Ramon A. Obusan ‘Susana Bagne Balbalasang, Dauangan, Kalinga - March 1969 1985 rational Folk Dance Workshop Woodpecker Highland Region ‘Mount Data, Benguet, Mt. Province Benguet Mimetic ‘Men and Women Benguet Is one of the more popular cultural communities inhabiting the beautiful Cordillera range in Northern Luzon. They are famous vegetables and flower growers of La Trinidad Valley. Old Benguet is known for two things - its gold mines and its headhunting tradition, which was practiced until the turn of the 20 century. The headhunting practice is gone now but the rituals that accompany it are alive in today’s festival dances and music. Most famous of these Benguet dances is the Bendian or Bendayan that celebrates a successful headhunting and the rituals that go with it. But the more popular dances are those that are easy to learn and repetitious animal dances that imitating monkeys, birds, snakes, etc. The wild and exceptional colorful woodpeckers or tarektek that nest in the tall pine trees of Benguet province gave inspiration to a dance of the same name. Renditions of the tarektek characteristics are Clearly evident in details of the dance movements and costumes. Their flight pattems, colorful feathers, majestic stance and enormous red bills are incorporated and manifested in the tarektek dance. The dance has two male tarektek woodpeckers - one skillfully manipulating a colorful tribal blanket representing the bird’s, iridescent plumage and the other playfully beating on a brass ganza gong representing impressive bird calls. The men show off their skills to attract three young tarektek females. While most of the tarektek birds are now gone, only this remarkable dance remains as a reminder of the glorious days when flocks of tarektek flew over the vegetable patches of the valley or perched on tall Benguet pine trees. Movements Peculiar to the Dance; 1, Hopping and leaping steps, typical of Benguet dances 2. Manipulation of blankets in no particular sequence. Beating the spread blanket in front twirling ‘over-head and fencing off his protagonist 5. Shuliful beating of the ganza in whichever way he desires. 4. Billing and pecking in imitation of a woodpecker. 115 £SAYAW : Dances of the Philippine Islands ___—_—— Dance Properties: Costume Female: Traditional Benguet Attire Top/ Jacket (Kamba): Cotton abel-/oco material with horizontal stripes, blood red, battle green, midnight blue or black, found in any combination. Fine white ‘stripes and checkers in green, yellow and orange alternating stripes “Shirt (Aken or Dive): Wrap-around shirt of the same Jacket material ‘Accessones: Headband blood red /loco weave, 5 to 4 Inches wide, 1 inch long or white rectangular face towel Props: Benguet blanket Footwear: none Male: Traditional Benguet G-String: Baag Accessories: Kalaw head on a headband. Props: Benguet Blanket, Ganza Footwear None Musical Accompaniment: Ganza Ensemble (6 set flat brass gongs, tuned to the pentatonic scale, struck by bare hands or by a short stick) Music 2 2/4 Drum, Ganza ensemble ‘Count One , two to a measure Formation : Performers are three Girls and two Boys. Introduction Girls: Each dancers clipped in-between their thumbs and forefingers the end comer of horizontally spread blanket while It is hung loosely from the back over the shoulders with arms bent in front slightly close to trunk at chest level, palms facing front, elbows pointing ‘sideward. Dancers enter from the left side of the stage one after the other facing front. (@) With feet together execute 52 tiny jumps from the balls of the feet moving sideward R, look toward the direction. Finish in one line away from each other. Boys: Enter from the left side of the stage after eight measures of the Girls. Face L, R shoulder towards front. Boy hold ganza with L hand and a beater with the R at waist level in front. Boy2 spread and hold blanket horizontally on top with both hands at waist level in front. (2) With feet apart, bend knees and trunk in front. Take sixteen tiny jumps with feet flat on the floor to the center of the stage in front of the Girls. Boy (ganza) altemately pull ganza towards chest and lower it at waist level while beating ganza on every count of the measure simuttaneously. Boy2 (blanket) fipped blanket (wrist) alternately upward to shoulder level and downward at waist level on every count of the measure. Finish at the center of stage 16M anGirls: Face front. (@) Step R foot sideward and raise | hee! (ct 1), slightly push hips sideward right and return hips to natural position (ct. 2). Slowly move R hand upward, palm facing front, look sideward right (0) Repeat count 2 of (a) - movement of hips 5ik more times (ct 