CORDILLERA MUSIC

CORDILLERA It is the country's only land-locked region. It has a mountainous

topography and dubbed as the "Watershed Cradle of North Luzon" as it hosts major
rivers that provide continuous water for irrigation and energy for Northern Luzon.
Characteristics of Music of Cordillera

Music is very much part of life and living

Have a rich variety of songs and music performed on instruments.
Often performed in groups, all members of the community are welcome and
encouraged to join the singing, dancing and playing of instruments.
Their music is communal and participatory.
Songs are usually in unison of pentatonic melodies 6.
Music and other components of their culture are transferred from generation
to generation through oral tradition.
Oral tradition is cultural material and traditions transmitted orally from one
generation to another Oral may refer to speech communication as opposed to
writing

Important Activities Where Music is Utilized

Peace pacts
Healing rituals
Invocation of the gods
Rites of passage
Weddings and festivals
Other life cycle events such as birth, coming of age, work, marriage and
death

Vocal Music Life Cycle Music Birth to Childhood

Owiwi- lullabye of Kalinga that relate a childs life
Dagdagay- song of Kalinga that foretells the babys future.
Oppiya- kalinga song, sung while cradling Love, Courtship and Marriage
Chag-ay- an expression of secret love of Bontoc.
Oggayan- greeting and advice to newly weds of Kalinga.
Salidummay -tunes have been harmonized and popularly sung in Kalinga. Ay'Ay
Salidummay is an entertainment song presented during social gatherings as a
chorus in three parts and as a round song. It expresses a positive attitude of the
Kalingas toward adversities in life.
Death Rite Music
Didiyaw- song to a dead child of Bontoc
Sangsangit- a dirge of Isneg. Work or Occupational Song

 Sowe-ey- Rice pounding song of Bontoc.

Dakuyon- kalinga song for hunting bats.
Dinaweg- Ilongot song for catching wild boar.
Owayat- song for gathering firewood of Ilongot.
Ceremonial Music
Kapya- song of Bontoc for curing ceremonies.
Angba- song of Bontoc for curing ceremonies.
Dawak- song of Ilongot for curing ceremonies. Entertainment Song
Hudhud- epic song of Ifugao, a leader chorus style.
Alim- leader chorus style of music of Ifugao where to groups of singers reply to 2
make leaders.
Dang Dang-ay- Kalinga entertainment song
Hudhud- chanted epic poetry consisting of poems about heroism, honor, love and
revenge. It is a long tale sung during special occasions. This particular long tale is
sung during harvest. A favorite topic of the hudhud is a folk hero named Aliguyon,
a brave warrior.
Hudhud Chants of the Ifugao The hudhud is recited and chanted among the Ifugao
people - known for their rice terraces - during the sowing and harvesting of rice,
funeral wakes and other rituals. Estimated to have originated before the 7th
century, the hudhud - comprised of some 40 episodes - often take three or four days
to recite. The language of the chants, almost impossible to transcribe, is full of
repetitions, synonyms, figurative terms and metaphors. Performed in a
leader/chorus style, the reciter - often an elderly woman - occupies a key position in
society. There is only one tune, common to the entire region, for all of the verses.
Very few written examples of hudhud exist. Threats: The conversion of the Ifugao to
Catholicism weakened their traditional culture. The hudhud was linked to the
manual harvesting of rice which is now mechanized. It has been replaced at funeral
wakes by television and radio. Although the rice terraces are inscribed on the World
Heritage List, the number of cultivators continues to decrease. The few people who
know all the poems are very old, and young people are not interested in this
tradition.
Hudhud hi Aliguyon ( Ifugao ) Once upon a time, in a village called Hannanga, a boy
was born to the couple named Amtalao and Dumulao. He was called Aliguyon.
He was an intelligent, eager young man who wanted to learn many things, and
indeed, he learned many useful things, from the stories and teachings of his father.
He learned how to fight well and chant a few magic spells. Even as a child, he was a
leader, for the other children of his village looked up to him with awe.

Upon leaving childhood, Aliguyon betook himself to gather forces to fight against his
fathers enemy, who was Pangaiwan of the village of Daligdigan.
But his challenge was not answered personally by Pangaiwan. Instead, he faced
Pangaiwans fierce son, Pumbakhayon. Pumbakhayon was just as skilled in the arts
of war and magic as Aliguyon. The two of them battled each other for three years,
and neither of them showed signs of defeat.
The two of them battled each other for three years, and neither of them showed
signs of defeat.
Their battle was a tedious one,and it has been said that they both used only one
spear! Aliguyon had thrown a spear to his opponent at the start of their match, but
the fair Pumbakhayon had caught it deftly with one hand. And then Pumbakhayon
threw the spear back to Aliguyon, who picked it just as neatly from the air.
At length Aliguyon and Pumbakhayon came to respect each other, and then
eventually they came to admire each others talents. Their fighting stopped
suddenly. Between the two of them they drafted a peace treaty between Hannanga
and Daligdigan, which their peoples readily agreed to. It was fine to behold two
majestic warriors finally side by side.
Aliguyon and Pumbakhayon became good friends, as peace between their villages
flourished. When the time came for Aliguyonto choose a mate, he chose
Pumbakhayons youngest sister,Bugan, who was little more than a baby. He took
Bugan into his household and cared for her until she grew to be most beautiful.
Pumbakhayon, in his turn, took for his wife Aliguyons younger sister, Aginaya. The
two couples became wealthy and respected in all of Ifugao.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Gangsa is a single hand-held smooth surfaced gong with a narrow rim. A set
of gangsa, which is played one gong per musician, consists of gangsa tuned
to different notes, depending on regional or local cultural preferences.
Gangsa is played in two ways. One way is called "toppaya" and the other is
called "pattung." In "toppaya" style, the musicians play the surface of the
gangsa with their hand while in a sitting position, with a single gangsa resting
on the lap of each musician.
In the "pattung" style, a gangsa is suspended from the musician's left hand
and played with a padded stick held in the musician's right hand. In the
"pattung" style of playing, the players are standing, or they keep in step with
the dancers while bending forward slightly.
Kalaleng or Tongali (nose flute) Because the kalaleng is long and has a
narrow internal diameter, it is possible to play different harmonics through
overblowingeven with the rather weak airflow from one nostril. Thus, this
nose flute can play notes in a range of two and a half octaves. Finger holes in
the side of the bamboo tube change the operating length, giving various
scales. Players plug the other nostril to increase the force of their breath
through the flute.

Tongatong -is a bamboo percussion instrument used by the people of Kalinga

to communicate with spirits during house blessings. It is made of bamboo cut
in various lengths.
Diwdiw-as is 5 or more different size of slender bamboo that is tied together.
Saggeypo it is a bamboo pipe that is closed on one end by a node with the
open end held against the lower lip of the player as he blows directly across
the top. The pipe can be played individually by one person or in ensembles of
three or more.
Solibao is hallow wooden Igorot drug topped with pig skin or lizard skin this
is played by striking the drum head using the palm of the hand.
Bungkaka- bamboo buzzer of Kalinga.
Kullitong- polychordal bamboo tube zither of Kalinga
Ulibaw- bamboo Jews harp of Kalinga. ( Called as Kubing among the among
the Maguindanaon and other Muslim and non- Muslim tribes.)
Patangguk- bamboo quill-shaped
Pateteg- bamboo leg xylophone