Cordillera Instrument

1.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. The number of
gangsa in a set varies with availability, and
depends on the tradition of a particular
ethnic group of the Luzon Cordillera:
Kalinga, Ifugao, Bontoc, etc.Among the
Kalinga people in the Cordillera region of Luzon Island, the 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. 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. The number of gangsa in a set varies with
availability, and depends on the tradition of a particular ethnic group of the Luzon Cordillera:
Kalinga, Ifugao, Bontoc, etc.Among the Kalinga people in the Cordillera region of Luzon Island,
the 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.

2.Kalaleng or Tongali (nose flute): Because the kalaleng is

long and has a narrow internal diameter, it is possible to play
different harmonics through overblowing—even 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.
3.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. When you hit it against soft earth a
certain drone reverberates though the
instrument's open mouth. When an entire set of
Tongatong is played in interloping rhythm and
prolonged with the tribal chanting, it could put
the audience and the dancers in a trance.

4.Diwas (Dad-ayu (Balangaw), Diwdiwas

(Bontoc), Saggeypo (Kalinga), Dewdew-as
(Tingguian) is a native bamboo wind instrument in
the Philippines which is a variation of the well-known
panflutes or panpipes. It is made of bamboo with one
of its end closed via the node of the bamboo. It also
does not have finger holes (or tone holes) which is
unlike popular aerophones like flutes that have finger
holes or tone holes to play different pitches on the
instrument. But Diwas compensate on this by grouping
pipes of graduated length together. So to produce
sound with varying pitch, you shift from one pipe to
another.

5.Saggeypo
`In Kalinga, Saggeypo and Diwas are the same because
Saggeypo is the individual pipes in Diwas. There is no
significant difference in the physical features of
Saggeypo and Diwas. However, since Diwas is a group
of Saggeypo strung together, the lengths of the pipe
are more fixed.

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.

6.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. A head is stretched over one side of a drum
shell made by hollowing out a long piece of wood. The head is
tied to the body by a piece of rattan and tightened. The player
holds the instrument at an angle to the body and plays by
striking. It is played together with gongs and the like to form a
sulibao ensemble.

7.Bungkaka- is a percussion instrument

(idiophone) made out of bamboo common in
numerous indigenous tribes around the Philippines
such as the Ifugao, Kalinga, and Ibaloi. The instrument
is constructed from a length of buho (bamboo) with a
node at the bottom end. The upper half is shaped
such that there are two tongues facing each other,
while the bottom end acts as a (acoustic resonance|
resonator chamber)

also known as:bamboo buzzer, avakao (Bontok),

balingbing, ubbeng (Kalinga), pewpew (Ifugao), bilbil,
pahinghing, pautaw (Isneg, Tingguian), pakkung (Ibaloi)

8.Kullitong- polychordal bamboo tube zither

-A Kolitong is a bamboo polychordal tube zither from Bontok, Kalinga, Philippines with six
strings that run parallel to its tube body. The strings are numbered from one to six, from
lowest to highest pitch. The body acts as the instrument's resonator. The body may be a
whole tube or a half tube, in both cases the two ends of the body are closed by the
bamboo nodes. To help with the resonance of the instrument, holes are made on both
nodes and long cracks are made along the body parallel to the strings. In the Kalinga group, men play
the Kolitong at night as a solo instrument.

Cordillera Clothings
The “bag” (bahag) is the common
costumes for male Igorots or Kalingas. It is a long
woven material about 10 to 15 inches wide and
3 to 5 feet long.

Its main purpose is to cover the man’s

private parts. It’s firmly secured at the waist to
prevent the clothing from falling off and to
ensure that it covers the male organs safely and
properly.

Traditionally, there are no upper clothes

for men. Tattoos are common in the upper body.
The amount of tattoos indicates the male’s
authority in the village.

It can also denote how many enemies

he has slain with his spear or bolo. Some Igorot
or Kalinga costumes include a head gear
adorned with feathers, and some arm bands.
 NATIVE CORDILLERAN DELICACIES

Sinuman and Patupat

-are the local version of rice cakes in
Abra. The taste is even comparable to a world-
class dessert! Sinuman is a triangular-shaped
rice cake that is served as it is. Patupat on the
other hand is served with muscovado sugar.

Abuos or the eggs of big red ants is a

famous exotic food in Abra especially during the
summer season. These are collected through
poking hole in the treetop nests of the red ants.
Abuos are then sauteed together with garlic,
onions, and tomatoes. Because of its rich and
tangy taste, it is indeed a rare delicacy one
should try!

PINIKPIKAN is a common soup dish among the

provinces in the Cordillera Region. However,
instead of using native chicken, Apayao's version
of Pinikpikan found its taste with native ducks. It
is much more tastier and gives a much stronger
soupy taste according to the locals.
Etag, or the salted pork in Bontoc, Mountain
Province, is a usual ingredient in many
indigenous delicacies in the province. Etag is
actually a product of preserving the meat hence,
it's really flavorful! !

TAPEY (or tapuy, tapuey) - This is the Igorot

people's version of the Japanese sake (rice
wine). The great thing about tapey is that its
taste depends on the amount of time it spent
inside the fermentation jar. The older the wine
gets, the more bitter it becomes. Tapey that are
a few weeks or a few months old have the fresh
and sweet taste attributed to rice wine. If the
aging time goes beyond a year, the taste
drastically changes. The liquid starts tasting like
whiskey or brandy.

The Cordillera Central is a massive mountain range situated in the northern central part of the island of
Luzon, in the Philippines. The mountain range encompasses all provinces of the Cordillera Administrative
Region (Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province), as well as portions of eastern
Ilocos Norte, eastern Ilocos Sur, eastern La Union, northeastern Pangasinan, western Nueva Vizcaya, and
western Cagayan.

A portion of the range in Benguet surrounding Baguio

To the north, the mountain range terminates at the northern shores of Luzon along the Babuyan
Channel in Ilocos Norte and Cagayan provinces.[1] At its southeastern part, the Central Cordillera is
linked to the Sierra Madre Mountains, the longest mountain range in the country, through the Caraballo
Mountains in Nueva Vizcaya province. During Spanish colonial period, the whole range was called Nueva
Provincia, (New Province).