Amador Daguio's "The Wedding Dance" is a narrative literary work concerning a married

couple, Awiyao and Lumnay, who have already lived in a marriage for seven years. I have
immensely observed that despite his feelings for his spouse, Awiyao seems compelled to marry
anew in order to father a child. Awiyao came to visit on Lumnay at his second wedding
ceremony, understanding she is sad. Awiyao reasoned that Lumnay's sadness may be alleviated
by having her accompany the remaining females throughout the wedding dance routine. Lumnay
was there at his ceremony but eventually departed the scene. She couldn't bear the thought of her
spouse wedding another female since she couldn't bear a child for him.

I believe the ability to carry offspring is a crucial component in building a family and
allowing a deeper bond among a married couple to foster; yet, this is one that Awiyao and
Lumnay cannot attain. It is a narrative of two individuals from one of the Philippines' indigenous
communities, the Ifugao. To further grasp the narrative, I needed first to comprehend their
rigorous marriage tradition. I perceive that it indicates that a relationship that intends to separate
owing to fertility problems from one of the spouses is permitted under regulation. Additional
rules specify that if a man divorces his spouse absent of a good cause, he must give all property
to the offspring and the woman. Although it remained difficult and unpleasant, Awiyao had been
so determined to raise offspring that he left Lumnay and married anew another Ifugao named
Madulimay.

In the traditional Filipino society, if nobody knew exactly fertility works, a man
challenges fellow male's manhood if he fails to obtain a kid. In the instance of Awiyao, even
though he believes that nobody can surpass Lumnay as the finest woman, he nevertheless
considers compelled to end the relationship with her in order to raise kids who will work in the
areas with him in the coming present. Lumnay argued why they must split up considering their
love for one another is everlasting. Upon rendering the story, I almost came onto emotions. The
author, Mr. Daguio, had conveyed to the audience Awiyao and Lumnay's profound affection
about each other and through the use of the sorrowful phrases, they exchanged while parting
farewell. Mr. Daguio has created a wonderful plotline with an ethnic and linguistic character. He
truly demonstrated the cultural value of the Filipinos.
 Throughout the narrative, Gangsas (gongs) are referenced, which have been played by
several indigenous communities in the country during celebrations. Females and other males
must perform surrounding the flame to the music of gongs, whereas youngsters remain seated
and observe. I’ve deciphered that the gangsas in the narrative act as spirits summoning Lumnay
to his ex-husband's wedding. Listening to the gangsas is the same as having eaten an infested
fruit, slowly slaughtering her and embezzling her heart. Nevertheless, the gangsas eventually
persuaded Lumnay to attend the wedding dance ceremony and challenge their rules. She
demanded to discover whether it's terrible to not have children if you're wedded. She wondered if
they could remain together as a couple if the affection and attachments still remains between
them.

From my keen perspective, it also included jewels and agricultural machinery, which are
their sole worldly possessions. Life in the Philippines used to be so basic but so lovely. When
you think about it, individuals in the ethnic community spend out their existence in a completely
unusual yet fascinating manner. Nowadays, teenagers cannot imagine their educational lives
absent of computers, and gold, precious stones, and pieces of jewelry are individuals' emblems of
love for one another. The modest necklace constructed of beads is a representation of marital
pledge in the narrative. The image represents the modest existence they've shared over the years.

I’ve relished that Lumnay was commended already by her husband in "The Wedding
Dance" for her vigor in cultivation and attentiveness in the household. He further stated that he'll
neither ever encounter somebody finer than her. However, in the event, his decision to marry
afresh gained over. These are examples of how females are, at times, unequal to males. Men are
entitled, particularly when it comes to selection formation of decisions. Culture has already given
males authority since men are supposed to take on tremendous duties. The narrative's concept is
divided into two parts. On one end, there is Awiyao and Lumnay's strong romantic relationship.
On the extreme side of the spectrum are the expectations of a community steeped in culture and
traditions norms. The plot's primary premise is found from which these two up the shortfall.

Many commentators believe that Awiyao and Lumnay are the conflicting elements in the
storyline. It thus, I believe, is a misinterpretation of the story. The warring factions, in my
opinion, are Awiyao and Lumnay solely on a single side and community on another. If you
examine the narrative carefully, you'll see that either of them openly challenges what the
community expects of them. Awiyao doubts the unspoken norm that a man has to have a child in
order for his descendants to emerge following himself. Lumnay considers that it is unfair for any
other to steal Awiyao apart from her simply seeing as she is unable to deliver him a child.

Either Awiyao or Lumnay thinks that the cultural arrangement is flawed. The distinction,
though, is in the way they attempted to combat the community structure. Awiyao essentially did
not resist it because he opted to search for a second spouse in the expectation that she might birth
him a youngster.

