Philippine Folk Dance

1. Amaemaetatok/
Binanog
Agusan Manobo
Bird Dances

3. Introduction
 The Manobo are probably the
most numerous of the ethnic
groups of the Philippines in
terms of the relationships and
names of the various groups
that belong to this family of
languages.

4.  Mention has been made of the
numerous subgroups that
comprise the Manobo groups,
occupying core areas from
Sarangani island into the
Mindanao mainland in the
provinces of Agusan del
Sur, Davao provinces, Bukidnon,
and Cotabato.

5.  Manobo simply means “people”
or “person”; alternate names
include Manuvu and Minuvu.
 The term may have originated
from “Mansuba” a combination
of man (people) and suba
(river).

6.  The Manobo usually build their
villages near small bodies of
water or forest clearings,
although they also opt for
hillsides, rivers, valleys, and
plateaus.

7.  The Agusan Manobo
(Agusanon) is one of the
subgroups of the Manobo.
 They number about 60,000 and
live in the flood plains along the
mighty Agusan River and
adjacent foot hills of North
Central Mindanao

8.  They are scattered all over
Agusan del Norte, Agusan del
Sur, and Surigao del Sur.
 Traditionally, they practice slash-
and-burn agriculture.

9.  The various dances among the
Manobo entertain, educate, and
propitiate the gods.
 They have a repertoire of
beautiful dances that show high
elements of theater.

10.  Among their dances are the
sinundo/singangga, dance
ritual to ward off epidemic
busau; pangaliyag, courtship
dance; pangasawa, marriage
ritual; kinugsik-kugsik,
squirrel dance; saut, war dance;
and others

11.  The
Amaemaeyatok (Inamoyatok
and Tinambwatok) is a Manobo
term for woodpecker
(Dendrocopos sp.), a kind of
bird usually found in the forest
of the Agusan provinces.

12.  The Manobos love to imitate its
movement especially the
pecking on the bark of trees and
the echoing sound created.

13.  The Binanog is a dance
performed by a girl portraying a
graceful banog (hawk) in flight
searching for a prey.
 This dance has several versions
among the different Manobo
subgroups of Agusan, Surigao,
Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon.

14.  These mimetic
dances are usually performed
for entertainment during
the Kahimunan, a yearly
thanksgiving celebration of the
Agusan Manobo.

15. Etymology
 “Amaemaeyatok” is the
Agusan Manobo term for
woodpecker, from which the
movement of the dance mimics.

16.  “Binanog” takes its name from
the Manobo and Cebuano word
“banog” which refers to the bird
of prey , the hawk or
Brahminy kite.
 Thus binanog literally means
“like a hawk”

17. Dance Properties
 Dance Culture – Mindanao
Highland Indigenous
 Place of Origin – Agusan del Sur
 Ethnolinguistic Group – Agusan
Manobo
 Classification – Mimetic/Festival

19.  Music – Provided by
the agong (large
bossed gong) and
guimbae (small
cylindrical drum with
deer skin head)
 Time Signature –
4/4

20.  Amaemaeyatok
 Props – none
 Mood – pouted lips to simulate
woodpecker bills
 Stance – stooped
 Performers –Any number of boys
 Formation - any

21.  Binanog
 Props – Red square scarf held by
each hand
 Mood – fierce; head twists R and
L as if searching for a prey
 Stance – very stooped
 Performers – girl (solo)

22. Costume
 B:
 Umpak – jacket of two color
combination – red and black or
black and white accented with
intricate multicolored suyam
(embroideries) of x’s, crosses,
diamonds, zigzag designs on the
neckline, chest and cuffs

23.  Sawa – pants, either long or
calf-length with intricate suyam
at the seams and hems
 Tayubang – triangular red
headscarf with beads and yarn
 Bead necklaces, bracelets,
kneelets and anklets

25.  G:
 Umpak – long-sleeved pullover
jacket of two color combinations
– red and black – the chest is
black and the sides and sleeves
are red or vice versa
 Malong – tube skirt

26.  Saya – tailored version of a
skirt, usually red in color ; this
takes the place of the malong
 Both jacket and skirt are
accented with multicolored
suyam (embroideries) of the
same design as those of the
men’s costumes

27.  Jewelries include bead necklaces
(dumpas), bracelets (bukala),
waistband (bagakis), beadwork
headband (lampunaya),
braided wild boar’s bristles
fashioned into necklaces
(bayungkag), and brass
hawkbells (tungkaling) dangled
from the waistband and anklets.

