Prepared by: Geraldine D. Reyes

MANOBO MUSIC

Manobo musical instruments

MANOBO MUSIC- is a general term for various groups of people mainly occupying the highlands of Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Bukidnon, Agusan and Davao.

  GONG ENSEMBLES – Ahong (Magpet)- 8 gongs , Sagagong- 5 small

hand-held gongs struck with padded sticks.  Ahong- 10 small knobbed gongs hung vertically on a frame usually in a

triangular formation with a smallest gong at the apex. Kaantuhan – higher -pitched gongs which carry the melody. Player

stands as he strikes his melodic patterns on gongs Gandingan- 3 lower- pitched gongs providing a melodic ostinato. Players

strikes gongs 7,8, and 9 occasionally gong 6. Bandil – lowest pitched gongs which sets the tempo. Player is confined to

gong 10 Ahong is heard during festive occasions and has its repertoire pieces

entitled: Panihuman (Conversation), Badbad ( thanksgiving), Tukubong

(reconciliation) and Malando’y ( clan reunion). In the municipality of Pres. Roxas and sitio Kabalantian in Magpet the

Manobo gong set called Tagungguan one provides the basic tempo on gong 6 or 8.While the other plays the melody on the remaining gongs. Tagungguan is used in an ensemble with a drum called gibba and a pair or sticks called pagakpak at agricultural rituals and festive occasions where it usually accompanies dances.

Tagungguan- are Managway nag sinagkaw (crying lady), Abadti (thanksgiving), Panihuman ( merry making), Babang ngat ( a dance music) and Tagunguan/Tagungga (playing Tagungguan music)

Manobo Gong Ensemble- from Kulaman Valley Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat referred to as sagagong.

Manobo Gong Ensemble is similar to the Tiruray sagagong where each of 5 performers carries a single song by its short string as he strikes his particular rhythmic pattern. When only 4 players perform , the 2nd and 3rd gongs are assigned to one person.

Sagagong-is played during festive gatherings and among its pieces are Deket-Deket, Talibenan, Tulos, Funinko and Mandiser,the last 3 of which are dance pieces .

Sauray- bamboo tube zither of the Manobo. In Magpet sauray plays pieces of the gong ensemble and accompanies songs like Lahinat ko Maandas (stand up maandas)

Saluray/Tugo-has anywhere from 5-9 strings lifted up from the hard skin of the tube itself. In Kulaman Valley many pieces of the tugo are programmatic such as Lambag dagat (waves of the sea), Dagi sigkil (tiny bells of anklets), Kagit batako ( a man wading in the water looking for his lost brother), Hamelin a tao namatay (advice from a dying man) and Hambog Nonoy (Nonoy the braggart).

Kuglong- another string instrument of the Manobo in Magpet and Pres.Roxas Accompanies songs such as Iyanad so anak ko ( go to sleep my baby), Talukaw (a tree), Nakad sandita (a lady regretting her fate), Eslole (slowly) and Alimogkat (godess of the river)

Faglong- in Kulaman Valley. Dakal Faglong is a piece with dance.

This 2 –stringed lute is played during agricultural rites, courtship, marriage and death. It accompanies songs and dances witn the performer usually singing, dancing and playing the lute at the same time. The 2 –string lute may be played solo or an ensemble with a saluray and a ring -type bamboo flute with 4 fingerholes called Lantoy.

Lantoy- used as a solo instrument to play tunes of vocal songs like the epic Umahingan and to accompany songs like Baya-Baya which tells of life experiences.

Pundag- another bamboo flute in Pres. RoxasFlandag- in Kulaman Valley features a notch in its blowing end and

has 3 fingerholes plus a thumbhole.Examples Of its repertoire are: Duyoy Tomas (song of a hen),

Malakufak (a singing bird), Tingkalong (fox), Daleway ( a girl mourning her father’s death), Duyoy bata (song of a woman about to be married) and Hongti hai ( remembrance)

Kombeng- Manobo flutes like bamboo jaws harp, used for courtship and entertainment or to express their feelings.

Other instruments particularly found in Kulaman Valley: sluloy (small flute), lutang ( 3-5 suspended logs), taluan/salagaan (long drum), takumba (2-stringed parallel zither), duwagey (singe stringedbowed fiddle), slagi-large song which is used to call people to gather.

Manobo vocal music- characterized by narrative songs,lullabies and songs of nature.

Important song type is the epic Uwahingan whose equivalent in the Kulaman Valley is Duyoy Tugudon

Nalit- a type of song that relates life experiences.Dagi pla- enitled Fotfot is sung during wakes and social gatherings.

Gandingan

Bandil

saluray

Duwagey