Notes in MAPE 5

For the week of March 20-24, 2023

Lesson 25:

Philippine Indigenous Music

Summary:

Kalinga Music
● Kalinga
➢ It is a province in the northern part of Luzon.
➢ The word kalinga was derived from the Ibanag and Gaddang terms which means:
❖ "highlander" or "headhunter”
➔ It was believed that the term "headhunter" connotes the wildness of the place
where the Kalinga people live.
➢ It is a landlocked province as it is entirely surrounded by land.
➢ It is part of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
➢ Its capital is Tabuk, Kalinga and Apayao were formerly a single province.
➢ It was known as Kalinga-Apayao.
➔ In February 1995, Kalinga and Apayao were split into two provinces to better
serve the needs of the 36 tribes living in the area.
➔ The northern Kalingas are excessively showy in their attire. They wear the
most colorful and heavily ornamented clothes.
➔ The people of Kalinga actively preserve their musical heritage in spite of the
continuous modernization.
● Kalinga music
➢ It is famous for its bamboo ensemble.
➢ The music performed by the bamboo ensemble is characterized by interlocking
rhythmic patterns.
➢ Each group of instruments in the ensemble consists of five or six members in
graduated sizes.
➢ They are played on different occasions depending on the particular area in Kalinga.

● Kalinga Bamboo Ensemble Instruments:

1. Patatag or Pateteg

➢ It consists of xylophone-like bamboo

blades arranged in graduated sizes.
➢ The bamboo blade is tampered at both
ends.
➢ The players sit according to the size of the
instrument and place it on their lap and
strike it with a small stick.

2. Tongatong or Dongadong
➢ It is a bamboo stamping tube.
➢ It is open on top and closed by a node at the
bottom portion.
➢ There are six bamboo tubes arranged in
graduated sizes.
 ➢ They are played by striking the instruments on a small piece of flat wood on the
floor, with the hand doing an open-close movement on the opening of the bamboo
tube.
➢ The players, usually men, kneel or sit when playing this instrument.
➢ The tongatongs are played alternately to produce interlocking rhythm effects.

3. Patangok/ Patang-ug/ Tagitag

➢ It consists of six quill-shaped tubes in
graduated sizes.
➢ The lower end of each tube has a bored hole
which is covered and uncovered by the thumb
to produce a variation in pitch.
➢ This instrument is played by striking the
bamboo tube on a small piece of wood held by
the left hand.
➢ It is exclusively played by male Kalingas and
usually heard in rituals and occasions such as
weddings.

4. Bungkaka or Balimbing
➢ It is a bamboo buzzer.
➢ It is a percussion instrument made out of
bamboo.
➢ It has a node at the bottom.
➢ A slit divides the top part of the tube in half,
making each half look like tongues facing each
other.
➢ These tongues vibrate when the instrument is
struck against the wrist or palm.
➢ The sound can be changed by covering and
uncovering the hole at the side of the tube.
➢ There are six pieces of bungkaka arranged in
graduated sizes in the ensemble.
➢ The Kalinga people believe that the bungkaka drives away bad spirits when sounded.
➢ They usually bring this with them when they travel in the mountains for protection.

5. Sageypo or Sagayop

➢ It is a bamboo pipe or a set of bamboo pipes

arranged in graduated sizes in a row.
➢ It has a slight concave curve opening on top and
closed at the bottom by a node.
➢ This instrument is played by blowing into its
mouth piece while in a vertical position.

● The following are the other Kalinga

instruments:

1. Gangsa
➢ It is a flat metal gong.
 ➢ It is highly valued by the Kalinga people.
➢ This flat metal gong creates interlocking rhythmic patterns when struck.
➢ There are two ways of playing the gangsa: the pattung and the topayya style.

a. Gangsa Pattung
➢ The Gangsa is suspended from the player's left
hand and is struck using a rounded or padded
stick with the right hand to produce rhythmic
patterns of ringing and dampened sound.
➢ The player is standing or keeping in step with
the dancers while bending forward slightly
while playing.

b. Gangsa Topayya
➢ The Gangsa is placed on the players
lap as they strike it with their bare
palms to play corresponding
combinations of accented, dampened,
and sliding strokes.
➢ It is usually played during festive
gatherings like peace pacts and
wedding celebrations.

2. Tungali or tongali
➢ It is a bamboo nose flute.
➢ It is usually played as a solo musical instrument by male.
➢ It has an average length of 60 cm and has three finger holes and a thumbhole.
➢ The player usually plugs the other nostril to increase the force of his breath through
the instrument.

3. Paldong or Beldong
➢ It is a notched or lip-valley flute.
➢ Like the tungali, it has an average length of
60 cm, and has two finger holes and one
thumbhole.
➢ The lip hole is cut at an angle where the
lower lip is placed.
 4. Kullitong or Kolitong
➢ It is a bamboo tube zither.
➢ This instrument has five to nine strings made from the lifted up thin strips or the hard
skin of a bamboo tube itself, with small individual bridges inserted at both ends of
each string.
➢ It has a slightly cracked opening to improve resonance.
➢ This is usually played by the Kalinga youth in accompanying songs.
➢ It is played by plucking the strings at the top of the tube with both thumbs, while the
other fingers are used to pluck the strings below and at the sides.

Answer in Exercises:

1. Kalinga Music
2. February 1995
3. Patatag or Pateteg, Tongatong or Dongadong, Patangok/Patang-ug/ Tagitag, Bungkaka or
Balimbing, and Sageypo or Sagayop.
4. Gangsa, Tungali or tongali, Paldong or Beldong, and Kullitong or Kolitong.