Philippine Folk Dances Mimicking Animals

Traditional Philippine Dances

• Pangalay dance from Sulu mimics the movements of sea birds
• Mandaya's Kinabua, Banog banog, and ma-manok from Mindanao imitate the movements of predatory birds
• Talip dance from Ifugao is used for courtship and mimics the movements of wild fowls
• Inamo dance from Matigsalug and Kadaliwas dance from T'Boli represent the comedic movement of monkeys
• Tinikling dance is evocative of the movements of cranes, balancing on stilt-like legs or flirting away from bamboo traps

Traditional Philippine Artworks

• Bulul carvings from Cordillera are granary gods that play an important role in rituals
• Hagabi is a wooden bench from Ifugao
• Santos/sculptures of saints are from Laguna and Pampanga
• Okir is a mythical sarimanok, naga, or serpent from Tausug/Samal/Badjao
• Manunggul Jar was discovered at Manunggul cave of Palawan

Traditional Philippine Textile Weaving

• Pis siyabit is a headpiece woven by Tausug of Sulu
• Malong is a textile woven by Maranao of Lanao del Sur
• Tepo mat is a double-layered mat made of Pandan leaves woven by Sama of Tawi-Tawi
• Ovaloid basket is a head sling made of nito or bamboo used to carry harvests from Itbayat, Batanes
• Bubo is a sturdy bamboo strip used to trap fish from the Ilocos region

Traditional Philippine Ornamentation

• Wearing gold jewelry is a tradition of the upper class Tagalog
• Tattooing is a tradition of the Visayan, believed to protect individuals from evil spirits, and is a sign of bravery and maturity