30. Gestures and Steps for
Amaemaeyatok
 Gestures :
 Amaemaeyatok position –
Arms extended backward close
to the sides, palms down,
fingertips pointing backward;
lips pouted; head twisted to
different directions

31.  Extended arms – R extended
forward while the L is extended
backward ;R ear resting on
extended R arm
 Hands on waist
 Flying motion – arms moved
from sideward to upward
positions

32.  Steps :
 Amaemeayatok – Standing
with heels raised
 Maitok na yaksu – Leap on L,
step R in place or forward (ct 1)
 Yakang-sibog – Step hop R
and L; done with trunk bend
forward

33. Gestures and Steps for
Amaemaeyatok
 Gestures
 Binanog posture – with trunk
in stooped position, the arms are
extended backward; forward
shoulder rolls
 Arms extended sideward; flying
motion

34.  Arm swing – both arms swing
forward (2 cts); both arms swing
backward (2 cts.)
 Hands on hips or waist
 Shoulder rolls and shrugs

35.  Steps :
 Step close stamp (ct 1) – step R
forward, step L close to R;
stamp R forward
 Double close step (ct 1) to R or L
 Step hop

36. Amaemaeyatpk Dance Sequence
 Entrance – Gong Roll
 Walk to formation; arms in
amaemaeyatok

37.  Figure 1
 (Binanog Dance)
 Amaemaeyatok dancers freeze

38.  Figure 2
4M – Maitok na yaksu, bend trunk
R; flying motion
 4M – Yakang-sibog circling CW

39.  Figure 3
 4M – Tapping R in place; R side
facing audience; bend trunk R;
diagonal arms – R down and L
upward, jerky shift position
(after 2M)
 4M - repeat

40.  8M – Maitok na yaksu moving
CW; hands on waist
 8M – Maitok na yaksu moving
CCW

41.  Figure 4
 4M – Walking forward; bend
trunk; amaemaeyatok position
 4M – several turns R in place
 4M – R about, walking forward
 4M – several turns L

42.  Figure 5
 8M – Walking in circle CW;
amaemaeyatok position

43.  Figure 6
 6M - Yakang-sibog; R arm
forward
 2M – Steps turning R in place;
flying motions
 8M – Repeat
 3 – Fast turns R

44.  Pause – Assume position of
Figure 3
 Exit
 16M – One B mounts on
shoulders of the other; flying
motions

45. Binanog Dance Sequence
 Entrance – Gong Roll
 Running to formation; arms
extended backward

46.  Figure 1 – Binanog Dance
 4M – Stand on 4th; slowly move
the arms sideward ; shoulder
rolls
 4M - Double close steps R and
L; twist head to various
directions

47.  Figure 2
 8M – Step hops moving CW;
swing arms
 (Binanog and Amaemaeyatok in
two separate circles)

48.  Figure 3
 4M – Stand on 4th; extend arms
backward; shoulder rolls; twist
head
 4M – Step close stamp turning
R; extend arms to 2nd

49.  8M - Repeat
 4M – Pivot turn R; diagonal arms
 4M – Pivot turn L

50.  Figure 4
 Freeze
 (Amaemaeyatok dance)

51.  Figure 5 - Chase
 8M – Running in circle CW
pursuing the Amaemaeyatok;
flying motions

52.  Figure 6
 4M – Step hops moving in circle
R; swing arms
 4M – Repeat
 4M – Step close stamp moving
R; hands on waist
 4M – Step close stamp; turning
R in place
 4M – fast turns R

53.  Pause – Assume Banog position
 Exit
 16M – Running around
amaemaeyatok; flying motions

54. Sources
 Amaemaeyatok :
 PFDS Sayaw Volume 7
 pp. 11-14
 Researcher – Maria Chelo G. Loque
 Binanog:
 Researcher - Ms. Chona Ebarle
 Nasipit, Agusan del Norte