1,2, 1,2; 1,2). Continue movements of the R hand upward to obliquely sideward tight, elbow locked, fingers pointing upward, look at R hand (©) Repeat (a) and (b) with L. Reverse position of the arms (@) Repeat (a - c) Boys: In this figure qanza Is to be played on every count of the measure (@) Boy! (ganza) immediately turn right about and step sideward right while Boy2 (blanket) step sideward R (Boy1 L shoulder and Boy2 R shoulder towards audience) heel of other foot Is ralsed, gently swing ganza and blanket obliquely sideward towards each other (a5 if teasing one another) (ct. 1), slightly bend knees and swing back ganza and blanket to starting position at waist level (ct. 2) (0) Repeat (a) three more times. (©) Repeat (a) and (b) starting with the opposite foot away from audience. Reverse position of the arms. ... (©) Boy! (ganza) and Boy2 (blanket) make a quarter turn ight. Boy! step L sideward while Boy2 step R sideward to be in back to back position (ct. 1) repeat with the other foot to face front (ct. 2), repeat three times more (3M). (e) Repeat (c) starting with the opposite foot. Reverse position of the arms, Girls: Face audience (2) Tate eghturyjurps on bats of eet moving sideword ra (ts. 1.2, 1.21.2: 12). Ams as in Figure | (a-b). . (&) Repeat (2) moving sideward left. Reverse aston of he ars (©) Repeat (2) and (b) . Boys: (@) with slightly bent Knees and trunk bending forward, cut L with the R foot (ct. 1), step Lin front and slightly raise R foot in rear (ct. 2). Arms as in introduction. .. . (©) Repeat (2) seven times more moving clockwise in place to make two comple circles with trunk always facing outside the circle. Finish in proper places. (© Repeat (0) and 2) moving counterclocuse, Fish standing side by ste facing font. Boy (ganza) stand on the right side of Boy2 (blanket). . Girls: (2) Quarter-tum left and place bail of F foot sideward right (ct, 1), Step Lin place (ct. 2). Raise Ramm obliquely sideward-upward elbow lack, fingers pointing upward, look at R hand. (©) Repeat (2) three tes more executing a quartr-tun left on every measure, Finish facing front in a V-formation moving outside of the Boys’ formation. (©) Repeat (a) and (b) starting with the L making quarter-turns to the right on every measure. Reverse position of the arms. (0 On bended knees, take eight tiny jumps in place making a quarter turn right on every Tarektek 232 x3 zz 1M” 3mStiYrW : Dances of the Philippine Islands measure (ct. 1,2; 1,2; 1,2; 1,2). Ams as in Introduction, bend trunk sideward R. Finish facing front. am (e) Repeat (d) turning left Reverse position of the body. an Boys: (2) Boys execute the same footworks and directions of the Girls. Boy! (ganza) raise hands overhead and play ganza in the same manner. While Boy2 (blanket) raise R arm obliquely sideward-upward, L hand close to watst in front an (0) Repeat (a) starting with L. Reverse position of the arms an (©) In squatting position, (heels-up with knees tum outward), Boy! and Boy2 execute eight tiny jumps on the balls of feet (ct. 1,2, 1,2; 1,2; 1,2). Boy2 gently swing blanket from left ‘side upward-right overhead (circular). Finish in front at chest level while Boy! (ganza) does the same as Boy2, with the ganza placed on R palm (hallow part facing upward), | hand holding handle an NOTE: The Boys may also tum right in place if they desire to put difficulty in this figure © Repest (0) am v Girls: | shoulder toward center. (@) Leap on R forward (ct. 1), extend R arm obliquely forward-upward, fingers pointing downward, step L close to R (ct. 2). 1M (©) Take two walking steps forward (R, L), bend R arm to starting position (entrance). uM (©) Repeat (a) and (b) three times more traveling counterclockwise outside of the Boys formation. 6m (&) Tum right about and repeat (a—c) moving clockwise to form one diagonal (oblique left) line with Girl] leading followed by Girl5 and Girl. am Boys: Face each other. (2) Boy2 rise on ball of L foot and bend R_knee close to L while Boy] pause in place (ct. and) Take four walking steps forward (ct. 1,2; 1,2) to exchange place with partner passing by R shoulders. Boy2 swings blanket from sideward right to upward-downward in front. Boyl plays ganza as in entrance. .... am NOTE: Boyl should pass under the swinging blanket by bending the trunk low as if attacking bull (0) Repeat Figure ill (c). This time execute the movements in two measures only. 2m (©) Repeat (a) and (b) three times more. Finish with Boy] and Boy2 in relagenal oblauely left) line. Boys are in between the diagonal of the Girls. 