist for a purpose that varies from

places to places.

Dances were noted to be part of most if not all types of festival celebrations in

different countries in the world. In Uttarakhand, North India, Fiol (2011) conducted a

study entitled “From Folk to Popular and Back: Musical Feedback between Studio

Recordings and Festival Dance-Songs in Uttarakhand, North India”. In the Himalayas,

festival dance songs are being reconstructed to accommodate a wide selection of genres

and are revived to which it flows into a cycle of improvement in order to revitalize its

concepts to the mountain tribes by the Himalayan musicians thus fortifying its popularity

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PAMPANGA: A MOVE TOWARDS CULTURAL IDENTITY

among its native people more importantly, the modern era. In addition, the identity of its

festival dance is kept and still comes back to its roots without it being bound to it and still

managing to improvise and adjust it to all ages and preferences.

Cultural festivals are “big vehicles to promote the legendary Filipino hospitality

and an arena to promote closer kinship and family ties” (Baños, 2015). Festivals have

been around since the ancient times of pagan worship. They were used as means of

thanksgiving for the good harvest and boons by the Filipino. Even before the invasion of

the foreign civilization, the original Filipino people already had their own beliefs in the

governing deities of nature. Often, festivals are initiated for the purpose of

commemoration of patron saints and historical events (Panaguiton et al., 2005). It has

also been mentioned that festivals were ways of building communities through its

teamwork and the need for the people to work together which can help build camaraderie

among their fellow people (Buted, 2014).

There are several ways of celebrating a festival like gift-giving, rituals or feasts

but the quintessential way to celebrate was in music and especially in dancing. In order to

make amends for the offering in case there was famine or financial problems, the people

would participate actively instead through dancing (Philippines Insider, 2016). Dancing is

said to be the most reachable form of art for any individual for it only involves one’s

body (Soumyasri, 2009).This supports the statement that dancing is accessible to all

people if they choose to do so.

Dancing gives a livelier feel of what a festival is thus affecting its sense and

significance to both the performers and audience. This, accompanied with tools or props

in dancing, enhances the culture that is expressed through the presentation of the Festival.

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PAMPANGA: A MOVE TOWARDS CULTURAL IDENTITY

The reason for the preference of having dance as the primary way of celebration

has been found to be vaguely explained throughout the history of mankind. Only traces

and dull evidences from ancient relics of dancing since the ancient times remain (Sachs,

1963). However, the motive for the deed of dancing is as vague as ever because it is

known that the drive of the people during the ancient civilizations and even before the

time of Christ was pragmatism or practicality and thus never explains why humans would

engage in such ceremonial actions stated in the following:

Go back ten thousand years and you will find humans toiling away

at the many mundane activities required for survival: hunting, food

gathering, making weapons and garments, beginning to experiment with

agriculture. But if you land on the right moonlit night or seasonal turning

point, you might also find them engaged in what seems, by comparison,

to be a gratuitous waste of energy: dancing in lines or circles...well

before people had a written language, and possibly before they took up a

settled lifestyle, they danced and understood dancing as an activity

important enough to record in stone (Ehrenreich, 2007, para. 1).

In India, there is a festival that is known throughout the country and is treated

with utmost importance called Diwali (Zimmermann, 2015).This celebrates the symbolic

inner light which protects them from the harm of spiritual darkness. This festival of

lights’ significance to the people of India is akin to the Filipinos’ celebration of

Christmas. This reflects the Hindus’ religious motive in the celebration of their festivals.

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PAMPANGA: A MOVE TOWARDS CULTURAL IDENTITY

Another festival with the same religious theme, albeit with a different belief, that

is celebrated in Japan is the Obon Festival, a commemorative event of the deceased. It is

a less flashy celebration in contrast to the prior mentioned festival in which the Japanese

hung up lanterns in front of their houses in order to guide the ancestral spirits during the

period of the Obon. In addition to that, they also have a festive dance called ObonOdori,

which performed in honour of the passing spirits (Mishima, 2016).

