Filamer Christian University

College of Teachers Education

Accredited Level IV– ACSCU-ACI
Roxas City, Capiz

Teaching Music in the

Elementary Grades (BED 11)

LIAJOY C. BONITES DORCEL JOHN C. TUMLOS

BEED 3 STUDENT PROFESSOR

Philippine Folk Songs and Festivals: Mindanao

Indigenous Philippine Folksongs are greatly influenced by sacred rituals and practices. Most
Mindanao folk songs are sung in:

 wedding feast (they use small and large kettle drums as accompaniment to dancing)
 courtship songs (such as sua-sua, and usually used in modern troupe performances)
 war dance (such as sagayan, portrays the gallantry of Muslim combatants while little
girls perform a festival dance wherein they wear hollow copper anklets and ring little cells to
produce certain sounds)
 rice harvest ( such as tud-ob)

Kalangan or Tausug vocal music can be divided into narrative and lyric songs, and further into
the lugu and the paggabang traditions. The luguh traditio-n denotes unaccompanied religious
songs, while the paggabang tradition applies to “more mundane” songs that are accompanied by
the gabbang and biyula (Trimillos 1972).
Narrative songs tell a story and include all the sung kissa like the parang sabil. Lyric songs
express ideas and feelings and consist of the langan batabata (children’s songs), the baat
(occupational songs), the baat caallaw and pangantin (funeral and bridal songs, respectively), the
tarasul (sung poems), the sindil (sung verbal jousts), the liangkit (from langkit or “chained”), and
the sangbay or song to accompany the dalling-dalling dance.

.
The langan batabata are more specifically lulla-bies. They have a soft and relaxing melody:

Dundang ba Utu Go to sleep

tug na ba kaw Now my son
Liyalangan ta sa kaw I am singing to you
Bang bukun sabab ikaw If not because of you
In maglangan mahukaw. I would not even like to sing.

Baat and kalangan are the same, the latter being the more general term to refer to singing. The
baat taallaw have a melancholic melody. The following commemorates a dead sea captain:

Tuwan ku Tuwan Nahoda My beloved, beloved Nahuda

Bati’ bali’ na ba kaw Will you please wake up
Sin pu’pu’ Tahaw Will you take a look
Aturan hawhaw At the islet of Tahaw
Tubig pangdan malihaw It seems very far
Hiubat langang uhaw. But its clear water among the screw pines
Can quench one’s thirst

After a hard day’s work, the farmers and the fishers sing the following songs which have happy
melodies:

Manok-manok Iupad kaw Little bird fly away

Sulat ini da kaw Bring this letter
Pagdatung mu sumha kaw When you arrive make an obeisance
Siki limo siyum kaw. And kiss [her] feet and hands.

Saupama naghangka-bangka Supposing I’ll go boating

In alun landu’ dakula The waves are very big
Seesabroos nagkalalawa’ The Seesabroos was lost
Hi rayang hadja Mv darling’s name
In ba laum dila’. was always on my tongue.

The baat pangantin are also known as langan pangantin. With a soothing melody, they are used
to reassure a bride and to console a friend :

Unu in hi langan What can I sing

Sin hidlaw kan jungjungan [To ease my] yearning for my beloved
Ayir bajanggang [Her] incomparable presence
Sukkal banding di kapasangan cannot be matched
Hi ula katumbangan [My] dear idolized lover
Bang maisa kulangan When lying in the chamber
Dayang in pagngnnan Utters the name of his beloved.
The sindil (sung verbal jousts) belong to the gabbang tradition and are performed by both sexes
conducting an extemporaneous battle of wits. Teasing, jokes, and innuendos flow into the verses,
the better ones applauded by the audience.

Nihma: Nihma [Woman]:

arri ba dundangun I sing as I am rocking a cradle
aha pantun sila sing pindagun With patience,
a pantun sing pagpindangun Until I am exhausted
arri andu arrj ba hampil punungun I have waited a long time
ba lugay diq pagdanganun. to be called “darling.”

