Singkil

Singkil (Jawi: سيڠكيل) is a folk dance from the Philippines. It comes from the Maranao Muslim people who live near Lake Lanao in Mindanao. It's called the

Singkil
Singkil dancers performing the dance.

Singkil (Jawi: سيڠكيل) is a folk dance from the Philippines. It comes from the Maranao Muslim people who live near Lake Lanao in Mindanao. It's called the royal dance because it's like a dance for a prince and princess. They move gracefully between bamboo poles that people clap together to make music. The man usually holds a sword and shield, while the woman twirls fans in a beautiful way.[1][2]

This dance gets its name from the bells on the ankles of the Maranao princess called "Singkil". It's always performed with a special kind of music played on kulintang and agung instruments. Singkil has changed over time, especially when the Bayanihan folk dance group added parts of the Darangen epic story, like the tale of Prince Bantugan and Princess Gandingan.[3][4]

History

Singkil's beginnings are uncertain, but it's a newer tradition among the Maranao people. Some say it started in Basak and spread to other villages in the 1930s, while others believe it came to Lanao from Cotabato. It's thought to have begun when folk dancing was introduced in Lanao's schools in the early 1900s.[5]

Main dancer of the Singkil, depicting a Maranao princess.

Henrietta Hofer-Ele was one of the first to study the dance, which she saw in Marawi. With the help of Princess Tarhata Alonto-Lucman, she learned the dance's movements involving fans. Later, the Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company performed it as a special dance.[6]

Story

Singkil dance post card from the Philippines.

The singkil is one of the most popular dances in the Philippines. It involves bamboo poles and fast footwork. It tells a story about a princess lost in a stormy forest and the prince who rescues her. A woman wears a colorful gown and acts as the princess. She holds two fans and wears ankle bells called singkil, which gives the dance its name. Servants dance around her and hold a umbrella to protect her. The storm begins with four men acting as angry monkeys, banging bamboo poles on the floor. The princess and her servants dance between the poles without touching them. The storm gets worse, and the bamboo poles move faster, making it hard to hear the singkil bells. The dance ends when the prince scares away the storm.[7]

Bayanihan Dance Company

The Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company of the Philippine Women's University expanded Singkil with more characters, like warriors and a prince. They included parts of the Darangen epic, where Prince Bantugan saves Princess Gandingan during an earthquake.[8] In the dance, the lead female dancer represents Princess Gandingan, showing a story from the Darangen epic. She dances alone between bamboo poles while others use fans and play the role of Prince Bantugan.[9]

Some writers criticized Bayanihan's performance, saying it didn't match Maranao traditions, especially by calling it a royal dance. Bayanihan has since made changes, describing their dance as inspired by the Maranao epic Darangen. They have since followed Maranao Islamic custom more closely, such as male dancers wear long-sleeved garments.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Namiki, K. (2016). Dancing in the margins: The politics of national and local identity among the Maranao and Kalinga in the Philippines (Thesis). Singapore: National University of Singapore.
  2. ↑ Richards, Anne R.; Omidvar, Iraj (2014-02-10). Muslims and American Popular Culture [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0-313-37963-5.
  3. ↑ Namiki, Kanami (2011). "Hybridity and national identity: Different perspectives of two national folk dance companies in the Philippines". SPECIAL ISSUE: Cultural Hybridities of the Philippines.
  4. ↑ Nickles, Greg (2002). Philippines - The Culture. Crabtree Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-7787-9354-0.
  5. ↑ Namiki, Kanami (2017-10-02). Ramon Obusan, Philippine Folkdance and Me: From the Perspective of a Japanese Dancer. Anvil Publishing, Inc. ISBN 978-971-27-3051-1.
  6. ↑ Shay, Anthony (2014-01-10). Choreographing Identities: Folk Dance, Ethnicity and Festival in the United States and Canada. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-5153-1.
  7. ↑ Nickles, Greg (2002). Philippines - The Culture. Crabtree Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-7787-9354-0.
  8. ↑ Firmansyah, Dian Bayu; Muttaqin, Usep; Dhyaningrum, Ambhita; Prasetyoningsih, Tri Wahyu Setiawan (2023-03-26). Proceedings of the International Conference on Academia-Based Tourism Revival 2022 (ABTR 2022). Springer Nature. ISBN 978-2-38476-028-2.
  9. ↑ Espiritu, Roddy (2013-03-07). Tagtaginep - My Dream of Opportunity. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 978-1-4797-5106-8.
  10. ↑ Namiki, Kanami (2017-10-02). Ramon Obusan, Philippine Folkdance and Me: From the Perspective of a Japanese Dancer. Anvil Publishing, Inc. ISBN 978-971-27-3051-1.

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