The Karal Kafi is a popular dance among the B'laan people performed during celebrations. It mimics the movements of the male kafi bird. Dancers wear traditional B'laan costumes and manipulate a cloth around their necks to resemble the bird's wings. The dance involves steps like blaling and snud I bli as well as gestures imitating the bird preening itself. Though originally free-form, the dance now has choreographed sequences incorporating figures that depict the bird flying, turning, and preening through movements of the feet, arms, and cloth representing wings.

1. KARAL KAFI
(B’laan Bird Dance)

3. Introduction
• B’laan refers to “the people living in
houses”, an ethnoliguistic group living in
the areas of Davao del Sur, South
Cotabato and Sarangani.
• The B’laan community are basically
swidden farmers who tend to small fields
in the forest clearing

4. • The kafi bird is almost as legendary as
the beautiful maidens who mimic them
in dance.
• Taking inspiration from the male kafi who
spread their wings to display colorful
plumage, the dancers don themselves in
the best finery during their dance.

5. • The Karal Kafi ranks the most popular dance
tradition of the B’laan, so that no festivity is
complete without the performance of this
dance.
• Each Kafi dance is unique because the
performance depends upon the skill and
artistry of the performer.

6. Etymology
• Karal is B’laan for dance; kafi is a name of
a bird
• Karal Kafi literally means “dance of the
kafi bird”

8. Dance Properties
• Dance Culture – Highland Indigenous
• Place of Origin – Davao del Sur
• Ethnolinguistic Group – B’laan
• Classification – Mimetic
• Props - “kumut” (malong) slung around
the neck manipulated to resemble bird
wings

10. • Music – Tangunggo (suspended gongs),
gimbal (drum), agung (large gong)
• Time signature – 4/4 and 2/4
• Stance – slightly stooped
• Performers – All girls

11. • B’laan Costume
• Albong takmun (blue and red pull over
blouse accented with mother-of-pearl
sequins)
• Gitlong (hemp tube skirt or Maguindanaon
plaid malong)
• Kumut (plaid malong slung around the neck)
• Accessories (beaded comb, bracelets, singkil
- anklets, earrings, sabitan guling –
beadwork belt with dangling bells)

14. Basic Steps
• Blaling – with the feet in 3rd (R foot front)
execute tiny steps, L heel slightly raised
• Snud I bli – creeping movement of the
feet close to each other

15. • Arm Movements :
• Talmayak – Arms sideward, hands at
waist level with palms down
• Talmayak inkam – crossed arms front R
(L) over L (R)
• Blaling – One arm extended forward
while other is in rear or on waist

17. • Note :
• The original form of this dance has no
formal pattern or choreography; the
dancer may go though the dance
combining the movements in a variety of
ways

18. Choreographed Sequence
4/4 time
• Entrance
• 16M – Execute heavy running steps
moving around the dance area, move the
arms from talmayak to talmayak inkam
(2M) several times

19. • Figure 1 (Holding edges of the kumut)
• 4M – feet in 3rd, slight spring of both
knees while executing the blaling R (2M)
and L (2M); bend trunk to the direction
of extended arm
• 4M – Repeat
• 4M – Blaling steps turning R 2X (fast
turns); arms in blaling R
• 4M – Blaling steps turning L 2X (fast
turns); arms in blaling L

20. • Figure 2 (Holding the kumut)
• 2M – Snud I bli moving fwd; arms in
talmayak
• 2M – Snud I bli bwd
• 2M – Snud I bli fwd
• 2M – blaling fast turn L
• 8 - Repeat

21. • Figure 3 Release the kumut (Talmayak
and Talmayak Inkam)
• 2M – Snud I bli in place facing audience;
bring arms to cross arm position;
• 2M – Bring arms to 2nd position
• 4M – talmayak flying motions
• 8M – Fafieu bawo
(preening/beautification gesture)

22. • Figure 4 Flying (Blaling R and L
alternately)
• 8M – Heavy running steps; arms in
blaling R and L alternately
• 2M – Blaling R; moving obliquely fwd R
• 2M – Blaling R; moving obliquely bwd L
2M – Blaling R; moving obliquely fwd R
2M – Blaling L; fast turn L

23. • Figure 5
• 4M – Snud I bli in place; Arms directed L
with palms facing out, move arms in fast
tiny circular motions;
• 4M – Fafieu bawo gestures
• 8M – Arms in talmayak, holding the
kumut; execute controlled pushing
gestures; feet in snud I bli

24. • Figure 6
• 2M – Blaling R
• 2M – Blaling L
• 4M – Blaling R fast turn
• 8M – Repeat starting Blaling L

25. • Figure 7
• 8M – Heavy running steps around the
floor ; fast talmayak inkam (once per M)
• 4M – facing R side, arms in talmayak
holding kumut, move bwd in snud I bli;
• 4M – facing L side, arms in talmayak,
move bwd in snud I bli

26. • Exit Figure
• 4M – blaling fast turn R
• 1M – pose – feet in 3rd, agam L