Questions for Discussions:

1. Characterize Awiyao and Lumnay.

Awiyao is a loving and hard-working husband who has always been faithful and in love
towards his sweet, caring, and hard-working wife named Lumnay. However, their love
towards their culture prevails that tore them apart as Lumnay was allegedly infertile.

2. Discuss the significance of the wedding dance.

The wedding dance emphasizes the culture of the people living on in their lives. It was
not just a mere act of dancing during a wedding yet an illustration of one's tradition.

3. Identify the conflict in the story.

Man vs. Society. The protagonist has to follow their tribe's tradition which is to have a
child that will continue his legacy that his wife can not provide. Awiyao and lumnay
agreed to separate though it was upsetting on the part of the latter.

4. Point out some symbolisms manifested in the story.

Gangsas. The gangsas are culturally important. The sound of the gangsas represents
the man in the wedding ceremony. Like the gangsas, they are strong and provide a beat
to the dance, or a "beat to life".

Dancing. Culturally, dancing is a celebration of happiness. It is also a show of sexuality

by women. Because Lumnay has not produced a child, she feels ashamed to dance
and show herself to the other men, as she believes no one will look at her.

Fire. The fire or flames signify the burning intensity of both love and hate that Lumnay
feels in the situation. When Awiyao stirs the embers in Lumnay’s dark hut, he stirs up
both of these feelings in her. Later, as Lumnay watches the bonfire from afar, her
physical distance from the fire reflects her emotional separation from the man she loves.

Beads. The beads in the story symbolize the promise that Awiyao made to Lumnay.
They are also very precious and are worth 20 fields. The fact that Awiyao gives them to
Lumnay shows that he cherishes her, and that he still believes she has worth. Although
Lumnay rejects the hut and field Awiyao offers her, she accepts the beads, suggesting
her desire to remain connected to Awiyao.
The Floor. A number of times the narrator draws the reader’s attention to the rattan floor
as Lumnay pulls it apart. This is symbolic of their marriage unraveling.

The Night. The nighttime setting symbolically adds to the darkness and isolation that
Lumnay feels as she runs away from the village. As she works her way up the dark
mountain alone, she is unable to envision a path to the future. The reader, too, is left in
darkness with the unresolved ending.

5. Describe the theme of the story.

The story is all about letting go of someone you love to make them happy. Awiyao will
remain incomplete by lumnay's side because of her inability to bear a child. Despite how
painful it is to lumnay, she agreed to their separation not only to follow their culture, but
also to let his husband fulfill his utmost desire- that is to have a child to carry his name.