Wedding Dance

By Amador Daguio

1. There was a couple named Awiyao and Lumnay, They were married for a long time but
Awiyao, and her husband had to marry another girl named Madulimay because
Lumnay could not bear a child.

2. On the night of the wedding of Awiyao and Madulimay’s house where they used to
live, Awiyao personally invites his e wife to join the dance but Lumnay refuses to join.

(Why don’t you go, and dance with the other women? If you really don't hate me for
this separation, go out and dance. One of the men will see you dance well; he will like
your dancing, he will marry you. Who knows but that, with him, you will be luckier
than you were with me. said Awiyao)

(To her reply she would say "I don't want any man,". "I don't want any other man”)

3. They had a heart-to-heart talk about their conversation, in which they talked about their
feelings for one another that they still have. They love each other but they have to
separate due to the tribe’s customs which is that every man in that tribe should have on
(or more) child that would carry the father’s name and if his wife cannot give him a
child then he can marry another woman.

(To quote Awiyao “I came to tell you that Madulimay, although I am marrying her, can
never become as good as you are. She is not as strong in planting beans, not as fast in
cleaning water jars, not as good keeping a house clean. You are one of the best wives in
the whole village”)

("That has not done me any good, has it?" Which Lumnay talks back)

4. Lumay can hardly let go of her husband, the two both agreed that if Awiyao’s second
marriage did not work (if they still can’t have a baby with his new wife), he will go back
to Lumnay’s arms and this will be sealed by the beads (worth seven lands) that Lumnay
will keep.
 (Awiyao, Awiyao, my husband," she cried. "I did everything to have a child," she said
passionately in a hoarse whisper. "Look at me," she cried. "Look at my body. Then it
was full of promise. It could dance; it could work fast in the fields; it could climb the
mountains fast. Even now it is firm, full. But, Awiyao, I am useless. I must die.")

5. Awiyao goes back to the wedding as he hears his name being called outside (Leaving
Lumnay all alone in the house) as the beat of the Gansas echoed around the place.

6. Lumnay after in deep thought, decided to go to the wedding not to dance (even though
she was said to be great dancer of their tribe) or to join the celebration but to stop the
wedding.

(It is not right. It is not right!" she cried. "How does she know? How can anybody
know? It is not right,)

7. She decided to break the unwritten law of her tribe, but when she was near, she
stopped. She didn’t have the courage to break the wedding feast.

8. Lumnay walked away from the dancing ground, away from the village. She went to the
mountain instead and in the mountain she diverted all her feelings, all her bitterness in
her, remembering her story with Awiyao.