Indigenous Music: This young T’boli lady renders a song in her native language and then translates and narrates the content of their show in perfect English.
Along with the traditional clothing (see The Colors of T’boli Women), the T’boli music and dances are among the indigenous cultural heritage that are at risk of disappearing because of various influences that younger generations are facing. Fortunately, there are sectors in the society, including those in the tourism industry, who strive to preserve these valuable cultural gems and showcase them for locals and tourists alike.
This lady plays the kubing, a jaw harp made of bamboo commonly used by indigenous tribes in Mindanao.
We just enjoyed a sumptuous lunch of native dishes and were on to our desserts when this couple of young T’boli women approached our table and explained that they are about to perform a T’boli cultural show for us. It was unexpected (it was our first time to have lunch at Punta Isla) but we gladly postponed our dessert and quickly grabbed our cameras as the two ladies started to play traditional sounds and danced for us. The cultural show was brief but it was enough for us to gain a deeper sense of the T’boli culture. After all, without their efforts, certain aspects of their culture may not survive the onslaught of outside influence.
Playing an indigenous beat using the traditional drum
A colorful dance rendition using the sarong
