The Pangalay Folk Dance of the Sulu Archipelago - Meaning, Music, Design and History [Traditional Yakan Dances of the Philippines]

The traditional dance form known as pangalay is widely practiced across the Sulu Archipelago, particularly among the Tausug, Sama or Samal, Sama Dilaut (often referred to as Badjao), Jama Mapun, and Yakan ethnic groups. Among the Yakan community, the dance is referred to as gandingan, while in Sama-speaking areas, it is commonly called igal. The term "pangalay" itself is derived from the Tausug verb mangalay, which means "to dance."

In the Yakan language, which is closely related to Sinama and Tausug, the dance is also called pansak or pamansak. A more formal version, known as gandingan, features composed and graceful movements and is typically performed during elite or royal gatherings. In the province of Tawi-Tawi, pamansak is synonymous with the acrobatic style known as pangalay ha taas patung, performed on elevated bamboo poles.

In Basilan, performances of gandingan or pamansak are accompanied by the tagungguh, a traditional musical ensemble made up of various gongs, including the kwintangan tumbaga, and the gandang, a split bamboo instrument. Dancers wear elaborate costumes: women wear olos (tubular skirts) and badju (tight-fitting tops), while men don sawwal (pants), kandit (a waist sash), and the symbolic pis (headcloth).

In Tawi-Tawi and Sulu, the dance is accompanied by the kulintangan ensemble, offering brisk rhythms that contrast the dance's slow, deliberate movements. Traditional attire includes colorful and modest garments such as the sablay (loose blouse), biyatawi (tight blouse), and either a patadjung or sawwal kantiu. Men also wear decorated badju, trousers, and a shoulder or head scarf for flair.

Stylistic Roots and Movements

Resembling other Southeast Asian classical dance forms like those from Thailand, Cambodia, and Bali, pangalay is often performed in open spaces or confined areas such as boats and homes. It is a contemplative form, marked by bent knees, flowing arm movements, and expressive hand gestures. Dancers maintain a composed facial expression, embodying grace and emotional restraint. Male dancers typically maintain a wider stance, while female dancers keep their knees close.

The arms and hands are vital to the performance, illustrating metaphors from nature—waves, wind, birds, and flowers. Variations in finger flicks, wrist turns, and arm gestures all contribute to the dance’s rich symbolic language. Mastering these nuances requires consistent practice and exposure to the dance’s many regional interpretations.

Courtship and Wedding Dances

Pangalay includes several sub-styles used in courtship and weddings. Dances such as pangilok and eringan (the latter using ornamental metal fingernails called janggay) are popular among the Sama. The igal ha agung portrays playful male pursuit, while pangasig features a male dancer teasing a female partner with a gong. In wedding rituals, the pangalay pangantin depicts the groom’s readiness to protect the bride, who dances behind a bridal veil. The climax is when the groom returns any dropped janggay to the bride.

Among the Yakan, the wedding ritual pegkawin features pamansak performances with martial elements (tumahik). A symbolic courtship unfolds during the pansak pagkawin, where the groom tries to catch the bride using his unwound sash—representing his commitment and protective role.

Specialized and Acrobatic Variants

A particularly challenging variation, pangalay ha taas patung, comes from Simunul, Tawi-Tawi. It involves a dancer balancing atop bamboo poles while partners perform martial movements below. Other versions are meant purely for entertainment, such as bula-bula (with clappers), tariray, and igal ha panyu, a game-like dance involving a handkerchief or stick.

Dalling-dalling or pangsangbay, a Tausug comedic performance, uses expressive fan work and extravagant costumes to interpret lyrics in a humorous way.

Ritual and Spiritual Dances

Several communities use pangalay-inspired dances in spiritual or healing rituals. The magjinn and magjuwata aim to expel malevolent spirits through trance and symbolic movements, often ending with the ritual leader using a yellow pis to revive the possessed. The magpugot, magsalba, and other variants are performed on auspicious lunar nights to forecast fortunes, retrieve stolen items, or heal the sick.

Mimetic and Thematic Interpretations

Many pangalay variations mimic animal behavior or human activities. Igal kussa imitates a boar struggling with a coconut, while linggisan portrays birds in flight. Kaba-kaba shows butterflies mating, and pagkamun represents a sea mantis. The humorous tawti tells the tale of fishermen catching slippery catfish, complete with comical pain reactions and lively movements.

Regional Identity through Movement

The Yakan of Lamitan have a specific version called pansak si karendehan or "dance of the maidens." This all-female dance showcases the signature arm and hand gestures of pangalay. One distinct Yakan movement, eddek, mimics rice planting and reflects the group's agricultural roots, contrasting with the seafaring identity of other groups in the archipelago.

Sources:

Amilbangsa, Ligaya Fernando. 1983. Pangalay: Traditional Dances and Related Folk Artistic Expressions. Makati: Ayala Museum, Filipinas Foundation Inc., and Ministry of Muslim Affairs.

———. 2012. “Method of Instruction for the Preservation and Conservation of the Pangalay Dance Tradition of the Sulu Archipelago, Lecture demonstration.” 29 September, Mindanao State University, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.

Pasilan, Earl Francis C. 2014. “Pansak Iyakanin: A Descriptive Movement Study and Documentation of Yakan Dances.” Philippine Folk Dance Society.

———. 2015. Phone interview by Rosalie S. Matilac from Metro Manila to Lamitan, Basilan, 3 January.