FOLK MUSIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

Like the culture of the country itself, traditional music of the Philippines is influenced by its history, sometimes reflecting the music of Europeans, Indians, and Chinese, with the greatest influence being Spanish. The lyrics focus on everyday life of the common folk and serve as stories of the people. For this reason, music varies from region to region.

Kulintang is a music style popular in the Southern regions of the Philippines and serves as the music of the Maguindanao, Maranao, Tausug, and other indigenous groups. This style of music is based on gong instruments, with the main instruments for the Maguindanao and Maranao being the kulintang, the agung, the gandingan, the dabakan, and the babendil. Kulintang music is used primarily for entertainment and hospitality and is commonly played during special ceremonies such as weddings and healing ceremonies. The Maguindanao use music as a form of communication, utilizing the gandingan to send messages such as danger warnings as well as messages to lovers.
The Tausug implement other instruments in their music such as xylophones and violins. They also add vocals known as sindils that use teasing, jokes, and innuendos in the verses and are usually used at festive events such as weddings.

kulintang

agung

gandigan

FOLK MUSIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

Folk music of the Northern regions of the Philippines also use gongs, but they are different than those used by the Southern regions and are known as Gangsa, which originated from the mainlands of Asia.
In the Northern regions, music is commonly accompanied by dance and drums. The music style is polyphonic and utilizes interlocking repeated patterns. Other indigenous instruments that are commonly used include bamboo zither, log drums, and different forms of flutes. The Kudyapi is a Filipino instrument and is a two-stringed boat-lute that is four to six feet long made from soft wood and hardened beeswax. These instruments are mainly used in social events.

gangsa

kudyapi

FOLK DANCE OF THE PHILIPPINES

Folk dance in the Philippines is extremely diverse and varies from region to region. Many dances are simply daily tasks and hardships turned into an art form. Like their music, their dances tell stories of everyday life. Many of the dances were chores and activities that Filipinos did in order to survive.

idaw

FOLK DANCE OF LUZON (NORTHERN REGION): Idaw: This dance encompasses the hunting ritual performed prior to a tribal war. As in the ritual, the dancers are tribes men in search for the Idaw bird, which is thought to lead the tribe to victory. The costumes of the dancers also reflect the traditional clothing of the hunters. Minimal clothing was worn due to high temperatures and humidity in the Philippines.

FOLK DANCE OF THE PHILIPPINES

FOLK DANCE OF MINDANAO (SOUTHERN REGION): Asik: This dance reflects the dance young girls would do in order to make up for a wrongdoing or to win the heart of her master. It is a dance that is performed wholeheartedly to encompass the girls dedication. It is performed by a single female wearing beads, make up, and a long head scarf. FOLK DANCE OF VISAYAS (CENTRAL REGION) Maglalatik: This dance encompasses the battle between the Moros and the Christians over coconut meat during the Spanish rule. It features men with coconut shells attached to their chests, backs, thighs, and hips, wearing either red or blue trousers to represent the Moros and the Christians. The dance demonstrates both the battle and reconciliation and the dancers use the coconut shells for rhythmic sounds. NATIONAL FOLKDANCE OF THE PHILIPPINES Tinikling: This dance involves the use of bamboo poles that beat, tap, and slide on the ground and against each other. The dancers step over and in between the bamboo poles in dance as the sounds of the bamboo poles function as an instrument. As the dance progresses, the beats of the bamboo poles increase in speed and, consequently, so do the dancers movements and steps. This dance imitates the grace and speed of the skilled tikling bird dodging the bamboo traps set by rice farmers.

asik

maglalatik

tinikling

Wikipedia: Philippines http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines

Wikipilipinas: Music of the Philippines http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Music_of_the_Philippines Philippine Travel Guide: Filipino Folk Songs as Part of the Philippine Culture and Identity http://www.philippine-travel-guide.com/filipino-folk-songs.html Wikipedia: Music in the Philippines http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_in_the_Philippines Wikipedia: Tinikling http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinikling Blogspot: Philippine (Filipino) Cultural and Folk Dances http://philippinesculturalfolkdances.blogspot.com/ Photo sources: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=482171&page=2 http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=482171&page=10 http://www.malditah.com/philippines-music-instruments/ http://anyonemusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/filipino-musical-instruments.html http://www.filipino-music.com/gangsa.htm http://www.beautifulasianladies.com/filipino-culture.html http://www.keywordpicture.com/abuse/asik%20dance/// http://www.giancruz.com/portfolio/imd110/city/otherdances.html

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