12M v Girls: in diagonal formation facing one direction. (@) Repeat Figure I (a - c). am (©) Repeat Figure I! (2) and (b) to change place with the Boys. 8M Boys: Face diagonally left. (a) Repeat Figure | (a) and (b) footwork starting with L. Swing gana and blanket alternately sideward left and in-front at waist level. Beat ganza as in entrance. an (b) Repeat (a) starting with R moving away from the Girls. Reverse the position of the arms. am (©) Bend L knee and place ball of F foot to sideward right. Hop twice on L and drag R ball moving sideward left (1M). Swing blanket sideward left to shoulder level and down-front at waist level, pull ganza to chest and below at waist level. 1” (C) Repeat (c) three times more to cross between the Girls. Boy2 passes between Girls 1 and 2 while Boy! passes between Girls 2 and 3. oH (e) Repeat (d) starting with R foot. Reverse arm movements and finish in proper places. am tbvw Boys and Girls perform this Fiqure simultaneously, (@ Repeat Figure ill (a-c) moving to a triangle position with Boy, Girls I and 2 at the left ‘side of the stage in front while Boy2 and Girl2 are diagonally side by side on the right side of the stage. vil BOY1, GIRLS 1 and 3: Face inside the trangle (@) Boyl extends arms infront and holds ganza with both hands, hallow part of ganza facing upward. Bend knees and execute sixteen tiny jumps in place while Girls 1 and 3 (feet together) bend knees and trunk forward. Arms a5 in starting position of the entrance to extend Rand L arms altemately on every measure towards the ganza as if pecking on the ganza. (0) Repeat (a) with Girls 1 and 5 moving counterclockwise around Boy! MOTE: The Boy may also execute the movements in full Knees bent and can manipulate the ganza overhead with the hallow part facing upward. BOY2 and GIRLZ (2) Girl2 repeats Figure Il (d) and (e) facing obliquely left while Boy2 repeats Figure IV (a) and (0) right and left alternately crossing behind Gil2. (b) Repeat (a) three times more. Swing blanket as in (a) on first, fifth and ninth measures. Finish in proper places. vill (2) Repeat Figure VII (a) and (b) of Boy1 (ganza), Girls 1 and 3 movements, this time Boy1 travels backward followed by Girls 1 and 5to thecenter while Boy2 (blanket) repeats entrance movements traveling backward to the center followed by Girlz, Arm movement is that of Girl 1 and 5. Finish with Boys 1 and 2 in back to back position... . . . (®) Boys and 2 tum right about to face each other. Repeat (a) movements moving backward to original places while Girl 2 repeats (a) traveling forward to follow Boy! (gangza). Meanwhile, Girls 1 and 5 follow Boy2 (blanket) to original position. BOY! and GIRL 2: (Q) Boy (ganza) repeats Figure Vil (a) in four measures while Girl 2 repeats Figure Vill pecking movements toward ganza (@) Repeat (a) with the Gin moving around the Boy clockwise. Finish in proper places. GIRLS 1 and 3: (©) Onbended knees, Girls execute four tiny Jumps in place while turning halfway to the right for one measure (back and front). Arms as in entrance, bend trunk sideward right. () Repeat (a)....... : . ©) Bepeit (@) and (b) tuming left. Reverse position of the trunk, (©) Repeat Figure IV (a) tuning around Gin’ clockwise (ct. 1,2; 1,2). (@) Repeat Figure IV (b) behind Gin (ct. 1,2; 1.2)... fag eee (e) Repeat (a) and (b) starting with the L foot. Reverse movements of the arms, travels counterclockwise to finish behind her, completing a figure of eight. Torcktek zz am 12 am aa zz aNn z?z NN zzw Dances of the Philippine Islands ™* Girls: Face left, R shoulders toward front. Repeat Figure Ill (d) and (e) while traveling down to the center of the stage. Finish with Girls 2 and 1 facing Boy! (one behind the other). Repeat Figure Il (d) with Giris 2 and 1 tuming towards Boy! (ganza) to finish with Gir in front of Boy! facing her while Girl 1s behind Girl2. Meanwhile, Girl3 ends up facing Boy2 (blanket) at the right end (behind) of stage. Repeat Figure Ill (e) with the R hand wrapping around the body, passing under arch of R hand in front, sideward left and behind (elbows out). Finish with Girls 2 and 1, 8 hand extended in front (pecking) at chest level towards Boy! while Girl3 jumps Inside the blanket of Boy2 (placed on the floor) on the last measure with arms as in entrance an Boys: Repeat Figure lll (c) and (d) twice traveling down away from the audience (Boy! left side, Boy2 night side). Finish with Boy! (ganza) in front of Girls 2 and 1 (back towards them) R. ‘knee bent, L foot across R in rear. Place ganza on R palm and hold handle with L hand obliquely backward-downward right (look towards the girls). Boy2 (blanket) with feet apart bends knees and trunk forward to place blanket on the floor holding the top part obliquely left in front of Gir-5 on the last two measures, . an am 16m