National festivals were noted in recent studies primarily on its impact on socio-

cultural, economic growth and tourism industry. In the era of tourism geography,

festivals have been noted for its positive impacts or key functions and negative impacts of

dysfunctions (Cudny, 2013). In his study entitled “Festival Tourism, Key Functions

Tourism – The Concept, Key Functions and Dysfunctions in the Context of Tourism

Geography Studies”, the geography becomes the manageable population of the tourist

and the festival as the attracting catalyst of the tourism process. Ultimately, it can be

stated that festival constitutes drastically to the difference between a good or a bad

tourism. Ranging from extravagance to its peculiar appeal, tourist would flock to the

festival during its duration.

Several festival dances of Pampanga were outgrowth of religious activities as they

were subjected in a study conducted by Cunanan (2012), who explored the development

of Kapampangan rituals into street dance festivals. The focus of the research was geared

towards the development of Sabuaga Festival of Santo Tomas; ImungBaculud (washing

of face) and Makatapak Festival of Bacolor, Pampanga; and Kuraldal of Sta. Lucia, City

of San Fernando, Pampanga from the locale’s religious rites. After an ethnographic study

of the origin, nature and structure of these street dances giving emphasis on dance

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PAMPANGA: A MOVE TOWARDS CULTURAL IDENTITY

notations, steps, formation, costume, and props as part of the dance choreography and

including instrumentation, an assessment was conducted by ritualist/devotees, social

researchers, physical education teachers, choreographers, participants, and performers

who unanimously agreed on the development of these Kapampangan rituals on the

aforecited elements.

An interesting note to the festival dances, specifically in Pampanga, is that the

most popular festivals involve tragedy that became opportunities or were instead

perceived by the Filipino, specifically, the Kapampangan as blessings or silver linings. A

good example would be the Makatapak festival that was conceived in the aftermath of the

historical tragedy known to the people of Luzon as Mt. Pinatubo’s Eruption.

Festivals are an integral part of a place’s performing arts. One of the reasons for

that is because the aim of a festival is to provide a venue for interaction of various

professionals and performers.

In spite of this, the focus of the festival eventually boils down to the arts and

presentations of the destination. They celebrate culture, religion and tradition, which give

meaning to their identity as a locale. Festivals are brimming with arts and culture of a

location. They are primarily expressed through street dances which involve costumes and

music inspired by the place itself (Carino, 2011).This concludes that the festival dance

plays a vital role in the success of a festival as it becomes the tool in order to define their

origin, locality and the culture that has been passed down through many generations.

They have been used as mediums of cultural preservation and also play a significant role

in promoting a certain place’s tourism. This is evident from the fact that festivals often

gain a large audience from people both locally and foreign which resulted in the places

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PAMPANGA: A MOVE TOWARDS CULTURAL IDENTITY

significant raise in economy (Park, 2002). For an instance in a town of Kalibo,Aklan it

has been proven that their festival, Ati-Atihan, had a significant impact in economy of

their town through the refinement of their products and increase in economic activity

(Calopez et al., 2011).

As a special event it becomes a factor that affects the tourism development

initiative significantly (Alhemoud, 2003). Because of this, if the festival dance fails to

define their own identity they lose their own distinction and uniqueness. As such is the

situation in the town of Floridablanca in its festival known as thePinukpúk Festival.

Figure 1. The map of Floridablanca, Pampanga

Floridablanca was first established as a community by religious Spanish people.

Before its founding, a hacienda was in its place. The people of the then Floridablanca

would give emphasis to its religious activities. Due to the Spanish priest being the one

who handles the most of the religious activities, it was also thought that the governing

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PAMPANGA: A MOVE TOWARDS CULTURAL IDENTITY

body would also be in the hacienda. The word Floridablanca came from a Spanish word

meaning white flower.

The music, costume and even the dance steps bear resemblance and gather a

strong influence from another festival that is the Sinukwan Festival of San Fernando,

Pampanga. This inflicts confusion and doubt if the festival itself is just a mere imitation

of the latter festival.

In the town mentioned, they say that before the conception of their own festival,

there was an incident involving a plane crash that happened in somewhere in

Floridablanca which the people instead of remembering it as a tragedy, turned it into

opportunity for industry that has become its evident production since then. The plane that

crashed was treated as material instead of debris through the forming of its scattered

various parts into useful shapes into utensils that the town is now famous for.