I surmise Awiyao is an individual who has accepted the expectations of social structure
rather than the dictates of his feelings. Lumnay, on the other contrary, stayed true to her love
through the very finish. She further considered addressing the entire town to battle because of
what she truly believes in her mind. Lumnay, although a wounded character, is the narrative's
heroine in my perspective. The protagonist is usually there as a departing remark at the
conclusion of most narratives. Lumnay brings the drama to a close in The Wedding Dance. The
narrative concludes with Lumnay at the peak of the ridge, immersed in meditation. Predicated on
her previous pursuits, one may attempt to anticipate her forthcoming steps. She was granted
every opportunity to reclaim Awiyao, who seems to be rightly hers. She was unable to
accomplish this.

I contemplated as well that the explication set the tone for the narrative to be sorrowful. It
depicted a circumstance in which lovers were forced to let go of intense thoughts and emotions
for the guy to marry another lady. Awiyao couldn't quite bear the misery on Lumnay's face any
longer. They had to disregard the pull of their emotions and release each other—-all for a skewed
interpretation of an unwritten code. Unfortunately, it appears that similar stories are common.
Despite the fact that they are separated by enormous distances, their love for one other endures.
The viewpoint offered is the foundation of the topic chosen for this narrative: walls cannot
obstruct pure love. The hurdles in question are the community and cultural importance in which
Awiyao and Lumnay live.

I grasped what the expanding bean pods meant when I completed the last section of the
narrative. Mr. Daguio, in my perspective, implied that living went forward. Lumnay's wounded
soul is represented by the hearts of the withering petals. It signifies that even though her heart is
shattered now, her existence continues. Her terrible recollections of escaping the bleak memories
she experienced when remembering about Awiyao's adoration would soon vanish, and she'll be
transformed into a lovely bean pod.

Even if there is a significant difference between indigenous Filipino communities and

contemporary Filipinos, viewers of the story will undoubtedly be able to empathize to a great
extent. Filipinos like love themes about household crises, and despite Amador Daguio's Wedding
Dance being a simplistic affair, it merits a "display of faith" because it rises up and demonstrates
to the nation how diverse and abundant the Filipino cultures and traditions are.

These circumstances can be said to occur in the current day. Even with enormous
discoveries and improvements, Awiyao and Lumnay might still encounter similar circumstances,
but portrayed in a different form, if they reside in today's modern-day. There are numerous
"BARRIERS" that create distinct iterations of Awiyao and Lumnay's tragic love narrative
throughout the period. However, I suppose that tremendous love, such as that of Awiyao and
Lumnay, may overcome these boundaries. People may be parted for all eternity: his flesh would
no longer be hers, but his love would likely remain. This reflective report concludes that it just
conveys a basic, yet powerful statement to everyone involved in the connection. Acknowledging
that they are split up is a good approach to undertake.

Given that a woman is a content with some other partner, a man should admit the reality,
enjoy the gratification of the woman he loves, and enrich all parties engaged in the romantic
connection. Regardless of how heart-wrenching the narrative was, I had to concede that I
enjoyed it though since it painted an image as to how love tends to function love is complex and
difficult, it may not indeed always have a cheerful conclusion, and merely seeing as an
individual perceives reciprocally as this one will not mean you'll stay together. There are a
number of considerations to take into account that can help or hinder an affiliation. Loving
entails making a compromise. Loving is a connection that requires both giving and receiving.
Loving includes understanding why long to hang on and whenever to leave for good, as well as
how to embrace and, eventually, would go on further.
 From where I stand, the richness of true love may be witnessed in Awiyao and Lumnay's
predicament. Their sentiments will never alter, regardless of whether the circumstances were
stacked against them. Although they're not visibly united, I feel their spirits flow in unison. They
may well have encountered a large roadblock that halted them, but in the finale, they still had
one another's heart and soul. This is a devastating love affair, yet it provided me with a vivid
portrayal of the presence of true love. However, life may occur, true love tends to happen at the
opportune timing with the suitable companion.
References:

MelissaRae. (2021, December 15). A Review on Wedding Dance (Amador Daguio). Retrieved

December 15, 2021, from Blogspot.com website:

https://thephilippineliterature.blogspot.com/2009/08/review-on-wedding-dance-amador-

daguio.html

Ted, D. (2021). The Wedding Dance by Amador T. Daguio (Short Story) - Literary Analysis.

Retrieved December 15, 2021, from Cordilleransun.com website:

https://www.cordilleransun.com/2021/09/the-wedding-dance-by-amador-t-daguio.html

Guest. (2021). Literary Criticism On The Story The Wedding Dance - PDFCOFFEE.COM.

Retrieved December 15, 2021, from pdfcoffee.com website: https://pdfcoffee.com/literary-

criticism-on-the-story-the-wedding-dance-pdf-free.html

Maliver Gaas. (2010, November 4). Reaction Paper (Wedding Dance By: Amador T. Daguio).

Retrieved December 15, 2021, from MyChronicles.com website:

https://ischoolsgaasmalivera.wordpress.com/2010/11/04/reaction-paper-wedding-dance-

by-amador-t-daguio/