The Wedding Dance

Amador T. Daguio

SUMMARY

Awiyao and Lumnay is a long married couple from the Mountain tribes. Awiyao is
going to marry another woman, Madulimay, because Lumnay was not able to give him a
child.

Awiyao went back home to see Lumnay because he didn't find her among the dancers at
his wedding. He wanted Lumnay to dance at his wedding for the last time but she
cannot. On their moment, there are many flashbacks about how Lumnay did her best to
have a child, through offering to the god, Kabunyan; and how Awiyao and Lumnay's love
was as strong as the river; but "it is just that a man must have a child", and he had to
leave her. He promised her that if he fails to have a child, he will come back to her.

She wanted to protest against the written rule that a man can marry another woman, so
Lumnay went to the wedding dance. But while seeing her husband married to another
woman, she could not take it anymore and just went to the mountain to clear away the
beans she had thought about.

And so Lumnay, waiting for Awiyao a long time, thought of Awiyao's promise as she
cleared away the growing bean plants.

ISSUES IN THE STORY:

Tribal Law/Cultural norms

Cultural norms have always been used as an excuse to control the behavior of
people. They can be constricting and oppressive though it was probably not
initially the intention of the practices.

 Tribal Marriage

is a civil contract of undefined duration among ifugaos. It may

last a month, a year, a decade, or until the death of one of the parties to
it. It has no essential connection to tribal religion.

No promises are made by the contracting parties to each other or to

anybody else. Nor do the contracting parties take any part in any
 religious ceremonials or in any marriage ceremonials of any kind.
Marriage may be terminated at any time by mutual agreement.
However, since it is considered as a contract, if either party terminates
the marriage against the will of the other, the injured party has the right
to assess and collect damages.

In the Story

Lumnay did not attend the festivities of Awiyao's wedding. This

is a way of defying a custom. Weddings are joyous occasions
that all people should celebrate, and Lumnay's non-attendance
is an act that clearly states her disagreement with tradition.

 Trial Marriage

The trial marriage is merely a primitive sexual mating in the dormitories

of the unmarried. Generally, it requires two or more trial marriages to
select a person for his more permanent mate.

In the story

To have a child is a necessity in Lumnay and Awiyao’s tribe,

because the children are the heirs to everything the parents
have, from the name to the worldly possessions to the skills of
the parents. But Lumnay can’t give Awiyao a child , so Awiyao
decided to remarry another woman named Madulimay. Awiyao
promised Lumnay that if his decision to remarry would fail, he
will come back to Lumnay and they will die together.

 Divorce

It is due to childlessness for a period of two or three years after

marriage. A couple who wish to divorce due to infertility of either
one of the partners is allowed by the law

A husband who divorces a wife without any valid reason will have
to leave all properties to the children and the wife.

In the story

Lumnay was asked by her husband Awiyao for them to have a

divorce due to the incapability of Lumnay to give Awiyao a child to
inherit her name and possessions.
 Discrimination

An act of considering others inferior to you.

In the story

The women’s role in the society is only for child-bearing. And since
Lumnay was not able to fulfill her role, Awiyao chose to marry another woman
who might be able to give him a successor.

APPROACHES:

Historical/ Biological Approach

The author , Amador Daguio, was born in Ilocos Norte but he grew up in
Lubuagan, a place in Mountain Province. This could be the main reason why he wrote
the story, “The Wedding Dance”. He could be exposed to the tribal tradition of the
native people in Mountain Province.

Jungian Approach (Individualization)

Awiyao’s decision to have a divorce with Lumnay and marry Madulimay is due
to his insecurity and unlikeness to other men in their tribe. He has no child that will
inherit his possessions unlike the other man.

Feminist Approach

In the story, we can see the inequality of a man and a woman in the tribe. Only
the necessity of Awiyao is the primary reason why he and Lumnay can be separated and
that Awiyao can remarry another woman. The attempt of Lumnay to stop the wedding
dance of the future couple means that she already attained the feminist stage but it
only reflects the weaknesses and the less significance of a woman.

Archetypal Approach

The use of symbolism is very visible in the story. The Beads for example
could be a sign of selfless, unending and everlasting love of Awiyao to Lumnay.
The fire in the wedding enlightened Lumnay to accept the decision of Awiyao to
marry another woman.
CHARACTERS

Awiyao- the ex-husband of Lumnay who will marry another woman

Lumnay- the woman who suffered from the cultural norms of their tribe

PLOT

Conflict

Awiyao and Lumnay cannot have a child

Complication

Madulimay claimed that she could give a child to Awiyao, forcing Awiyao
to marry her and leave Lumnay.

Rising Action

After a lengthy conversation between Awiyao and Lumnay, Awiyao gave

the beads to Lumnay and then left their house.

Climax

Lumnay found her courage and decided to go to the wedding dance and
take back Awiyao. There, she found herself standing near the village
where the wedding was held and could see clearly the wedding
ceremonies.

Falling action

Lumnay decided not to break into the dancing ground and walked away
towards the mountain where the bean plants are.

Setting

The setting is in the northern parts of the Philippines, in the

mountainous regions, within one of the mountain tribes.

Point of view

Limited/ Sympathetic (third person)

Style

Richly detailed

Tone

Sincere and longing

Story’s voice

Serious and dramatically tense

Theme

"love about to be lost", "letting go", and "love does not conquer all"

Reflection

The story was written as it was by the author, this could be the way of an author
to represent or to show to the readers, who are from another tribe or religion, the
differences of cultures of every tribe. In the story, it is the Ifugao tribe’s norms that is
represented. Although we are all Filipinos, we all know that our country is composed of
7,107 islands that is divided by a body of water. This is the reason why we still do not
have or share the same culture and norms. The culture and norms that are still followed
by our native folks should be respected and should not be criticized based on our own
culture or the moral that we believed in.