Tinikling
Originating
from the Visayan province of Leyte, this ethnic dance imitate the tikling bird's
legendary grace and speed. The birds chase each other, run over tree branches,
or dodge bamboo traps set by rice farmers. Dancers play the role of the birds
by dancing between a pair of bamboo poles. It is usually performed during special
celebration, such as birthdays, graduation days, or fiestas.
Many student cultural organizations have "modernized" the dance by incorporating pop, hip-hop, r&b, and rock music into the tinikling performance. Nevertheless, the essence of dodging the bamboo poles holds true.
Image from www.filipinoheritage.com
Fiestas
Passed on by the
Spaniards during their 300 years colonial rule
in the Philippines, fiestas to this present day continue to be a core element
of Filipino culture. Although it was originally observed to honor a saint or
to commemorate a religious event, the fiesta has become more secularized and
now celebrates the founding of a specific "barrio" or town.
During a fiesta,
almost every household prepares a feast of scrumptious food. Thus, the whole
day is spent mostly house-hopping from one feast to another. Guests from other
towns are especially invited and are treated with gracious hospitality. Some
towns have developed unique traditions specific to that town. For example, people
in San Juan, a suburb in Manila, dunk each other with a pail full of water.
A commonality in every fiesta is the eating of a lechon, a roasted pig.
Image from www.filipinoheritage.com
Santa Cruzan
Nearly
90% of the Filipinos are Roman Catholic. Thus, a majority of the cultural celebrations
are closely aligned to religion. One of the most prominent of these religious-cultural
celebrations is the Santa Cruzan. Celebrated in May, Santa Cruzan is a procession
that symbolizes a saint's search and eventual discovery of the cross used in
Jesus Christ's crucifixion.
Young women, sagalas, are dressed in beautiful gowns and are escorted by young men who wear the traditional men's barong. The parade aroung town and eventually congregate in the church.
Image from www.montifar.com
Debut
Similar to the western celebration of a female's "Sweet 16 Birthday," Filipinos celebrate a girl's 18th birthday by having a debut. The debutante usually wears a gown and the the party is held at a banquet hall. Eighteen of her closest male and female friends participate in a special ceremony. Her female friends present her with a candle or a rose, while her male friends ask her to dance. There is an array of traditional Filipino food such as a roasted pig (lechon) and long noodles (pancit) to symbolize long life. After dinner, there is a line-up of entertainment including popular dancing such as waltz, cha-cha etc, Hawaiian and performances from family and friends. Overall the entire occasion is similar to and as expensive as a small wedding.
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Created by: Karla
Calinawan and Jennifer
Jhun
Date Created: 11/19/01
Last Modified: December
2001