INTRODUCING THE

MUSIC OF
MINDANAO
ELEMENTS OF MUSIC
• RHYTHM
• TIMBRE
• MELODY
• HARMONY
• TEXTURE
• FORM
• METER
RHYTHM
FAST, MODERATE, OR SLOW IN TEMPO
TIMBRE
HEAD VOICE/FALSETTO (LIGHT)
CHEST/SPEAKING VOICE (THROATY)
GUTTURAL VOICE
MELODY
NARROW RANGE, MODERATE, WIDE RANGE
HARMONY
MAJOR AND MINOR TONALITY, PENTATONIC SCALE,
MODAL
TEXTURE
MONOPHONY, HOMOPHONY, POLYPHONY,
HETEROPHONY
 FORM
SYLLABIC AND MELISMATIC PHRASING
METER
REGULAR AND IRREGULAR
ISLAMIC MUSIC
MINDANAO IS ONE OF THE LARGEST ISLAND IN THE
PHILIPPINES. IT IS SORROUNDED BY FOUR SEAS:
SULU SEA
PHILIPPINE SEA
MINDANAO SEA
CELEBES SEA

MORO AND LUMAD (INDIGENOUS GROUPS WHO RESISTED

THE SPANISH COLONIZATION)
MIMINSAD
IS A DANCE SONG AND IS ALSO CHANTED AS PEOPLE
WALK BEFORE THE ALTAR
DARANGEN
IS AN EPIC SONG WHICH INCLUDES A WEALTH OF
KNOWLEDGE ABAOUT MARANAO PEOPLE LIVING IN
THE LAKE LANANO REGION IN MINDANAO
 ULAGING
IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TYPE OF VOCAL MUSIC. IT
RECALLS THE ADVENTURE OF THE MAIN HERO AGYU
AND HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS
KULINTANG
IS AN ENSEMBLE COMPOSED OF A SET OF EIGHT GONGS OF
GRADUATED SIZES ARRANGED IN A ROW.

KULINTANG IS CONSIDERED A WOMAN’S INSTRUMENT.

KULINTANG
ENSEMBLE
GANDINGAN
IS A SET OF FOUR LARGE HANGING GONGS WHICH
PLAYED AS A PART OF THE KULINTANG ENSEMBLE OF
MAGUINDANAO
AGUNG
IS ONE OR TWO SUSPENDED GONG
 DABAKAN
IS A SINGLE-HEADED PHILIPPINE DRUM THAT LOOKS
LIKE A GOBLET USED BY THE MARANAOS
BEBENDIL
IS A SINGLE, NARROW-RIMMED PHILIPPINE GONG
USED AS THE TIMEKEEPER OF THE MAGUINDANAO
KULINTANG ENSEMBLE
 KUBING
IS MADE OF BAMBOO. IT IS HELD HORIZONTALLY WITH
BAMBOO TOUNGE IN FRONT OF THE OPENED MOUTH
 SULING
IS ALSO CALLED THE RING FLUT. IT IS THE SMALLEST
BAMBOO FLUTE IN MINDANAO.
PALENDAG
IS A LIP-VALLEY FLUTE AND ONE OF THE MOST
COMMON AEROPHONES OF THE MAGUINDANAONS.
 KAGUL
IS MAGUINDANAO BAMBOO SCAPPER GONG OR SLIT
DRUM WITH JAGGED EDGE ON ONE SIDE.
NON-ISLAMIC MUSIC
LUMAD IS A VISAYAN WORD FOR “NATIVE” OR
INDIGENOUS. IT REFERS TO NON-CHRISTIAN AND
NON-MUSLIM ETHNIC GROUPS OF MINDANAO.
SUBANON
IS THE BIGGEST GROUP OF LUMAD IN ZAMBOANGA
DEL NORTE AND ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR.
 MANOBO
ARE FROM SARANGGANI ISLAND, DAVAO REGION,
AGUSAN PROVINCE, AND BUKIDNON.
 T’BOLI
IS THE NAME OF ONE OF THE TRIBES OF SOUTH
COTABATO
MANSAKA
IS THE NAME OF ONE OF THE TRIBES FROM THE
PROVINCES OD DAVAO DEL NORTE AND
COMPOSTELA VALLEY,