Floridablanca is located in Region III on the west part of Pampanga, along the Zambales

mountain ranges.

A festival’s own way of expressing its tradition and history is the festive dance

itself. This has fault such as its lack of distinction and uniqueness which symbolizes the

festivals significance.

In addition to that, it harbours much influence from other festive dances more

importantly the “Sinukwan” festive dance not only in music or costume but also its basic

steps.

In the light of existing literatures and studies, shows that there is really strong . . .

However, there has been no existing study that transfigured an existing festival dance

towards establishing its cultural identity. It is in this regard that this research is hereby

DON HONORIO VENTURA TECHNOLOGICAL STATE UNIVERSITY

 TRANSFIGURATION OF PINUKPUK FESTIVAL DANCE OF FLORIDABLANCA,
PAMPANGA: A MOVE TOWARDS CULTURAL IDENTITY

conducted to transfigure the existing Pinukpuk Festival dance of Floridablanca in the

Province of Pampanga, Philippines that would standardize its music, costume, basic steps

and literature which, in the long run, could be recommended for adoption by the said

town during the celebration of its festival every last week of April.

Statement of the Problem

The study aims to transfigure the Pinukpúk Festival Dance that is aligned and
complementary to the “Pinukpúk” business in the town of Mabical, Floridablanca,
Pampanga, incorporating also the town’s rich historical development.

Specifically, it seeks answers to the following questions:

1. How may the existing “Pinukpúk” Festival street dance be described?

2. What is the historical development of the Pinukpúk business?

3. How may the existing Pinukpúk be transfigured into a festival dance in terms of?

3.1. Costume;

3.2. Music;

3.3. Time signature;

3.4. Literature; and

3.5. Basic steps?

4. How may the content validity of the transfigured festival dance be described by
festival dance experts?

5. What are the implications of the study in the teaching of physical education?

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PAMPANGA: A MOVE TOWARDS CULTURAL IDENTITY

Significance of the Study

Town of Floridablanca, Pampanga. The study holds the conviction in helping

Floridablanca in a proper preservation of its culture and giving it a distinction among its

fellow festivals through the development of its festival dance thus advancing it by a step

closer to properly adding it to the famous cultural archive of Region III of the

Philippines. Through this, the festival would instigate the potential happening of a

“domino effect” in the event that the improvement of its festival occurs or succeeds in its

development.

Local craftsmen (Mamukpúk) of Floridablanca, Pampanga. This involves

promotion of its business therefore boosting its economy and an improvement of sales of

its products.

Local Cultural Dance Choreographers and Dancers. Likewise, this would also

pave the way for the dance to find its own identity helping it in a way that it would turn

original and provide a pure cohesive and relevant way of expressing its own culture using

its own dance steps, music and costume that separates it from other festival dances.

Local Cultural Curriculum. This is also involved in the addition of cultural

dances that are to be studied by Pampanga’s students in a way that instead of studying a

festival or culture of other neighbouring regions in the Philippines.

Future researchers. In the event that our research will be attempted to be

furthered by future researchers, they would have a basis and other data referring to this

thus making it easier to find holes and the missing parts of our research. However, it

doesn’t only affect this specific festival research. It would also affect in the research of

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 TRANSFIGURATION OF PINUKPUK FESTIVAL DANCE OF FLORIDABLANCA,
PAMPANGA: A MOVE TOWARDS CULTURAL IDENTITY

other culture, traditions and other festivals by giving them an insight of how festivals are

developed.

Tourism aspect. The research includes the promotion of Floridablanca,

Pampanga in terms of cultural identity and commercial production such as the Pinukpúk

business of aluminum wares. This research also possesses the potential of boosting the

economy among the people and businessmen in Floridablanca, Pampanga. The least

achievement that can be attained in completion of the research would be a more tangible

definition of the image of Pinukpúk festival through the refinement of its dance including

its costume, music, time signature, literature and basic steps.

BPE-SPE. The research also stands as a basis of future studies considerably

studies that pertains to the development of a place’s culture and festival dance.

