Music of Palawan

FOLK MUSIC OF PALAWAN

Palawan is the largest province of the Philippines in terms of land area. It is the home to world class tourist destinations like the “El Nido ” and the underground river. It is the place where the fragment of the Tabon Man, about 20,000 years old was found.

Indigenous Groups of Palawan:

Indigenous Groups of Palawan Tagbanwa - are people from the Northern and Central part of Palawan. Taaw’t Bato - are called “people of the rock” who reside in the mouth of an extinct volcano. Palaw’an or Palawano - are native lowland dwellers and they occupy the Southern interior of the Palawan. Batak - are called mountain people of Palawan who reside in the North- Easthern part of Palawan. They have a resemblance with the Aetas of Central Luzon. Agutayanen - came from the Central island of Cuyo and are considered as the elite among Palawan’s Tribe. Cuyonen - are the indigenous group that occupy Cuyo Island, Palawan.

The music of Palawan is quite similar to that of Mindoro when it comes to musical elements, processes, musical instruments, and functions. Folk songs of Palawenos are simple yet full of wisdom and practicality. Their folk songs serve as part of their social activity and everyday living.

Social Functions of Palawan Folk Songs:

Social Functions of Palawan Folk Songs Lullaby - is a gentle song sung to send a child to sleep. Ex. Sandaw is a song in pentatonic or diatonic scale. For serenading - example of this is the cancion song. Ballads - also known as composo . It tells about the factual events in people’s everyday life. Cuyunon folk song - is a song about people’s activity and occupation such as: fishing, farming and weaving Song for the dead - used to entertain the bereaved family. Ex. Kordias dila Bordon is a song sung during a wake ( Pulao ) .

Palawan Musical Elements:

Palawan Musical Elements Musical Elements: Simple melodies Stanzaic Instruments have hemitonic scale with seven pitches

Examples of Cuyunon Folk Songs:

Examples of Cuyunon Folk Songs !. Work Song Ako ay mi layang pasiak Panambantaman mi pamalanak Parabil ako mapilak kong nagasolong Don nganiang dagat English Transition I have a fish net with shells as the weight. I use it for catching “ tamban ” and “ banak ” Before I throw the net, I wait for the tide to come in. 2. Song about Humor (Fernandez Fernandez 1975:3): Nagbilin si Nanay lomisno si Tatay , Akeng pangasa waen and babai nga boray , Ang babai nga boray adorno sa balay , Ang babai nga boray kong magarek maloay English Transition My father and mother advised me That I marry a blind girl A blind girl will serve as an ornament at home, A blind girl kisses softly.

Another Example of Cuyunon song:

Another Example of Cuyunon song Palawan version: Kotao - Kotao kong - aga , Kotao - Kotao kong apon , Mapatay sa geme baridad sa getem Indi mainga ranan ang pito ka birso Ang panyong palaran Itaplak sa ulo Kotao - Kotao English Translation: Crowning in the morning, Crowning in the afternoon, Die of love, but not of hunger. The seven verses cannot be mentioned, But the lucky handkerchief Must be placed on one’s head.

Like the Mangyans of Mindoro, the ethnic groups of Palawan have their own ethnic instruments.

Musical Instruments of Palawan:

Musical Instruments of Palawan Chordophones Kudyapi - a kind of lute which produces harmonic sound by strumming two tones in between verses. Aero phones Tipanu is the Tagbanua’s mouth flute. Beberek is a nose flute. Aruding is Palawan’s jaw’s harp. Idiophones Babandil is a small bossed gong. Membranophone Gimbal is a Tagbanwa’s drum with an animal skin.


Source: http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/MarkBandril-2569780-folk-music-palawan-mc-bandril/