Hussin: Hassin [Man]:

nagsablay kaw manipis ba manga You, wearing a sheer dress,
naganggil no ma kaw mga abris Resembling a precious stone,
mga naganggil na mga abris Resembling a precious stone,
arri bang kaw Nihma magkawa misis Nihma, when you finally call yourself “Mrs”
agun ta kaw hikapanguntis. I may enter you in a beauty contest.

The lugu or sail tradition is associated with reli-gious rituals and rites of the life cycle such as
wed-dings, births, paggunting, pagtammat, and funerals. It is characterized by dahig or jugjug
(high vocal ten-sion). The tempo is slow with long sustained and stressed tones. Although
usually performed by women, the lugu can also be sung by men :

Piyaganak Birth
Malam ismin piyag bata It was Monday night
Ama pilihan mahakuta A child was born
Nabiyulla nabi Muhammad Of Allah. He is Muhammad
Panghu sa sin kanabihan. To redeem the sins of man.

Ayaw Kang Magtangis - this song is about a man requesting the woman to stop crying because it
also breaks his heart. This song originated in Mindanao specifically from the Tausug people or
the Sulu people.

Ayaw kaw magtangis Timpu nakauna

Kaugun in luha mo Pialangga' mo ako
Pahiri sin panyu' Buling ha bayhu' ko
Supaya makawa Taptap piahiran mo
Misan kaw mangasubu Misan ako natug
Bukun da dusa ko Yahabulan mo ako
Dusa sin baran mo Mabuga' kaw dalling
Binin mo ako. Matay ako.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYIdAy8r0_w
Buyayang Buyayang is butuan folk song. The city of butuan is the regional center of carigara
region in Philippines. Buyayang buyayang folk song is about a water strider that hardly breaks
the surface of the water as it makes its way across it. this song is about peace.
Buyayang buyayang buyayang sa tubig
Akoy nanakayan walay katig katig
Walay bugsay bugsay bugton ray
Pangkaykay pagdunggo sa baybay nagakapaykapay

Sa yutang gisaad katin aw sa tubig dayo

Ug lumad kalinaw ang ibig apan isang
Araw punlo ay umulan nawasak nahan munting kabuhayan

Didto sa Mindanao duna kami balay ang

kanhi nga lagkaw ni nanay ug tatay sila
gapanguhag huway ug bagakay arun
pabayluag mga isang gagmay

minsay isang tatay payapang nag

bungkal katabang ni nanay sa lupang gi
mahal nay isang paslit na nais mag
aral digmaam at sakit hinooy umiral

halinat magmasid mag magunawa

kuyog at kuliglig panay ang tagisan may
sa himpapawid sa radyot lathalan

may sa himpapawid (2x)

may sa himpapawid sa radyot lathalan
ngunit di marinig ang tinig nang bayan
ohhhhh ohhhhh ohhhh…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJOabCMAyhU
 Festivals of Mindanao

 Kaamulan Festival “Kaamulan” is from the

Binukid word “amul” which means “to
gather”. It is a gathering of Bukidnon tribes
people for a purpose Kaamulan celebrates
the customs and traditions of the seven tribal
groups that originally inhabited the
Bukidnon region . Showcasing the unique
indigenous culture of Bukidnon, the
Kaamulan is held annually in the province,
particularly in Malaybalay City, the
provincial capital, from the second half of
February to March 10, which latter date
marks the anniversary of the creation of Bukidnon as a province in 1917.
 Higalaay Festival Higalaay Festival of Misamis Oriental , is a week-long festivity filled
with a series of colorful, culturally- rich and fun-filled core events that culminate on the
28th of August , the feast day of the city's patron saint, St. Augustine.
 Lanzones Festival of the town of Mambajao in Camiguin Festival, an annual event
marked in the month of October, is a four-day festival held to celebrate bounty harvests
of the lanzones fruit.

