The elders of Ayta Magbukon are quite appreciative that the researcher chose to do this type of study because of its implications for cultural preservation. They are inspired to continue dancing and teaching to investigate their culture and norms in the modern world as a result of this study. It also acts as a resource and teaching materials for the generation that will instruct SLT in the future.

              In preservation of culture, especially dances, manuscript will be useful to upcoming researchers. And these dances that have been documented might be an excellent material to promote and nurture nationalism, patriotism, unity and love for one’s cultural heritage, cultural identity, and one’s people and own country.

 

Lists are the following dance practices of Ayta Magbukun of Abucay, Bataan

• Hayaw Bakulaw (Monkey dance). This dance got its name from the word bakulaw which is also known as monkey. This dance is considered the most famous dance of Aytas that imitates the movement and actions of monkeys in the forest. For the natives,

They treat the monkeys as their friends because they are with them whenever they plant in the forest. Because of long-time togetherness they were able to imitate the movements, actions and activities of the monkeys like, when searching for food, while looking up and scratching whenever insects or other animals bite them. This dance also shows when the monkeys are in a playful mood with the other monkeys. They will quickly run whenever the “barakong bakulaw” (the biggest of them) arrives. They climb or shake the trees. In this dance it is noticeable that there is a banana tree in the middle to show the process on how a monkey eats a banana, keeping in every side of his cheek the banana that they are eating. The hayaw bakulaw is usually performed by the male but this dance can also be performed by native female. The Aytas have seen the similar characteristic traits between a man and a monkey when it comes to love and care of the family. As a sign of respect to the animals in the forest, the Ayta Magbukon created this dance.

• Hayaw Pinanilan. Also known as the “Honey Bee Dance”. This dance displays the act of looking for beehives and gathering of the pulot panilan (honey bee). One of the major sources The income of the Ayta Magbukon in Bangkal, Bataan is the selling of honey bees during the dry The dance undergoes three stages; first, the searching for a possible beehive of bees which begins when the dancer stops in front of a tall tree.  The equipment used in this dance that produces smoke to shoo away the mother bees and the kawaan is called banuot. We can observe through their movements and actions the difficulties of gathering honey bees, especially when they show the feeling of pain from the bites of the bees.  When honeybees are gathered, they will perform a ritual which they call mamakan wherein they will leave a piece of umok (baby bees) and honey as an offering to the Anitos before they eat the honey bee they have gathered. We can see in this dance that the person gathering the honey must show his steadfastness, the patience, being careful, and perseverance which are the notable characteristics of native Aytas.
• Hayaw Pagbabakal (Planting dance). In this dance, the traditional method of planting rice is depicted by the natives in the upland by using the “balawang” and “baliway”. The movements of the male natives are being shown while holding a balawang or baliway in opening a small hole for the space for the palay seed wherein the female are the ones dropping the seeds (tagabudbod) in the hole. There is accompanying music while the female tagabudbod is moving forward while the male is moving backward. This dance is created to offer praises to the Anitos for bountiful

• Hayaw Yaham (Shrimp Dance). In this dance, the natives are imitating the movements and jumping of an “ulang” (shrimp) which is usually caught by the natives on the river. The shrimp is one of the favorite foods of the natives coming from river resources. The noticeable movement of this particular dance is going backward and it is being performed by female natives, since the females are the ones catching shrimp in the river.
• Hayaw Pandyadyawo (Fish-gathering dance). This dance depicts the traditional method of looking or searching for laman-awug (river resources) like fish, shrimp, suso (snail), dangloy, pabuka, dalag (catfish) from the river. The pandyadyawo is the term used by the Aytas in doing this activity. They may do this in the morning or in the evening. This activity is important for the Aytas since eating laman-awug is considered by them as one way to cure sickness. They ask for this whenever one member of the family is sick. By this the sick Ayta will start regaining his or her strength and appetite for eating. This dance practice is both performed by male and female Ayta.
• Hayaw Talipi (Fish dance). This dance is also known as Tinalipi from the word Talipi, a kind of fish that can be caught only from the rivers in the forest. They say that this fish which possesses the ability to stay or stick itself to the stones in the river will prevent the talipi from being carried away by the flow of the running water in the river. This fish also has the ability to protect itself by hiding at the back of stones. This dance uses a faster beat because the movements of the talipi like shaking of head and fast movement of body and feet are usually imitated by the male natives. The hands of the natives serve as the “palikpik” or fin and the feet depict the movement of the tail. The dance illustrated the characteristics of native Aytas on how they care and love nature and the Despite the global changes happening, the Aytas can retain their culture intact and preserved.
• Hayaw Panliligaw (Courtship Dance). We can see through this dance the approaches made by a young male Ayta in courting a young female Ayta. We can notice through the movement of this dance that the young female Ayta does not easily give up to the prodding of young male Aytas. The male Aytas dance in a circle form around the female Ayta who pays no attention. Everything will be done by the male Ayta for her to be chosen by the female Ayta. Upon winning, the male and female will celebrate as a form of gratitude for their love. This dance depicts the high respect of the male Ayta to the female Ayta that he has chosen. They will wait patiently to win the love of the female Ayta.
• Hayaw Pahahalamat (Blessings Dance). This dance is performed on rare occasions For example, if they have bountiful harvest from their gasak (swidden farming plots), the healing of a sick person, blessings received, and attendance to a thanksgiving activity. Everybody will attend to praise the Anitos and celebrate as a way of giving gratitude, surrender all to their Apo and closeness to nature.
• Hayaw Hapayan (Chain Dance). This dance is one of the most sacred traditions of Ayta Magbukon. The “Hapayan” can be performed only in a wake and every ninth day of a dead person. They explained that this ritual is a way of sympathy which they dubbed as Condoling with dancing with their desire to take away the pain and sorrow of an Ayta who has a dead relative. It is matched with uso (chanting) as a way of reciting the good deeds of the dead when he or she was still alive. Hapayan is being performed with the use of hambalilo (hat) made of buli and the elders are the ones who lead the dance since this is a dance for all, everybody who is there to sympathize may dance the hapayan. If the elders feel that there are two young male and females who manifest their love for each other, the elder may start to put the two hats over the head of the two. The two cannot resist or deny the actions of the elder, so they will go to the middle and dance then as they go dancing at the same time, they will look for another pair to continue the process of hapayan. The shouting will lead the pair to identify the next pair who will do the hapayan dance in the They are also happy when they were chosen to do the dance because they may have the chance to dance with their loved ones. This dance is a sign of condolence, unity and respect to fellow native Aytas.

 

The assertion that the Ayta Magbukon dance practices because of acculturation and assimilation is truthful considering that all evidence for an endangered dance practice is apparent such as the decreasing frequency of use. The evidence of acculturation and assimilation is also factual since there are already “Unats” in the village or in Bangkal because of marriage with the natives and vice-versa as confirmed by elders. The Aytas have scientific inclination by way of some actions exhibited by them for example, the use of some flowers and leaves of plants for medicine, telling of weather and the knowledge about the mating season and pregnancy of some animals. Ayta Magbukon has a simple cosmology and belief system even art forms and costumes because they focus more on their subsistence and they are very adaptive. Those Aytas, who are solely interested and appreciated the dance practices of the Ayta Magbukon, will be the ones who will carry on exploring from generations to generations. Most of the dances use the same or one set of music to accompany the dancers except the music in Hayaw Talipi which is played faster because of its fast movement.

By: MRS. MARIA CRISTINA Z. REYES | TEACHER III | BATAAN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL – JHS | BALANGA CITY, BATAAN