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Original Philippine Drama Was Indigenous
Original Philippine Drama Was Indigenous
that pre-colonial drama consists of the rituals, dance and customs of various tribes
that inhabited the Philippine archipelago (1998).
Original Philippine drama was indigenous, not the typical scripted, staged and
costumed known by the Spaniards. In Fernandezs book entitled Palabas: Essay on
Philippine Theatre, Wenceslao Retana contested Vicente Barrantes claim that
Tagalog theatre was Spanish theatre based and that there had been none of it
before Spanish contact (Barrantes 1890). The former said that the latters claim was
full of arguments and not of documents. This could be so since Barrante is a Spanish
who happened to be the first author to write about Philippine drama. Meanwhile,
Retana, a more careful scholar through his extensive research finally concluded that
there was no proof that the Tagalogs had any representation escenica before 1571,
the year of the founding of Manila ( Retana 1909). At present though when
Philippine drama is seen at the perspective of Manila, it may be well-thought-out as
a blend of Spanish and American cultures. This is dispelled however at the
countrysides viewpoint as traditional culture dominates over the colonizers
influences among the locals. Theatre in the native languages provides an excellent
entry into the dialectics of the indigenous and the colonial in the creative works of
Filipino artists ( Lumbera 2007).
Indigenous drama included the chanting epics, enacting rituals, and
celebrating victories through original songs, dances and mimetic actions.
The indigenous dances portrayed animal movements and tribal activities
such as gathering food or hunting animals. War dance, however, was considered the
most significant by many tribes because it displays the tribe warriors fighting skills
and prowess using different weapons in an imaginary battle. Meanwhile, song
The clowns are alluded to Judas role in the Sinakulo. Fray martinez de Zuniga
in his testimony further said that these clowns subverts the komedya as a colonial
form, for they break away from the narrative of the play to comment on the play
itself and the actors, and they poke fun at erring public officials present at the
performance. Called by various local names depending on the region from which the
text originates, the clown or locayo is once again the indigenous culture asserting
itself against the repressive structures of the cultures of the organizers.
At the turn of the 19th century, the zarzuela, a traditional Spanish one-act
comic opera wth satirical theme; and the vaudeville, a stage show consisting of
various acts such as singing, dancing and comedy, became famous and prominent
among Filipinos (Bautista 2006). The Philipinized sarswela painted in the mind of
the audience, popular life in the society. Filipino viewers, to avoid missing the stage
plays, travel eagerly from one area to the next within the province where the
sarswela was shown and performed during town fiestas.
Of the three forms, sarswela opened opportunities to the indigenous culture
to be of mainstream. This musical play was then considered as the friendliest to the
interests and aspirations of the emerging intellectuals. Unlike Sinakulo and
Komedya which required narratives from the Bible and the Spanish medieval
ballads, stories of life lived in the Philippine community were depicted in sarswela.
Natives then were able to earn their identity as a people who succeeded over
decades of struggles under colonization rule. Filipino sarswela, usually spiced up
with comic love, then featured stories of social ills such as gambling and
drunkenness, with the usual plot dealing with lovers of different socio-economic
levels that threatens their amorous relationship. Usually, this had three-acts
enthused with music and dancing interspersed within the prose dialogue. Stock
characters whose function as subverters of the status quo parallels that of Judas in
sinakulo and the clowns in komedya where the servants who served as confidants
and go-betweens of class divided lovers (Lumbera 1970).
In effect, sarswela piloted the break-away of theatrical productions from the
platform stage for an outdoor performance; sarswela representing Filipino drama
henceforth became an indoor performance where one gets to pay an admission fee
to watch the show. This also paved way for Philippine drama to be closer at par with
the theater of the West.
From among the three forms, only sarswela is musical but still Komedya and
Sinakulo have music in some essential parts of the production for special emphasis.
Entrance and exits of principal characters in Sinakulo, Mary and Joseph, were
accompanied by music. In Komedya, music for high-born characters are also played
during entrance and exit movements, exhibiting gaiety in royalty; for special effects,
music sets the tone in duels during grand battles, and knightly display of skills and
prowess.
Other Philippine religious dramatic forms, which come in various names, as
performed in the different parts of the country are as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Tibag, the search of Helena and Constantine for the cross of Christ
Salubong, the meeting of the risen Christ and his grieving mother, Mary
Panunuluyan, the serch for the inn by Mary and Joseph
Moriones, depicts the story of Longinus, the Roman soldier who was
The stage
show that we know today in the country started during the Japanese occupation
when the bodabil appended the romantic drama as one if its highlights.
Tiongzon ( 1998) describes stage show as a potpourri of songs, dances,
comedy skits, and romantic dramas. Bodabil songs, dances, and comedy skits are
derived mainly from what was popular in America.