Filipino Cultural Week: Day 3 - Folk Dances

Hello everyone! Welcome back to another post, I am here with the details on what we did on day three of the Filipino Cultural Week. On Wednesday (day 3) we performed fold dances as you can see from the title. There was a total of seven performances, half of them are from year 7&8's. Here is a list of the dances, though I do not have any pictures of videos of the performances I have some examples of the dance.

1. Tableau

We first opened the performance by representing some history from the Phillippines. If you saw my post about the Filipino Cultural Week you may have seen that on June 12 is the Philippine Independence meaning that on Wednesday was the official day for Independence Day. So it was a really special day, Tableau is a performance where you do not speak and sometimes not move. In our performance, we did a little dance and acted one of the history's that happened around 121 years ago.

2. Handog/Handog ng Filipino sa Mundo. (Meaning: The Gift of Filipinos to the world.)

Handog is actually a song and that song meant that we are together and we thank the people who made us a free country.

Here is the song:
 

Lyrics + Translation 

‘Di na ‘ko papayag mawala ka muli. (I won't allow losing you again) ‘Di na ‘ko papayag na muli mabawi, (I won't allow them to take it back) Ating kalayaan kay tagal natin mithi. (Our freedom which we have been longing) ‘Di na papayagang mabawi muli. (I won't allow them to take you back) Magkakapit-bisig libo-libong tao. (connected arms, thousands of people) Kay sarap palang maging Pilipino. (How sweet it is to be Filipino) Sama-sama iisa ang adhikain. (All together, one intention) Kelan man ‘di na paalipin. (Never again will be enslaved) Ref: Handog ng Pilipino sa mundo, (Gift of Filipinos to the world) Mapayapang paraang pagbabago. (Peaceful means of change) Katotohanan, kalayaan, katarungan (Truth, freedom, justice) Ay kayang makamit na walang dahas.(Can be achieved without violence) Basta’t magkaisa tayong lahat. (Let's just all be united) Masdan ang nagaganap sa aming bayan. (Observe what's happening in our country) Magkasama ang mahirap at mayaman. (The rich and poor are together) Kapit-bisig madre, pari, at sundalo. (Connected arms nuns, priests and soldiers) Naging Langit itong bahagi ng mundo. (This part of the earth became heaven) Huwag muling payagang umiral ang dilim. (Do not permit darkness to reign again) Tinig ng bawat tao’y bigyan ng pansin. (Pay attention to the voices of the people) Magkakapatid lahat sa Panginoon. (We are all siblings in God) Ito’y lagi nating tatandaan. (We should always remember this) Coda: Mapayapang paraang pagbabago. Katotohanan, kalayaan, katarungan. Ay kayang makamit na walang dahas. Basta’t magkaisa tayong lahat!

I do not want to lose you again. (I will not allow you to lose it again) 'I do not want to regain it, (I will not allow them to return it) We are aware of the freedom of our time. (Our freedom to which we wish) 'Will not be allowed again. (I will not allow them to return you) Come close to thousands of people. (connected arms, thousands of people) For those who love Filipinos. (Very good of being Filipino) There is one common cause. (All together, one intention) Man is not a slave. (Never again slavery) Ref: Filipino gift to the world, (Philippine gift of the world) Peaceful change. (Peaceful means of change) Truth, freedom, justice (Truth, independence, justice) Can be achieved without violence (Can be achieved without violence) We're all together. (We are all together) See what's happening in our town. (Observe what's happening in our country) Together the poor and rich. (The rich and poor are together) Head nurse, priest, and soldier. (Connected weapon nuns, priests and soldiers) It became Heaven part of the world. (This part of the earth has become heaven) Do not re-pay the existing one. (Do not allow darkness again) Everyone's voice is noticeable. (Pay attention to people's voices) All of you will be in the Lord. (All of us are brothers in God) It's always remembered. (We should always remember it) Coda: Peaceful change. Truth, freedom, justice. Can be achieved without violence. We're all together!

3. Cariñosa

Cariñosa is a Philippine folk dance it is similar to Spanish dance. It represents love affection of your significant other. Cariñosa uses a fan and a handkerchief, it plays an instrumental role as it places the couple in a romantic scenario. The most common movement in the dance is the hide and seek movement. It uses the boy's handkerchief to represent fondness and sentiment.

4. Subli

Subli was originally made in Batangas, it a Filipino folk dance.  The term Subli has owed
its meaning to two Tagalog words ‘subsub’ means faceplanting and ‘bali’ which means
broken. Therefore the dancers appear to be lame and crooked. Subli is the dance portion
of devotion in honour performed in honour of the Mahal ng Poong Santa Cruz.

5. Itik Itik

Itik-itik is a mimetic folk dance in The Philippines. It originated in the province of Surigao in Mindanao. In Itik-itik (from the Tagalog word for "duck"), the dance steps imitate the movements of ducks among rice paddies and swamplands, such as wading, flying, and short, choppy steps.




6. La Jota Moncadena

The Jota Moncadena is the interpretation and adaptation by the old people of Moncada, Tarlac (Province in the Philippines). Hence, the dance is named after the place from where it originated. It is a combination of Spanish and Ilocano( Province in the Philippines) dance steps and music. The use of bamboo castanets makes the dance lively and delightful.



7. Last but not least is Tinikling!

Tinikling is the nations folk dance, it is classified as the most famous dance in the Philippines. In tinikling, you need two bamboo sticks and wood for a platform. The dance is done gently slamming the bamboo down on the wood and then clapping it together to make a beat. Then there are two people, girl and boy who put their feet in the middle of the wood/bamboo and dance to the beat while stepping in the middle of the bamboo while it is slamming down on the wood.

Though it is not as complicated at this.