Cordillera Dance

BANGA DANCE

I. History
The “Banga” (ba-nga) is a round or spherical jar made of clay, used for fetching water and mostly
adopted by the northern region of the Philippines. Kalinga women place a women and coiled piece “jikon”
that is made from a straw plant “ligis”, or they use a rolled cloth on their heads for support while carrying the
banga. The Kalinga use local sources for the clay to make their pots. The known potters are the women from
the villages of Puapao and Dalupa in Pasil, and in the village of Dognak in Lubuagan. These clay pots are
made from fetching and storing water, cooking, storing of food, and for bartering.
1967, the “KAYAW” cultural group of Lubuagan, Kalinga was organized by Sister Aurora Sambrano,
I.C.M and master artist Mr. Cirilo “Sapi” Bawer. The “KAYAW” was formed with the goal of reviving the
culture and to interpret the rituals and ways of life not only the Kalinga tribal peoples but the rest of the
Cordilleras through dance, music, songs, and drama. The other goal is to have a cultural performing group that
can travel and perform to appeal and fundraise for the Saint Theresita’s College located in Lubuagan, Kalinga.
The first members of the KAYAW group were teachers and students of Saint Theresita’s College.
One the interpretative dancers created during the KAYAW days was the “BANGA” dance. This dance
is performed with Kalinga women showing their agility in balancing the bangas on the top of their heads while
toddling through rice paddies and mountain paths; a daily routine to fetch water from the mountain springs.
During the KAYAW days, the ICM – CICM missionaries hired the Mr. Ramon Obusan who was at
that time with the Bayanihan Folk Theatre as the KAYAW’S adviser on choreography and the theatrics and
to help mount the KAYAW production. After his contract was up with the KAYAW, Mr. Obusan went back
to the Bayanihan Folk Group and introduced all the dances that he learned from the KAYAW cultural group.
Juanita “Maggit” Cusay, a Kalinga native, former student and teacher of Saint Theresa’s College was
the first dancer who performed the solo banga dance.
“KAYAW” is a dance production which means to ‘head hunt’. Bangas are made of local clay found
only in certain Kalinga villages. The bangas are made by potters, exclusively women in the villages of Puapao
and Dalupa in Pasil and Dognak in Lubuagan. Bangas are made for cooking, water and food storage and later
for bartering.
Cirilo “Sapi” Bawer is co-founder of the KAYAW Production. He is known as a dancer,
choreographer, director, master artist and pioneer in the preservation of the Kalinga dances, music and culture,
and a resource person for Kalinga Value System.

II. Dance Steps Pattern

1. Dancers walk in a small bouncing steps with a banga on their head held by a dikin while the right
arm is place on the right shoulder at the back of the co-dancer.
2. Dancers walk with straight with bouncing movements as they turn around and move from side to
side. Footwork always begin with the right foot.

3. Take a step and turn right with the same arm position, walk to the center merge into one.

4. Stand straight, face the audience and stretch arms sideward with palm facing front and wrists.

5. Kneel on both feet as hands move downward to the lap. Stand slowly making one movement.
6. Stomp to the right with the ball of foot and brush to the left while in place.

7. Dancers step and turn to form two lines. Continue the movement as the dancers present the lead.

8. Repeat some of the arm movements and stomping movements before the dance ends. Dancers
walk one after the other, then exit.
Dance Properties:
Dance culture – Highland Cordillera
Place of Origin – Kalinga
Ethnolinguistic Group – Kalinga (Northern & Southern)
Classification – Festival
Props – Pile of clay pots (banga) of graduated sizes
Mood – Jovial
Stance – Erect
Performers – all girls; male musicians
Formation – circle, line, and column
Music – Pattong played by an ensemble of 6 Gangsa (flat gong), each played by a musician who
joins in the dance
Time Signature – 4/4

Salidsid

Kalinga wedding dance. Portrayed here is the courtship and marriage customs of the tribe. Female
dances with layers of pots as male dancer carries a blanket while imitating the movements of the
chicken.
Dance steps of Salidsid:
1. Girls enters walking to the left side with a banga on their head while the man enters from the right
side with the blanket.
2. The girl’s palm facing downward arms stretched out to the side while continuously walking to the
left, goes to the back and waves ending on the left side doing a step turn to the right, then, goes
around the man.

3. Both pair goes to the center as the girl executes slight brushing movement, stops and sits beside
the banga as she prepare to balanced it on her head.

4. Do the salidsid step. The man manipulates the blanket displaying his footwork, while the girl
balances an increasing number of banga on her head.
 5. The man gallops as he goes sideward and step brush when backward. The girl uses a variety of
walking and mincing steps as heel and ball touch step. Arms are in the amplified palm position
facing downward. The dance ends with the man facing the girl while moving the blanket from left
to right.

III. Costumes and Equipment

 For girls:
Kalinga women place a women and coiled piece “jikon” that is made from a straw plant “ligis”, or they
use a rolled cloth on their heads for support while carrying the banga. Women where bar breasted and
to stimulate this, a skin tone tight-fitting blouse is worn; or a yellow gold sleeveless blouse trimmed
with the same designs as the skirt is worn.

Large agate, glass, stone and plastic beads predominantly colored red, black, white and yellow are
strung to be worn as necklaces, armbands, earrings (Witawit – mother of pearl earrings) choker and
headband complete the female attire.

For boys:
Baag – g string of black cloth with ends accented with red, green, yellow, and white cheeks, designs,
fringes and pompoms.
Lamma – short open fronted shirt with short sleeves.
String of large beads are worn as chokers and necklaces.
Sipat – wristband made of bronze
Red triangular head cloth accented with bunches of rooster tail feathers.
The lavi (rooster tail feather headdress) decorated with red hibiscus flowers is worn only by the minger
(hero)

Equipment:
The “Banga” (ba-nga) is a round or spherical jar made of clay, used for fetching water and mostly
adopted by the northern region of the Philippines.

IV. Reflection
V. Recommendation
VI. Conclusion
VII. Pictures
VIII. Information about myself