Music of Cordillera Grade - 7 1st Quarter.

Cordillera Administrative Region

Provinces
Abra
Apayao
Benguet
Ifugao
Kalinga
Mountain Province

Capital
Bangued
Kabugao
La Trinidad
Lagawe
Tabuk City
Bontoc

CORDILLERA
It is the country's only land-locked region. It has a mountainous topography and dubbed as the
"Watershed Cradle of North Luzon" as it hosts major rivers that provide continuous water for
irrigation and energy for Northern Luzon.
Characteristics of Music of Cordillera
1. Music is very much part of life and living
2. Have a rich variety of songs and music performed on instruments
3. Often performed in groups, all members of the community are welcome and encouraged to
join the singing, dancing and playing of instruments
4. Their music is communal and participatory
5. Songs are usually in unison of pentatonic melodies
6. Music and other components of their culture are transferred from generation to generation
through oral tradition.
Oral tradition is cultural material and traditions transmitted orally from one generation to
another. Oral may refer to speech communication as opposed to writing
Important Activities Where Music is Utilized
1. Peace pacts
2. Healing rituals
3. Invocation of the gods
4. Rites of passage
5. Weddings and festivals
6. Other life cycle events such as birth, coming of age, work, marriage and death
Vocal Music
Life Cycle Music Birth to Childhood
Owiwi - lullabye of Kalinga that relate a childs life
Dagdagay - song of Kalinga that foretells the babys future.
Oppiya- kalinga song, sung while cradling
Love, Courtship and Marriage
Chag-ay- an expression of secret love of Bontoc.
Oggayan- greeting and advice to newlyweds of Kalinga.
Death Rite Music
Didiyaw- song to a dead child of Bontoc
Sangsangit- a dirge of Isneg.
Work or Occupational Song
Sowe-ey- Rice pounding song of Bontoc.

Dakuyon- kalinga song for hunting bats.

Dinaweg- Ilongot song for catching wild boar.
Owayat- song for gathering firewood of Ilongot.
Chey-assa- Bontoc rice pounding song sung in a groups.

Ceremonial Music
Kapya- song of Bontoc for curing ceremonies.
Angba- song of Bontoc for curing ceremonies.
Dawak- song of Ilongot for curing ceremonies.
Entertainment Song
Hudhud- epic song of Ifugao, a leader chorus style.
Alim- leader chorus style of music of Ifugao where to groups of singers reply to 2 make leaders.
Dang Dang-ay- Kalinga entertainment song
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
1. GANGSA is a single hand-held smooth surfaced gong with a narrow rim. A set of gangsa, which
is played one gong per musician, consists of gangsa tuned to different notes, depending on
regional or local cultural preferences.
Gangsa is played in two ways. One way is called "toppaya" and the other is called "pattung." In
"toppaya" style, the musicians play the surface of the gangsa with their hand while in a sitting
position, with a single gangsa resting on the lap of each musician.
In the "pattung" style, a gangsa is suspended from the musician's left hand and played with a
padded stick held in the musician's right hand. In the "pattung" style of playing, the players are
standing, or they keep in step with the dancers while bending forward slightly.
2. KALALENG OR TONGALI (nose flute) Because the kalaleng is long and has a narrow internal
diameter, it is possible to play different harmonics through overblowingeven with the rather
weak airflow from one nostril. Thus, this nose flute can play notes in a range of two and a half
octaves. Finger holes in the side of the bamboo tube change the operating length, giving various
scales. Players plug the other nostril to increase the force of their breath through the flute.
3. TONGATONG -is a bamboo percussion instrument used by the people of Kalinga to
communicate with spirits during house blessings. It is made of bamboo cut in various lengths.
4. DIWDIW-as is 5 or more different size of slender bamboo that is tied together.
5. SAGGEYPO it is a bamboo pipe that is closed on one end by a node with the open end held
against the lower lip of the player as he blows directly across the top. The pipe can be played
individually by one person or in ensembles of three or more.
6. SOLIBAO is hallow wooden Igorot drug topped with pig skin or lizard skin this is played by
striking the drum head using the palm of the hand.
7. BUNGKAKA- bamboo buzzer of Kalinga.
8. KULLITONG- polychordal bamboo tube zither of Kalinga
9. ULIBAW- bamboo Jews harp of Kalinga. ( Called as Kubing among the among the
Maguindanaon and other Muslim and non- Muslim tribes.)
10. PATANGGUK- bamboo quill-shaped
11. PATETEG- bamboo leg xylophone
12. PALDONG- bamboo lip-valley