Philippine Folkdances and Their Highlights History - Marvin
Philippine Folkdances and Their Highlights History - Marvin
TINIKLING - Tinikling is perhaps the most popular folk dance in the Philippines,
where its roots originate from the province of Leyte. Officially the National
Dance of the Philippines, Tinikling, is inspired by the movement of the tikling
birds, which the dance is aptly named after. The dancers, traditionally two
male and female dancers, perform using bamboo poles 9 feet long parallel to
each other. The native dance is composed of combinations of singles,
doubles, and hops that are determined by the beat of the bamboo poles.
SUBLI - Subli is a folk dance from Bauan, Batangas, performed for the Holy
Cross of Alitagtag, the patron of the Municipality of Alitagtag. The religious
folk dance is performed by experienced male and female dancers who hop
and slide, where the male dancers beat their castanets, and the female
dancers sway in a circle while holding their brimmed hats.
MAGLALATIK - Maglalatik is a folk dance that only includes male dancers with
coconut shell halves secured onto the dancers’ vests. Its history and origins
vary by region. One of its stories is that it is a mock war dance from Biñan,
Laguna, that represents a fight over coconut meat, a highly coveted food, and
is danced during a religious procession to San Isidro de Labrador, the patron
saint of farmers. The other story is that it tells the fight between the Christian
and the Muslim Moro tribespeople where the performers that represent the
Christians wear blue trousers. In contrast, the performers that represent the
Moro community wear red trousers. Maglalatik has four parts, two dedicated
to the battle and the other to reconcile.
SINGKIL - Singkil originates from the Maranao tribes in Mindanao and translates
to “getting a leg or foot entangled in an object” or “to entangle the feet with
disturbing objects such as vines or anything in your path.” It was originally
performed by a solo female dancer accompanied by the beating of bamboo
poles.
The lead dancer is typically propped by a fan or scarf as she graciously in and
out of the crisscrossed bamboo poles. According to stories, Singkil was based
on Darangen, a pre-Islamic Maranao interpretation of the ancient Hindu Indian
epic Ramayana, and was traditionally danced by maidens who wish to attract
suitors.
ITIK-ITIK - Itik-itik, which translates to “duck,” imitates the movements of the itik
species, such as how they walk, fly and splash water. The folk dance comes
from Surigao del Sur. According to the tale of its origins, a young woman who
was considered the best dancer in the region performed Itik-itik during a
baptismal ceremony. The ceremony guests were entertained by her steps;
they copied her movements and have since passed them along.
Supporting and promoting Philippine folk dances are crucial to keep their
relevance for future generations. These forms of entertainment have deep
cultural, historical, and religious roots that reflect the traditions of a region or a
country. It’s important to appreciate and recognize these folk dances as it
gives the current society a way to look back and learn more about their
cultural identity.