KALINGA MUSIC : ATRUE NATIONAL LIVING TREASURE

Music is an art form, a form of expression. Our indigenous peoples are the closest to nature.
Life to them is an indivisible whole. Art, myth, ritual, work, and activities of everyday life are all
integrated into one. Spirit and matter, God and nature, the visible and invisible worlds are not a
dichotomy but interpenetrate in many ways. Of all Filipino subcultures, indigenous art is the
most integrated with everyday life, multifunctional and participatory. The most fascinating
aspect of the Kalinga music is the tuning system, which turns out to be quite flexible. The
selection of the tonic or main tone of the scale results not from a standard or fixed pitch, but
from factors, such as the size of the bamboo that is selected and where the maker ultimately
decides to cut it. Intuition or whim loosely guide the maker in shaping the length of a tube used
in constructing a flute. After the initial cut, which determines the tonic, the maker measures
half the distance from one end to the other. Using a hot iron rod, he measures two fingers over
to where he makes the next hole. The fact that one man's fingers vary in size from another
guarantees slight variations in the displacement of tone holes in flutes made by different
makers.
Life to them is an indivisible whole. Art, myth, ritual, work and activities of everyday life are all
integrated into one. Spirit and matter, God and nature, the visible and invisible worlds are not a
dichotomy but interpenetrate in many ways. Of all Filipino subcultures, indigenous art is the
most integrated with everyday life, multifaceted and participative." Music is a part of their
tradition, it is important for it represents their culture and some of cordillera's music represents
how they live their life before. Music does create a direct relationship with its audience. And,
on that account, the person who has developed a more complex, diverse, taste in music over
the years has, in effect, created more “relationships” -- musically -- than the next.
Ultimately, music is a reflection of who you are, of where you’ve been.
Granted, music means something different for everyone, but when push comes to shove, you’ll
listen to whatever resonates with you the most. If you’re constantly listening to uplifting,
positive music, it’s likely that you’re a positive person yourself. Musical preference doesn’t just
manifest accidentally; it’s a progression that reflects whatever you’re currently dealing with and
whatever you might’ve been dealing with in the past, too.