DHVTSU. As a school that holds and accepts senior high school and includes the

study of festivals in various courses, the research contributes to the study of the festival

dances in Pampanga.

Scope and Delimitation

This study will focus on the Pinukpúk festival dance on the town of

Floridablanca, Pampanga among the grounds of dance history, dance composition, dance

structure and history of the town itself. It doesn’t include other activities of the festival

and is strictly supportive towards the transfiguration of the Pinukpúkan festival dance.

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PAMPANGA: A MOVE TOWARDS CULTURAL IDENTITY

Definition of Terms

To provide informational background and a common understanding based on the

grounds of the research and explanation of the terms used. This section assists the reader

in the ease of the research’s comprehension thus clarifying any common questions

pertaining to unfamiliar or uncommon words.

Basic steps.

Costume.

Festival dance.

Hacienda. A community or residence.

Historical development.

Literature.

Mamukpuk. These are Aluminum ware craftsman who specializes in utensils and other

tools.

Music.

Time signature.

Transfiguration. According

Acronyms

PE

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PAMPANGA: A MOVE TOWARDS CULTURAL IDENTITY

Chapter 2

METHODOLOGY

Research design

Descriptive-research and development.

Respondents

. In the study conducted by Flores, Mata, Parinasan, Inocian and De la Torre

entitled “Argao’s La Torta Dance Festival: A Cultural Mix of Colonial and Indigenous

Elements”, the five key criteria will be selected according to the given criteria. There are

`four categories to which the researchers will acquire informants: (1) the elderly having

age of 60 and beyond, (2) choreographers and dancers, (3) residents which are familiar

with the festival and (4) the local government officials. Originally, the categories were

only four but the researchers adapted the criteria from the study to meet the data needed

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PAMPANGA: A MOVE TOWARDS CULTURAL IDENTITY

for the study. This includes the addition of the craftsmen (Mamukpuk) as additional

informants for the study.

Instruments

The researchers will be conducting a structured interview in gathering relevant

resources to fortify the significance of evidences held. Same as observations, wherein the

researchers will be on the actualization of the Pinukpuk festival dance to view and

document everything about the festival. These will be having an impact in which the

researchers will be more familiarized with and will be profound on the said festival

dance. As well as field studies in a way of monitoring the phenomenon until the duration

of the festival having a minimum of 1 week lodge at the residence in Floridablanca,

Pampanga.

Data collection

Prior to any data gathering procedure, letters of correspondence will be sent to

proper authorities, which includes the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Dean

of the College of Education for the permission to seek information for the study in the

locale. However, permission from the Mayor of the local will be needed to be sought in

order to gain access in data gathering in Floridablanca, Pampanga. Upon approval of the

necessary requests, the researchers will visit the town in the gathering of data.

The researchers will utilize a voice recorder in the duration of the interviews to

record the exact raw information from the informants for research purposes such as basis

and the likes. Furthermore, this would facilitate the retrieval of exact contexts of their

responses. Digital cameras will also be used for observational purposes such as capturing

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PAMPANGA: A MOVE TOWARDS CULTURAL IDENTITY

still pictures and videos while observing the Pinukpuk business and the festival dance

itself.

Describe the existing Pinukpuk Festival dance through observation and

structured interviews

Describe the historical development of the Pinukpuk business

Transfiguration of the existing Pinukpuk Festival dance in terms of (costume,),

music, time signature, literature, and basic steps)

Content validation by festival dance experts

Adoption by the Town and contextualization in Physical Education

context
Figure 1. Schematic diagram of the data gathering procedures

Ethical considerations

The researchers swear to abide and exercise the following set of principles and

research ethics during the time of the research. This involves the safety of the

participant’s privacy and freedom of will. The residents to be involved can withdraw

within all circumstances and are not restricted or made to participate forcefully. The

researchers will give some contribution as a medium of acknowledgement for the

resident’s participation and collaboration. The researchers are also concerned with the

behavioral aspects of the individuals that are to be involved in the research thus whatever

decision the interviewee makes in respect to the interviews or consultations will be

tolerated.

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