 Subayan Keg Subanon Festival of Misamis Occidental aweek-long festivity marking
the feast of Nuestra Señora del Street dancing which highlights the lifestyles of the
Subanons as depicted in songs, dances, and other
forms of simulated social expression
 .F’lomolok Festival in Polomolok the name
Polomolok was derived from the B’laan term
“FLOMLOK’ which means hunting grounds. In the
early years, the place where the Poblacion is
presently situated was known for its abundance of
wild life. There were no roads and the lowlanders
befriended the B’laan highlanders and utilized them as
guides. Aside from a rich hunting ground, Polomolok
had so many creeks with free flowing water coming from the hillsides. Those cool and
clear flowing water encouraged foreigners to settle in this place. The people of
Polomolok celebrate this by showcasing the local products and a mix of socio-cultural
activities. Home to one of the world’s largest pineapple plantations, Polomolok
commemorates its foundation from September
2nd to 16th with true South Cotabato flair.
 Bonok –Bonok Maradjao Karadjao Festival celebrated
on the occasion of the feast of San Nicolas de Tolentino,
 the Bonok Bonok shows the natives’ gratitude to their animistic gods for a bountiful
harvest and good health. A collection of antique archaeological diggings like burial
coffins jars and antique Chinese kitchen wares discovered in Panhutungan, Placer is on
public display at the Surigaonon Heritage Mini-Museum situated at the Boulevard in
Surigao City.
 T’nalak Festival, also known as Tinalak Festival, is a festival held to celebrate the
anniversary of South Cotabato and is observed every July.The festival’s unique name is
attributed to a popular piece of
colorful cloth woven by the local
T’boli women (T’boli is a tribe in
the region). The cloth is known as a
T’nalak, and is made of abaca
clothing. There are a number of
reasons why this was the choice
clothing among so many options.
T’nalak is woven by the women of
the community, symbolizing their
diversity and unified resilience.
The actual process of weaving the T’nalak is a tedious one, requiring a lot of patience,
precision and effort.
 Kadayawan Festival the festival’s name is derived from the Mandaya word “madayaw,”
meaning treasured or valuable, as the
locals use this time to give thanks for
the season’s bountiful harvest. Back
in the day, the ethnic tribes of Davao
would come together to celebrate
abundant crops, performing rituals
that paid tribute to the nature gods.
They used to display fruits,
vegetables, flowers, rice, and corn
grains on their mats and at the front
of their houses as a sign of respect
for the great year they’ve had. They
used to sing and dance as well, much
like what they do today.. In 1986, the
Davao City government launched a
project that aimed to unite the people during the turbulent times of the Martial Law. Back
then, the name of the festival was called Apo Duwaling, after three natural wonders you
can find the region: Mt. Apo, Durian, and Waling-waling. It was first officially renamed
as the Kadayawan Festival in 1988 by then Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, and now, over 30
years later, it’s still being celebrated.
 Hermosa Festival also known as Zamboanga La Hermosa Festival or popularly known
as Fiesta Pilar a month-long festival held each year in the city of Zamboanga,. The
Festival is being held in honor of the miraculous image of Our Lady of the Pillar (Spanish
and Chavacano: Nuestra Señora del Pilar), the patroness of Zamboanga City which is
held in every 12 October. It is also the patroness of Zaragoza in Spain, the sister city of
Zamboanga in Philippines.In the Spanish Era, Zamboanga was an integral part of Spanish
Colonization. In 1635, the Spaniards built a fort in Zamboanga named ‘Real Fuerza de
San Jose in Brgy. Zone IV area to secure them against the attacks of the moro warriors.
Spaniards held the city as a seat of government and became the cultural center of the
south, and was deeply seated in Hispanic heritage and tradition.The Zamboanga La
Hermosa Festival embedded in Zamboanga’s rich history of devotion to the Nuestra
Señora del Pilar that is supplemented by rich legends.In 1734, The Lady’s was brought to
the fort as a front piece for the main entrance. The western side of the fort was converted
into a shrine for The Lady when the fort was rebuild in 1860 and the fort was renamed
Real Fuerza de Nuestra Señora Virgen del Pilar and some also called the fort as Real
Fuerza de Nuestra Señora Virgen del Pilar de Zaragoza because of the same name of the
Basilica in Zaragoza, Spain.The city’s devotion to the Lady of Pilar was legendary,
because of the wealth of stories, miracles, and apparitions surrounding the virgin for the
past few years in the city as people what believed.