SUA KU

SUA
 Background/ context:
The Tausug of Sulu, Southern Philippines, though known as fearsome warriors are also
better known as sturdy seafarers and hardy farmers. Extensive orchads are planted with
coconuts and pomelos and fields with with staples like rice and root crops.

At harvest time, pomelo fruits are gathered in big baskets before they are sent away. The
tausugs depend strongly on the income the pomelo bring them and this relationship is
romanticized by comparing the suas gentle leaves, slender branches, attractive fruit and
fragrant flowers to the virtue of a lady. Put to music. It is this
song that is sang by couples
while flapping two white fans
each resembling leaves
rustling in the wind in the sua-ku-sua
dance. Sua- ku-sua
performers, some men but
especially women come to
the festatives with face thickly
covered with finely ground
rice powder and their
eyebrows and sideburns
enhanced with soot- all for
beautys sake.

MOVements/steps particular to dance:

FORMATION: This is danced by one couple but any number may take part. The dancers hold
the open fans with the second and third fingers on one side towards the top, and the thumb,
fourth, and little fingers are under on the other side. Partners stand opposite each other
about eight feet apart, the girl at the right side of her partner when facing the audience.

SUA-SUA STEP. Point R (or L) in fourth in front (ct. 1), slide forward with the toes of the same
foot and put the weight on the whole sole of the other foot. This step is used throughout the
dance.
ARM MOVEMENTS. With an open fan held in each hand hold
arms in second position or at shoulder level turn the hands (from the wrists only) in a
horizontal figure eight motion. It takes two counts to complete a figure eight motion.
Dance properties:
COSTUME:
FEMALE:
Female Top (Barawasi): Traditional loose blouse, decorated with many tiny brass buttons. Material:
long sleeves with deep, plunging key hole neckline; Printed or plain Chinese silk or cotton.
extra panels attached to the right and left chest Pants (Sawal or Kantiu): Loose Chinese pants with
a 10 inch soft white band (coco curdo) attached to a
wide waist. To tuck the Suggested Footwear : Dancers are barefoot.
pants in, the white band
is overlapped in front ,
MALE:
one side on top of the Male Top (Bajo): Short waist collarless shirt;
other and rolled out to open front with the right panel overlapping the left,
form a tight belt. studded with many tiny brass buttons and is not
intended to close the front but used as an additional
Material: Chinese silk or
shirt decoration. The shirt is allowed to drop on the
any silky material
right side Material: Printed or plain Chinese silk or
preferably in navy blue,
cotton.
sunshine yellow, grass
Pants (Sawal or Kantiu): Similar to the pants of
green, red, or orange
females but in darker colors and bolder design.
colors.
Accessories: Money belt, Sarok hat, Pis siyabit
Shoulder Band
(rectangular hand-woven scarf tied on the head or
(Siyag): A separate wrap-
hung loosely over one shoulder) , Kris (wavy knife)
around malong of rich
or barong (leaf- knife)
material strung over the
Suggested Footwear: Dancers are barefoot
right shoulder crossing the chest and hanging on the
Music 2/4 and 4/4; composed of three parts- A,
left side.
B, . Gabbang bamboo xylophone are shaped- like a
Headpiece: There are three choices: 1. Gold or
small boat. Bamboo slats are thinned and cut to
brass filigree called tusuk 2. Paper bills pasted on
graduated sizes to produce three octaves of pentatonic
slender sticks; 3. Pasteboard cut-outs in the front tip 8-
scale.
10 inches high , similar to Chinese crowns covered
Count: One, two to a measure in 2/4 time
with gold foil.
Accessories: Gold or imitation gold earrings, signature; 1, 2, 3, 4 to a measure in 4/4 time signature.
necklace, bracelets, and brooches.
 Group iv
Benavidez, Azhley Kaye D.
Picarzos, Rafael Rey
Bantaran, Kobe A.
Deduque, John Edward
Ragudo, Francis C.
Alandra, Cristy
Higuit, Claire Nicole
Cerbito, Farry Jean
 Lyrics:
Dancers sing as they perform the dance. The natives often repeat the dance as many times
as they like or until they are made to stop. The song goes this way.

Sua-ko; Sua-ko, yampa tia num

Sua-ko; Sua-ko, yampa tia num
Ah-Mag dahon pa unom unom
Ah-Mag dahon pa unom unom

Bang ma-ka tum-tum panon

Bang ma-ka tum-tum panon
Ah atay ko mag ka gomon
Ah atay ko mag ka gomon

Kan ka pilaran, cambia sara-ran

Di ka dua han, di ka imanan
Ah mag pe-pin-tas, ha-la-man
Ah mag pe-pin-tas, da koman

Kan kapilaran-iman

Muslim

Sua ko Sua
Dance:
 Meaning: My pomelo tree
Dance Culture: Lowland Muslim (Coastal)
Place of Origin: Jolo, Sulu
Ethnolinguistic Group: Tausog
Classification: Mimetic, Courtship
Performers: Male, Female

The dependence of the Tausog on the pomelo tree and its fruits have created a
bond between the two which prompted the Tausog of Jolo, Sulu to make a dance
honoring the latter.
The Sua-Ku-Sua or
my pomelo tree is
a dance that likens
the suas gentle
leaves, attractive
fruits, its fragrance
and slender body to
that of a lady.
Performed by
couples, the Sua-Ku-
Sua dancers make
use of two white
fans that are
swayed, as if to
signify the swaying
of the leaves of the
sua tree while singing along with the music in their rice powder-covered faces.