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.
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
18.
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
24.
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.
28.
29.
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
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
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
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